A.N:

Yeah, like the rest of my stories, this is only for fun. The only characters that belong to me are Astra, her deceased family and the police officers (Alexis, Jenson & George at the moment.)

Swear words are in this fanfiction and maybe a little distressing scene will be featured later on. It depends how I feel.

Please PLEASE write a review!

Chapter 1

"Astra Smith, I am placing you under arrest for wasting valuable police time. You do not have to say anything but if you do, this may be used against you." The police officer said, pinning me to the ground. I squirmed and kicked yet I did not scream.
My name is Astra Lyra Smith - I am fourteen years old. And I am a runaway. My family were killed in a car accident 4 years ago. I was sent into care but I ran away so many times that they eventually just gave up.
I am lifted from the ground and put in the back of the police car before the officer turns the engine on and drives away. I try the door handles to see if I can unlock the doors. Locked. I try to undo the windows. Jammed on purpose.
"You've been on the run for 4 years, haven't you?" He asks, staring at me in the wing mirror. I simply glare at him.
"Giving me the death glare there, Missy?"
Silence.
"Well, your new care worker is waiting for you at the police station."
I sigh and stare out at the town.
"Finally, a reaction." He laughs.
I don't give him the honor of telling him to 'fuck off.'

I have been ordered to shower and now I have been given care-kid clothes. I'm currently wearing a pair of dark grey skinny jeans, baseball boots and a black hoodie with a skull on it. I look completely different.

"So, where have you been, Astra?" The investigator asks me. Her name is Alexis.

Silence.

"You disappeared from Burnywood for FOUR YEARS. How did you survive? Were you with a friend? Did you have shelter?"

Silence.

Alexis sighs "Jenson, how long have we been at this for?"

"4 hours."

Alexis sighs, rubbing her eyes. A smirk appears on my face but vanishes when her boring grey eyes look at me.

"Alright, we're not going to make any progress."

"So I can leave now?"

"You'll be moving to Elm Tree House. Your care-workers are waiting outside."

I thought there was only one...?

I get up from my seat and I am led out into the corridor.

I am un-cuffed as a middle-aged man and a young black-haired woman walk towards me.

I stumble backwards.

"Hello Astra." The man greets me.

I don't answer him.

"We're here to take you to Elm Tree House. I'm Tracy and he's Mike." The woman tells me.

"Go on, Astra." Alexis says in a knowing voice. She hands me a cardboard box - containing my new clothes - and my now-empty rucksack.

We walk out of the police station and towards a black car - probably my death carriage.

"Put the box in the back. And the rucksack." Tracy orders as Mike gets in the car.

I open the boot and then throw my stuff in it before slamming the boot door shut. I consider bolting right there and then but several police officers are standing opposite me, watching my every move.

I recognize Alexis who gives me a sly wave.

"Don't even think about bolting away." She smirks.

I get in the car and slam the door shut.

"I'm telling you, she'll be a rival to Liam and Elektra." Tracy mutters.

Mike laughs "We'll see, Tracy."

"Hello Astra!" All of the kids greet me. I pull my hood up and take my box and backpack before storming past them.

"I'm Carmen!" A girl says, walking behind me.

I ignore her.

"Astra!" Mike calls.

I stop half-way up the stairs.

"What?" I ask him coldly.

"My office."

"Fine." I push past Carmen and walk past the other kids, hood still up. We walk into his office and he shuts the door behind me.

"This won't take long." He says, sitting at his desk.

I sit opposite him and place the box beside me.

"Astra, I know you're a very isolated child but... Try to get to know these kids. They're good at heart and they want to be friends."

"Friends?" I snort, crossing my arms and smirking at him.

"Astra, you've had a hard life, I know that. And so will the others, soon."

"They don't need to know about MY life!" I tell him, crossing my arms.

"Well they're going to find out, anyway."

"There is a thing called confidentiality. Do you know what that is, Mr Mike Milligan?"

"It's a policy that was voted on..."

"Well unvote on it! Or make an exception!"

"We can't do that."

"Oh I think you find you can, Head care-worker."

Mike sighed "Astra, I know you're angry for being here. But there is nothing you can do about it."

I can run away, old man. And you will never have to see me again.

"Fine. Where's my room?"

"Second door on the left. And by the way, you'll soon have a room-mate. You've both had similar pasts and the staff and I thought it'd be a good idea for you two to share a room."

"OK. Fine." I grab my box and secure my rucksack to my back before I open the door silently to see the other kids standing there, ears pressed against the now-open door.

"Ah! Um... We were..." A ginger boy mumbled as everyone left the scene.

"You know what, I don't care." I walk past him and go up the stairs.

Second door on the left...

I go to the appropriate door and kick at it, sending it crashing open.

The room has pink wallpaper with streaks of silver paint on it - as if some idiot tried to paint the wallpaper. There are two beds - one with a black cover and the other is pure white. There is a faint smell - a boyish aroma of aftershave. A boy must've stayed here once before. I briefly wonder who my new room-mate is. But to be honest, I don't care.

I shut the door behind me and chuck the box of new clothes on the floor. I open my rucksack to find the last of my money - £220 - and the picture of me and my family. They are all gone, a distant memory now.

Just like my happiness.

I stare up at the ceiling, ignoring the curtains fluttering in the breeze, and wonder where my life went wrong.

"Astra?" Tracy knocks on the door.

I stare up at the ceiling, ignoring her.

"Are you awake in there?"

Silence. I clutch the framed photograph of my family, to my chest.

I will not cry. I have not cried for four years. And I'm not going to start now.

