Runaway Read Online Free PDF Page B

follow him in. The only light comes from the kitchen. Upstairs, voices and footsteps filter down to us as whispers and creaks.
    Hank moves the mouse, and the computer screen lights up and goes straight into e-mail. “This is Mom’s account, but e-mails from the Pet Helpline come here.”
    He scrolls down to one from Winnie the Horse Gentler. “Great! She got back already.” Hank grins at me. “Mind if I read this one before we get you going?”
    “Go ahead.” I scoot my chair so I can see what this Winnie person wrote.
    Hey, Hank!
    Tell Starlight that Nickers says hi.
    Hank glances at me. “Nickers is her horse. Starlight is mine.” He goes back to the screen:
    Sorry you’re still having trouble with Lancelot. From what you’ve told me, though, I think it’s Lance’s owner who has the problem, don’t you? Tell her to quit looking directly into the gelding’s eyes when she wants to catch him. Don’t let her walk up directly from the front or from behind. Tell her to approach from the side. Then Lancelot will see her coming and won’t be so surprised. That horse sounds smart to me, Hank. There’s a good reason he doesn’t want his owner to catch him.
    Say hi to everybody for me. Catman says, “Peace.”
    Winnie
    “She nailed it.” Hank leans back in the computer chair. “She always does. I’ve read so many books on training horses, but Winnie just knows this stuff.”
    He gets up and turns the computer over to me. “I’ll be out in the barn if you need me.”
    I wait until he leaves, then I go to my e-mail account. As I click my way through pop-up ads and junk offers, my heart starts pounding. Neil said he’d write. He said he’d be working on a way to get me out of here. Neil already has his driver’s license. In another year he’ll be out of the holding tank home, but he doesn’t want to wait that long. Ever since we’ve known each other, we’ve talked about running away to LA.
    But that’s just the way Neil is. Chances are, he might forget all about me and make plans with other people. People are drawn to Neil.
    I scan through spam claiming to help me lose 50 pounds in 10 days, invest my finances, vote for some politician, enhance my body parts.
    Then I see it. Neil has sent me an e-mail. And the subject line reads: California, here we come!

Six
    My hands are shaking as I click on Neil’s message. I check over my shoulder to make sure nobody’s watching. Then I read:
    Good news, Dakota! We’ve got a way out to California and a job once we get there. Remember DJ from LA? He’ll fix us up. And it gets better. He’s coming to Chicago for some reunion thing. So you better get on it right now and work out a way to get up here. We’re leaving the Fourth of July. Then we’re home free!
    Neil
    P.S. What’s it like down on the farm? Ha!
    My first reaction is to jump up from the computer chair and scream, “California, here I come!” I jump up, but I don’t scream. And I sit back down. DJ isn’t a guy I’d choose to travel with. I only met him once, and he gave me the creeps. But if he can get me to California, then he’s okay by me.
    I reread Neil’s e-mail. Then I hit Reply.
    Neil, cool! Count me in, and tell DJ to save me a seat to California. One small detail—how am I supposed to get up to Chicago on the Fourth?
    * * *
    The next morning, I wake up to the sound of rushing water. I jump out of bed and glance wildly around the room. It takes me a second to remember where I am and to figure out that the rushing water is only a toilet flushing, the one I share with Kat.
    I grab the blanket off my bed and wrap it around my shoulders. Then I close the windows and wait until I hear Kat leave the bathroom. But when I open my door to the john, her door springs back open.
    “You’re up!” Kat sticks her head in, and it’s all I can do not to gasp. The red hair is gone. In its place is long, straight black hair down to her waist.
    “Your hair?” I say stupidly.
    “Like it?” she