By the River

Chapter 5

Author's note:

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. School has been very busy and I've only finished our big exams recently. I will try and post once or twice a week during December and early January. Thanks for all the support, everyone. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Two Sundays later I was told that I would be spending Monday and Wednesday afternoons with Gideon, as those were the days he was free after school. My aunt was very obstinate about it, she seemed to take the Reverend's word as law and although I greatly desired a companion in this ghastly place I did fight it. I could see that Gideon was not happy about the situation and I didn't want to be on his bad side, as his temper was rather erratic.

Cook sent me off with a basket full of snacks for the afternoon: sandwiches, apples and biscuits. "Remember to be back before dark, hun, we wouldn't want you out in that forest at night," she called as she stuck her head around the kitchen door. "I will. Don't worry," I called over my shoulder as I headed towards the border between our land and the main road where it had been arranged that we would meet. I had not been out this way in my explorations yet. The forest parallel with me in the distance seemed to grow thicker with every step I took away from the house. They had obviously cut back the trees closer to the buildings, years ago and they had not yet been restored to their full glory. I couldn't make out anything between the tall trunks and wondered if any other foliage could grow in such conditions, completely hidden from sunlight beneath the dense pines.

I could see a low wooden fence bordering the road and the figure of a young man perched on it. As I approached he stood and seemed to shift on his feet expectantly. I came to a halt in front of him and grasped the handle of my basket with both hands in front of me. There was a silence between us. I broke it. "Hello, Gideon."

He finally looked at my face, assessing me more than greeting. "Hello," he grunted and turned his face away. "So...what do you want to do?" I pressed him. He huffed impatiently, "Well I have things to do so you're just going to have to keep up and try and keep your mouth shut about it."

"Alright, I don't mind," I replied. I wondered what I would have to keep my mouth shut about, or if he just wasn't up for any conversation. I started to question him but he was already heading off in the direction of the trees. Because his strides were so much bigger than mine, I ended up jogging every few steps to catch up. We entered the forest quickly and he immediately headed slightly rightwards – towards the section of forest before the house where I had been exploring. As the trees grew denser, the ground became more uneven and I found myself struggling with the weight of the basket and trying to keep up with him and after a few minutes at that pace I quickly grew out of breath and slowed.

"Do keep up, will you?" he called, annoyed at me. "I'm trying, just slow down. This ruddy basket is heavy," I huffed.

He stopped dead and turned around, looking me in the eye challengingly. "Give it to me if you're too weak to handle it." "I'm not weak, Gideon. You walk very quickly," I looked imploringly into his pale eyes. He took a few steps forward and stretched out his hand, "Give it to me, I can't be held up by weak little girls." Now that made me angry, I was not weak, and not a little girl. I hadn't been a little girl since that day, when everything went wrong. "I'm not a little girl, Gideon! Don't be obstinate, let's just move on a bit slower" He stepped forward quickly and went to grab the handle of my basket. "Give it here!" as I pulled it away from his reach. He was scaring me a bit now. His full height loomed over me as I backed away from him, attempting to grab the basket. I ended up with my back to a tree and he blocked any attempt to shift around him and went on trying to get the basket from me.