Tracy opens the door and I stuff my photograph under my pillow before giving her a glare.

"Dinner is ready, the kids are going to go in about 5 minutes so, just telling you." Tracy tells me, ignoring my trademark glare.

"I'm not hungry." I lie instantly.

"You haven't eaten for 36 hours. I think you would be."

"... What is it?"

"Pizza."

A ghost of a smile crept onto my face but I restrained it "I... I can make an exception."

Tracy smiled at me and I got up and walked past her, ignoring her smile.

The kids began running down the stairs and a small blonde girl waved at me "I'm Tee. Do you want to sit next to me at dinner?"
If I'm not nice, I'll be the outcast again.
I feigned a smile "Sure. I'm Astra. It's nice to meet you, Tee."
She smiled at me and pulled me along the corridor. I abandoned a now-smiling Tracy. I hated that woman with a burning passion.
We went into the kitchen and I sat obediently beside Tee. She told me who every resident was, using pictures she somehow had in her possession and pointing at each kid.
Liam and Frank were the closest to my age - 15. The pair of them was best friends.

There was also two girls – Elektra and Sapphire – they were 15 too. Apparently, you didn't want to mess with the pair of them – they were stroppy drama queens.

Frank apparently had cerebral palsy - so he wouldn't speak clearly. But apparently he was a sweet boy. Tee said that Liam had been on the run for several days but he'd probably turn up soon.
Eventually, the other residents began to file into the kitchen and sit down at the table.
2 boxes of pizza were opened and the kids grabbed at least 3-4 slices each.
"So, where do you come from?" Toby (ginger boy) asked me.
"North London."
"That is exactly 263.72 miles away from where we are sitting right now." Gus informed me.
"Er... right." I chew on my pizza slice and swallow the amount I have in my mouth. Food tastes great - I have missed having such wonderful food.
For the rest of dinner, I totally blank out. I put my clear plate by the sink and walk out of the room, hands in pockets.
"Astra!" Tee calls.
I stick my head in the door frame "Yeah?"
"Don't go upstairs! Go to the lounge!"
"Fine."
I walk to the lounge and after about 10 minutes of staring out of the window at the passing cars, the other kids file in.
"Carmen! Come and say hi to Astra!" Tee pulls a Hispanic-looking girl towards me.
"Hello Astra." Carmen smiles shyly at me.
"Hi Carmen."
"Um... How old are you?"
"I'm 14 - 15 next week."
"Oh! I'm eleven."

I was introduced to everyone and I gave them all fake smiles. I feigned politeness and enthusiasm. Tracy, Mike and a coloured care-worker were falling for it, clearly. And so were the others.

But there was one girl that couldn't stand the SIGHT of me - her name was Elektra. Apparently, she'd been in a vicious gang called the Cobras. All her mates ended up in prison and she ended up in care.

"You better watch your back, new girl." She hissed at me.

"You better watch yours, whale-girl." I hiss back.

She walks out of the room, muttering curses.

After a few more introductions, I leave.

"Uh... I'm going to bed." I say, walking past the others and up the stairs.

It was 12:06am and I was ready. I was ready to leave Elm Tree House. I took my family photograph from under my pillow and stuffed it in my backpack before slinging it on my shoulder. I opened my door and peered out into the gloomy corridor. Good, nobody was awake.

I step onto the landing, avoiding the creaky floorboards that I tested out earlier. I tip-toe down the stairs and walk to the front door. My fingers go to the door handle when a thought crosses my mind.

Never go out the front door. Go out the back instead. Nobody will suspect that.

I walk onwards, along the corridor. I check every room I pass for anybody who is awake. They are all empty and dark. I finally reach the kitchen and I take the three bottles of water that I put in the fridge, earlier. I walk towards the back door and stare out at the darkness, wondering where I will go and how long it will take for the police to find me again. Maybe they'll give up for another four years.

In four years, I'll be 18/19, I'll be classed as an adult. I'll just be a homeless person that nobody cares about... I guess I can live with that.

I search the almost-pitch-black kitchen for the back door key and find it pretty quickly. With trembling fingers, I unlock the back door. I open the door and a cold gust of wind blows in my face.

Wow, that was the easiest escapee I've ever had!

I need to go. I need to leave now.

I set my foot outside the door but stop as I spot something moving in the darkness of the trees.

I'm just seeing things. But I need to go, NOW! My brain orders me.

But that could be a stalker or a slave-trader. That could be anyone...

The shape is walking towards me slowly.

They can't see me, it's too dark in here.

I stumble backwards, sending the metal bin crashing against the ground.

"Hello?" Mike calls. The corridor light goes on.

Shit! It's now or never!

I run for dear life, straight towards the woods.

"Astra?" Mike yells from the kitchen door.

I plan to jump over the fence and run off into the night but I am stopped. Someone has locked me in their arms. I struggle.

The security light goes on and I know my cover is blown as I shine white.

"Liam! Astra! What the HELL are you doing out at midnight?" Mike yells.

"Hey Mike, just catching our newest resident. How you been?" The boy has a strong Geordie accent.

I pull myself out of Liam's arms and attempt to run past him but he grabs me by my waist.

"Let me go! I don't want to be here!" I hiss, kicking as I am dangled in the air.

"Hey, neither do I. But that's life, you can't always get what you want." He whispers in my ear.

Mike comes out and grabs my wrist. Liam lowers me down onto the ground.

"We're going to have a nice long chat, the pair of you." He looks at both of us, a murderous, enraged look in his eyes.

I sigh as he drags me into the house.

I better check next time there aren't any residents hiding in the trees...

Don't know how that went... Review please!