I've always felt trapped, cramped, a prisoner in my own body. But right now, with the wind caressing my face, I feel free. All the stress melts from my shoulders. I've finally discovered my release from it all. It's dependent on you. Running over a well-worn path through the woods with you... It's the best sensation I've ever experienced. You energize me, give me the strength to forget my troubles. Your presence fills me with furvor.
The cool, crisp breeze ruffled your hair and played with mine that night. You smiled at me and I averted my eyes to the green canopy blotted with stars. You claimed you saw a shooting star, but I silently swore it was something more magical than that.
All of a sudden, a gust of wind filled me with the desire to use all my energy. I took off down the hill we had paused at the top of. You saw me shoot forward and followed me, laughing and wondering what made me do such crazy, childish things.
You said nothing, not wanting to spoil my fun by asking questions. I had started panting lightly, but the night propelled me.
The forest completely succumbed, the trees giving way to an endless field with fireflies lighting up like sparks without a fire.
You caught up to me, laughing and smiling at whatever had gotten into me. You knew that I was never like this; that we should both enjoy the perfect night.
I couldn't prevent the giggle that escaped my mouth. Normally, I would've been embarrassed that I let anyone - especially you - see me even crack a smile, but tonight, I decided, was an exception to all the rules and boundaries I had set for myself. I've always guarded my emotions, but not tonight.
You always knew I had some cheer in me, but that perfect night in a destroyed world, I showed what even I hadn't known was there.
I sprinted up the next hill, invigorated anew with an energy I had never experienced before. At the top, I paused a moment for you to catch up a bit. When you were almost to the top, I dropped to a crouch and jumped into a forward somersault and tumbled down the hill, rolling in dew-covered grass all the way to the bottom.
I lay there splayed on my back in snow-angel position, panting, waiting for you and fatigue that never came.
A moment later, you came rolling down and slowed to a halt beside me. You weren't panting any harder than I was, which relieved me of the slight worry that I had winded you trying to keep up with my sudden burst of energy.
I knew you probably wanted me to say something, but I couldn't bring myself to for a while. I just giggled and smiled. Suddenly, a firefly hovered past my nose. The wind ruffled my hair once more, as if it was whispering, "Go on, get up. There won't be another moment just like this again."
I got to my feet and swung to catch the evasive insect in my hands. It fluttered out of my grasp. I chased it until it flew too high for me to reach.
I went back to you, lying still on the grass, watching me with a smile playing at the corners of your mouth. I felt my face flush- whether it was from embarrassment, the nippy breeze, or from all my exercise, I'll never know for sure.
I willingly collapsed to the ground next to you. I gazed up at the endless stars and spotted a shape I knew very well. I pointed to it.
"You know what that one's called?" I asked you.
"Lupus Caliber?" you replied.
"Uh-huh. The Great Wolf Knight. Look, you can see his shield there," I started tracing out lines in the sky with my finger. "And that's his sword there. See the three stars right in a row? And those two there make up his tail."
You were silent for a moment. "Do you know much about constellations?"
"My mother taught me all the ones she knew," I said without averting my eyes from the indigo canopy.
"Yeah. Neither of my parents seemed to think any of those things were very important."
"Well, this one is special. No matter where you are in the world, the tip of Caliber's sword will always point North."
You turned your head towards me. "That's pretty amazing."
The way you said it made me unsure of what your words were directed at.
"Your parents were missing out on some amazing things the night holds for us to enjoy."
"Yeah... they probably weren't the best parents a kid could have."
"Were they both from around here?" I asked.
"Nah, my dad was from way up north."
"Yeah, my mom was from the West, but her dad was born in a town not too far from here. So I guess that makes me something like a quarter Foreigner?"
"Close enough," you replied.
I smiled and closed my eyes, breathing in the crispness of the ideally illuminated night.
Then you voiced the thought that both of us had been trying to edge out all night.
"Where do you think the others are?"
I glanced at you, all my solemnity returning to my face. I sighed. "I wish we had nothing to worry about," I said, wistfully quiet.
You looked at me with an expression that mirrored my longing for that night's tranquility to spread and last forever.
I closed my eyes again, willing in vain for time to stop. I hadn't realized it, but tears were welling at the corners of my eyes. I felt the warmth of your hand grasping mine, and I turned my head to see your gaze meeting my eyes.
Your face was so caring and your thumb rubbed my skin so tenderly. A tear rolled from my eye and you stroked it away.
"Everything will end up fine," you told me softly.
I swallowed, another tear threatening to spill over.
"I promise."
Words that were on the tip of my tongue made themselves heard. "How can you say that in a world where nothing is fine; nothing is as it should be." I didn't take my eyes off you.
"Nothing is over yet. The story is still being written."
My lack of self-control that night left me fighting back tears that had been withheld for the past 17 years. Your gentle willingness to comfort me didn't help the problem, either.
I managed not to cry out loud, but I could tell you still wanted me to let my shields fall to the ground.
