Chapter 4

Oliver was once again running through the huge streets of the unknown location, being chased by a group of officers in an attempt to find the famous money and The Gold Star. The officers thought he was just another lowlife looking for someone to rob, and Oliver thought Mr. Craig's men had found his whereabouts.

The light and activity in the city changed as the hours passed, and that was another factor that had the brown-haired boy dismayed; however, he had no time to admire the city and wonder why the light disappeared as he ran as fast as his tired feet would allow.

"Stop in the name of the law!"

The ground was also changing; instead of being smooth and rough, it was now uneven; some parts were earthy and others itchy. The huge buildings and noisy cars were gone, replaced by trees and dry grass. The boy was exhausted. Since he woke up, he had not had a great rest, and the wounds caused by that demon were still fresh some of them even opened by the movement if Oliver didn't find a place to hide or a kind soul to help him all the effort of the last days will have been in vain.

In the distance, he spotted a hut where there were apparently happy people and music booming; he didn't hesitate to go to that place; maybe he could find the help he needed. The dark sky thundered, causing a small jump of the boy; that sound wasn't extraordinary for him.

"It will rain, it's the sound of a coming rain...I will see rain for the first time."

"Ouch"

Oliver was so distracted looking up that he didn't realize how close he was to the cabin and the people outside, tripping over some rocks and falling on someone. With his breath hitching and adrenaline pumping, Oliver looks into blue eyes, similar to Jack's, bright and beautiful, that made him forget his troubles for a few seconds. He wasn't an eye expert and even less a color expert, but he was convinced that they were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

"It's raining emeralds..." murmured the young girl, stunned by the eyes of that stranger.

"Help me, please," he whispered desperately, ignoring the girl's comment. The blue-eyed girl looked at him in confusion, pushing him aside to get up. That boy looked like a frightened, abandoned, and interesting dog. She raised her head a little to see behind the boy the arrival of the police at the tavern, grimaced, and turned her gaze back to the emerald eyes.

"What did you do to have the police after you?" she asked, intrigued; the little light that was there did not allow her to see well the boy in front of her who was struggling to breathe. Oliver, hearing the question, shrinks, biting the lower part of his lip, thinking that asking for help from the first person he met wasn't a good idea. She smelled weird. He didn't like that disgusting scent that reminded him of Mr. Craig.

"I don't want to die," muttered to himself, feeling a lump in his throat. The stranger took the almost empty bottle of liquor and drank the last of it, remembering her younger brother's words.

"Come on."

The girl takes Oliver's trembling hand, helping him up and then running into the forest, leaving those policemen behind. Maybe it was the alcohol in her system that had moved her, or the beautiful and hypnotizing eyes of that young man, or maybe the memories of those she couldn't save that pushed her to take the hand of a stranger and run through the forest at night with a storm on top of her. The sensation of feeling alive again invaded her chest, a loud laugh came out of her throat, and she closed her eyes, ready to end her life.

"What are you doing!?"

Oliver pulled her towards him so she wouldn't fall off the cliff; he was scared and shocked by the girl's suicidal act; when she took his hand, he didn't imagine she was leading him to end their life. What kind of world was this?

"I... I'm sorry."

He knew it, Oliver knew it, he shouldn't trust just anyone who had the same smell as Mr. Craig; what was he supposed to do now? He was now more lost than in the morning, accompanied by a stranger. This wasn't what he wanted; he just needed... help. Was that so hard?

"Do you know... do you know where The Gold Star is?"

The sky thundered again, lightning illuminated the chilling forest, and droplets of water began to fall little by little. Oliver thought that if he could get information from that girl before she continued with her suicidal plan, he would take advantage of it; he was no one to truncate her plans, but this time he didn't want to die; he wanted to try to live.

On the other hand, the young woman was dumbfounded by what had happened. She had planned it; that night, she would join her family; she had lost everything and had no purpose of going on, but this stranger showed up, and it was like seeing Noah, Nathan, and Norris together. Was it still not her time? Was that what the world was trying to tell her?

"There they are!"

Oliver let a gasp out, tightening his grip on their hands. Again, it was his end, but his arm was pulled forward again, prompting him to run again. He wasn't sure if following Jane Doe was still good, but he didn't know where to go; if he died now... he'd be back with his mother, and he could tell her he saw a bit of the outside world.

They continued running through the trees, missing the officers as the rain became heavier, neither knew what they were doing or where they were going, but both had one thought in common: to survive another day. They fell across a small patch of shaky ground, scrambling through the mud and grass until they reached a small cave that would shelter them from the storm.

"We'll be safe here."

Oliver nods, catching his breath, holding in the groans of pain in his ribs. They had made it; they had lost the cops; he felt the rain wipe his body all the way to that cave, being one of the most beautiful and exciting moments he had ever had. She had to thank her.

"Thank you," he spoke softly, leaning back against the rock wall.

"Chrystal, Chrystal Daly."

She answered sleepily, thinking that the boy with the beautiful emerald eyes would want to know her name.