Short first chapter. Hopefully I'll be more inspired anon. Set post 8.8.

"You two, hold your hands out!" came the harsh command.

"You don't need her, let her go."

The baseball bat crunched into Harry's ribs but it was Ruth who seemingly exhibited the pain.

"No," she exclaimed.

One of the hooded men grabbed Harry's left wrist cuffing it and dragging him, still doubled over, back to Ruth. He roughly took her cold right hand and slapped the other cuff on her.

The ringleader laughed as he stamped on their simless mobiles and threw their coats into the back of the van. "Don't worry it's meant to be a very temperate minus four tonight." He was still laughing as his henchmen jumped into the van. "Goodbye Harry. Take care of yourself."

The van drove away. Finally it disappeared towards the horizon, merging into the snow covered trees.

They were alone.

Alone in the middle of nowhere.

It was about an hour or two to nightfall and the temperature was already sliding.

"Do you have any idea where we are, Harry?"

"None whatsoever," he grunted whilst straightening up clutching his ribs with his free hand.

Ruth scanned the horizon. They needed shelter. Every direction looked the same, open heath and trees.

"Right," she said decisively and headed in the direction the sun was setting. She had forgotten the cuffs. Harry was dragged after her with a groan.

"Oh god, sorry Harry."

He smiled a pained smile but managed little else other than to start walking in the direction she had just selected. They walked side by side, wrists locked, the back of their hands brushing together. The trees ahead in the distance, the cold enveloping them.

"We'll find somewhere to shelter. There must be a shack, or a cave, or if not we could build something," said Ruth.

"You were either in the Girl Guides or you've been watching too much Ray Mears."

"I did get most of my badges, thank you very much."

Harry laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, really," he said unconvincingly, "I was just thinking that I would rather be chained to you in your guides uniform that Ray Mears, anytime."

And on they walked.