Chapter 2, Ten Years Later

A Chapter by Matilda Bradley

spoiler alert In chapter one her parents die and she is saved my someone she thought she would never see again

Ten years later and I have never spoken to the strange man who saved my life. I was only six years old, but I grew up that day. I now live in a home for girls in Seattle. It may seem unusual that my best friend is a boy, given that I live in a girls home. He is my best friend, though. I don't know what I would do without him. His name is Toby Brenan. "Toby!" I call as I'm walking home from school on the gloomy, wet Thursday. He runs across the street to meet me. "Walk you home?" He asks, smiling. When he smiles, its like the world isn't gloomy anymore and everything all right. I have a best friend who cares about me, and he knows that ever since I came to this place, I don't ever want to be alone. My feeling of always being watched was getting to strong to ignore. I knew that is worst came to worst, Toby would protect me. I realized I was deep in thought, staring at him. "Well, do you want me to walk you home or are we just going to stand here?" Toby said. I laughed. "Lets go." I replied. He had a way of making me feel better, if I was upset because one of the girl that I lived with left. I'd call him. We would walk around together and sometimes we would walk across the street and he would buy me a cupcake at the bakery that I loved. "What's wrong? You look terrible. I-I mean, you don't look terr-" He stuttered. He thought it was embarrassing, but I thought it was funny. I just laughed. "Cupcake?" he said, stopping. "I'd love one." I said. "Oh! I almost forgot! Happy Birthday Max!" He yelled. I smiled, he was the only one that I let him call me 'Max'. My name is Kate Maxwell Bryan. He said Kate was too common, so he calls me Max. We walked, or ran to the cupcake shop. "We can put a candle on it for you!" Toby said, we both were laughing so hard we had to slow down. "Why are we laughing?" I asked. We shrugged. He covered my eyes, "What are you doing?" I tried to pull his hand of my face, I failed. We walked into the bakery, the familiar smells of the best cakes and breads I had ever had. Toby moved his hand and all the girl from my home jumped out a screamed "Surprise!!"
"Toby! You did this! Thank you so much!" I gave him a hug. I was so happy I could burst. My joy was interrupted when a tall man wearing a black suit and thick sunglasses came in. He took off his glasses and looked in my eyes. I couldn't breathe.

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