anything happen to her,” Noah said, turning to leave
the room.
“Noah, wait!”
Noah didn’t hesitate, just turned and fled down the stairs.
“What’s he doing?” you whispered, looking to Ethan.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know, but he’s going to get
himself killed. We have to get out of here.” He peered through the curtain.
“The garden is clear. We might make it out of town if we go now.” He slid a
pair of boots out from under the bed and passed them to you. “Come on.”
Choice: 40. Leave Noah Behind or 41. Let Ethan Go Alone
31. STAY WITH THEM
It was supposed to be a temporary situation, but you ended up
staying with them for over two years. You helped Adina keep the house clean
while the boys went to school and picked up odd jobs around the town,
delivering newspapers and running errands. You earned enough money to pay Adina
rent and buy your own food.
Ethan became like a brother to you, reassuring you that your
father wasn’t looking for you, that he’d probably left town, that you’d
probably never see him again. He’d gone with you and Noah several times to
fetch clothes from the house. You began to think that maybe he was right when
nothing changed in the house but the gradual creep of the vines towards the
windows.
You became closer to Noah too, but it was different to with
Ethan. With Noah, the more time you spent with him, the more time you wanted to
spend with him. He made you smile whenever you felt sad, sat up with you late
into the night when you were worried about your father and always knew what to
say to make you feel better, no matter how bad your day had been. He even gave
you a nickname – parahe , an Ethigot word meaning protector .
He was sitting with you the night that they came. You were
sitting together on the floor of the bedroom, the tiny candle barely shedding
enough light for you to see each other’s faces. You were laughing when you
heard the voices outside.
And then noise. Doors across the neighbourhood were smashed
open, women screamed and men shouted. Both you and Noah stood, bewildered. He
grabbed your wrist and pulled you into the bedroom he and Ethan shared. Ethan
pulled you to the back of the room, a short hunting knife in his hand.
“Don’t let anything happen to her,” Noah said, turning to leave
the room.
“Noah, wait!”
Noah didn’t hesitate, just turned and fled down the stairs.
“What’s he doing?” you whispered, looking to Ethan.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know, but he’s going to get
himself killed. We have to get out of here.” He peered through the curtain.
“The garden is clear. We might make it out of town if we go now.” He slid a
pair of boots out from under the bed and passed them to you. “Come on.”
Choice: 44. Wait for Noah or 45. Escape with Ethan
32. LEAVE LANDIA
You were awake for a long time, waiting to make sure everyone
else was asleep before you made your escape. You’d brought enough trouble to
the Wicker family in the short time that you had known them to want to avoid
bringing them anymore. They were nice people and they didn’t deserve to have
you ruining their lives.
You stood, folding the sheets neatly behind you. They would be
less worried if you tidied up behind yourself. Mess always made people worry.
You gathered what few of your things you had with you and opened the window,
dropping onto the soft grass outside.
You ran. If you followed the main road out of town, you would
eventually get to the city of Chapra. Even if it meant living on the streets
for a while, you knew you would find work there eventually. And even if they
looked for you, they would never find you in that big city. You were just one
nameless girl amongst hundreds.
Then they’d be safe from you. Then you could start again.
The End
(Back to start)
33. SETTLE IN
You rolled over, clamping your hand over your ears as if to
block out the voice. Meeting the Wicker family was the best thing
the room.
“Noah, wait!”
Noah didn’t hesitate, just turned and fled down the stairs.
“What’s he doing?” you whispered, looking to Ethan.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know, but he’s going to get
himself killed. We have to get out of here.” He peered through the curtain.
“The garden is clear. We might make it out of town if we go now.” He slid a
pair of boots out from under the bed and passed them to you. “Come on.”
Choice: 40. Leave Noah Behind or 41. Let Ethan Go Alone
31. STAY WITH THEM
It was supposed to be a temporary situation, but you ended up
staying with them for over two years. You helped Adina keep the house clean
while the boys went to school and picked up odd jobs around the town,
delivering newspapers and running errands. You earned enough money to pay Adina
rent and buy your own food.
Ethan became like a brother to you, reassuring you that your
father wasn’t looking for you, that he’d probably left town, that you’d
probably never see him again. He’d gone with you and Noah several times to
fetch clothes from the house. You began to think that maybe he was right when
nothing changed in the house but the gradual creep of the vines towards the
windows.
You became closer to Noah too, but it was different to with
Ethan. With Noah, the more time you spent with him, the more time you wanted to
spend with him. He made you smile whenever you felt sad, sat up with you late
into the night when you were worried about your father and always knew what to
say to make you feel better, no matter how bad your day had been. He even gave
you a nickname – parahe , an Ethigot word meaning protector .
He was sitting with you the night that they came. You were
sitting together on the floor of the bedroom, the tiny candle barely shedding
enough light for you to see each other’s faces. You were laughing when you
heard the voices outside.
And then noise. Doors across the neighbourhood were smashed
open, women screamed and men shouted. Both you and Noah stood, bewildered. He
grabbed your wrist and pulled you into the bedroom he and Ethan shared. Ethan
pulled you to the back of the room, a short hunting knife in his hand.
“Don’t let anything happen to her,” Noah said, turning to leave
the room.
“Noah, wait!”
Noah didn’t hesitate, just turned and fled down the stairs.
“What’s he doing?” you whispered, looking to Ethan.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know, but he’s going to get
himself killed. We have to get out of here.” He peered through the curtain.
“The garden is clear. We might make it out of town if we go now.” He slid a
pair of boots out from under the bed and passed them to you. “Come on.”
Choice: 44. Wait for Noah or 45. Escape with Ethan
32. LEAVE LANDIA
You were awake for a long time, waiting to make sure everyone
else was asleep before you made your escape. You’d brought enough trouble to
the Wicker family in the short time that you had known them to want to avoid
bringing them anymore. They were nice people and they didn’t deserve to have
you ruining their lives.
You stood, folding the sheets neatly behind you. They would be
less worried if you tidied up behind yourself. Mess always made people worry.
You gathered what few of your things you had with you and opened the window,
dropping onto the soft grass outside.
You ran. If you followed the main road out of town, you would
eventually get to the city of Chapra. Even if it meant living on the streets
for a while, you knew you would find work there eventually. And even if they
looked for you, they would never find you in that big city. You were just one
nameless girl amongst hundreds.
Then they’d be safe from you. Then you could start again.
The End
(Back to start)
33. SETTLE IN
You rolled over, clamping your hand over your ears as if to
block out the voice. Meeting the Wicker family was the best thing
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