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I’d lived in the heart of don for three days, a couple of miles from here Early onon the sidewalk, crying my eyes out as I felt lost and sorry for ht ht, they’d let me sleep in the basement of an abandoned house they’d found on the west side of the city Then they’d toldup with athey had to deal with Also, afterpersons report on me, it was only a matter of time before I would have been found Still, I was on the streets long enough for bad things to have happened if I’d been on ain, but I’d never forgotten what they’d done for me If I could help soive it my best shot

"Hey," I said to the boy on the sidewalk "Are you okay?"

When I didn’t get a response, I leaned over and tapped the kid lightly on his shoulder I hated to think he ht be hurt "Can you hear me?"

A streetlamp nearby picked that moment to flicker on, and he finally pulled his hands away fro lashes a few shades darker than his any-colored hair The most incredible eyes met ht through eous boy I’d ever seen in my life--and he seemed familiar to ht My age, ether "Who are you?"

"I’m Saazed into azed back, unable to look away fro right ever since I fell My thoughts are all jurimaced as if he were in pain

Concern swept through me "You fell? Did you hit your head?"

"My head?"

I fished infor my phone "If you want me to call somebody for you, I can totally do that"

"I can’t find them" There was pain in his voice, but I wasn’t sure if it was ehtened at the sound of it "I’ve been searching night and day It’sto fail and all will be lost Everything and everyone Forever and ever"

He said he’d fallen, but I wasn’t so sure about that If I was placing a bet, I’d say this was either a

I studied him Maybe I’d seen his picture in the newspaper or on TV as his parents searched for him out on the streets, and that hy he seemed so familiar

"What’s your name?" I asked

"Bishop"

"Okay Is that your first name or your last name?"

"It’s--just Bishop"

"You have only one name?" Unless he was a rock star or a chess piece, it was another sign that he was having trouble thinking straight

"Right--only Bishop Nothing else now" The expression on his handsome face was one of deep confusion "When I volunteered for this, they told ht be difficulties, but they thought I could handle whatever happened It wasn’t supposed to be this hard I thought I’d go back to normal when I arrived But this--this is not norry about "this," whatever it meant He frowned and rubbed his tee to help this boy, if I could "I told you already I’ for somebody? Is it somebody from your family--your mom or dad? Is there anyone I can call to come pick you up?"

He pushed himself up froh I was pretty short at five-two and currently wearing flats His unexpected physical presence overwhelmed me for a moment and I took a shaky step back froht across his chest like it was a couple of sizes too small, but he didn’t have an ounce of fat on hi over me rather than sprawled on the sidewalk, and yet I didn’t turn away from him Those eyes--they seemed to hold me in place And he smelled so incredible--spicy and sweet--I couldn’t even describe it properly His very presence seemed to sink into ely pleasant shiver slid down my spine He cocked his head as he continued to study me with those vivid blue eyes There was a coldness to his appearance, to the hard lines of his face, but I couldn’t look away

I shifted back again as he drew closer to aze "You’re…beautiful"

"Uh…th-thanks?" My face flushed at his words and I cleared my throat "Maybe I should just leave you alone You look, ue to move even closer to him, but there wasn’t any reason foreht be in distress, but I wasn’t going to put myself in harm’s way "But you really should call your parents and tell them you’re okay They’re probably worried about you There’s a o there"