What Now ⇔ Muke ✓

[11] I scared you

MICHAEL

After years and years of sitting on that stone alone, dangling on the edge like a leaf and staring at that distant cave pushed way back to the horizon, I am finally going to go there. In my head, I always imagined going alone, shifting among the shadows like a ghost through the woods. Luke is here with me though, tripping ungracefully over his converse. The blonde is dangerously clumsy when it comes to hiking- it's a wonder he hasn't torn himself up to bits with the number of times he has fallen.

We've been hiking through the trees for a couple hours, and the sky has been growing dimmer and dimmer with each step we take. It won't be long until the sky turns pitch black and the only light to guide us is the moon, half hidden behind the cluster of trees. I pray that Luke had packed a flashlight somewhere in his huge backpack, because while I am accustomed to the dark in the woods by my house, I'm not used to it back here. Roots appear under my feet in random places, and I have to catch myself blindly on a nearby tree constantly.

The atmosphere is quite relieving though-we haven't approached the river yet, but we can still hear the roar of it in the distance. We sometimes see a flicker of fur dart behind a bush, and at one point we saw a lone deer gallop elegantly away from us, zipping between the thin spines of the trees. We've heard a series of different bird calls in the few hours we've been hiking, and it is easy to catch a glimpse of them soaring among the treetops. I am amazed by how fearless the squirrels and chipmunks are. On more than one occasion, squirrels have willingly dashed up to our feet and sniffed at them, twirling their fluffy tails in the air.

Luke seems beyond excited by the whole ordeal. He keeps blabbering on and on about the pretty colors of the birds and asking me about the different types of trees. He makes sure to always ask me how I'm feeling and if I need to rest, and if my bruises are hurting.

As the sun is setting, I see Luke yawn and stumble against a tiny twig, and I realize he is probably exhausted. He isn't used to this much physical exertion in one day.

"Let's set up a little camp or something," I suggest. "It's getting dark." Luke nods vigorously, and we veer off to the side, finding a nice spot underneath a canopy of trees. Luke plops down on the grass and pulls open his backpack, yanking out two blankets. He lays one down on the ground, and leaves the other crumpled by his side. He spreads it over the head of the blanket, using it for a makeshift pillow. The sun sets among the horizon, plunging us in near darkness until the moon begins to shine, illuminating our faces and spreading a wide light through the trees.

"The moon is so bright back here," I breathe, staring up at the crescent moon in astonishment. Luke looks up as well, nodding with a smile. He sets up the rest of our little camp while I stare at the moon, like a huge spotlight in the sky. I tear my eyes away from it to find Luke spread out on the blanket, the spot beside him open for me. I hesitantly crawl over to him, flipping over on my back and laying down next to him. There is a large gap between us, but neither of us makes a move to fill it.

"So, Michael," Luke begins. "How old are you, anyway?" I blush slightly, brushing my finger against the dirt beside me.

"I'm sixteen." I admit. "But I'm almost seventeen! My birthday is in November."

"We're basically the same age then. I'll be eighteen in July." Luke grins, his lip ring glinting off the light from the moon. His blue eyes shine against the dark sky. I am momentarily enthralled by Luke- and each minute detail that encrypts his face. The way his lips are full and pink, his eyelashes long and blonde. His hair, which has begun to fall out of its quiff, falls in perfect strands over his forehead, making him look much younger, despite his broad shoulders and prominent muscles.

I make myself look away before Luke catches on to my staring, and I gaze at the endless stretch of trees in front of us. I'm not too afraid of any night creatures that could come out to us tonight, since I've grown accustomed to the types of animals that live in the woods, and none of them are dangerous. I allow myself to rest and shut my eyes, imagining finally getting to that cave I have been staring at for so long. I have no idea what is going on a few miles away, back down at my house, where my father lays unconscious. However, I am certainly glad that Luke came in. I had never seen my father that angry before.