Seasons of the Mist

Chapter 3

     As the years passed by, the friendship Abigail and Robin shared grew stronger and stronger.  They would spend their days pantomiming and sharing thoughts with each other. When they would get tired, they would write messages on paper and hold it up to their window.  Sometimes they would fantasize about going outside to the hill with the tree that lay beyond their house, or running through the grassy fields that bordered their house.  

     It was all so close, yet so far.  These accursed windows barred them from the outside world.  The world also worked in harmony with the window, imposing its authority with its unlivable atmosphere and greedy tendency to keep humans away from the outdoors.  Many times Robin would hear stories from his mother of people who were just fed up with looking through the window and decided to be on the other side of it.  These people would only survive for five minutes maximum in the harsh air, as it dissolved their blood veins rendering their heart useless.

     Today, at eighteen years old, Robin felt different when he saw or thought of Abigail.  When he would talk to her, his heart would begin to race, and he would feel lightheaded.  He asked his mother what she thought was wrong with him.  She heard him state the symptoms and her eyes opened wide with fear and surprise.  

     "You're in love, Robin," she said.  But just then, her eyes dimmed.  "Robin, don't do anything brash," she warned, and he knew why. He could never express his love for Abigail through the window.  This saddened him deeply, knowing that this window and the air outside would keep him from being with her completely.  

     When he returned and talked with her, she seemed to feel the same way, averting her eyes whenever he would make eye contact with her.  Days passed by and the conversations got awkward, sometimes ending shorter than usual, with an excuse from either of them that they had to do something around the house.  Robin began to feel very sad, going some days without talking to anyone, just contemplating the fact that they could never be together.  When he finally mustered enough strength to return to the window, he found Abigail with a worried and distressed look on her face.  

     "Hey!  Are you feeling alright?  I haven't seen you in a long time," she said desperately, mouthing her words with a relieved look.  

     "Abigail," he gestured slowly.  "I'm... sorry for worrying you."  

     "Oh Robin, I'm just happy you're fine!"  

     "I... love you, Abigail.  I can't hold it any longer.  I am madly in love with you," he mouthed to her, shaking uncontrollably.  She was silent for a while, thinking about what he had just said.  

     She finally replied, "I love you too, Robin.  I've felt the same about you also.  I can't bear to be without you."  Suddenly a crazy idea popped into his head.  "I... I'm coming outside to meet you," he pantomimed.  

     "Robin!" she screamed as he left the window.