By the River

Chapter 7

I luxuriated in the feeling of the long grass beneath me as I woke. I rolled over onto my side and allowed myself to wake slowly, only prying my eyes open when I heard someone shift next to me. I squinted up at the figure, his tousled hair, strong jaw, Gideon. I pushed myself up off the grass and stretched, attempting to chase off the sleepiness that followed my doze. When I glanced over at Gideon I noticed how low the sun was getting behind the treetops, and it was then when my heart sank, that I heard the sound of evening insects stirring in the brush.

"Gideon...how long did you let me sleep?" I questioned hesitantly.

"I just woke up myself, so I didn't really 'let' you do anything, but I'd say at least a few hours," he answered cheerfully.

"Don't you have a watch?" I grabbed his wrist and found a leather strap, but when I peered at the face, I saw that the hands had no life to them, they did not tick.

"It hasn't worked for years, it's an heirloom of sorts."

I leapt up from my seat amongst the bluebells and willow fronds in a panic.

"It must be really late! I can't be out here," my pitch began to rise in panic.

"Relax, we'll head off soon enough," Gideon replied again in his calm manner.

"Gideon! Your parents may not care whether you're out after dark in these woods, but my aunt surely will. I don't need to give her any more reason to hate me, let's go!" I turned and began moving but halted when he didn't follow. "Come on!"

He gave me a pained look and then broke eye contact and looked down at his legs. "Gideon?" The meaningful expression he gave me this time said enough. His full lips were parted slightly in frustration and the dark emotion that lined his eyes and forehead was not one that I could decipher. Shame? Anger? It was enough. "You can't get up, can you?" I said tentatively, not sure whether it was a question or not. He assumed the latter and didn't answer. I stepped forward, trying not to allow my eyes to show any pity, he would never want anyone's pity, and I reached out my hand to him. He shifted awkwardly in his seat on the grass and grasped my hand with his calloused one. I pulled with all my might and he managed to clamber to his feet, putting his weight on me for a few moments before he moved away and began walking in the direction of the house. I looked at his retreating back for a moment before bending down swiftly, grabbing the basket which was significantly lighter than before as Gideon must have emptied its contents while I slept, and ran after him.

By the time we reached the edge of the tress I had been stumbling blindly over roots and hills behind Gideon and his limping gait for more than 20 minutes. I think he was a bit turned around because of how dark it had become in the few minutes we had been walking. We made it though. The sun had just passed below the tree-broken horizon when we finished our trek across the lawn and Gideon gently rapped his knuckles on the kitchen door. It was closed, top and bottom. That wasn't a good sign.

Cook ripped the door open with a force so strong I swear I thought she would tear it off its ancient hinges. "Just where have you been!" she yelled, "It's after dark! You realise that? Be thankful your aunt is still out because if she wasn't..." I sighed in relief and Gideon gave up on his brave stance and leaned against the doorframe, taking the weight off his leg. Cook looked us up and down, raising an eyebrow at my rather dishevelled hair and Gideon's pained look.

"My word, you two look awful. Get lost in the woods, did you?" her stern expression softened and she led us into the kitchen and seated Gideon on a tall stool near the counter, and me at the table where she pulled off my mud-covered boots before placing them near the stove to dry off. She righted a few strands of hair to frame my face and then moved on to Gideon. I watched with my stockinged feet crossed at the ankles, not reaching the ground because the chair was too high for my short stature. Gideon's calm expression of earlier had all but completely disappeared and he now shifted his eyes and hid behind the auburn lock of hair that always fell over his forehead.