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

“We’ll wait until there’s no traffic so no one will notice. Okay?”


Dayna and Kevin nodded. Ash wiped sweat from her eyes. A dry ditch lay between the road and the trees.


“There’s a car coming behind you,” Dayna said.


“There are two cars coming from your way.” Ash bit her lip. They didn’t exactly look inconspicuous just standing here.


Three more cars passed from each direction before the road cleared.


They jumped into the ditch and Ash launched her bag across. Dayna shoved Kevin to the other side as she clawed her own way over. Ash ran uphill dragging the cooler with both hands. She grabbed her bag and sprinted into the trees, pushing Dayna and Kevin in front of her. The trees were thick, and bright sunshine turned to cool shadows immediately. Ash took the lead and crashed through limbs, bushes and weeds, scratching her arms and legs with every step. She found a spot just big enough for all three of them and sat with a grunt.


Chapter 24