Destination Darkness ((Open to anyone))

Screams filled the air, terror struck and fear loomed in the air.

Those were the types of feelings that crept into Huntley's mind as he woke up screaming for the ninth time that week. Huntley shot up and looked around his dark room, looking down he saw his ferret Fireball curled up in his blanket looking up at him his eyes also filled with terror. Huntley wiped the sweat from his face and and hands before wincing in pain; Huntley looked down and gave a disappointed sigh, his dream was no dream it was a reality. Huntley's father had reappeared in his life and was terrorizing not only him but his mother as well, the blows were worse than before he left but now they were harder and filled with more hate.

Huntley examined the large bruise that his father had given him the night before; it had gotten bigger since then and he could hardly move his right shoulder blade without excruciating pain. While he sat there Huntley saw a note on the floor in front of the door, filled with curiosity Huntley quietly got from his bed and crawled from his bed over to it without waking up his father. Huntley picked up the note and was surprised, cause it was from his mother:

Huntley,
You need to get out of here and run away somewhere safe, where he can't hurt you anymore . Run away with a backpack of personal items and the emergency supplies that we had made and placed under you're floor boards. Go and hide somewhere in the district, until I know it is safe for you're return. Leave me, I will be fine here but you need to get a way while you still can; before he breaks you even more.
With love,
Susan Lee Downes.
p.s. I will always love you.

Huntley grabbed his big black backpack and started putting in personal items that he knew that would never be replaced like pictures of him and his mother, a necklace that had his birth stone in it, three small blankets that his mother made for him god knows how long ago, and finally Fireball of course. Huntley got the Emergency supplies from under his floor boards and put the large container in as well; there was still room in the backpack (by sum I mean enough to fit a small dog in) so Huntley packed a jacket and some clothes to change into if need be.

Finally, Huntley took a small knife that his mother had given him and put it in the sheth it came with. Huntley grabbed a pair of jeans, a black shirt and put a dark blue button shirt over top of that. He quickly pulled on his blue hightops and got up as quickly and quietly as he could and went over to his bedroom window. As he pushed it opened and looked at the seven foot drop he got Fireball who had taken hold in the hood of his jacket "No going back now." Huntley stepped on to the railing and jumped; as he hit the ground Huntley shoot up and ran to the fence of his backyard and jumped over it and in to the empty street. He started running as fast as he could and put as much distance as possible.

Huntley stopped and ducked into a dark alley taking deep breaths; all he wanted was to leave the district but that wasn't going to be easy or even an option. Then he turned his anger to the capitol and knew that they were to blame, they didn't physically do this but if they had arrested his father for what he had done than he wouldn't have to run away. Nothing would bring him greater joy than to end his own life but that wasn't going to solve any problems. "There must be someone who can help me." Huntley knew that there must have been someone out there who shared what he thought, and he wanted to find them. And to get away from this place.

Day was doing his normal routine of helping his Mom around the house. Day couldn't believe that it was almost two years since his brother died and his dad had passed away, now as the man of the house Day was sure to find work to help his mom. Day was always fascinated with the hunger games and every district in panem.

As Dayton walked through the village of District 5 he noticed a boy run out of his house, the boy looked like he was in agony and as far as Day could see, it was abuse that was causing the boy's pain. Day dropped everything and ran forward towards the boy,

"Hey!" he shouted at the boy, carefully grabbing his arm, "Come with me, I'll give you somewhere to hide, my Mom will help you recover" Day was pretty sure the boy would come especially where there is nowhere to go.

