Free Run by Gabby Tye Page A

serious conversation. Eryn’s face lights up and she throws her arms around Brion. He hesitates for a moment, his face turning a bright shade of red, and hugs her back. I turn away, smiling to myself.
    I head back downstairs and lie down on the sofa in the living room that acts as my bed. I shut my eyes as I hear Jae come down and prop himself against the sofa. He reaches up and takes my hand. I smile and drift off to sleep.
    â€œCome on, little girl. Scared of me?”
    â€œGo away,” I shout. “I’m not afraid of you. Go pick on someone your own size!”
    â€œNo way. I’m not going to let you steal from me again.”
    I jerk awake, gasping for air. Jae looks up at me sleepily.
    â€œWhat’sgoingon?” he mumbles.
    â€œI know how I’m gonna find out who I am! The Tattoo Guy! He knows me!”
    Suddenly awake, Jae bolts to his feet. “Yes! He recognised you, didn’t he?”
    He grabs me into an unexpected hug and I just stand there in surprise, thankful for the darkness that is concealing the blush on my face.
    â€œWe should go now. Before they all wake up. I’ll tell Kyl.” He rushes off without giving me a chance to reply.
    â€œLet’s go,” he says when he comes back. He is holding a length of rope in one hand. He slips his other hand into mine.
    I realise how natural it feels and I squeeze his hand and smile up at him. Those familiar green eyes stare back at me. I wish I could remember where I had seen eyes like these before.

CHAPTER 31
    We slip out the front door. I am creeped out by the darkness. No street lamps, no light shining from people’s houses, no people anywhere. The weak moonlight just about gives us enough light to see by. I wonder where the Eaters have gone. We jog back towards our old house hand in hand, looking out for Eaters and Tattoo Guy.
    I look up at the gates of our old house. They look all battered and bruised now. One of the front gates hangs off its hinges. I peer down the street but don’t see anything. I shiver as a gust of wind blows against me. Jae puts his arm around my shoulder and smiles at me.
    â€œIt’ll be okay,” he says quietly.
    We creep inside. My senses are on high alert. My imagination is going crazy and every shape I see looks like an Eater waiting to pounce on me. But there’s no one there. We creep into the kitchen. There is a stench of rotting flesh. The whole place is covered with slime and I almost slip and fall. We look out into the backyard.
    â€œThere’s nothing there. What happened to all the bodies? The ones I knocked down?” I ask. “I don’t think they were dead.”
    â€œThey were eaten, weren’t they?” Jae whispers.
    â€œBut there’s nothing left. Not even bones.” I shudder.
    â€œC’mon. Let’s stop freaking ourselves out,” Jae says.
    We go back inside and sit alone together in a corner of the living room. Waiting.
    â€œAre you okay?” he asks.
    I nod. “A little scared, I guess. You think Tattoo Guy will come? What if he’s come and gone already? Or what if he came, and was caught by the Eaters? What if he’s dead?”
    I am stressing out. I want to know who I am. I need to know what Tattoo Guy knows about me.
    He puts his arm around me and pulls me to him. I lean against him. It’s nice. Except for one thing.
    â€œYou stink,” I say.
    â€œExcuse me. You don’t smell so great yourself, honeysuckle,” he retorts.
    â€œDon’t honeysuckle me, you pumpkin pie.” Oh, I am so witty today.
    â€œYou want to play Face-Off with me? Really?” His tone is challenging.
    â€œWhy not? It’s not as if you can think of anything better to do.”
    I give him a defiant look. I am ready for whatever insult he can hurl at me. I’ve got some good insults I’ve been crafting in my head since I saw the three of them go at each other.
    â€œWho says I