Reaper's Lullaby

Nora: Hiding Places

"No matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief."
- Faraaz Kazi

Nora kept glancing behind her at the empty desk in the back row. It was the third time this week, not counting the other classes they didn't share. Who knows how often Lucas skipped those too? She raised her hand.

"Mr. Montgomery?" she asked.

"What is it, Nora?" her teacher replied, glancing at her over the top of his computer screen.

Teachers always liked Nora. She kept her head down, her nose clean and did all of her work well and on time.

"Can I go to the media center to pick out a new book? I'm done with the assignment," she asked sweetly. If it was the media center instead of the restroom, she could be gone for a long time without anyone getting curious.

"Of course," Mr. Montgomery said.

There were two places on campus where Lucas hid when he skipped. One was the empty classroom on the third level. Clubs met there so it was rarely locked. The other place was next to the brick wall on the opposite side of the double doors in the courtyard. There, weeds grew long and no one could see you from the road. If he wanted a smoke he went there.

The late April afternoon was neither hot nor cold. Perfect weather. That's why Nora decided to try the outside first. Sure enough, there he was with his earbuds stuffed into his ears and his phone in his hand while the other held a joint. He looked up in panic before he realized it was just Nora. Then he smiled and scooted over so she could sit beside him on the damp grass. It had rained last night across all of Prince William County, Virginia. A soft spring rain gently hammering the stony winter ground into submission.

Nora took one of Lucas's earbuds out and put it into her own ear and started bobbing her head to the beat.

Lucas offered her a hit of the joint and she took it, breathing out slow. Then he paused the music.

"How'd you find me?" he asked.

"I know you too well," Nora said with a grin.

He was wearing a hoodie but Nora was shivering in her long sleeved t-shirt. When he noticed that, he hugged her tightly to his chest and ran his warm hand up and down her arm. His knuckles were bloody.

"What happened here?" Nora asked, gently tracing the scabs.

Lucas looked down, then back at her.

"I tried to hit him back. Instead I hit the wall. I suck," he said with a chuckle.

"That's not something to laugh about."

Lucas just shrugged. "It's funny."

"No, it isn't. Not when he hit you first. What did you do this time?"

"My music was too loud. He broke the hinges off my door and just attacked me like the crazy bastard he is. My door is propped against the frame. I have to open it like those Japanese sliding wall thingies. I should get a weapon. Like a Samurai sword..."

"That's not a good idea," Nora said, disregarding his light tone.

"Why not? I'm not gonna kill him, just show him I can."

"Because you'll end up going to jail. He's a lawyer. No one will believe you," Nora said. "You know he'll bury you."

"Juvie for two years doesn't sound bad. Then I'm free. But... I could be free now too... if I wanted to be."

His dark eyes were far away.

"What are you talking about?" Nora asked, a cold feeling spreading through her body despite the gentle warmth in the air.