I never asked to be sent to the middle of nowhere. But after the last home kicked me out, Child Services dumped me with Bella and Hector in the bush. Bella was kind—she called me family. Hector just grunted and cleaned his rifle.

Then she died. Just like that.

Paula came to take me back. I couldn’t go. So I burned the shed, faked my death, and ran.

Hector followed. Stubborn old bastard. Now we’re stuck out here—him with a busted ankle, me trying not to screw everything up.

The radio says they think he kidnapped me. That he’s dangerous.

They don’t know he taught me how to track, how to fish, how to survive.

They don’t know he’s the only dad I’ve ever had.

A chopper thunders overhead. We crouch low in the ferns.

Hector whispers, 'We keep moving. Or we get caught.'

I look at him. 'What if we don’t want to be found?'