Back When the Lights Shined

Chapter Five

Not far into my not-so-deep sleep, I hear a small knock on the window. The sudden noise in the dead silence startles me. I turn on the lights and look up at the window above my bed. To my surprise, Ashton is there, on my side of the border. Patiently, he stands there, looking at me through the window.

            For a moment, I just sit there, debating on whether I should let him in or follow the rules like I always have. Every inch of my gut still tells me to follow the rules, to yell for help. It’s all I’ve been taught to do. It’s what I should do. For some reason, I can’t. The small part of me that isn’t screaming for help has muted me.

            A week ago, I would have screamed for help at the very sight of a Crazy. Ever since I met him, I changed. Something about him unlocked something inside of me. That little voice that tells me to go becomes stronger and stronger. I hear the voice again, tonight. Whether it be my soul or my conscience is a mystery, but it whispers the same single word. Go.

            Quietly, carefully, I sit up and lift my arm. I unlatch the window and slowly open it. It’s so small that only someone my size could fit. Not the broad shouldered boy on the other side. He stares back at me intently. I look back into his eyes, questioning why he is here. This Crazy certainly is insane to be brave enough to cross the border.

            “Hey,” he whispers casually. It’s almost like he feels normal doing this. That he belongs here just as much as I do. As if he had the right.

            “What are you doing here,” I ask, searching his eyes for answers.

            “I need you to come with me.”

            “I don’t need to go anywhere,” I protest, shaking my head.

            “You don’t know what you need. Just come on. You wanted answers, and I’ve got them.” We’re both silent for a few seconds. Finally, I speak up.

            “Give me one good reason why I should trust you completely when all I’ve known is to stay away,” I ask. He looks at me in the eyes, showing true honesty. I almost lose my breath when he does so.

            “Because everything they’ve taught you is wrong. I think you deserve to know the truth. You need the truth.”

            I keep my eyes locked on his, searching for a good sensible reason to not trust him. I can’t think of one. He isn’t showing one. The only thing unusual about his is his label. That seems to be the only thing scaring me away. Somehow, it isn’t enough to control me. All I hear is the one word. Go.

            “Okay,” I agree. There’s a shine in his eye, almost as if some plan of his, not evil, is falling into place. He holds his hand out to me.

            “Let’s go.”

            I take his hand, shocking myself that I’m doing this. I’ve put all my trust into him now. There is no going back from here. I can barely believe I’m being so consensual about going back there. As I’m climbing out my window, I begin to wonder. Am I becoming a Crazy? Has this boy poisoned my mind?

            If he has, I don’t care anymore.

            I stop the questions as soon as I start climbing outside. I think of what Jaydon would say. Don’t be such a worry wart. Of course, those wouldn’t be his words if he knew what I was up to. Jaydon obviously doesn’t approve of crossing the border. But something over there is pulling me. Whether it’s adrenaline, mystery, curiosity, or Ashton himself, I don’t know.