Look East | A Hozier Fanfiction |

12

A chilly breeze blew across the hillside, cutting through every layer of clothing Andrew had on. He shivered slightly and looked over his shoulder at Molly. She was well-bundled in a thick coat of his and one of his beanies pulled down low on her face. It was just before dawn and the only light they had was a torch he'd dug out from under his kitchen sink. The small circle of light illuminated the rocky path in front of them, but did little else.

The backpack slung over one of his shoulders rattled as he walked, picking his way carefully over the uneven terrain. In the dim lighting, he could just make out the outlines of trees and rocks along the trail.

"This better be some sunrise," Molly groused from behind him.

"It will be, trust me," he assured her.

The only sounds around them were their hiking boots crunching on gravel and birds chirping in the trees.

"How much further?" Molly asked.

"Almost there," Andrew replied.

Sure enough, within 30 feet, the path opened up to a large field with tall grasses. The hike up had been well worth it because they were afforded expansive views of the countryside around them. A fog had settled in along the ground and Andrew was glad he'd worn thick socks. The sky was wide above them and the horizon was beginning to lighten, drowning out the stars in the sky.

"Let's stop here," he suggested, letting the pack fall off his shoulder.

Molly let her bag fall off as well as Andrew began unpacking things. He pulled out a Thermos and two cups. She pulled a blanket out of her bag and he helped her spread it out over the damp grass.

When they had settled in, Andrew poured them each a cup of coffee. "Here," he said softly.

She took it gratefully. "Thank you." After a sip, she smiled. "I cannot believe you convinced me to come out here this early."

"You'll be glad you did," he replied. "The sunrise over this lake is easily one of the most beautiful things about Ireland. You will regret it if you leave before you see it."

His heart tightened as he freely mentioned her leaving. With three weeks left, he was doing his best to keep a light approach to things. Their trip to the Aran Islands was peaceful and happy, but every day since they'd gotten back, a voice int he back of his mind had kept a running countdown of the time he had left with Molly.

Andrew watched Molly sip her coffee as the sky around them began to lighten. Blues and purples were punctuated by delicate pinks and oranges. He could remember the first time he'd seen the sunrise here with his uncle. It was shortly after one of his dad's first surgeries and his mom's brother had taken him and his brother out for a weekend away. Getting up in the darkness and stumbling through the scrub up to that exact space had seemed like a burden until the sun began to appear, changing the desolate landscape into a thing of beauty.

The edges of the water began to reflect the sky and he heard Molly take a sharp breath in. "This is why Los Angeles sucks; there's no way a place like this would ever exist there," she sighed in awe. "They'd just ruin it with tourists and buildings and trash."

He smiled, but didn't respond right away. What he really wanted to say was that if she stayed in Ireland, she could visit this place every day. What he actually said was, "I'm sure Los Angeles has other places that are just as peaceful and beautiful."

"I guess. Griffith Observatory is really beautiful. And the Getty is nice," she allowed. "But most of the natural beauty is well outside the city."

Clouds danced across the sky as light spread. The lake began to ripple as wind picked up, shaking the branches of bushes and flowers on their stalks. Molly's hair blew around her face and he caught himself staring at the beauty of it.