Daniel walked into the headmaster’s office expecting to get another lecture about something he might have done, but as soon as he made it into the room he knew something else was going on.
Daniel immediately saw that there was someone else in the room besides Mr. Hedges. A tall man with blond hair wearing what looked to be an expensive suite but for all Daniel knew it could have been bought from a cheap department store.
“Sit down Daniel,” said Hedges. “This man is Mr. Henry and he has something to tell you.”
“What is this all about?” Daniel asked.
“We’ll get to that,” said Mr. Henry. “Do you recognize the name Davidson?”
“No should I have?” replied Daniel.
“Mr. Allen Davidson was one of your distant relatives,” said Mr. Henry. “He died recently and he had no direct family as well and it is my job to track down the closest living relative. Now Mr. Davidson was some what of a recluse and the state did not know that you were related to him but you are.”
“So I have a long lost relative and he died what does that supposed to mean to me?” asked Daniel.
“Well you are the lone inheritor to his estate Daniel,” said Mr. Henry. “He didn’t have much, but he did own a great deal of land about 500 acres in Cantaloupe County at the edge of the state and about $100,000 dollars in saving and a small house. Now since you are still a minor you will not receive the inheritance until you turn 18 years-old and are released from the orphanage.”
“What? That’s not fair why can’t I get it now?” asked Daniel.
“It is the law in this state besides you do not have another care giver to make sure you finish your school. That is why,” said Mr. Hedges. “Now the paper work will stay with me but all you have to do right now is sign these documents and leave we will take care of the rest.”
Daniel signed all the papers and than was sent back to his room. He was silent through the whole process. It sounded like it was his chance to get away from the orphanage.
He didn’t tell anyone about what had happened. He sat in silence on his bed for awhile and then after awhile he fell asleep still wearing the clothes he was wearing the day before.
Daniel was quiet the next few days. He ignored almost everyone. He didn’t pay attention in class, which was normal but he usually disrupted the class. Now he just sat quietly in the back staring at his desk. He was deep in though and was struggling with a decision. Even in the cafeteria when he sat with Steve he was quiet.
Suddenly and without warning over a bowl of macaroni and cheese he spoke up and startled Steve who was enthralled in his new book.
“If I do something really crazy will you back me up on me and help me out?” Daniel asked.
“You know I won’t help you with any of your stupid pranks,” said Steve. “I’ve done it before and I hate holding those water buckets.”
“No this isn’t about a prank this is serious. I need to know right now before I tell you if you would help me or not. I need to know that I can trust you,” said Daniel.
“Fine I will,” said Steve. “You know I would help you do almost anything.”
“Great now all I need to do is figure out the details,” answered Daniel.
Daniel turned his attention back to his food and Steve turned his attention back to his book.
Steve suddenly looked up from his book to ask the questions he always asked.
“Is this going to get me in trouble?” he said.
“What do you think?” Daniel asked back.
“What are you going to do?” said Steve.
“I’m going to run away of course,” Daniel replied.
“Your going to run away? You don’t have anywhere to go where will you run too?” asked Steve.
“I’ve got somewhere to run to I just need to find out where it is and what I’m going to do once I get there. I just need someone smart like you to help me figure out some things,” Daniel said.
“What type of things?” asked Steve.
“Well let me put it this way. Do you know anything about surviving in the woods or where to get money?” asked Daniel.
“You know I’m part of the Boy Scout program but I’m not sure what to do about the money,” said Steve.
“Well don’t worry about the money part I just need us to do some research and it needs to be a secret,” said Daniel. “I don’t want anyone to know about this. One thing is for sure I want to be out of here by next week.”
“One week?” asked Steve in amazement. “I don’t think you can really prepare for a move like this and succeed in one week it may take a month or more.”
“No we can do it in a week,” said Daniel. “That is why I need your help.”
Daniel paused as he thought about the future.
“Just think,” he said. “In one week I will be gone from here starting another life of my own. I’m going to make something of myself I know it.”
“Well I hope your right but I think to get started we need to go to the library and read up on where you are going,” said Steve. “The more you know about this place the more I can help you. So where is it your are going?”
“It’s somewhere in Cantaloupe County,” said Daniel.
“Cantaloupe County?!” Steve said in surprise. “Are you nuts?”
“Why is that far or something?” Daniel asked.
“Far it’s all the way across the state it has to be at least three or four hundred miles away how do you think you are going to get there?” said Steve.
“Well that is what we are going to figure out. Now are you really with me or not?” asked Daniel.
“Yeah I’m still with you even if I don’t like it,” Steve answered.
