The Run

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The responsible thing to do wasn't taking Niamh's phone to try and track down Ivy, especially after the hell of a day I've had. But lately I've been having a hard time doing the responsible thing. I've become a lot more like Niamh, which of course she's loving. As soon as she found out everything that went down in the hospital and heard my theory that the phone led to Ivy she wanted to go track her down. Usually I'm the reasonable one, the one that tells her no. This time however, It was me coming up with the plan to do exactly as she'd suggested.

"So, we're clear on the plan then?" I laced up my trainers and watched Niamh fill my schoolbag with Oreos and Pringles which we planned to use as bait for Ivy. "Just let me lead okay? She doesn't know you and she's pretty defensive."

"I mean that's kinda understandable when you consider the whole being shot thing, yknow?" I rolled my eyes, typical of Niamh to be so nonchalant about everything. "You said no one knows who shot her?"

"How would they? She wouldn't talk to anyone." Niamh didn't ask the question on both of our minds, if she refused to talk in the hospital a few hours ago why would she talk now? But she did ask another one I'd been afraid of.

"If Ivy's out there now and the guy who shot her is, and she's going back near the place she was shot in, how do we know we're not in any danger here?"

"We don't." I kept it short and sweet, took Niamh's phone and opened up the 'find my device' app. I was uncomfortable with how easy it was to be tracked considering this whole situation and made a mental note to disable most of my device's connections to each other. I looked back at Niamh to see if she was having any second thoughts and found her grinning at me, bag slung over her shoulder.

"Awesome. Ready to go, then?" I wish I had her enthusiasm for danger, instead I was left shaking, which she noticed. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just too much red bull is all." It wasn't a lie, but it didn't matter either way. Niamh ignored whatever problem was lying under the surface probably because she wanted to get moving before I pussy'd out. Which was fair because I'm pretty much on the verge of pussying out.

Niamh flew out the door in front of me, running down the stairs, "Don't worry about it, just imagine we're in Scooby Doo or something."

"More like Buffy the Vampire Slayer," I muttered back. Niamh laughed.

"Even better. You be Buffy." She jumped next to the front door and twisted the keys round in the lock whilst she waited on me catching up.

"You're certainly eager." I stepped through the door and let her lock it behind us. Feelings of dread and exhaustion pounded at me as I looked out over the endless green fields in front of me. I knew that behind those fields there were even more. Cornwood is a small place but when you're looking for a needle in a haystack it can feel as large as London. Knowing that we could track Ivy didn't make things any better. We didn't have a car and we don't know anything about her to predict where she may be going. We're all travelling at the same speed, we may never reach her. Every logical interpretation of what we were doing led me to the conclusion that it was utterly pointless. If Niamh was having any of the same doubts, she was either ignoring them or was trying out for the Oscars. She led us skipping down the country road looking like red riding hood on her way to the woods.

"Of course I'm eager, I'm bored. Cornwood is fucking boring, nothing ever happens here. Now, there's a murder mystery-"

"Attempted murder... mystery." I corrected. "In fact not even, it could be an accidental shooting for all we know." There was a lot of logic in that theory that hit me as soon as the words left my mouth, "It makes sense actually! Ivy was shot but she refuses to tell anyone anything about it, why? She's looking for someone and doesn't know where they live, why? Maybe someone accidentally shot her and she's protecting them from getting in trouble, maybe she was looking for the house of a distant friend or relative to draw attention away from her home life!"

"The police would have used everything they know about her, however little, to put it through every public system looking for some records on her and they didn't find anything. No NHS records, no schooling, no residency, no family. How does your theory explain that? Plus, it doesn't explain how she fell through the roof of your tree house and that's what I'm most interested in finding out."

"She could be from some hill billy family."

"We're not Americans, Charlie. We don't have 'hill billies'."

"The British equivalent then. Maybe she's a traveller!" I thought I heard a faint Irish drawl. Travellers live by their own authority too so it'd make sense, they live in caravans. She might not even be from Devon and she was a bit mouthy...

