Night Alpha

22 - Space Shame

Thanks to everyone that voted and commented on the last chapter, I hope you enjoy this one :)

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Milo comes back from the bathroom with tinted cheeks and a red forehead, though I'm sure it'll calm soon. He avoids my glance, walks to the door where I haven't moved. I can't help but to push my hands into the pockets of the jacket when he glances down at them. His nose furrows the slightest bit but he opens the heavy door anyway. I can't believe I finally get to see what's behind it, get to leave the room without having to run and fear for my life.

I tip toe behind him to see over his shoulder. We're in a long corridor, same wood and walls than the room, it's even colder here. I'm struggling not to run when Milo closes the door behind us, I can't wait to stretch my legs. Need to get my head out of the gutter. I feel my heals bouncing with each step, if he sees it, he doesn't react, merely walks us to a staircase at the end of the long corridor. The place looks more like a hotel than a house.

It's spotless and I can smell breakfast cooking now that we're on the first floor. I wonder how many more reside here. Is it a permanent accommodation ? I follow Milo, a hair away behind him, he doesn't look behind to see if I'm still here, must just know anyhow. We don't see anyone else by the time we have reached the front door, it's even grander up close. Heavy and real wood, it reaches to the ceiling with intricate designs. Milo may open it with ease but I have a feeling it might not be that easy.

I'm excited when it opens, not for the cold that slaps me in the face, but for the bare trees and air. I catch no one outside when I look over his shoulder, I push him slight with a nudge of my own torso against his back when he glances around. I've never been on this side of the lake. Well, never had time to look around. When I try to side step him, Milo grabs my jacket to pull me back into him. He does it with an irritated look, but I can't help but to smile behind the thick scarf.

It has been weeks now, months. Just walking around feels like doing something instead of rotting inside. I resume my exploration when he lets go with a sigh, I drink in the air like liquid freedom. The house we leave isn't as big as I thought, it's more like a small manor and disappears quickly behind the trees. The path we follow is graveled, stones crunching under our feet. Milo stays a foot behind as I follow the rocks. I know he's there, not only because of the sound of his own steps but also with the ever present heat that warms my back.

The sun warms my showing skin but I can feel it through the heavy layers too. I take a moment to take it in, I never I would miss nature this much. Milo's front is soon onto me, my shoulders just barely slouching to accommodate the weight of his. His chin comes to rest on my shoulder and when I look at him, eyes already on me, I see curiosity rather than annoyance. I feel his breath on my cheek, glance back at the dark branches lined with sunlight. It's peaceful.

I can't help to scowl behind the scarf, eye pickling with a home sick feeling that I brush away with a scratch of my throat, Milo unravels himself from me and we resume the walk. I still hear his footsteps behind me when I take a path leading to where I assume the lake is. His heat however is gone, I can only feel the sun, light and soothing. The path becomes muddy and I have to squint to see beyond the branches. The lake is beautiful and blinding with the morning sun.

I can't help but to walk to the edge, feet planted on gray pebbles, to sit on dry ground there, calm water barely reaching the edge of my soles. I breathe in the cold and wet air, breathe like I haven't in a while, full inhales untethered from Milo. When I look back, I catch him leaning against the bark of a dark tree, eyes focused beyond. When the initial blinding of the lake dissipates, I see it far in the distance, home. I can't look at it. So I reach for a flat looking pebble instead.