Day pointed to the hut that he shares with his Mom, "That's where I live, you can come too and we can protect you. My name is Dayton by the way Dayton Carmichael"

Huntley felt more alone than ever and he knew that once his father had found out that he was gone huntley was going to have to find a away out of the district or a place to hide as far as he was concerned so when some one shouted at him panic shivered through his spine "Hey!" Before huntley could react or run as he was planning to a hand grabbed his arm. Expecting someone to knock him over the head huntley was surprised to see a boy about his age standing before him, The fear that had filled huntley's eyes grew larger before he knew what had initially happened "Come with me, I'll give you somewhere to hide, my Mom will help you recover. That's where I live, you can come too and we can protect you. My name is Dayton by the way Dayton Carmichael" Huntley looked in the direction of the house and was still unsure if he could trust Dayton even though he was around to his age huntley didn't know what or who lingered behind closed doors.

Fireball sensed huntley's fear and retaliated by running from his cozy spot in huntley's hood and down his arm before stopping at the spot where dayton was holding his arm and ruffling his fur then opening his mouth showing teeth like he was trying to make a noise of some sort. No noise came from the small ferret just making him look stupid. Huntley drew back from looking like he was about to run but attempted to look relaxed and like he trusted dayton "Thank you...I'm Huntley, Huntley Downes." Even though Huntley was positive that Dayton could see right through him to see the scared boy that he was..now that he had been moving around the pain in huntley's shoulder had spread all through his body and enough to make him cringe and gasp for air a second there. As soon as that happened Huntley knew that something was wrong.. terribly wrong. "This can't be good."

Day could see the pain in Huntley's face and quickly grabbed Huntley's arm but not too hard and led Huntley to his house. He yelled out to his Mom and told her that we have a lodger. He flashed a reassuring smile in Huntley's direction and kept the door open to let Huntley and the ferret into the house. Day's Mom nodded as if to say that she understood what had happened and went off to help Huntley.

Day pointed to the couch, "Sit down" he said, "Have you eaten?" Day was worried and hoping that Huntley has had food and that all he needed was rest and recovery. Day knew that his Dad would hurt his Mom or him at that matter but Day also knew that District 5 is home to some of the cruelest men in the whole of Panem. Day could sense something was wrong but he couldn't bring it to himself to ask what was wrong. Day was hoping that Huntley could be able to trust him that he'd let nothing happen to him.

"My father always taught me how to defend myself from either people or animals. Huntley you can trust me. I'll never let anyone hurt you again" he said looking Huntley in the eyes to show the scared kid that he meant business and wasn't lying. Day's Mom came out and handed Huntley a warm flannel to put on his bruises to stop them from hurting.

"You'll be okay son" she said and flashed him a smile to show that she'll look after him. "You might want to rest for a bit. I know you'll have nightmares but as long as your here you'll be safe. My Day will never let any stranger into the house that looks like he'll kill or hurt someone" Day smiled but was also a bit embarrassed but he was proud.

This seemed like a nightmare but nothing seemed to make it feel more really knowing that his dad knock on every door in the whole district until he finds him here with Dayton and his mother...and the last thing he wanted to do was to put them in danger. Before he left the spot where he stood hunter put his black hood back over his head to hide who he was from anyone that might be friends with his dad and was looking for him. Huntley reluctantly followed Dayton in the house"Sit down, Have you eaten?" Huntley closed the door behind himself as he walked into the house, he could feel his entire body begin to shake as he lowered his ferret onto the floor "I'm fine thanks...You wouldn't mind if I had some water would you?"

In a sign of respect Huntley took off his hood as he sat down on the couch; Huntley took off his jacket and put it next to him and for the first time he saw the full extent of his wounds that his father had caused him not counting the black eye that he had tried to hide from dayton. Dayton's mother came over and placed a warm flannel onto his bruises and he had to admit it did feel a lot better. "My father always taught me how to defend myself from either people or animals. Huntley you can trust me. I'll never let anyone hurt you again" Huntley held the flannel to his arm as his eyes swelled with tears "Do you know what makes them tick? Ya know what makes people like my dad hurt others just so that they don't hurt." The pain never went away but knowing that there was someone, just one person that knows what he's going through.

