Violet and Johnny Each house on Southern Stone Drive was dark.

Johnny and I took turns scoping out our new prospect. We were looking for somewhere to stay for a night, maybe two. Preferably, we looked for a home where the owners were on vacation. Those homes were the most comfortable of them all. Johnny liked the homes that were just plain abandoned because we were less likely to get caught. Normally, we met in the middle and settled for a home that was for sale. If we were lucky, we could catch the sellers at the beginning, that way the heat and water would sometimes still be on. Hot showers and running water was a commodity. Mostly though, we weren't that lucky. We can always tell when a family is on vacation. The doors will be locked and some lights will be on, but the dog won't be there to bark at the door and most neighbors don't pay any attention. Sometimes Johnny and I will watch a house for a day, just to make sure. If the light stays on and no one comes in or out of the house, we know we should be safe. Breaking in is the easy part. A simple search around the back or side door normally reveals a hidden spare key. We werent unfamiliar to the suburb life; we just didnt want to live the same way as our parents. Johnny pointed to a small gray Tudor style home. "There's the one I told you 'bout, Violet," He said. Oh, it looks nice. Are you sure the family is away? I asked. Doesnt it look great? He looked at me confused. It does, I reassured softly. It's justits just, you know how I get when we find a new place. Johnny took me into his arms. I always felt safe with him.

I had escaped from that fairytale most call home when I was sixteen. I met Johnny shortly after I turned eighteen. Everything changed when I met him. The year and a half I was on my own was hard, bouncing from alley, to

halfway house, back to some other deserted place in the city. One summer night, I decided to lie by the river and look at the stars. Living in the city all my life, I had never really looked at them. Far enough away from the city, on the banks of the Flowerford River, I settled in the tall weeds. I don't know how long I sat there gazing at them, but I had drifted off into a light sleep. I was startled awake by the soft crunch of river rock. I must not have concealed myself well enough, because that's when Johnny found me there. Crap. I hissed. Yep, you could have done better, He said laughing. My name is Johnny. How do you do? He held out his hand and I took it. There was a sense of knowing in his eyes as he tried to pull me up from the ground. I pulled him off balance so he was beside me on the ground, but I still had the upper hand. Intrigued by my actions and by my silence, he asked, Are you k? Im fine, thank you. I gritted out. That wasnt something normal for a man to say after he had found a girl lying in the weeds. I had experienced something like this before, but my flight instinct wasnt kicking in. He brushed off his clothes and turned his body to face me, sitting Indian-style in the grass. His warm personality radiated from his smile. So proper? You must not have been doing this long. Johnny concluded. He really wanted to know. I couldnt make eye contact with him. He knew I was scared. I was found out. After all, I had thought I had concealed myself quite well. He shook his head and wrapped me up in his arms. I froze there not knowing what to do. I dont know why I didnt run, or scream for that matter. I felt safe for the first time in months there. With him. And not invisible for the first time in years.

By the time dusk had fallen, we had already settled in the house. Johnny had really picked a good one. We could probably stay at this home for three or

four days without pushing our luck. After all, the Gerald's, as their mail said, had put on their family calendar that they had a strict check-in schedule with a lady named Rita. She was to come every Monday and every Friday for the next four weeks. Today was Tuesday. I always liked to wonder what people did when they were gone for so long. Were they really able to take vacations that long? Were they on a beach in South America, getting all tanned and perfect? Judging on some of the houses we have been in, there was a good chance of rehab or prison. Walking around the kitchen, I thought to myself that this house must belong to a doctor. The rooms were immaculately clean and there was the distinct smell of bleach lingering in the air. Even the medicine cupboard was neatly organized. Johnny rounded the corner. Yep, he is a doctor alright. Theres a wall covered in certificates in the den. Johnny confirmed. Check the medicine cupboard. Im sure he wont miss a couple bandaids here and there. When I was younger, I never thought about other people coming into my house, rummaging through my things. I didnt know people like us existed. Okay. Was there anything specific we need? Just a couple bandages. He responded. Okay, as long as you are sure. I said over my shoulder. Johnny dropped a fork onto the counter. I turned to see him looking at me, his eyes filled with questions. I should have known thats what he would say. People like us find it hard to quit the prescription painkillers once theyve started. Johnny and I had never done drugs, but last August, we ran into another small group of vagabonds. There were two women and a man in that group. Both women were addicts and their addiction almost got all of us caught. Later we found out that they had been kidnapped and drugged by the man into submission. Johnny, who are these people? I pulled his face down to ask him. The man

