When tragedy struck not once but twice, throwing Liam and his father in a pool of grief and jeopardizing they already dying relationship, David Lewin knew that they needed to leave in order to save what was left of them. Sending his son to live wit...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
(music matches more the second part of the chapter).
He was out of breath, his hoodie drenched with sweat and plastered to his body. His throat was dry, his muscles aching. The skin surrounding his limb was burning after the long hike, caused by the constant rubbing of his tender flesh against the rigid socket of his prosthesis. He shouldn't have brushed off his father's offer to buy him those cushioning gel liner when he had offered a few months ago. It was certainly way more expensive than the protection socks he was currently using, which was the reason why he had refused in the first place. However for once he thought that he should have been selfish and accepted the offer. The pain he was currently in wasn't worth his pride and the few bills he had weakly attempted to save at the time.
"Here boy, take this."
Liam slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry before focusing on the gentle face of the man that was holding a glass of water in front of him. He had introduced himself as Jeffrey McCullom, the owner of the inn they were currently in.
Average height but with a sturdy stature, there was something gentle and soft about the man despite his rugged looks. With shining white hair combed back to reveal a wrinkled forehead, he must have been in his late fifties. He was wearing a forest green plaid shirt, tucked in washed-out jeans that had clearly seen better days. Dirty hiking boots completed his outfit.
"It's not poisoned, I swear", Jeffrey added with mirth when Liam only stared blankly at him, clearly intrigued by their host.
Liam took the glass of water that was offered to him and gave him a reserved but honest smile before eagerly downing the precious liquid.
"You were lucky to reach the inn before the rain got you, storms in those lands aren't pretty, I tell you!" the man said while turning to David who was sat close to his son, patting his sweaty forehead with a tissue.
"Yeah, this is a blessing that we came across the village, I was starting to doubt myself when after two hours we had yet to see a single home," David agreed, relief clear in his voice.
Somehow what was supposed to be a one hour journey had turned into two full hours of walking up the climbing roads only illuminated by the moonlight. Liam had endured every single minute of it in pain while David was silently beating himself up for imposing this torture to his only son. If only he had seen the poothole. If only he had driven more carefully.
And not just this time.
They had progressed slowly, David making small talk all along to lift up their spirit and distract his son from his pain. Trying to see the bright side of things, David had stated that at least they would be to his grandmother's place earlier than planned. The initial plan had indeed been to take a detour to Great Falls first where they would spend Liam's last night in 'real civilization'. David planned a small night out, maybe a movie or a good enough restaurant, before booking a cheap motel. At least this way he thought that the transition would be easier for Liam. The young man would have the time to brace himself before being shipped to his Grandma's place up in the mountains the following day.