"You'll be okay son, ou might want to rest for a bit. I know you'll have nightmares but as long as your here you'll be safe. My Day will never let any stranger into the house that looks like he'll kill or hurt someone" Huntley smiled through his tears as they started to run faster and more swiftly "You don't know my father he won't rest until he finds me. And even if you run or hide he'll find you...I just need to know one thing Dayton, Can I count on you as being my friend?" Fireball ran from the couch and over to dayton, instead of biting at his shoes he rubbed against his leg.

Day watched Huntley, "I'm fine thanks...You wouldn't mind if I have some water do you?" he had asked and Day nodded before quickly hurrying to fetch some water for their guest, when he came back into the room, he handed the cup of water to Huntley and smiled. "Do you know what makes them tick? Ya know what makes people like my dad hurt others just so that they don't hurt." he had asked and truthfully Dayton didn't know but he could tell that Huntley knew exactly what made them tick, "They just don't have anyway of releasing their anger Huntley" Day replied to the boy's question but even then he wasn't sure if he was right.

Day knew that Huntley's father would come after them but he wasn't afraid. His Dad used to beat him and his Mom but Day had managed to show his Dad that there was something more to life than releasing their anger out on someone. "It will take time and most men don't stop beating someone but there are some men that just need a little coaxing" Day said and he was referencing his own Dad.

"You don't know my father he won't rest until he finds me. And even if you run or hide he'll find you...I just need to know one thing Dayton, Can I count on you as being my friend?" the now crying heavily boy had asked Day and Dayton nodded, "Of course Huntley, I will be your friend and your protector. I know how to kill a man in several different ways. After my father stopped beating me, he showed me how to stop men like him from ruining more lives" he said as Fireball rubbed against his leg. Dayton just hoped for Huntley's sake that he recovered in time.

"Of course Huntley, I will be your friend and your protector. I know how to kill a man in several different ways. After my father stopped beating me, he showed me how to stop men like him from ruining more lives"
For some reason Huntley now felt safe for the first time in years and that's a first in his book, but also Huntley doesn't feel alone anymore. A warm smile pulled at Huntley as he rested with what energy he had left; Huntley knew that he was weak but he also knew that he was stronger than ever "Dayton I want you to know that if there is one thing that makes you stronger is your faith. Don't ever forget that. Promise?"

Fireball scurried under Huntley's arm as he growled, Huntley listened closely and that's when he heard it the all to familiar voice that seemed to haunt him "Huntley!" Huntley peeked out the window and saw his father's face filled with anger as he searched for him "Dayton we need to hide and get out as fast as we can. cause if he finds out that you helped me than you are in for it just as badly as I am." Huntley knew that he couldn't run anymore but he had to try counting that there was a one man demolition crew searching for him but nothing made worse knowing that he just put Dayton and his mom in more danger than he was in. Not to mention that time was running out.

Dayton nodded when Huntley asked him to promise, "I promise" was all that he said smiling. At last he found someone that he could truly rely on and help in many way possible. Day couldn't believe that he found a friend now and this was all that he was asking for, he never had a friend like Huntley but now he does and Day will promise everything and will protect him.

Suddenly a voice broke Day from his daydream and the look on Huntley's face said it all; his Dad was on his way. Day shot out of the sofa and turned to his Mom who nodded and Day nodded back they knew exactly where to put Huntley so he was out of reach of his Dad. Day quickly grabbed Huntley, "Follow me" he whispered leading Huntley to his room where there was a loose floorboard, Day ripped it off the floor and under there was a hole big enough for people to hide, "This is where i used to hide from my Dad, it's big enough for the two of us" Day said and nodded to Huntley, "We haven't got much time!"

Huntley knew that this was going to be their only hope, so he hopped in "Lets hope that this is going to be enough." Fear filled Hunt's eyes, his heart was pounding so fast that he was sure that it was going to burst. Hunt heard his dads angry pounds on Daytons door, Huntley was sure that he must have been to every house in the district in search of him, please don't find me. Furious squeaks filled Huntley's ear, Fireball was losing it now, hunt wouldn't really blame him really "What's going to happen now?"