the art of loving ; lord tewksbury

seven

"I am not going out there! What if it's someone trying to kill us?"

Chapter Seven

"Would you care to explain why we couldn't just meet during the day?"

  It was a few nights after their last encounter, and Daisy found herself creeping along the back alleys in town with Tewksbury following behind her. The two teenagers were currently making their way to their designated meeting point, a place Daisy had been given the liberty to choose. Since it was almost nearing midnight, the cobbled streets were desolate and devoid of any human being, the occasional bark of a dog breaking the eerie silence hanging in the air like a thick veil of fog. The entire town was sound asleep, tucked away in the comfort and safety of their quilt covers as they surrendered to the sweet dreams devouring their minds.

Yet here Daisy was, out in the open, being swallowed whole by the inky blackness of the night.

She hated wandering outside during nighttime, especially since the already minimal streetlights lining the road were broken and of no use. The only source of light came from the soft glow of the moon, illuminating the dark town in its dim light.

Tewksbury had told her it was the only time Enola would agree to meet them, and according to him, with her help, they would be able to execute a perfect plan. Partially convinced, Daisy decided to put her trust in Tewksbury and go along with his idea.

"Why? Are you afraid of the dark?" the boy teased as he trailed behind her.

"No," Daisy scoffed, but deep down she was a teensy bit terrified of what lurked in the absence of light.

Tewksbury could see through her white lie, and his mouth twitched as he tried to fight back the smirk tugging at his lips. The young girl stopped in her tracks and smacked him on the chest, causing him to wince.

"Apologies," Daisy said. "I thought there was a bug on your chest." But the tone of her voice gave Tewksbury an inkling that she was being sarcastic, which he found comical.

"How long more until we arrive?" he asked, rubbing his chest to soothe the slight pain Daisy had inflicted upon him.

"Why? Are you afraid of the dark?" Daisy mocked. Tewksbury feigned offence, but before he could retort with his own sarcastic remark, she came to a stop.

"We're here," she announced. She felt Tewksbury bump into her, but paid no attention to him as her gaze focused on the charred double doors before her. Nostalgia washed over her like a cool breeze, her heart aching with a sense of longing as she cautiously approached the abandoned building in front of her. With careful hands, she pushed the doors opened.

  The sight before her almost brought tears to her eyes. The once bustling bakery, the one she and Grant used to visit whenever they were in town, was now left with nothing but a blackened mess. The posh furniture which filled the place had long been licked away by the fire, instead being replace by piles of ashes serving as a reminder. To the people unfamiliar with the bakery, it would be hard to visualise its beauty before it had been engulfed in flames—everything was burnt to a crisp, and now it was simply a sight sore to passing eyes.

  "Not to be rude, Daisy, but out of any place you could've picked, why did you have to choose the one that's...barely a building anymore?" Tewksbury asked as he stepped into the room.