“Alright that’s what I want to hear,” Daniel said.
Daniel immediately saw that there was someone else in the room besides Mr. Hedges. A tall man with blond hair wearing what looked to be an expensive suite but for all Daniel knew it could have been bought from a cheap department store.
“Sit down Daniel,” said Hedges. “This man is Mr. Henry and he has something to tell you.”
“What is this all about?” Daniel asked.
“We’ll get to that,” said Mr. Henry. “Do you recognize the name Davidson?”
“No should I have?” replied Daniel.
“Mr. Allen Davidson was one of your distant relatives,” said Mr. Henry. “He died recently and he had no direct family as well and it is my job to track down the closest living relative. Now Mr. Davidson was some what of a recluse and the state did not know that you were related to him but you are.”
“So I have a long lost relative and he died what does that supposed to mean to me?” asked Daniel.
“Well you are the lone inheritor to his estate Daniel,” said Mr. Henry. “He didn’t have much, but he did own a great deal of land about 500 acres in Cantaloupe County at the edge of the state and about $100,000 dollars in saving and a small house. Now since you are still a minor you will not receive the inheritance until you turn 18 years-old and are released from the orphanage.”
“What? That’s not fair why can’t I get it now?” asked Daniel.
“It is the law in this state besides you do not have another care giver to make sure you finish your school. That is why,” said Mr. Hedges. “Now the paper work will stay with me but all you have to do right now is sign these documents and leave we will take care of the rest.”
Daniel signed all the papers and than was sent back to his room. He was silent through the whole process. It sounded like it was his chance to get away from the orphanage.
He didn’t tell anyone about what had happened. He sat in silence on his bed for awhile and then after awhile he fell asleep still wearing the clothes he was wearing the day before.
Daniel was quiet the next few days. He ignored almost everyone. He didn’t pay attention in class, which was normal but he usually disrupted the class. Now he just sat quietly in the back staring at his desk. He was deep in though and was struggling with a decision. Even in the cafeteria when he sat with Steve he was quiet.
Suddenly and without warning over a bowl of macaroni and cheese he spoke up and startled Steve who was enthralled in his new book.
“If I do something really crazy will you back me up on me and help me out?” Daniel asked.
“You know I won’t help you with any of your stupid pranks,” said Steve. “I’ve done it before and I hate holding those water buckets.”
“No this isn’t about a prank this is serious. I need to know right now before I tell you if you would help me or not. I need to know that I can trust you,” said Daniel.
“Fine I will,” said Steve. “You know I would help you do almost anything.”
“Great now all I need to do is figure out the details,” answered Daniel.
Daniel turned his attention back to his food and Steve turned his attention back to his book.
Steve suddenly looked up from his book to ask the questions he always asked.
“Is this going to get me in trouble?” he said.
“What do you think?” Daniel asked back.
“What are you going to do?” said Steve.
“I’m going to run away of course,” Daniel replied.
“Your going to run away? You don’t have anywhere to go where will you run too?” asked Steve.
“I’ve got somewhere to run to I just need to find out where it is and what I’m going to do once I get there. I just need someone smart like you to help me figure out some things,” Daniel said.
“What type of things?” asked Steve.
“Well let me put it this way. Do you know anything about surviving in the woods or where to get money?” asked Daniel.
“You know I’m part of the Boy Scout program but I’m not sure what to do about the money,” said Steve.
“Well don’t worry about the money part I just need us to do some research and it needs to be a secret,” said Daniel. “I don’t want anyone to know about this. One thing is for sure I want to be out of here by next week.”
“One week?” asked Steve in amazement. “I don’t think you can really prepare for a move like this and succeed in one week it may take a month or more.”
“No we can do it in a week,” said Daniel. “That is why I need your help.”
Daniel paused as he thought about the future.
“Just think,” he said. “In one week I will be gone from here starting another life of my own. I’m going to make something of myself I know it.”
“Well I hope your right but I think to get started we need to go to the library and read up on where you are going,” said Steve. “The more you know about this place the more I can help you. So where is it your are going?”
“It’s somewhere in Cantaloupe County,” said Daniel.
“Cantaloupe County?!” Steve said in surprise. “Are you nuts?”
“Why is that far or something?” Daniel asked.
“Far it’s all the way across the state it has to be at least three or four hundred miles away how do you think you are going to get there?” said Steve.
“Well that is what we are going to figure out. Now are you really with me or not?” asked Daniel.
“Yeah I’m still with you even if I don’t like it,” Steve answered.
“Alright that’s what I want to hear,” Daniel said.
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