September 2030

Stars

I don't stop walking until it's so dark outside that I'm barely able to see the grass anymore. I've decided to continue on for as long as I can each day, since I would get back quicker that way. I haven't spoke to Brandon since we last stopped, but I can hear him panting behind me. We're higher up now than before, the air is starting to get thinner and it makes it harder to breath. Brandon is not the only one affected, my body works hard trying to get all the oxygen needed, and my breaths are short and quick.

I stumble towards what I'm pretty sure is a rock, based on the large shadow. When I reach it I sit down at once, resting my head towards the rough surface. It's very quiet outside, the only things  I can hear is the weak wind, and Brandon's and my heavy breathing. He drops his backback next to me and sits down with a tired sigh.

"I thought you'd never stop."

His raspy voice flows through the thin air like a light breeze and seems to swirl around me for a while before it fades away. I missed talking.

"I couldn't see anymore so I had to."

I'm barely able to see him, but I think he nods. The silence of the night is suddenly very present as our short conversation dies, and I shiver, a stream of cold running down my spine. It seems like I didn't have to be with a person for a long time before I started to hate the silence again. I had almost learned to get used to it after a few weeks in the cabin by the lake. Well not really used to it, but more of a "I can kind of handle it" situation. But after I met Brandon it seems like all of those weeks taught me nothing.

I'm almost sleeping when Brandon gives me a small push.
"Hey?"
"What?" I snarl, irritated for loosing precious seconds of sleep.
"Maybe we should make a fire? It can probably get cold up here during the night."
"Cold? You've never been outside?" I ask sarcastically.
"What?"
"Well, if you think that spring is cold, yeah, then it can get cold."
"Spring?"
"Yes. It doesn't get colder during the nights than it does at late spring nowadays. Not even at this high altitude. At sea level the nights are as hot as summer days and the days as hot as..."
"Me."
I can literally hear how he smirks. I roll my eyes, knowing that he can't see me.
"Seriously?" I mumble quietly, mostly to myself.
"Of course I know that's is hot outside, but I just thought that it might be colder up here. There's snow on the mountains for example." he explains.
"Yes, and up there it's barely so cold that it can snow."
"Fine."
We stop talking again and after a while I fall asleep under stars that for once show behind the clouds, twinkling and shining in silence. This seemingly everlasting silence.

I wake up with a weak gasp. It's still dark outside. Nightmare. I stare out into the darkness, the stars are gone and replaced by the usual dark sky. It's almost completely quiet. There's nothing to keep the night away, to keep me away from myself. Like all the other nights before this a picture, or a memory, of my brother playing with his train, flashes infront of my eyes. Edvin. He looks straight at me before he turns and fades away, leaving me alone in the darkness again. His light laugh swirls around me, awakening memory after memory before it transforms. At first it sounds like he's laughing louder, but then his voice gets shrill and panicked, eventually turning into a scream. A frighted and helpless Edvin screaming. My heart beats fast, I can feel the beats in my entire body. They're vibrations in sync with his frightened screams, composing a musical of horror. I start screaming too, as the night gets loud and chaotic around me, screaming along.

Suddenly, arms around me. Embracing me and hugging me tight. A calming voice in my ear. A warm hand placed agains my tear streaked cheek. I return to myself as the darkness vanishes, replaced by a warm and calm presence.

I fall asleep again, this time safely embraced by an obviously caring and emphatic boy.

A caring and emphatic boy that I tried to kill.