Fan Extras > Fanfiction > Title: Every Road Leads to Nowhere [Part 1] Author: Eva Date: 08/15/03 Characters: Ryan Atwood; (character to be announced) Catagory: Sexy Adventure, Anguish Insider Rating: PG-13 (some swearing) Summary: Ryan comes home to an empty house, and an empty life. But, with nothing left from his past, it also means endless possibilities for his future. Sunlight streamed hot through the dirty windows as Ryan banged the door open to his house. He stopped short as his eyes took an instant to register the empty room, strewn with debris. Fear welling up in his chest, he dropped his bag to the floor and ran down the hallway, calling out for his mother. The other rooms in the house were in the same empty state of disrepair and he swung around, kicking open the locked door to his room. Nothing. Just cobwebs and a few pages of a porno magazine living here now. He raced back out into the living room and spun around to face the kitchen. He barely saw the stains on the floor and grimy handprints on the cupboards through the tears building up his his eyes, which blurred his vision and the lipstick note written on the refrigerator door. He wiped a hand across his eyes and read out loud: "Son. I am so sorry. I love you." He was having a hard time getting his breath. It came in short, raspy heaves and suddenly it was too much to bear. He screamed, once, loud and long, and whirled around, looking for anything handy to throw. Not finding anything, he went outside and got a couple of the big rocks the edged the browning lawn, heaving them through the front windows of the house. Glass shattered and tinkled to the ground and he screamed again, venting his incredible rage. He spotted a huge wrench underneath the blocked up car in the driveway next door and snatched it up, marching in the house with the intention of doing some serious damage. He was in the middle of doing just that, smashing holes in the walls, busting up doors and windows, when he heard the first sirens. He froze, thinking that he would give himself up, seeing as though he really had no chance in life anymore anyway, but something buzzed in the back of his head, telling him to get out. He dropped the wrench and sprinted into the living room to grab his bag. He almost went out the front door, and then thought the better of it, choosing the now pane-less window in what used to be his room. He dove through it and hit the grass rolling, coming up onto his feet and vaulting over the back fence all in one seemingly fluid motion. His adrenaline was pumping hard now, and he raced through backyards at superhuman speed, dodging dogs and worn, rusty swingsets. He came to a series of freeways and wound his way through fields of thistles and the carcasses of burnt out vehicles. Finally he came to a small grove of pollution stunted trees and fell to his knees, finally giving in to the pain. He cried until the twilight set in, and fell against a twisted tree stump, utterly exhausted. Eyes red and swollen, he stared at the lines of white lights coming up over a freeway ramp until he could no longer hold his eyelids up. Dirty, hungry, and feeling hopeless, he took his knife out of his pack and clutched it so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and leaning against the tree, he succumbed to the blissful numbness that is sleep. "Hey kid!" Ryan jerked awake at the harsh voice and the finger poking him in his shoulder. He pulled back from the fetid breath and let his eyes focus. "Where ya been, kid? Looks like ya had yaself some trouble, eh?" The man in rags laughed, and pointed at the crusty blood on Ryan's pants. Uncomprehending, Ryan looked down at his leg and saw a huge tear in his pants, and a deep gash in his calf just below his knee. Seeing the blood, a wave of pain rushed over his body, finally centering on the wound. He groaned and rolled his head to the side, and closed his eyes. It must have been the window...or.....something....he didn't remember. "So, I asked ya a question, kid," the man growled, "what happened to ya?" Ryan shrugged. "I dont' know." He rolled his head back and feigned a look of disinterest. "I must have cut myself." The man laughed again. "You a smart allecked little motherfucker, ain't ya?" He produced a small glass bottle from sn inside pocket of his ratty jacket and took a long pull. He smacked his satisfaction and put the bottle back, wiping a hand across his mouth. "Well, it just so happens I know somebody who could fix that up fer ya, if yer interested." The man squatted and rocked on his heels, peering at him from underneath bushy black eyebrows. Ryan glared at him with undisguised disgust. "No, I don't think so. I can take care of it." The man shrugged. "Suit yaself. But don't come cryin' ta Ol' Joe about yer gangrenous leg 'bout ta fall off." He picked himself up, adjusted his rags and started shuffling away. Ryan watched him go, fingering the shredded cloth at his knee. He could go to a hospital, but the cops might be looking for him, and if it was the window he cut himself on, they would know, and would be telling the hospitals to keep an eye out. He sighed with resignation and pushed himself upright against the tree. "Wait," he called out, taking a few tentative steps. He cried out in pain, and fell to one knee. The man stopped and slowly turned around. He grinned crookedly, exposing broken, blackened teeth and came ambling back. He grasped Ryan at his elbow and hauled him to his feet. "You won't be sorry, kid, I know just the man ta fix ya up." He hefted Ryan's pack up over one shoulder and pulled Ryan's arm around the other. "We go ta Mister Doc Martin. He fix you up real good." The man nodded approvingly and chuckled. "Yep, real good, really real good." Ryan furrowed his brow and concentrated on the effort of walking, instead of the growing dread in the pit of his stomach. CONTINUED.... PART 2 2003 Virtual Rain. This is an unofficial fansite with no relation to FOX, Warner Brothers, or any of their associates. This is just a fansite opened for the purpose of exposing the show "The O.C" to new fans across the internet. Original copyright of all photos remain to FOX/WB and are used purely for the purpose of enjoying the show and furthering its fanbase.