Path to Deciduous (Sequel to Road to Evergreen) | #Wattys2018

f i f t y - o n e

Sweet creature - Harry Styles
You Are The Reason- Calum Scott

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Lesley's POV

It took me four hours to get to my car. When I did, I searched for my keys but only realized they might have been buried in the dirt back under the tree house. I could see my phone vibrating from the car window. 5 missed calls from Adam. 20 missed calls from Spencer and a dozen from my mother. I frown; this is odd. Why is everyone so worried about me if they don't even know anything about me?

I haven't been in contact with any for days. I lean on the side of the door, resting my foot and waiting for any stranger to jog by. My phone vibrates again. It's Megan. A text message follows. I squint my eyes as I try reading it from the car seat.

Something bad happened. You need to get to NHH right away.

My heart starts racing. I need to get there both ways. After absorbing my situation with bloody legs and on the verge of fainting, I grab a rock, almost crawl to the window again, and smash it with every ounce of energy I have left. A sudden crash fills the air, as it shatters down. I lean forward and grab my phone as I scrub off the glass, nibbling at my fingers.

I dial Megan.

"Lesley where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick." She says over the phone.

"Who's we?" I ask.

"Me, Spencer, your mother, and brother." She says. My face falls instantly.

"And Adam?" I say, disappointed.

"He would've but he's in surgery now." She says. My heart drops. Everything races through my head, preventing me to formulate a word. I scream instead.

"Pick me up, right now. I'm sending you the location. Hury!" I yell over the phone and hang up. I'm too scared to ask why and how and where. Not ready to hear the answer back.

Thiry minutes later, I'm automatically put in a trolley as we arrive at the hospital. Lights blink at me from the celling and my body fails me. I have a sudden urge of blacking out but I resist, demanding to see Adam.

"I need to see Adam!" I order the nurse. No one replies as they continue mumbling words: "A broken leg. She lost a lot of blood. It's cut deep. How did she manage walking?"

"I need to see Adam!" I yell at everyone. They keep ignoring me. "I said, I need to see Adam!" I struggle to get out of the grip, so I shake wanting to get away. "I need to see Adam!" I scream.

That's when a sharp needle enters my arm and the last thing I remember is Megan's petty smile.

****

"How do you get from one to ten?" He asks.

"How do you get from the earth to the moon?" I ask back.

He frowns. "With a rocket?"

I smile. "Time." I eat the last piece of strawberry and let its sweet flavor burst in my mouth. I gather the plates and forks on the table and head to he kitchen, placing them in the silver sink.

I can hear his footsteps behind me. "What if you don't have time?" His rusty voice echoes behind me.

I face him and place my elbows on the kitchen counter. "What if you have?" I arch an eyebrow.