Stranger

Chapter three- Stranger

Sarah's fear disappeared rather quickly. Staring in the very definition of confusion. Her wide gray eyes blinked. And the boy still trapped in the wrecked crate blinked as well.

Even the moon couldn't have stared as long as they did. Before the boy finally started to thrash back and forth inside the crate. Sarah lifted a small hand and brought it fearfully to her chest. She took a few staggered steps back and continued to stare. Her little body trembled and the nightgown she wore started to flutter in the breeze.

The cold finally found its way into her skin. 

Clawing at her security and her heart. She shuttered as the crate began to bend and crack under the little filthy furious bundle. Until it finally gave way from its will and broke into pieces. 

A strange yelp came from the shaggy boy as the he landed to the frozen stone ground with a thud. Then a groan. When he finally managed to stagger to his feet, his eyes immediately became glued to the girl who had stared at him, but did not cry. 

His skin was a heavy tan coated with dirt. Cuts and bruises lay in patterns but his skinny form was more than obvious. His ragged clothing barely fit him. An overly baggy shirt, torn on the side and beginning to unravel itself and what used to be pants, not even coming close to his ankles and hugged on his thighs. His large golden eyes narrowed at the girl and his lips curled into a snarl. His shaggy oak hair came to his shoulders and blew in the wind, obviously uncut in a long time.

Sarah took a step back, the cold stone on her feet was nothing compared to the cold dread that started to seep into her heart. Her mouth became dry and her eyes shimmered like water. Dead straight black hair rolling in the wind as her pink lips trembled. Alice remained discarded on the stone, her dark eyes hidden against the cold winds, but still smiling softly.

He took a threatening step forward on calloused feet. And that was all that was needed for her. Alice was forgotten in a second. Little Sarah was flying through the ally ways of the massive city. 

Everything took a different tone. The buildings, used to be so comforting now loomed over her head as giant shadows threatening to engulf her. The familiar paths she took so many times became labyrinths holding monsters at each end. The wind that used to tickle her face now struck her with harsh bursts of cold. The moon that looked so playful now reminding her why she shouldn't have left. Hot tears rolled down her face as her feet became a blur. Everything was scary, everything was different, everything was cold. Except for the voice behind her that echoed through the treacherous ally.

"STOP!"

But Sarah didn't stop. Her black hair whipped behind her as she took sharp turns through the allies. Not even trying to remember where she was anymore. The strands would always linger just long enough. The boy was already panting. Chasing her through the streets with wide gold eyes. 

What Sarah didn't know was that in his scraped hands lay a smiling face.

She took twists and turns, and he was just barely able to catch a glimpse of her that told him where to go next. She dodged the crates that lay in the streets with ease, until the wind decided that their little game would come to an end. It spoke sharply and shoved a box off of a stack with tough shoulders into the ally way where the terrified girl was running. Smashing into the wall and twirling out of control, but the girl couldn't stop fast enough. Her knee hit the falling crate and she was sent sprawling over it, her elbow scraped, her foot was smashed by the crate's corner before it landed to a stop on her shin. Painfully digging in with its splintering fingers into her soft skin.

She cried out from the harsh landing, her head bouncing off of the cold and heartless stone causing a cut just above her eye. The chase was over, no matter how hard she struggled to pry her leg from the menacing box. Her heartbeat hammered into the injured limb in pulses of pain that made her eyes well up with tears again. Her body twisted in such a way that her foot was being crushed underneath the weight of the box.

The boy stumbled into the ally then. His shoulder landed on the cold stone that was the wall. His panting breaths puffs of white in the biting air. His limbs ached, and Alice dangled by one of her hand-less arms in the boys grip. He opened his eyes after the brief break of exhaustion. Only for his eyes to grow wide once more. 

Her body shook with silent sobs as the boy took in her situation. Her silk shadowy hair lay sprawled across the ground in far reaches. He stumbled over to her and fell to his knees next to the figure. She made a squeak and brought her hands over her head. Cowering in fear. He stared at this for only a moment, before his gaze went to the crate. 

"I got you." His voice was no longer dangerous. Instead it was almost worried, her eyes lifted up, still spilling like a waterfall but her gaze rested on the skinny figure. His hands came to the side of the box and he shoved with all his might. She cried out as it raked against her ankle before the triumphant child slammed its side into the ground. Defeat!

Her first instinct was to bring the splintered and bleeding limb closer to her. Her teeth gritted together and her lips quivered in pain. Black strands of hair falling into her shut eyes. The boy stared, feeling semi-guilty about the events. He dropped the doll to the stone ground and turned on his heel. 

"W-Wait."

Her little voice shook but her eyes were open. Her hands against the freezing ground and trying to stand. He looked over his shoulder, only for his golden eyes to grow a fraction wider as she slumped against the wall. Goosebumps coated her skin as well as dirt from the fall. She slowly pushed herself up, staying off of her already bruising leg. She tilted her head forward and they locked eyes. 

He swallowed. Her eyes were still glassy from tears but she started limping towards him. Alice still remained discarded on the stone. 

"Why did you run?" 

He asked finally, after a silence passed. She finally broke the gaze. Wandering over his features. 

"You scared me," She answered honestly. "Why did you follow me?" 

His lips quirked in a slight grin. "You dropped your doll. My turn,"

 he turned on his heel again facing her. His eyes shown with fun that honestly caught her off guard. 

"why didn't you scream?" 

She blinked. Realizing their pattern and she looked up at him. "Hey! I wasn't that scared! my turn!"

 A small smile went over her cheeks and she stood up taller. "Why did you push the box off of me?" 

He shrugged. "Was I supposed to leave you there? Why did you stop me?"

He honestly wasn't expecting an answer but her grin answered anyways. "I wanted to know your name!" Her voice was happy. All fear was forgotten between the two. His eyes went even wider and pink spread over his cheeks, barely masked by the dark shadow of the ally. "Y-You want to know my name? why?" She laughed at his stutter. Which only caused the blush to increase over his cheeks. "Because, you saved me! So now I want to repay you." 

"J-Jack." he managed to answer. She giggled slightly. "Nice to meet you Jack. I'm Sarah." With that she held out her clean, soft hand without a care in the world. Hesitantly he took it. They gripped each other and he laughed slightly. "Pretty name." This caused her cheeks to take a blush. But she grinned non the less. 

"Come with me." She limped, keeping his hand firmly clamped by her own. "Hey! Where are you going?" He asked a little surprised, bumping into the crate that still lay defeated. "You mean where are we going? We are going to my house! you need a bath! and a haircut! and a band-aid!!"

Reviews

[Yyanna Lee Michaels]

Great suspense...I kept reading unable to stop for a break. Love the imagery and how to keep your audience captivated.

[Skie blue.]

Thank you very much and I apologize I haven't been able to work on it lately! Its great to know that someone likes this piece of writing so thank you again!