Your watch vibrates. Time to get up. Your phone plays Goa, and you open your eyes. You sit up and sigh.
"You comin' today?" you hear John's voice call from downstairs.
"I'll bike over later," you call back.
"Okay."
You look out of the window and see the garden below. It's pretty bare due to the time of year, but it's still nice to look out. Your vision turns inward as you remember how you got here.
You were dehydrated from crying. Luc stood by you and nuzzled you as you did. You stared out into the night, looking at the moon through the trees. Luc nuzzles you as you just go blank, looking up at the sky. You don't even know how long you've been here, but you took one of Luc's blankets to keep warm. He still had a thicker blanket and saddle on him.
Suddenly you see a flickering light. You realize it's a flashlight and freeze, not sure what to do...until you hear John calling you over and over. You sigh, realizing he's come looking for you, and he sounds worried.
You feel a tinge of guilt and call out. "Here!"
He comes and sits next to you. "I'm not going to ask if you are okay. I know you're not."
"I just feel like it's all falling apart, John."
"You don't want to go home, do you?"
You shake your head, still unable to look at him.
"Well, you can stay at my place," he offers. "I got a cottage not far from here and it's on my parent's property. My grandparents used to live there, but they are gone now so it's mine. It's nice, and you can go home whenever you're ready—"
You look at him and hug him tight. He hugs you back. "Thank you. I'll pay you for staying, I'll cook and clean, whatever."
"Let's just get out of here, yeah?" He looks around. "This place gives me the creeps."
"It's riddled with ghosts, I think," you joke, but you really believe it.
"So, why'd you come out here?" he asks, rising to his feet and offering his hand.
"Sanctuary."
When you returned, you see Finn's car still there.
"Thank God," Finn smiles with relief. "Is your phone off?"
"Yes, I turned it off."
He takes a deep breath. "If you like, I can take you home."
"I'm not going home, thank you," you tell him. "I am staying at a friend's."
"I can take you—"
"No, I've got it," John nods. "I don't mind."
That was three days ago.
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