Shoplifter: E.O.W Series, Book 1

Chapter 6: I Hate Cats

It was a windy day with an ominous black sky. Today began Noah's training. We dressed in dark color to blend in with the dark pre-dawn sky and dull buildings. I sat perched on the thin branches near the top of the only large tree in our section of the city. Noah was a bit lower down, hugging the trunk in a manner resembling that of a koala. This is his forest time climbing a tree. I don't find that surprising, but he really is being a baby about it. "Come on go a little higher." I whisper. It was still early, very early, but that doesn't mean the city is empty. Noah whispers back to me furiously.

"I don't like heights!"

"Shh deal with it dude." Noah thought for a second, then sighed, moving up to same level of the tree I had climbed to. He was still visibly uncomfortable with being off of the ground as well as being a tree all together. I decide to take a page from Blind and try to learn more about him. "Why do you hate heights Noah." He shrugged and I stare at him calmly, not pushing him for a response. If I'm supposed to lead this group I better start thinking like Blind and that means using more than chatter to get answers. I want him to feel it's safe to reveal things to me, positive communication is how a strong partnership is formed. Noah smiled a little, a distant look in his eyes.

"When I was little I climbed a bookcase, it was like twelve feet high... it fell on top of me and broke my arm, books went everywhere. I've hated climbing and heights ever since then." I nod. I can't believe that worked. The whole gang looks up to Blind as if he were the mentor for each and every one of them. They tell him their deepest secrets, they let him help them and it makes the whole group stronger. I was worried about not being able to learn how to help people like he does. I never knew that a calm look and the right questions was all that it took, this isn't that hard.

"Well your bones have hardened since then, and you can't go through life being scared of heights." He smiled, Thinking it over. I ask another question. "What else scares you?"

"I'm scared of being electrocuted.... like when people go swimming in the middle of a storm or wires in water and that kinda awful stuff." He laughs a little and looks down, I think he is trying to get acclimated with the height. I chuckle at him, resting my free hand around my chin.

"During training Roan made me face all of my fears, It's an E.O.W thing, You have to be fearless, but don't worry I won't electrocute you." We forgot about silence and laughed out loud. I stop abruptly to look around. I would rather not be spotted in a tree at dawn in the middle of a city, people give you looks. The awkward moment is broken by a question from Noah.

"What scares you?" I may have looked calm after he asked that but a look was all it was. On the inside I was panicking. I will never answer this honestly, I just tell him what I told Roan.

"Loud noises used to do it, but not anymore." He laughed at me, I don't blame him. I look down and fake a laugh. That hurt but I wasn't about to let on.

"Well why don't we go swimming next time there's a hurricane?" His wide grin falls into a look of fear and shock.

"Okay fine, sorry I laughed." I give him a look tells him I'm only joking and jump out of the tree. I look up to see his terrified face. He doesn't know how to get down. I'm not about to talk the frantic teen boy out of the tree as if he were some old lady's cat. I roll my head with a groan, my hair falling in my eyes. With another groan I climb back up the tree and stop beside him, hanging from the branch like a sloth. "I am not jumping dude." He whines.

"Figured." I said letting my arms drop and coming back to the sloth position after a few seconds upside down. I did that two more times swinging side to side by my legs the third time, it was really making Noah uncomfortable. My sweatshirt has thumb holes cut into it, I use them to protect my palms as I let my legs drop and climb across the branch and onto the trunk like an overconfident lemur. Shimmying up right beside him, I pull him in close to my side without warning. "It's barely fifteen feet." I say before ripping him away from the branch as we fall I keep a hand on the trunk for a second before pushing away to make sure we fall straight. I wasn't expecting Noah to freeze up and cling to me like he is, he truly is terrified of heights. Good thing I'm a little bigger than him or the way he has his head buried into my neck would be twice as awkward. When our feet touch earth I take the impact for both of us, Noah didn't have his legs straight like I did. I slowly move to one knee as Noah relaxes and falls to his knees beside me, still holding on for dear life. "Shh it's over we're fine." He looks up and quickly pulls away, opening the eyes that he had kept tightly shut.