Among The Trees.

Chapter 2

“Twenty Marlboro Red’s, please.”

Libby wouldn’t admit to being a smoker. No chance. It wasn’t professional, it wasn’t classy and it definitely would not go down well with her boss. Not that she had a chance of keeping her job anyway after this.

“I’ve not seen you in a while, Elizabeth. Where’ve you been?”

Josh asked, handing over the cigarettes with a raised eyebrow. He leaned on the counter and looked at her quizzically.

“I told you to call me Libby, only the clients call me Elizabeth. Thank you.”

She said, fiddling with her purse and taking out a ten pound note to hand it over.

“Whatever you say. Anyway, you should pop in from time to time, I’m sure Jane misses you.”

Josh laughed as Libby fired a glare at him. Jane was Josh’s dog and on more than one occasion where she had been drinking at his house, she had spent the night sleeping in Jane’s dog bed and Josh was sure never to let her forget it. She shook her head and let a small smile pull at the corner of her mouth.

“I’ll see you later, Josh.”

She waved and left the little corner shop, instantly breaking into a jog to get to her car around the corner to escape the cold night air. When she arrived, she slammed the door of her silver VW beetle and strapped herself in, turning the key and firing on the heating. She rubbed her hands together and shook her legs in a feeble attempt to warm herself up before reversing out the parking spot and driving down the road. She knew exactly where she was going.

-          -

Twenty minutes later, Libby came to a slow stop in a field next to a small loch. She looked around and turned the ignition off, then put the CD player on. She pressed the worn out arrow button until her favourite song hummed out, settling all around the car. She sat still for a moment, enjoying the soft instruments before pushing open the car door and swinging her legs out, the cold biting at her ankles. Reaching back, she took the cigarettes and lighter from her bag and opened the packet, taking one cigarette out and sticking it in her mouth. She paused to turn up the music a little then lit the end, taking a deep inhale and letting it fill her lungs. Libby sank into the side of the doorframe, letting her head rest before blowing out a cloud of white smoke that almost sat in the air in front of her due to the lack of wind.

“Holocene.”

A deep voice said, coming from Libby’s left. She jumped, dropping her cigarette and whipped her head around to see who dared disturb her one moment of peace. She clocked a man – about six foot something, a good bit taller than her – walking over towards her car. He came into focus and she saw he had a soft smile that brightened his whole face. Realising she was in no danger, her panic subsided to embarrassment and she picked up her cigarette and asked,

“Sorry?”

“That song. It’s Holocene by Bon Iver.”

“Uh, yeah…yeah. You know them?”

He nodded and his smile widened,

“Aye. They’re fantastic.”

It sounded weird, an American saying ‘aye’. It was such a harsh and Scottish word and seemed wasted on such a smooth accent. She wanted to laugh and point it out. She didn’t. Instead she nodded and took a draw of the cigarette that had been burning out.

“Could I borrow your lighter? I’ve left my matches.”

Matches? Who the hell uses matches anymore, Libby thought but handed over her clipper anyway and there was that superficial smile again. It was there to be a metaphorical full stop; the end of conversation, the point where the stranger smiles, thanks her and walks away. But no.