The punishment for a seventh-grade dropout runaway is probably pretty harsh, but Ash Barker doesn't care. She can’t waste time or emotions on anyone but her brother, Matt. They were placed in separate foster homes, so Ash runs away to find him. If she fails, she’s headed back to juvenile detention. Everything is going right on schedule until two kids, Dayna and Kevin, barge into her hideout -- which just happens to be in their house. She ditches the pair fast, but can’t stop thinking about those bruised, skinny kids. Dayna and Kevin live with abusive parents who force them to stay in their room most of the time. If they go to the authorities for help, they’ll be split up, too. Ash knows how that feels, and she goes back to help, taking the two with her. With any luck, they’ll all help each other along the way. Meanwhile, as Matt waits for Ash, he can’t resist telling his foster brother and best friend, Jon-Allen, about the plans. They stash food, earn money, and keep watch for the night Ash appears at their bedroom window. Ash is so happy to be reunited with Matt and to discover she’s falling in love with Dayna that, at first, she doesn’t worry about what they’ll do next. But life on the road begins to take its toll -- they have to resort to shoplifting and scavenging to survive. Ash feels a growing sense of guilt at the disaster she’s made of everyone’s lives. Can she somehow keep her newfound “family” together despite hunger and sickness? Or will she be able to find the strength to reach out for help?

No Turning Back

“If it wasn’t for Kevin, I would have jumped out this window a long time ago.”


“Dayna,” Ash whispered. Her throat choked up. She tried as always to shove it down, but this was too terrible to ignore. After a moment of hesitation, she put a hand on Dayna’s shoulder.


“When you told us you were running away to find your brother, I knew I would do the exact same thing if I were separated from Kevin.”


Dayna wiped at her watering eyes. “I’m tired of all this, and now I don’t know if we’ll be able to leave today.”


Ash turned away from the window as Kevin walked back into the room. “We’ll figure something out.”


Ash was restless by ten A.M. Kevin dug through his toy box, singing. Dayna paced. Muffled noises from below signaled the adults were awake, but no one was leaving. Even worse, thunderclouds threatened to ruin any chance of leaving in good weather.


Chapter 10