Maddison White

Maddy sat up and stared at the dark sky. A burst of pain shot through her head and she winced, her hand flying up reflexively. She felt warm oozy liquid on her fingers and squinted in the darkness at her hand. She tasted it and discovered her head was bleeding. How did that happen she asked herself. She turned and looked at her surroundings, she was in a dense forest sitting on a tattered looking blanket made out of rags. A beagle with a red collar was lying next to her staring at her. She jumped up and backed away slowly. Whose dog was this? Where was she? Why was she bleeding? So many questions with and not one answer. She decided to check the dog's tags. Slowly, she walked over to the dog and bent down patting the dog's head while she read the tag:

Lara White
369-1166
Contact Maddison

This is my dog? Maddy asked aloud. What's wrong with me? Why don't I remember? She tried the dog's name just to be sure. Hello there Lara she said softly. Lara jumped up and gave Maddy a wet slobbery kiss. She rubbed under the dog's chin to reward her. We have to get out of here Maddy told Lara in a soft whisper as she hugged the dog then stood up.

By now the sun was starting to peek over the horizon. Okay, so that's East Maddison muttered and turned to face the South. Well I guess it doesn't matter which direction we go. We're still gonna be lost anyways. She grabbed the old blanket and wrapped it around herself. She was only wearing a torn up pair of blue jeans, a pink tank top, and a green jacket. Suddenly she started to check her pockets. She had a driver's permit. That wasn't going to do her much good now. There was also a wadded up peice of paper. She opened it and read:

Maddison,
I'm so sorry, but you knew too much. We had to get you as far away as possible. I hope you'll understand. I didn't mean for this to happen, any of this. I think that maybe, someday, you will forgive me. I'll come back for you. I promise. Please believe me when I say love you. Caroline sends her opologies for hitting you on the head. Stay where you are, camp out until I can come to you. You're safe there. Safe from them.

Oh, and one more thing. Take care of my heart, for I've left it with you.

Love forever,

Ian

Maddy's eyebrows furrowed. What did this mean? It said to stay where she was. But how could she trust this Evan person? She didn't even remember him...

Maddison White

Maddy was trying to decide whether to stay and make Ian happy. Or if she should pick a random direction and try to find her way out of the forest. Suddenly, Maddy heard the beating of feet in the distance, no not feet, hooves. She whirled around to face the sound. Her eyes were wide her mouth open as the horse slowed and the rider got down off of the white gelding. The hair on Lara's back rose and she bared her teeth. Maddy shushed her and turned back to the rider.

"Are you alright?"

Maddy thought of all the ways she could answer, No I'm not all right. I don't know who I am, or what I'm doing here. She didn't think that the girl should know that quite yet. Perhaps Yes I'm fine, I'm simply wandering aimlessly around the forest hoping to find someone called Ian. Maddy sighed and tried to say "Umm, I think I'm lost." Her throat was dry and her voice cracked when she spoke.

How long had it been since she'd had water? She tried to smile but her lips cracked and bled. She flushed pink. How embarrassing. Maddy looked unsure at the girl's hand. Was she supposed to take it?

Maddison White

"You should probably follow me back to camp. We have food and water. What's your name?"

Camp? Were there really survivors? Maddy didn't think that was possible. And did she just say food? Just the word food made Maddy's stomach grumble and moan. But should she trust this girl she had never met before? The odds of her making it out of the woods on her own were slim, the only chance she had was if she trusted this complete stranger. She looked nice enough. But Maddy had learned from past experience that looks meant close to nothing.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you or anything."

Maddy tried to smile again as she placed her hand reluctantly into the girl's hand. "My name is Maddison." She whispered, stepping closer to the girl. Lara instinctively followed her owner, her back was still stiff and she was eying the horse.

Maddison White

The girl, whose name was Roxanne, was talking to her. Maddison's brain registered that her lips were moving, but she couldn't hear anything. She wanted, badly, to be able to hear the breeze rustle the trees and Roxanne's words, but she couldn't. Her eyes started to role back into her head, her vision fluttered then she was consumed by darkness. What was wrong with her? Maddison felt a horrible pain throbbing in her head and she was pretty sure her wound had caused her to pass out. Then, she couldn't remember. Her mind went blank it was just black and silent.