Raindrops fell on his body, bringing him peace. He had been deciding whether to leave the cave or stay inside listening to the rain crashing, Chrystal Daly fell asleep after introducing herself, and Oliver made a small fire to warm up... however, the desire to go out and enjoy the famous rain was stronger than the tiredness and the cold.
The corners of his lips lifted into a smile, and then a light chuckle escaped his lips. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy that he had the urge even to laugh; it was so much better than he had imagined. The sound of each drop hitting the ground irregularly, the smell it emanated, and how soothing it was to his body and soul was a thousand times better than hearing it under the ground. Oliver raised his arms and wiped his face with the water, his hands and arms.
"It's even more beautiful than what you told me, mother."
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When Chrystal woke up, she had a severe headache and neck pain; having slept on the floor wasn't the most comfortable. She slowly got up when she noticed that she was not at home and not dead either. Why was she there, alive? When looking around, she noticed a bonfire and a human body on her back that instantly scared the redhead who thought the worst, but when she checked that she was in perfect condition, she discarded the idea of having spent the night with a stranger.
She thought about getting up and heading home, but the twinges in her head and the vague memories of last night stoped. Tiredly she snorts, leaning back against the hard wall, closing her eyes to try to forget the pain unsuccessfully. She opens her eyes, discreetly looking at the other person still asleep a few feet away from her; she was intrigued to know who he was and why she was still alive.
Why had she meddled in matters that were none of her business? That stranger didn't know her and couldn't have convinced her not to end her life.
"Tsk."
She didn't realize that she had cut the distance and was now in front of the dark-haired boy; she raised an eyebrow when she looks at his face; he didn't look like an adult, probably the same age or younger. A young man of the same age as her had convinced her not to commit suicide? The boy turns around, letting the daylight illuminate his face better, noticing the different colors that adorned him, catching Chrystal's attention. He was quite thin, and his hair was a bird's nest.
Had a stray kid interfered with getting back together with her family?
Chrystal forced herself to remember what happened the night before. She finished her shift at the coffee shop, and when she got her paycheck, she went straight to the tavern to spend it all on liquor. It was her 16th birthday, and she planned to get intoxicated to get back together with her parents and siblings. She didn't tell anyone; she had no one to tell and no one to miss her. She remembered the birthday cake Mr. Reiner gave her after he found out it was her birthday. She remembered the music in the background, and how everyone was dancing and drinking like there was no tomorrow, then she left the tavern to go to the place where her family abandoned her and then...
>>I don't want to die<<
Chrystal backs up to the campfire, covering her mouth as the stranger opens his sleepy eyes. That boy had said the same words as Norris two years ago; was that why she didn't jump off? She had to ask him; she needed to know the reason why she was still alive.
-What happened last night?" his voice came out colder than he thought, stressing the poor boy who had just woken up.
For Oliver, it wasn't strange that the girl in front of him asked him what happened; he knew those were the effects of Mr. Craig's drinks. However, the way she asked was a very different one from her voice last night. Would she be upset? Will she punish him? He should have left when the rain stopped, he should have ignored the pain and exhaustion and walked away from her, but no, there was nowhere else to take cover from the cold and spend the rest of the night in peace. He would answer her question and leave immediately, maybe... he should have insisted on knowing where The Gold Star was when the effects of the alcohol made her gentler.
No, Oliver didn't deserve kindness, he caused a lot of damage, and he should pay for his mistake. Even being out of that prison... Oliver deserved everything bad that happened to him.
"You helped me escape from some guards," he began to explain in a low voice, fixing his eyes on his hands that were playing between them again "then you went to a cliff, and I... I didn't want to die, I'm sorry. You brought me all the way down here, and then you passed out."
Oliver didn't know if it was necessary to tell her about making a fire because of the cold and pain he felt in the night or the time he spent in the rain enjoying his freedom.
There was a small awkward silence where Chrystal remembered more in detail what happened; that boy looked just like her brothers that were why she had helped him... that and the fact that she found the young man attractive last night. How embarrassing.
"Why were you running away?" she asked, searching for that emerald gaze.
"I was just trying to get money; without money, I couldn't eat."
"Did they catch you stealing?"
She arched an eyebrow; what kind of guy had she crossed paths with?