Niamh stomped her foot and gave me a look that could kill, "Why do you have to spoil everything!? She could be or she could not be, either way I'm going to try and find out-"

A tickling sensation climbed from my fingers, up my arm. The screen on Niamh's phone had changed from the app to a caller ID. Of my mum. "Shit." Usually my mum doesn't concern herself with anything I'm doing. If I miss a curfew here or there or go to a party she doesn't worry too much. I'm the responsible one. But skipping school, having the police looking to question me about yesterdays events and being unreachable was pushing the limits of my mum's trust in me. I should answer this. I should answer it and tell her I'm at home and then turn around and be there when she gets back. Again, I'm giving myself advice I know I won't follow. Maybe I'm having a late rebellious streak?

Niamh looked at the phone, "It's okay, I'll handle it." She swiped the phone from me before I could protest, although even if I had she would've ignored me. "Hello, Lin- Oh. Hi, Ewan." Damn, I am well and truly fucked after all. Niamh grimaced at me, she didn't enjoy dealing with Ewan anymore than I did. She thought he was boring and she wasn't wrong, I knew that's what mum liked about him though. It meant he was more stable than dad, "I saw him back at yours, his phone must've been nicked, he's out looking for it... No... I left him, I'd to help my mum with the wee ones." Niamh was a stellar liar, she never gave too many details, never avoided eye contact, never squirmed. Anytime I lied I always felt the heat rise in my cheeks, sometimes I'd choke on my words although I often got away with things. Probably because no one would really suspect me of anything. "I don't think I could come over now Ewan," Niamh's eyes widened in horror, I guessed from the glimpses in conversation Ewan was asking Niamh to go see them. "No that's alright, you don't need to talk to my mother. I'll- I guess I'll say to her that yous need me. It's alright. Alright, thanks. Bye. See ya soon."

I grimaced as Niamh screamed into the air, she did that a lot when we were alone. She said it was one good part about living out in the country. She tossed the phone back to me and I pulled back open the app but before I could look at it Niamh began her tirade. "Your dad's a dick you know that?"

"Step dad." I corrected. If there was one thing I was fussy on it was that. "And I'm aware. Been aware for the past 5 years."

"Yeah, well, now I know why you always have a moody face on." Niamh glowered and crossed her arms over her chest. I couldn't help but smile a little, Niamh pulled this act a lot and when she did she always had the same face. Her small mouth pulled into a pout, her thick brows pulled together, mixed with her petite build and freckles she always looked quite childish. She knew she did too, it made me laugh, it made my heart beat faster as well. Everything about her pulled me in, even when her crazy antics made me want to pull away. "He wants me to go help them look for you."

An idea suddenly popped into mind, "Why don't you go lead them in the opposite direction? Give me more time."

"But I don't know where you're headed?" It was a good point. I looked down at the app, the marker showed the phone was moving from the fields on the other side of the village town. "Well you know where I'm not headed, that's enough right?" Niamh's brow furrowed more. I knew she wouldn't be happy at taking on a more subdued role. "We're on this side of the village," I pointed to the triangle that represented Niamh's phone, "And my phone is on the other side. All I have to do is walk through the village and head towards the fields here. If you can lead them in the opposite direction it'll at least give me enough time to follow this lead. If not, well... We'll just have to give it all up."

"But-" Niamh stopped mid-sentence and threw her eyes to the sky to look for a counter-argument. "Look, if you don't find her today then we can try again tomorrow morning-"

"We have school Niamh!" Niamh opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off, "No. No way. If I don't find her today then that's the end of it. I'm giving it up. I'll take it as the Universe directing me to give it up. I've got an opportunity to get out of this shit hole and I'm not giving that up for- whatever this is." My mum had been right last night, Cambridge was my life's goal, if I fell behind at all during school I would lose that. I would lose my one chance at freedom.

