Beyond the Ordinary

Chapter 29

KATE

Axel led me to a shaded trail in the woods.

"Um, you're not taking me here to kill me, are you?" I asked him, only slightly joking.

Axel chuckled. "Nah, I'm not. I used to go here a lot with my family."

I nodded, listening. It was the first time he'd ever mentioned his family.

"Do you have any siblings?" I'd found myself asking.

Axel nodded, but his eyes remained focused on the trail ahead when he replied, "Yeah, I have a brother."

His tone sounded forced, devoid of any emotion.

I tried to pretend like I hadn't noticed. "Oh, really? What's his name?"

Axel continued walking, saying nothing. I tried to convince myself that he hadn't heard me but I knew he had.

The trail took us to a small pond covered in lily pads and filled with small fish. The sun reflected off the water making it seem like the water was covered in small sequins. I took a step closer, removing my hand from Axel's.

"Wow, this place is beautiful," I stated in awe as I looked back at him.

Axel sighed. His face was like stone, showing no emotion at all. I could tell that his walls had come back up.

I took a step towards him again and took his hand, forcing him to look at me. "Axel, why did you bring me here?"

He sighed, our faces were so close that I could feel his breath fan against my forehead. "I wanted to show you the frogs," he stated, forcing a smile onto his face.

He put a finger to his lips before crouching down, releasing my hand. "If you're very quiet, you might hear one."

I crouched down beside him, propping up my elbows on my knees, listening. Sure enough, seconds later I heard a low sound, almost like a growl, and I smiled. "Was that one?" I whispered to Axel.

He only nodded.

Suddenly one hopped up onto a lily pad, staring directly at us. Axel stood still, staring right back. The frog got comfortable, letting the sun cast warmth onto its back. My legs started to go numb but I refused to move, instead, I just watched as the frog hopped back into the water as gracefully as it had come out.

"That was amazing," I commented.

Axel smiled, his eyes light and happy once again. "Yeah, they're a pain to catch though, trust me, I tried."

I laughed as I imagined a young Axel with a long net swatting at the frogs, but not catching a single one.

"Every time I came here I tried to catch one and soon I found that I couldn't even find one so I stopped trying. The next time that I came I didn't bring the net and there were hundreds flopping around but all I could do was sit and watch. Then I found that sitting and watching them was more satisfying than trying to catch them so I started coming here just to do that instead," Axel said as his eyes stared out at the water.

I smiled. "Well, I give this tour a 10/10 so far."

Axel stood up, brushing the sand off his shorts. "Well, there's still more I need to show you," he remarked and took my hand.

✡ ✡ ✡

The next place that he took me to was a small shop off the side of town with a bell over the door that rang every time the door would open.

"Hey, Mya," Axel said, greeting an older woman by the front.

"Axel? Is that you?" The woman declared.