Ray72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63mr3tRxEP
I pop a mint into my mouth, listening to the chirping of crickets and birds, and the soft hum from machinery. I can still hear some faint music from the festival, but it grows quieter with every step.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2JcA6hGxb
As I walk up the dirt path to my house I notice a dark shadow. I slip my peppermints into my pocket and tiptoe over to the side of the house, surprised when I see a girl --- she has beautiful long brown hair, and looks to be about my age.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGY5qgp0LCR
Her eyes flutter open and she looks up, her eyes instantly filling with fear.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5k2wDuGu7
"What ... are you doing here?" I ask curiously.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXPQcfSVL8
She presses herself against the side of the house. "U-uh, I just needed somewhere to rest, b-but it looks like I lost track of time," she lies.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOaZdOUjT0
I study her for a moment, but I can't even figure one thing out about her. Usually I'm able to read a person just by the way they move their eyes, but her ...72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3eiJFtK6t
"Come inside. You look hungry," I say, nodding towards the house.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPuDZU3W86
She stares at me for a long minute before nodding. "O-okay."72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAC1vsuAD1w
Her soft footsteps follow behind me as I lead her up the dirt path.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvaIJxvEcX
Gwen72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIcf7bQL6x
72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIUTeEZN3U
I can't believe how lucky I am that I managed to escape that group of thieves and find shelter. I'll have to repay this girl in some way.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVACrUmJL69
She doesn't look like most of the girls I've seen. She's got short blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a sharp jawline. If I hadn't seen the way she were dressed, I might've thought she were a boy. But I suppose if you're going to be working on a farm it'd be more convenient to have short hair.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJIa9RAunL
"What's your name?" she asks, holding the door open. A cool gust of air sends a shiver down my spine. It was excrutiatingly hot today.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp18uRkeAzi
"Uh, Gwen. You?"72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hBDM5urFZ
"Ray." She slips out of her mud caked boots and waits for me to take my own, worn down shoes off.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43Ajn4Q1KT
She leads me to a kitchen with a small circular table in the middle and sits me down. A few minutes later she sets a steaming plate of chicken, mashed potatoes, and broccoli down. My eyes practically pop out of my head as she sits down across from me.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZuRxtiCDW
"Go ahead," Ray says, smiling softly.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZDi77FDS1
After the food, she leads me upstairs to a small bedroom. The bed has a floral quilt and light blue curtains hang in front of the window.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZklbgc16Np
"You can sleep here. And I'll get you some clothes so you can bathe."72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dWFzXp3tw
She comes back with a loose white blouse and brown trousers.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnspZkxc7VU
"You don't have anywhere to go, right?" she asks, setting the clothing on my new bed.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHMR776hPA
I shake my head, my cheeks warming slightly. "Then you can stay here for as long as you need. I've been wanting some help on the farm."72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPa9elNbqpI
I take a bath and feel clean for the first time in months. I've had a lot of firsts tonight. First time wearing pants, eating such a huge meal, and taking a bath all to myself.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQRUx8vE6x
Ray72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4GYuel5BL
It's been almost a year.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPzeJTY9VA
The weather is starting to warm up again after a harsh winter. Gwen has made for great company. Honestly, I forgot what it was like to live with someone else.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlSxKHQT0t
It was hard working with her at first --- she had absolutely no idea what she was doing. Though I suppose that makes sense since she grew up in a larger town for a few years before she was kidnapped by a group of criminals. But she's improved significantly, and I'm honestly really proud of her.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkiYv8x9Gt
I can tell this isn't her favorite job --- working on the fields --- but she seems to enjoy it more when we're doing it together. I do too.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj589RKIUdG
I stand up from the row of crops I was just picking, shielding my eyes from the bright sun. A drop of sweat trickles down my neck as I pick up my basket.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKccjLrRen
"I'm gonna head inside and make some food, Gwen," I say.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9RPIEWVC7
She looks up, her low pony tail blowing in the gentle breeze. She smiles softly. "Alright."72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4kEK4xD98
I smile back and make my way towards the house. It's later in the day, around 4 I think. Dinner should be ready by 6:30, and I'm sure Gwen will be starving by then.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdIDopOlaj
I load the freshly picked vegetables into a small bin and stick that into the storage room.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdafZnIpo5
Flakes of mud fall onto the ground as I take my boots off and head to the kitchen.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7nCDo5ApZ
Maybe I'll make something special.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJRNVxKpmM
A peach pie? Yes, that'll do. I can't wait to see the smile it brings to her face. I still clearly remember the day she first tried a peach. Her eyes lit up and she declared on the spot that that was her new favorite fruit. And also one of the only she's ever had.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNIw22I4os
Gwen72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGvxyK8ldO
72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw77hyKx9Hf
I wipe a river of sweat from my forehead. Ray said she'd buy me some new clothing because the blouse she gave me almost a year ago is now stained with mud and dirt and plant juices.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPv5RPgfeC4
And the way she walked to the house ... I think she's going to make something special.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0pBXjviYm
Another hour or so passes by, and I decide to call it quits. The sun is starting to set, which is unusual. We usually have dinner earlier, but maybe whatever she's making just takes longer. 72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYPyM8vML2
I drop of the fruits I picked in the storage room and walk in through the back door this time, hoping I can surprise her. I slip out of my shoes and walk down the dimly lit hallway that leads to the kitchen.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidwQcvXC6W
It smells like something is burning.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQk9JgqCob
I round the corner, my hands like claws.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhugBgtiSnQ
My grin drops and my stomach twists at the sight of Ray on the ground. Her eyes instantly catch mine as I kneel beside her.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVh75CCHb1h
"Get out," she mouths.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheWE37R8CZ
I shake my head, fighting the tears in my eyes.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXZ6myPHP2
I wipe a drop of blood from her cheek.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqv4pBvAZ31
The smell of smoke is now indefinite. Objects in the kitchen are scattered around, almost as if there was a fight.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuM3bP9dE4
Her own eyes begin to fill with tears. "Please," she whispers.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTdSh65XJp
"What happened?" I croak.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKpS27gRRV
Suddenly I hear heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. Ray's eyes widen and she tries with all her might to push me towards the door, but I don't budge.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTdqQihVaC
"Go," she begs.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6KrUBnEg4
I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into my chest. I don't even care that her blood is staining it red, or that I'm crying in front of her, or that she probably hates me for staying, or that I'm going to die.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnCet66E5H
Three men enter the kitchen and I immediately recognize them. They're the ones who took me away from the people I loved. The monsters who took me away. And I won't let them do it again.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaEnLfDWZD
I look back down at Ray. "I love you," I sob, pressing a kiss to her temple.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7SYtK6Fgs
The world soon fades to nothingness before the men can stop me.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLSv5hk288
and then Add to home screen.