I expected more screaming from Niamh, I braced myself for it, but all she did was sigh. I looked from my shoes to her face and saw her almost lost in thought, which was rare from Niamh considering she usually thought out loud. Especially around me. "You're right." I almost choked. She'd never said that to me, usually she just argued til she was tired and bored of it, "If I had your chance I wouldn't give it up either. Not for this shit hole."
For the first time in all the while I'd known Niamh, I felt awkward around her. I could see she felt the same. Maybe this was what it was to grow up? Maybe we were both just way too tired or too wrapped up in what was happening. I didn't like seeing her without all her energy, we'd been friends a long time and I'd seen her like this before of course, but never in good moments. I'd seen her like this when her parents divorced, when her dad forgot to call her for the millionth time, when she got tired of her mum's 'comments' about her looks. Niamh had seen it in me too.
"We're still working together. Just in different departments." I smiled, hoping it might cheer her up. A cheeky smirk brightened her face a little.
"Alright then, Buffy. Good luck to you." She punched my arm and set off down the lane behind me, leaving me all alone with my thoughts, all of which were laced with doubt.


I looked back at the app as I approached the main street of the village. The icon for my lost phone was heading in my direction from the other side. I quickened my pace hoping to meet Ivy in the middle of the village but just as I did the icon stopped.

The icon was placed in an open area of green behind the primary school. I went to that primary school. In fact it was in the dream I'd been having a few hours ago. The only thing behind that school were trees and fields, just like the rest of Cornwood. I was in the middle of the Village, just a few minutes walk from her. It seemed too good to be true, but if it was true maybe the universe really was leading me towards this girl. My heart was beating too fast for my comfort and my breathing was crooked, I was filled with too much useless adrenaline. I decided to run it out the rest of the way, trying to avoid a panic attack. The town wasn't busy at this hour, which was good because around here everyone knew each other and my parents were currently on the hunt for me. I noticed a fancy black jeep speed past me as I tried to cross the road near the school, seemingly the only car about and luckily not one that I recognised. The dimming sunlight increased my anxiety but I told myself I'd just stay nearer the few street lamps near the school.

As I reached the last street lamp just behind the school's car park I decided to check the app, the icon stayed where it was in the field. The run hadn't cleared my head of all its anxieties, my heart was still beating so fast I was terrified I would have a heart attack- a thought that just added to my worries.

But I had spoken to Ivy before, she didn't seem so unreasonable? Less with me than with the Detectives. I reminded myself that she was only a girl, a scared one at that I'm sure. But for every calm thought a frantic one screamed over it. She was a scared girl but she could hold her own. I was a petrified boy and I... I couldn't. Niamh would love to see me now, she'd smack me over the head and tell me to get on with it. I can accept that I'm pathetic as long as it amuses others I suppose. But no one else is here to be amused. A good time to learn to laugh at myself, I guess?

I recoiled as I felt a slivery piece of skin between my teeth. I had bitten so hard into my cheek a piece had been bitten off. I spat it out bitterly and squirmed my way through the bushes that led to the field. A sharp piece of hidden, barbed wire cut into my flannel's sleeve as I stumbled through awkwardly, another thing to brighten up my day and piss off my mum. As I knelt in the grass on the other side I pawed at the damage and found a long, jagged scrape, bleeding lightly. Fuck, it stung. This day was full of gifts. I groaned as I stood, my back was killing me, my jeans were coated in muck at my knees which I wouldn't have cared about normally however, I was wise enough to know my mum would care about that too. I was also wise enough to be afraid of my mum.

I didn't see Ivy anywhere. I looked at the app. Supposedly, she should be in the middle of this field and yet she so obviously wasn't. I wasn't surprised, of course I wasn't surprised. How could I be? How could I ever believe it would be so easy? So easy to get my phone back, so easy to find and help this psychopathic girl, so easy to be a hero! Maybe it was cheeky of me to deem her a psychopath, I've no right in the state I'm in now.

"Who are you?" The voice hit me in time with a fist. My body swung back and tangled awkwardly over itself in pain. The left side of my face stung, burned and ached all at once. I couldn't open my eye for fear of making it all worse and my ear was ringing loudly. I could hear sharp sounds and yelling but I could only pay attention to the sharp sounds, one of which I identified as my own grunts of pain.

I manoeuvred my body in time to see a blurred foot hovering above my most sensitive area and quickly shoved my body back so the foot landed in between my sprawled legs. I tried and failed to control my breathing and my heart rate and the pain in the left side of my face. But I had no control over anything. I knew that as soon as my eyes travelled from the foot upwards. I ignored the phone dangling from the strangers fingers, and dared myself to look straight into Ivy's icy cold, blue eyes.

"I said, who are you?"












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