was absolutely terrifying. He wore a dark overcoat and a hat. It wasnt just any hat and coat though. Being vagabonds, most people think that we are dirty. This guy fit that bill. Johnny and I did not. His hat was covered in a fine white powder and his jacket had red stains covering in large patches. I couldnt tell if the stains had come from the outside of his jacket or the inside. Johnny always made sure that we had clean clothes to wear, but it didnt seem to matter with this guy. We decided that he and the two women that he came with must be a different kind of our people. Truth be told, we are the different ones. We were natural travelers. Johnny and I didnt want to attract too much attention to ourselves, so we had to look as normal as possible. Vi, I dont know, exactly, he whispered. They just sort of followed me here from the thrift store. Johnny looked at me and with those eyes that I could never blame and confessed, I invited them here to get something to eat and something hot to drink. At that point in time, we were in Maryland. Just outside of Hagerstown, there was a house that had just been put up for sale since the last time we had passed through. Johnny and I frequented the state of Maryland often. To us, the beauty was just beyond belief. We watched it for a few days of course, but we hadnt noticed the new addition to the landscape the owners had put in to make the house more sellable. It should have been safe. We had stayed there the last time. It was an uncommonly cool night for August, but the weather seemed to be trending downward. The back door alarm was easy to get past, two magnets and we were through. Johnny brought the man and his two friends into the house with us. Johnny and I were about the same age, but he made him self come across much older. He was a natural caretaker; sometimes, he cared too much. We sat around the fireplace drinking coffee that we had made over the low burning fire. Johnny was just about to put the potatoes in the coals when the man, who, we found out while we were talking, was named Oliver, turned and slapped one of the women who he was with. We didnt know either of

their names, as they were never introduced. I was shocked at the fact he had just hit her. I must not have been paying much attention to them before that. The girl got up and walked away. That bitch should have kept quiet. Oliver said to himself and gave a warning look to the other woman. I took the opportunity to move closer to Johnny and the wall and he wrapped a protective arm around me. Even more terrified of him than I had been before, I whispered in Johnnys ear, Lets get out of here. Olivers turned toward me. In a flash he was up and his face turned from disgust to pure anger. Grabbing my hair, Oliver pulled me away from Johnny. You should really keep this one in line! Is this how you allow her to talk to you? I felt violated as he put his hands all over me. Johnny got to his feet and pulled me to safety. Oliver didnt put up much of a fight because the next thing we heard was a loud crash. Then an alarm. The girl he had hit came running down the stairs. II was so angry! I neeneeded a fix she stammered. What did you do? yelled Oliver. Window, she responded before we heard the screaming of sirens. Oliver grabbed both of the girls and then they were running out the door. Johnny and I left all of our stuff and just ran. We took off to the left and the others took off to the right. We hadnt noticed the new, in-ground swimming pool when we watched the house. Running across the hard top of the pool cover, Johnny slipped and the cover caved. My startled squeal attracted the attention of the cops that were now invading the backyard. Johnny yanked me in the pool, replacing the cover as we went further towards the middle. There was just enough room for us to breathe under that cover. We waited what seemed like hours before we finally emerged from the water. I ran one way and Johnny ran the other way. Meet me there, he said, taking my face in his hands. He kissed me sweetly and then let me go. I knew exactly where he meant. Our spot by the Flowerford River.

We found another place quick, soon after meeting at our special spot. Johnny found some supplies since we had left ours behind, while I took care of finding the food and clothing. We flipped on the television to see if there was any news about the others. The reporters story was about how the two girls we had seen with Oliver were finally returned to their families. The authorities were looking for us too; the girls identified a young couple that helped Oliver. Apparently we had been found out some time before that because of our tendency to leave the houses we occupied cleaner than when we found them; there were many communities on the lookout for us. In shock, Johnny decided that we didnt need any more new friends and we decided to try to watch the news a little more closely. What is with you today? Why do you keep questioning me? I looked down at the floor searching for a way to tell him that I didnt feel right about this one. It was too perfect, too good to be true. Johnny tugged at my chin to make my eyes meet his. We should take a little vacation of our own, Vi. Just you and me. We can go back there. Johnny said referring to our place. We didnt get to go back to the river often as we wanted, but every once in a while, we would go back to the riverbank and just think about why we lived like this. We stayed in the kitchen of the doctors house for hours. There were different kinds of food, food we had never seen before. He and I sat at the island eating a little of this and a little of that. The feelings of unrest finally started to settle. I felt at home because it felt like a home. Lets see if they have a good movie to watch. I suggested to him, hoping he would play along. There was a distant screech of tires and a flash of light. Vi, run! Johnny screamed as the door to the doctors kitchen was kicked in. Johnny moved out of my way, trying to deflect the four men swarming through the door. I ran around the corner to go out the front door, but was stopped by a wall of black and blue. With their weapons holstered,

they searched and cuffed me. Johnny! I screamed, but he didnt answer. What did you do with him? We didnt hurt anyone! I continued to struggle in my constraints. Maam, youre gonna have to calm down. The closest officer instructed me. He seemed genuinely compassionate, but I hated him anyway. Maam, please just calm down. I promise to you that your friend is okay. I watched from the floor as they hauled Johnny past the bay window. A woman, who I can only assume was the Rita on the calendar, stood with the police shaking her head and pointing at Johnny, confirming he was the one in the house. He had blood streaming from his nose and his eye was starting to swell. He caught my gaze and mouthed a word. There. I knew what he meant. I would wait for him, and he would wait for me at our secret spot by the river. No matter how long it takes, we always meet each other there.