Scars Are Left Behind, but Some Too Deep to Feel

We continued to run for for what felt like hours, my chest was heaving and sweat pored off my body. I was glad that I wasn't the only one in that state, everyone was, even Brian.
“I- can't- go- on” Johnny wheezed.
We all stopped, suddenly, my legs turned to jelly and I fell to the floor. I lay down slowly and sucked in the cool night air. Katerina sat next to me and started to shake slightly. “Are you okay?” I asked her breathlessly.
“Yeah, I'm just exhausted” she replied quietly.
I sat up and wrapped my long arms around her shaking form and sighed deeply. After a few minutes, Matt got up and said “C'mon guys we need to get going”
I looked up at him sadly and stood up, my legs shaking a bit, I pulled up Katerina and she managed to hold herself up. Zacky was wheezing really badly and everyone else could barely walk. Suddenly, the trees cleared and we found ourselves at the edge of the highway. I heard a huge rumbling sound and it started to rain heavily. Within minutes we were all soaked to the bone. I could still hear Zack struggling to breathe, it was probably because he is so fat, I thought to myself.
We all sat down in the pouring rain and waited for some sort of car to come past, where the hell where we?
I had fell half asleep with Katerina in my arms when I felt someone nudging my arm. I quickly opened my eyes to see a man with greying hair staring at me, he was holding an umbrella over his head and he looked very worried. “Are you kids okay?” he asked.
“Not really, where are we?” I replied.
“Just outside California, you kids might want to get in the truck, I'll get you to town” he replied, standing up straight.
I gently woke up Katerina and harshly poked the others and told them that the man would give us a ride to town.
“Thank you so much” I said as we climbed into the truck.
“No problem, I couldn't just leave you kids there to freeze” he smiled kindly.
“What's your name?” Matt asked.
“Chris, and yours?” he answered.
We all introduced ourselves and Katernina lent on my shoulder. I gently stroked her wet hair and she sighed contentedly.
He pulled up at a lay-by just outside of town, we all made a move to get out of the truck and he said “Stop, have you kids got anywhere to stay?”
“Not exactly” Brian replied honestly.
“Why don't you come and stay with me and my family?” he asked gently.
“We wouldn't want to intrude” Johnny answered awkwardly.
“It wouldn't be and I would never be able to forgive myself if I left you lot out here” he answered sternly and started to truck before we could all object.