The Last Train Home

Chapter Thirty-Four

Before the sun started to set, we packed up our picnic supplies, untethered the horses and went down to the creak so the horses could have a drink.

Alec didn't say much for the ride, or even when we packed up. He barely touched the remaining biscuits or finished the one he had had in his hand. I hadn't meant to be so pushy, I was just curious, by I suppose it was a topic Alec wasn't ready to go into just yet. Dad always said I had a tendency to speak before I thought things through and this turned out to be one of those scenarios. I should have kept my mouth shut.

We reached the creak with plenty of light to spare and tied the horses up to trees closest to the water so that they could drink. Alec and I sat down a little further up the bank so we could avoid the marsh-like consistency of the ground. I sat to the left of Alec and listened to the sound of the water trickling down the creak. Leaves rustled in the trees around us with every slight gust of wind and the birds chirped away in the treetops. Were it not for the little bit of tension that sat between us after my question, it could have been a perfect day.

"I'm sorry for what I said, I shouldn't have asked," I said, breaking the silence.

"It's not that, I get why you're curious. I would be too." He paused, knotting his hands in the grass and pulling a chunk of it out. "It's just not something I want to talk about, not yet anyway."

"I get it, I just got nosey."

"No different to me asking about your problems with reading. You were more open about that, though." He smiled. "How are those lessons going, anyway?"

I laughed, breaking the tension. "Definitely nosey."

"So?"

"Good, I think. Jonathan picked up some children's books, the ones that are really easy to read, and I've been trying to get through those.

"Any good?"

"Interesting more than anything. I haven't been able to finish one yet, on my own that is."

"You'll get there, it just takes him." He smiled. "Besides, I doubt anyone is going to cross you when they see you with a hammer in your hand." He wiggled his fingers to show off the bruise.

I laughed and bumped my shoulder against his, bringing my legs in and wrapping my arms around my knees. I rested my head on my knees and just watched the water rush through the creek, listening to the noises and sounds around us.

Although Alec had tried to be somewhat reassuring when it came to my reading ability, in the few months Jonathan had been helping me, I hadn't made that much progress. I liked to think I had, but in reality, I had struggled to wrap my head around the basics of it all. When Jonathan had produced the storybooks, I thought he had been trying to pull a joke on me but had been serious. How could I possibly attempt to read storybooks when I struggled with the basics? After a few months, I still couldn't manage it.

Still, at least Jonathan had been trying to help me which was more than could be said for my school teachers. Being told there were other people who struggled just as much as me helped a little too. Maybe one day I would get it right, but I had managed so long without knowing how to read, so I supposed it could wait a little longer. That and there were very few instances in the world of carpentry that would require a person to know how to read. I had that in my favour at least.

After a little while, Alec stood up and stretched his arms behind him. I thought he would announce that we had to start making our way back, especially as the temperature had started to stop a little more and the shadows were growing in size. He said no such thing. Instead, Alec pulled his boots off and removed his socks, an action I wasn't all that fond of, before rolling up the cuffs of his trousers and walking towards the creak.