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

Ash scooted closer to him. “We only have forty dollars left,” she whispered.


“Oh.” Matt scratched his head. “Well, we’ll just have to be really careful. There’s plenty of stuff growing we can eat. We’ll be okay.”


“I hope so. I’m most worried about water right now.”


“We’ll refill the water bottles and buy bread and things we can’t find growing next time we go to the store,” Matt said. “Will that help?”


Ash nodded and smiled. “I don’t want to worry you.”


“We’ll be okay. We have each other.”


Ash patted him on the back. “That’s all we need.”


On July 24th, Dayna watched as Ash gave a cashier their last few dollars. They were in a small town called Blue Springs; the boys were camped in a nearby forest clearing. Dayna and Ash had washed up and changed clothes, and Dayna thought they both looked very normal.


Chapter 157