Ride with you

2

Darryl opened his eyes the first sun rays began to creep along the ground. He yawned and crawled out of the small shelter. Standing up, he looked around at his surroundings, wondering where he would go next. He had to find somewhere to stay, far from the city. Darryl looked back at the tree and saw Zak sleeping peacefully, he smiled and his heart fluttered at the small noise of him mumbling. If it wasn't for Zak, he would be back in the one place he didn't belong. A knot formed in his stomach just thinking about it, he didn't want to bother Zak. That was the last thing he wants to do to the person who saved his life. Sighing, he turned away, the longer he stayed, the longer it would take for him to leave.

The ground was still a little damp from rain. As Darryl walked, he realised how much he had underestimated nature. He was always taught that the forest outside the city walls was a cruel and disgusting place, this was far from the truth. The trees stretched up tall, taller than any tree that grew in the city. Birds chirped and small animals frolicked in the sun, these animals were similar to the one from last night. They were "normal" sized and a yellow-orange colour, instead of the blue-grey. Small patches of flowers appeared every now and then, usually at the base of a tree, these colourful bunches hid insects and the morning dew. It was peaceful and tranquil. A soft breeze flowed through the air, bringing with it the smell of wet grass, fresh plants and flowers. To Darryl, this environment was 100% better than where he was born. He didn't get why they needed to hide, why the walls were there. Maybe they're just there to keep people in? The thought of Darryl having to live there his entire life sent a chill up his spine.

He heard a small crack behind him and turned around. Sat there was a small fox, it looked at Darryl curiously as it sniffed the air, trying to find his scent. Darryl crouched down, and took the backpack off his back to see if he had something to give it, it slowly walked up to him and sniffed his bag. This animal wasn't afraid of him, these creatures had been treated with respect by the few people who lived out here. More respect than Darryl had been shown in the last few years. As he looked through his bag, a small photo fell out of the front pocket. He reached to grab it but the fox took it in its mouth. "Uh... hey. I need that, please?" He couldn't believe that he was talking to a fox. The animal tilted his head then ran in the opposite direction. Darryl groaned, "Gosh darn it."

***

Zak yawned and stretched out his arms as his brain urged him to wake up. "So how was your sleep?" He looked beside him but saw that Darryl was no longer there. He shrugged, "At least I won't get in trouble if he gets caught." He exited the small tree and saw a fox holding something in its mouth. It looked like a small piece of paper. Zak took out a small handful of berries and placed them onto the ground in front of him. The small animal dropped the photo and ran over to Zak. He bent down and gently pet the small animal, "What did you have?" He questioned. Standing up, he walked over to the small photo lying on the ground. It was of Darryl with another boy, they looked like good friends. "He must be in this direction then."

He began walking in that direction. Seeing a few footprints every now and then. He stopped in his tracks when a small thought appeared in his mind, "Should I do this? I mean he left without telling me, would he even want to see me again?" Zak looked back behind him than in front of him. "This photo probably means a lot to him. I may as well give it back." He would have turned back by now if he wasn't born with the gift of being persistent.

Nightfall came and Zak began to get worried, Darryl obviously wasn't from the forest so he had to find him quick. He could get really badly hurt or... Zak didn't want to think about it. Although he didn't even know Darryl, he wanted to help him. He wanted to make sure he was alright.