Dark or Light?

Chapter 10

I open my eyes and look at the blue sky spotted with white, fluffy clouds. There’s a slight breeze that barely moves my hair out of face. I can feel strong arms wrapped around me and I can smell a familiar cologne. There’s only 1 person that sends a rush of heat through my body with even the slightest look or touch and only 1 person I know that wears it.

            I wish I knew what it was called because it smells amazing. So amazing that I’d pull a Krystal and go out and by a bottle for myself. I wouldn’t use it, of course. I would just smell it when I want to and what I mean by pulling a Krystal is when Dad and Krystal first started talking to each other, she got a whiff of his cologne and liked it. When they finally got together, she found out what it was called, went out, bought it, and carried it with her, so she could smell it whenever she wanted to. I used to think it was weird, but I guess I understand why she did it, now.

            Anyway, I look down and see that I’m sitting on grass. I run my hands over it. I look up from where I’m sitting and see the old willow tree blowing in the breeze. I look behind me and see a pair of stunning emerald green eyes stare back into my plain brown eyes. The only semi-cool thing about my eyes is that they change shades of brown based on my emotion, but I know quite a few people whose eyes do the same, Henry being one of those people. I’m betting my eyes are a really light brown, right now.

            Henry smiles and his emerald green eyes get a little brighter. “I could sit like this all day.”

            “Like what? By the willow on a nice day? Enjoying the breeze?” I ask. I know they’re stupid question even as they pass through my lips.

            “No. With you in my arms. I don’t care where I am as long as you’re in my arms, but where we are, now, is nice, too.” His smile grows a little and his dimples deepen.

            I blush and I can feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment. “Oh.” I lay my head on his firm chest and listen to the sound of his heartbeat. I smile. “Yeah. I could sit here in your arms all day, too.” Shit! I make a face and hope he doesn’t notice. I never say the right things. That just sounded stupid. Why can’t I be one of those girls that knows exactly what to say and when to say it? Ugh! “What time is it?”

            He pulls out his phone. “3:30.”

            “I don’t want today to end.” There! That’s better. A little less stupid and a little more cute and meaningful. I mean, I meant it when I said I could sit like this all day, too, but it just didn’t sound right coming from me.

            I feel the warmth that comes from Henry leave my body and I don’t feel his arms around me, anymore. I feel something else, instead. Loneliness. Like part of me is missing. I don’t know why, but I feel like Henry and I have some kind of connection and when he’s around, I feel whole. Even when we aren’t in the same class, hall, car, building. Even if he’s all the way on the opposite side of town, I feel that connection, but I can’t feel that connection, right now.

            I turn to where he was sitting, but he’s not there. “Henry?”

            There’s no answer. I get up and start walking around the willow. “Henry?”

            Still no answer. “Henry? C’mon! Where are you?”

            The breeze stops and there’s no answer. “Seriously! It’s not funny!”

            I wait to hear his laugh come from somewhere nearby, but I don’t hear a thing. “Henry!”

            Nothing. I pull my phone out and call him. I hear his phone ring and I follow the sound back to where we were sitting a minute before. When I get there, there’s no Henry. Just his phone sitting on the ground where he was. Something’s wrong. I pick up his phone and look around. I don’t feel that connection, Henry’s gone, and he doesn’t have his phone on him. Something is very wrong.

            I know it’s wrong and I’m going to tell him about it as soon as I find him, but I go through his phone. I check his texts first. The last person he text was me. Then I check his calls. The last person he called was me. I go to his contacts and find Neil. I call him. No one answers, so I leave a voice mail. “Hey, Neil. It’s Damzel. I can’t seem to find your brother and he left his phone where we were. I was wondering if you could look out for him or something. Please call your brothers phone back ASAP.”

            I wait a couple minutes. Nothing. I get my phone out and call Elane. No one answers, so I leave another voice mail. “Hey. Henry’s missing and something doesn’t feel right.” I pause to choke back the tears that are welling up. When I feel like I can talk, again with a normal and calm voice, I continue. “I’m really worried. Please, call me back ASAP.” My voice is really shaky.

            I wait a few minutes, but neither one calls. I start walking to my car. I have to look for him. I get in the driver’s seat and turn on the car. As I pull away from the curb, I get Gemma’s number up on my phone and call her. She doesn’t answer. I leave ANOTHER voice mail, but this time, I can’t hold back the tears. “Hey,” I say in a shaky voice, “Something’s wrong. Please. Call me back ASAP. Henry’s missing.” I wait, but no one calls back. I call everyone I can think of to ask if they could watch out for him or if they’ve seen him, but no one answers, so I leave them all voice mails. No one calls me back.

            As I drive, I notice the streets are empty. So are all the businesses. It even looks like the houses are deserted. There’s no doubt that something’s wrong. Where is everybody? It’s like a ghost town.

            I drive all over town and I even check some of the back roads. I know he wouldn’t be out on the back roads, but I still wanted to check, just in case. I drive by his house, again. The gate’s the way I left it when I went through it earlier. I get out and knock on the door, like I did the first time. No answer. I try Gemma’s house. Same thing. I try Elane’s house. Nothing. I drive back to my house and walk in. I check all the rooms. No one’s home.

            “Where the hell is everybody?!?!” I scream.

            I sink to my knees in the middle of Xana’s room and start sobbing uncontrollably when something starts to feel right, again. Henry! I can feel the connection, again. I stand up, run out of her room, and up the stairs. I get out to my car as fast as I possibly can. I don’t bother wasting any time to see if the front door shut all the way. I don’t know how, but I know exactly where he is and I need to get there before he’s gone, again. I don’t think me knowing his location has anything to do with our connection since I don’t normally know exactly where he is, but I can’t think of any other reason.

            I hit the brakes on my car really hard and quickly put it in park. I get out, but I don’t bother shutting the car door behind me. I look toward the old willow and I see Henry standing by it. My legs seem to know what to do before my brain does. I run right into his arms and wrap my arms around his neck. Everything feels right, again. I’m whole, again. The town feels less deserted. I feel the heat rush through my body, again. I’m sobbing into his chest because I’m so happy. Not because I’m sad and lost.

            “Where were you?” I sob. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I honestly though I lost you or something.”

            “I love you, Damzel,” Henry says as he tightens his arms around me.

            “I love you, too, Henry. Don’t ever scare me like that, again.” I pull back. He gives me a weak, sad smile. Then he brings his hand up to my cheek and leans his forehead against mine. “I was so worried about you, Henry.”

            His smile grows a little more. He brings his lips to mine and kisses me, once. He pulls back, but I keep my eyes closed. “I love you.”

            I smile. “I love you, too.”

            The connection starts to fade, again and I snap my eyes open. He gives me one last sad smile before he slips through my fingers, again. Literally, this time. I go from crying happy tears, back to crying tears of sadness, loneliness, lostness.

            The last thing I hear is a familiar voice, but not a familiar voice I want to hear. “2 weeks until bad things start happening."