Chapter Four
669 Words
For Chloe, Kaden was sunshine on her dark life. It had been months since they became friends and since then they went everywhere together.
"That is disgusting." she was repulsed by the earthworm Kaden had picked up from the ground and placed in a plastic bag. They were out in the woods, slightly far from the Foster home. Chloe hated the feeling of wet grass on her skin or the sticky mud on her slippers. Nevertheless, she didn't complain when she followed the boys away from the Foster home. As long as Kaden was around, she felt safe.
"Why is she here?" Nicky asked, who appeared to be irritated by Chloe's presence. He took a wet stick and cracked it little by little, throwing the pieces away.
Kaden didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Chloe.
"you can go and hang out with the other girls. You don't have to follow me everywhere."
Chloe gave him a dead look. She had been hurt by his words even if he had not intended it like she thought. She dusted her skirt after stepping down from the big rock she was sitting on.
"I hate girls. They will give you cooties if you talk with them longer."
Junior, one of the boys, commented as Chloe walked away. The words had not escaped Chloe; it had hurt even more when she expected Kaden to follow her.
Chloe had walked endless, but she had not seen the foster home. She stopped on her feet and twisted back, but all she saw were trees. She retraced her steps, but she could not find the big rock which she sat on before or the boys. It was getting dark, and the clouds were rumbling.
Each noise kept her on high alert. The chirping sound of the birds or the crackling of a stick kept her jumpy. She was lost; Chloe now knew.
Chloe started running in an unknown direction, a way out of these woods. She fell down when her toe bumped into a stone. Her hands and clothes were dirtied, immediately, the heavy rain started pouring down, and Chloe was soaked. She ran to take shelter under a tree; as she shivered from the cold breeze, she prayed that Kaden would come back.
Kaden felt terrible for leaving Chloe alone to return to the foster home. He promised himself that he would apologize and bribe her with her favorite chocolate biscuit when he got back.
He ran to the girl's dorm and stood in front of the door till he spotted Sarah. She was Chloe's roommate, although Chloe hardly spoke to her, or anyone for that matter.
"Can you call Chloe?" Kaden asked politely. Sarah looked at him, puzzled.
"Is she not with you?"
Kaden had been confused about Sarah's question.
"she went back here," Kaden replied.
"I have been in the room all day. Are you sure__?" Kaden leaves Sarah hanging. He dashed to their favorite spot; when he didn't see her, he had searched everywhere in the home to find her. Kaden was panting when he went to the Director's office. She had stood up from the shock of how Kaden badged into her office.
"Chloe__ might be in the__ woods," he managed to complete his sentence. The Director's pupils dilate.
She looked out the window.
There was a heavy rainstorm.
She hoped Kaden was wrong because it was dangerous for a child to be in this weather.
She called all the supervising adults to search for Chloe. The cook, Director, and Kaden went in search of the woods. While the remaining adult searched for her in the house. The Director had scolded Kaden to go back home, but he was persistent in entering the rain. Finally, he had bargained that only he knew the route they had taken previously.
When they found Chloe, she was trembling and only whispered Kaden's name.
After seeing Chloe in that way, he vowed never to leave her again. A vow that he would later break.
- Writer
