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

“Wake up,” she said, nudging Kevin’s leg with her foot.


He groaned and hugged his bear. Dayna stirred beside him. As they both sat up, rubbing their eyes, Ash handed out some bread, shoving down panic as she had to really dig around to find food in her bag. They finished a bottle of water; there was now only one bottle left. Ash consulted her map breathlessly.


“We should be there tonight or tomorrow,” she said with a choking sound.


Dayna and Kevin moved like robots, packing without speaking. Ash felt a stab of guilt, but pushed it away. Through the night they walked once again. They circled the last remaining town instead of walking through, navigating through fields and trees. They stumbled, tripped, and fell. Hunger and thirst gnawed at Ash, but she let Dayna and Kevin eat and drink more than she did. Ash’s breath came fast, but she couldn’t rest now; they were so close.


Chapter 141