(Formerly known as "When Our Paths Crossed")
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A tale of two lost souls brought together by pain, grief and trauma.
Atlas tries to find a place in a world he's worked so hard to escape. Elijah struggles to balance the life he's building and the...
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THE PARTY SEEMS to be in full swing by the time we arrive. Partygoers spill out onto the front lawn, and the music is so loud it pulses with my heartbeat even though we're at the end of the block. We're in a nicer part of the neighbourhood, with uniform rows of grand houses, designed with two floors, a garage, and a tree in the front yard. All of them look dark and uninhabited. The party house is a clone of the other houses, except that it's the only living house in this neighbourhood. I'm surprised none of their neighbours have called to complain.
My answer to that thought comes as we approach the house.
"Most of these houses are still vacant," Atlas explains. "They've been letting people move in slowly, but so far, Rin's family is the only one on this block. She's making the most of it while she can."
"Don't her parents mind?"
I think of my parents and the rage they'd be in if they caught Dan and me throwing a party.
"Nah, her parents are always away on business. They don't care what she does." Atlas throws me a lopsided grin, and I'm relieved to see that some of his anger has abated. "Her parties are the talk of the town."
"I can see that," I mutter, eyeing the throngs of strangers.
I don't mind parties, but it can get a little overwhelming. After the tense day I had, it's going to be that much harder to unwind. If Atlas notices my unease, he doesn't say anything. He may be afraid I'm going to turn around and leave if he asks. Maybe that's exactly what I'd do.
"That house," he says instead, pointing across the street. I can't tell which one he's pointing to since they all look the same, but I go along with it and make a noise of interest. "That'll be June's house one day. It's not finished yet, but she's been saving like crazy to put a down payment on it."
"Will you move in there too?"
Atlas shrugs. "Maybe. At least until I can figure out what I'm going to do with myself. My addiction got in the way of my first plan... And now the fact that I can't walk..."
"Oh, yeah? What was your first plan?"
We've never discussed career choices, and my curiosity sparks at the thought of what Atlas might have wanted to be.
"I've always wanted to be a firefighter."
I come to an abrupt stop. There's a pause, and a whirl of wind breezed by us as I process the information. Atlas. A firefighter. An honest to god firefighter, running into a burning building and hauling out people.
The annoyance is evident on Atlas' face as he spins around to face me. "What?"
"You? A firefighter?" I can't help the laugh that bubbles up my throat. "That's the last thing I expected."
"Why not?" Atlas' defence bristles and, though he glared at me, I see the traces of embarrassment in his expression. It took him a lot to confess that truth, and I'm here laughing at it. "Do you think I can't do it?"
