An Open Sky

Chapter Thirty-One ~Aidan~

I kept my hood up. No matter how hard the wind was blowing, my hood stayed up. I tucked the ice pack into the hollow between the fabric and my face, following Dale’s instructions to keep ice against my burning skin. Just a few more nights, I encouraged myself as I took in the cold. I decided against taking the road in case Jay was waiting, but walked directly into the trees. I was careful enough not to get lost. I was familiar with the tenebrous darkness that the trees had to offer.

 I stepped over the branches to my tree, throwing myself down against it. All the breath escaped my lungs in a sigh, too late to cover up when I noticed the darkened figure standing across from me. I froze. I was glued to the crisp, glossy grass that was dampening my jeans. The figure was hunched over my bag. It was as if he was oblivious to my presence. Maybe I can still make it out of here.

 My hand slowly inched up the tree until I found a low-lying branch. I shifted my weight until I was in a comfortable position to haul myself up. I inched myself up, little by little, at an almost invisible pace. My numbed skin couldn’t detect the ice pack slipping until it was too late. The bag of ice fell to the ground, the pack thudding upon the dirt louder than I’d thought a bag of ice could make. I jumped up, ready to run as the figure spun around to face me.

His hand was raised, but not in a fist as I’d expected. His palm was held out to me, beckoning me toward it.              

“Hello?” It wasn’t Jay. The voice was rough, uneven. I could hear his sharp intakes of breath. I’d startled him as much as he did me. “Hello?” he repeated. There was no point in running anymore. I stepped around him to my bag as casually as possible. My body was so tense it hurt to breathe.

“Yeah? Who are you?” I urged.

“Richard Cohen, do you know Alexa?” I straightened. Alexa’s dad? I turned to face him.

“Yeah, I know her. Why?”

“Do you live here?” He asked a mix of awe and puzzlement crossed his face.

“No, well, not permanently,” I tried not to lie to him. He stepped closer to me. I could clearly make out his facial features, his hard-set jaw, his deep-set eyes. They were dark, but they weren’t as hard as I’d been familiarized to. I recognized the mop of brown hair that covered his head. Alexa had his pointed nose. He froze, which as a chain reaction, made me tense so tightly I couldn’t even turn my head from him as he examined my face.

“You-your face,” he started, scanning the scab on my cheek and the fresh new bruises to keep it company as it healed. He paused and finally reached out to grab my arm. I jerked back just out of his grasp. A drop of blood fell from my nose to the ground, rebelling against my quick, backwards motion. He drew back, concern filling his eyes and knitting his eyebrows. “Come inside; it’s freezing out here.”

I didn’t move.

“Come inside or I’m going to call the police and tell them you’re living in our yard. Please, just make this easy and come inside.” I didn’t think then would be the best time to tell him where his yard ended.

“Are you still calling the police?” I stepped back, waiting for his answer.

“If you come inside? No, I won’t.” I didn’t know if I could trust him, but the thought of sitting in a warm house, on a couch, wrapping myself in a blanket seemed pretty good. Not that I thought he’d let me sit on his couch or wrap myself in a blanket, but the thought still comforted me.

I met his eyes again. He was watching me, holding my eyes with his. I could only nod. He immediately smiled, releasing my eyes back to me.

I followed him, hesitating when we reached the border of the trees. The only thing that pushed me forward was the heat emanating from the house. I stepped on the footmarks his shoes made in the grass. His feet were almost the same size as mine. I felt like the little boy I was years ago. The little boy I’d almost drowned out with my fear. I was once again the young boy following in the footsteps of his father, wanting to be just like him someday, oblivious to his hidden side.  I wished that side would’ve stayed hidden. Put a few scars on that little boy and it’s amazing what can happen to him.