The Outcasts

Alyssa's P.O.V.

Mason and I were sitting on the roof of the stable, praying we wouldn't die as flood water swirled around the bottom of the stable. We were hoping his horses wouldn't die either. I didn't know what to say to him.

"Isn't it funny how the lake just flooded?" I asked.

"Yeah," He said.

There hadn't been any rain recently so why would the lake flood? There were no answers. We felt a slight shake underneath us and looked down. The horses were trying to keep their heads up as the water go higher and higher.

All in the next second, the water rose higher and they gave up. The horses heads plunged underneath the steaming hot water. Mason and I were thrown into a cloud of smoke as the water got hotter and hotter. But, just as the water got steaming hot, it started to cool down. A bit. And slow down. A lot. 

I started to wonder how in the world could water just start to flood, then get really hot, then get even hotter, become so hot it started steaming, rise very high, then just cool down,and slow down.

We spotted people going in the direction of the lake and hopped of the top of the stables. Uh-oh. Too late. Some of them spotted us and started heading in our direction. No doubt to ask us questions.

They arrived within a span of ten minutes. When they got there, we saw how furious they were. They're mouths were turned down in scowls and they're eyes held raw anger and fear. Anger for no warning. And fear for everything they have.

"How did you know to get on top of that stable?" A man, Mr. Whar, demanded as soon as he got within earshot. Mr. What was the sheriff, with white hair and a long mustace. he was realitively fat, too. The clich'e sheriff. 

"We were riding the horses," Mason mumbled.

"What? I can't hear you?" Mr. Whar demanded.His belly shook as he talked, and his eyes seeped rage. Kind of reminded me of the Grinch. 

"We were riding the horses," he said. "The flood waters just came," I said. And then I was reminded of the hore carcasses, which reminded me of my dog. he was probably dead, too. 

"Where are the horses?" He asked.

"Their dead," Mason said bluntly, without any emotion. He was like that when he was wither scared shitless or acting macho. I noticed how beautiful his eyes were, then looked away blushing as he glanced in my direction.

"Okay. Well, how come you didn't warn the rest of us?" A lady, Ms. Nike, demanded. Ms.Nike was young with slender curves and was like the city prostitute. Yet she was married. 

"Because it was too soon. The waters were coming too fast!" Mason. Ok, now he was acting macho. 

"Well, so the rest of us are supposed to risk our lives and our stuff while you two survive?" Mr. Whar demanded.

"Well, if you were about to be drowned, would you take the time to warn everyone or save your own ass?" Mason said.

"Stop! Your freaking him out!" I yelled. I knew when he was getting pissed when he started to cuss. 

It was my job to protect my best friend and it was his job to protect me. That's what best friends did. They protected each other. But sometimes I wondered if he protected me for any other reasons. 

"We want answers. And we want them soon," Mrs. Nike said.

Together, Mr. Whar and Mrs. Nike, attempted to interrigate us. I ran a hand through my brown hair and sighed. Mason was pacing up and down his the roof, sighing and running a hand through his brown hair.

I tapped him on the shoulder and he freaked. He shoved me backwards really hard and I landed on my back on the ground. He looked and when he realized it was just me, a apologetic look came over his face.

"Sorry. Just the attack today, the flood, the angry people and everything has put me on edge. I didn't mean to push you," He said.

"It's okay," I said.

He reached out and I grabbed his hand. He pulled me up off the ground and dusted the grass off my back. Once he was done, I turned around and looked him in his eyes. They were blue. But, not just any blue. They were the blue color of the stone aquamarine. It was a very pretty blue.

He just stared into my eyes. His hand was still holding my hand but he had wrapped his arm around my waist and held my arm there. His other hand was holding my other arm against my side. He was a lot stronger than me so I couldn't pull away. I mean, he had a six pack and huge biceps. All from handling horses.

In the next second, he let me go and walked away from me. I let out the breath I hadn't even realized I was holding.

Was I feeling something more than friendship for my friend?

No, that's not possible. He was only my friend. I couldn't be feeling anything more than friendship for him.

I shook the thought of liking him out of my head. I watched as he walked towards the chimney. I sighed in defeat and asked for someone to hitch me a boat to get home.

When I got there, I went inside through my window, which was high enough to resist the water, to find nobody home. I sighed and trudged up the stairs. I went to my room and grabbed my pj's. I went to the bathroom and took a shower. Then, I lied back on my bed and read for a bit. Only the first floor of my house was wet. I guess the builders knew what they were doing.

I put the book down after about fifteen minutes of trying to read. I just couldn't focus. I put down my book and reached under my bed. I pulled out a scrapbook and opened it. I spent the next couple hours looking at it and reliving all the good memories of Mason and I.

There was not one bad memory of Mason and I in there.

After I was done looking at the album, I put it back and lied down. I started to think about the possibilites of me liking Mason. They weren't that big so I just shoved the thought aside and fell asleep.