the care kids and the big adventure

I wake up to the sound of the birds singing a sweet song.

That's unusual, I think. I can't see much other than trees, where are the other care kids? I wonder further on into the woods and hear little whimpering sounds. It's Lena!

Lena is the youngest of us all and is very timid, "Lena it's me, Daisy." I say, she stands up slowly, "Daisy, where are we?" she asks quietly, "I think we are in the woods, do you know where the others are?" I reply, "no I don't, let's go find them." Lena tells me.

we walk into the woods a bit more and then we find a little hut, two boys are inside, "Look!" one of the boys yell, "it's daisy and Lena." The two boys walk over to us, "Ash!, Alexis!" I cry, "have you found the others yet?" asks Alexis, "no I've only found you guys and Lena." I sigh.

"well let's keep looking then." ash mumbles, "OK!" Lena yaps happily, "Lena this isn't a game of hide and seek!, we are lost!" I snarl, Lena starts to cry, "give her to me Daisy." Alexis says softly... "Lena, this isn't a game, you have to listen to Daisy and do as she says okay?" he explains, "yes Alexis, I understand." Lena says.

in the distance we hear voices calling our names, "DAISY!, ASH? ALEXIS!?, LENA!?" cried a girl, "over here guys!" I call to them, they jog over to us and Lucy asks, "what are we going to do?", "I don't have a scooby-doo" I reply sadly, "Mina and Maddie will be so worried" whispers Lena, "I know Lee Lee." sooths Lilli.

Lilli is the second oldest out of us care children, I am the oldest though which means that the children are my responsibility, the youngest is a little four-year-old called Christie but she was kept at home luckily.

A little while later we hear a baby crying in the woods. there is a little girl laying inside a basket crying wildly, we find a note and it says: Please help me, my name is Natalie and I'm only one-years-old.

I pick the baby up and rock her gently, she stops crying instantly and falls asleep. I put her back into the basket and start to walk away with the others when I hear someone calling, "WAIT!, please wait for me!" a young girl is running towards us with the Natalie in the basket, "me and Natalie have been dumped here." she whispers, "what's your name and age?" I ask her, "my name's Rowan and I'm 10-years-old.

"Okay you can join us but from now on I'm in charge of you and your little sister." I say firmly, "yes, okay." agrees Rowan, "all 8 of us are care kids and you and your sister are too now" I add, Rowan nods.

"I'm daisy" I say, "the others are called, Ash, Alexis, AJ, TJ, Lena, Lilli and Lucy", The girl nods again.

An hour later we find a safe spot… "we'll sleep here tonight." I decide, "okay." the others say, apart from Natalie who's babbling away to herself, "Natalie stop babbling sweetheart" Rowan says, instantly Natalie does as she's told and holds rowan's dirty hand.

The next morning, they all wake up, "let’s go find the lake!" suggests Rowan, we all agree and head of further into the woods, soon Lena stops walking and just stands. "what's wrong lee?" I ask her, "I'm scared daisy I wanna go home!" she wails, "oh Lena, we are trying to get home babes" I whisper, Lena runs into my arms and hugs me tightly.

When we catch up to the others we see they're all eating fish, "shhh, Lena's asleep!" I whisper, the others lie Lena on the floor and hand me my lot of fish to eat.

"are we home yet?" asks Lena groggily, "not yet Lena, babes" I reply, "how long?" whispers Lena, "I don't know Lee" I say sadly, "come on girls we need to get moving!" calls Rowan, "okay!" I call back.

"it'll be ok Lena." Sooths Lucy, hugging the six-year-old, "I want Maddie~!" wails Lena, "we all do baby girl" whispers Lilli rocking forwards and backwards, "Listen up guys we just need to find a safe spot to sleep tonight and then we can rest until tomorrow." I tell them.

later that night when everyone's asleep I hear muffled crying. "Lena is that you crying?!" I ask, "no it's not!, who are you?" asks a voice, "I'm daisy, who are you?!" I ask alarmed, "I am Arielle, the girl who lives in the woods" explains Arielle, "do you know how me, and my brothers and sisters could get home?" I ask hopefully, "no." she simply says, "there is no way out of these woods, you're here forever now." she adds, "there's got to be a way!" I cry, "no, there isn't a way, I've tried, anyway you're all care kids" says Arielle, "with care workers who look after us!" I yell, "shhh you'll wake up your little group" snaps Arielle, "Lena really wants to go home though." I sigh sadly, "she'll have to be brave." Arielle says...,"there is one way." she says, "but if you use this way then only one of you can go home." she adds, "can you send Lena home?" I beg, "ok but only her" Arielle agrees, "I understand" I whisper, "go get Lena, I'll send her home right away." Arielle orders, I go over to Lena and wake her up, "what is it daisy?" she asks me, "you're going home babes." I say, "how?" she whispers, "this girl knows how to send you home." I say quickly, "but what about you and the others?" she pushes, I stroke her hair gently, "we are only allowed to send one of us home." I mumble, "oh okay then." says Lena, "Lena you have to go, tell mina and Maddie where we are, they'll rescue us." I tell her, "ok." Lena agrees, "hurry up!" hisses Arielle, "bye Lena" I say hugging her, "bye daisy, I won't forget you." she whispers, and just like that she disappeared back home.