"No," he shook his head slightly, squeezing his fingers because of his nerves from the interrogation, "they thought I was stealing, but I didn't steal anything; I just asked."
Chrystal stopped with the questions as she saw the boy's vulnerability; he was nervous and terrified; he had ceased playing with his fingers, and now she was sure no blood was passing through them. His shaky and almost null voice, the tense of his shoulders, his clothes, and his extreme thinness were enough for Chrystal to know that nothing dangerous happened.
She remembered his words again; he didn't want to die despite the terrible life he looked like he had had, it was strange, but she felt bad for almost killing him last night. He wanted to live, and she wanted to die, ironic?
"I'm sorry I almost threw you into the cliff with me; I wasn't thinking straight."
Oliver opened his eyes and nearly lifted his head to look at her; he wasn't expecting an apology; that was new. He hastened to nod, letting his guard down a little the girl still had that harsh tone of voice, but with a hint of mercy.
"What's your name? I'm not going to hurt you."
The surprise came back to Oliver, his eyes opened wider than usual, and the tension in his body disappeared almost completely.
"Oliver," spoke his name slowly and lowered his voice further. It was the first time in a long time that someone was interested in knowing his name, making him feel more human.
"Oliver," repeated Chrystal more to herself; she wasn't sure if she had heard right, but when the aforementioned nodded, she knew she was right. An uncommon name just like him.
For a moment, Chrystal felt foolish for attempting to take her own life when there were people like Oliver who lived worse than she did and longed to live. Just for a second, Chrystal felt that way; she had her reasons for dying, just as Oliver had his reasons for living.
"There's hot food and fresh water in my house; it's my way of apologizing to you. Come on."
The girl gets up from the floor, dusting off her clothes, heading for the exit. Hearing no footsteps behind her, she turns on her heels to see the freckled man who finally dared to look up, revealing his eyes.
"Is anything wrong?"
Oliver wasn't expecting any action like Chrystal Daly was talking with him, and it wasn't that he didn't want some food and water, but he wasn't sure he could stand the outside world again. As ridiculous as it seemed to him, being inside that cave gave him the security he was looking for; the forest was pleasant, without so many people, noises, and colors. But if he stayed in that cave, in that beautiful dreamlike tranquility, he would never meet Jack and Annette again, and Mr. Craig would find him sooner or later. He had to be strong, like in fairy tales.
The brown-haired boy shook his head once more and got up slowly, walking slowly to the redhead; he had to regain strength to continue on his way. This time he would ask the girl about The Gold Star.
"Over here!" Gunshots and screams could be heard all over the place, upsetting the nerves of both teenagers who were running for another exit. They had not waited long when Oliver turned around to escape; they ought to do the same, turning to the right freedom felt closer. They ran towards the boats still being chased by a group of guards who managed to hurt the blond's left arm. "Jack!" shouts the black-haired woman. "Go away!" "What are you saying?" She didn't want to go alone in that boat, she wasn't as strong and independent as Oliver and Jack, she had accepted this craziness because she wouldn't be alone. "Stop acting like a hero, you idiot!" Annette bent down to help the blond stand up, placing her healthy arm around his neck, with the other hand she holds him by the waist and they both move forward a couple of meters before the guards arrive for them. "No!" "Let her go, it was my...mgh!" O
Oliver didn't keep track of how many days he had gone without healthy food and how slowly he was recovering from his last punishment. He was tired, sore, and sick. Maybe, last night he should have slept more instead of enjoying the beautiful, freezing rain. Even so, he had to move forward; he thought that he would regain his strength by eating a little and drinking.When they left the forest, Oliver had to hold back a grunt because of how annoying the noises, the people, and everything around him was. He felt afraid again; there was a lot of light, and he felt all eyes on him. He had to endure it and adapt if he wanted to be free.The way to Chrystal Daly's house was tortuous, and the redhead had to help him in the last meters because his feet could no longer support his weight and the pain in his torso.“I'm sorry,” muttered the green-eyed boy, once inside the house.“Nothing's wrong,” she answered instantly, “I think you sh
Chrystal was undecided on what to do. She never imagined that the boy would faint in front of her, but if he fainted, it was because something was wrong with him. She thought that his face was not the only injured area. He was walking slowly and limping on his way home; she offered him help, but Oliver immediately refused her.She picked up Oliver's unconscious body and carried him to one of the couches in the living room. She couldn't take him to the hospital in the rain, or he would get sick. She hurried to get some gauze and cold water to regulate his temperature, and a couple of warm blankets as well. When she had everything she needed, she placed the cold water-soaked gauze on the boy’s forehead, then the socks. She thought for a second if it was wise to treat the bruises on his face and find out if there were more injured areas, like his feet.If she waited for him to wake up and ask him if he wanted help, Oliver would probably refuse with mute words...no,
“Oliver.”The named boy opened his eyes for a couple of seconds without recognizing the person in front of him. Chrystal moved away a little, seeing how he slowly began to recover consciousness.“You fainted after eating,” she said as she saw the confusion on his sore face, “you had a fever.”Oliver was surprised to see her, not knowing how long he had been asleep. He was sorry for causing more trouble to the girl with strange reddish hair. He wanted to apologize, but his mouth was so heavy he could barely swallow his own saliva. His whole body ached for more rest, he felt worse than a few hours ago… or was it days?“Drink.”The girl passed him a clear glass with water. Oliver stretched his arm with great effort; however, his hand could not support the weight and slipped to crash with the floor. Oliver let out a gasp and forced himself to get up quickly to pick up the glass, trying to get the w
The moonlight kept Chrystal awake, she hadn't admired the star since the death of her family, and it never seemed brighter than now. What was she supposed to do? How could she help Oliver if she needed help too? She let out a sigh remembering some of the many pieces of advice her mother used to tell her.If he was on the run, he probably didn't know where to go... why, of all the people he could run into, was she the one he turned to? She wasn't exemplary; she didn't even trust herself; why should he?Maybe... looking for safe places where he could take refuge and live in peace, or look for his parents or a family member to take him...She let out a sigh and moved away from the window. She left her room and went to the living room to see the strange young man who seemed to have a pleasant dream. Why did Oliver remind her of her brothers? Why did he make her feel... more human? Did the world want her to go on living? What was the reason?Soaking the gauze
Oliver thought that if people didn't return, to tell the wonders of The Gold Star must be because there was no reason to return. His mother also did not plan to return when they were both out; even when Oliver pleaded for his friends and the other women who lived with them, his mother refused to go back for everyone. >> We'll help them from the outside, Oliver. The police will take care of it. If we go back for them, no one will get out. <<“Do you know how to get there,” he insisted.Chrystal stared at him for a few seconds with a raised eyebrow. She wasn't sure if going in search of a legend was a good idea; what was the point? If she could have a second chance she would choose to live with her family and cherish the moments with them more, somethi
“I knew it was a bad idea,” muttered Annette, washing the blood-stained clothes.Three days had passed since the boat stopped on dry land and Jack's wound was not getting better. For a few minutes he was sane but then returned to unconsciousness. The tourniquet she had made was not strong enough to stop the bleeding and the loss of blood was playing against him.She was stressed, she really didn't like being in an unknown place with the blond getting worse every second. It was an odyssey to find that lake near some trees so she could take better care of him. The first night in the outside world she couldn't sleep because she was trying to bring down his fever. She should have known that, once outside, their survival would not be easy. They had to move further every day, otherwise Mr. Craig's guards would soon find them and Annette was not strong enough to defend herself, much less Jack. She could not stay forever in that lake that saved them from dying of t
“Will you come with me?” Chrystal and Oliver had been discussing for hours about the best plan to get to The Gold Star. Chrystal didn't believe the place existed, but after going back to her parents' room and seeing that picture... thinking about the fantasy city was distracting her from the painful memories. When she heard the chestnut's voice, she stopped talking, taking her eyes off the huge map. Going with him to a place that probably didn't exist? She had to tell him that she planned to take him to the port and sneak him on a ship with a far destination; that was her way to help him escape and start his new life. Thus, she would seal that strange deed. “You would have a second chance, and you would no longer be alone. Jack and Ann are good people; we take care of each other and....” “Do you think I'm alone?” Oliver was trying to sort out his thoughts, he wasn't good at talking, but he was good at observing. Chrystal was a sad person, alwa