Paper Walker

Chapter 11

 "S... sorry", I finally sigh.

"What for? You have every right to cry, it's a rotten situation."

I wipe my face with my sleeve. "But you don't even have parents. I have them both and still complain."

Through my watery vision I can see he's smiling.

"If I still had my parents, I would probably have something about them to complain about. And if you didn't have any, you were still allowed to laugh. It is what it is."

I nod and focus on his chest until my sight is clearer, then I ask: "Why is there a gun on your shirt with 'I know'?"

He expression becomes curious, he looks down and then his eyes widen. "Han Solo? Star Wars?" The words are spoken as if I should know what they mean, but they're gibberish to me.

"Don't tell me you've never seen Star Wars?"

"Is that the series about those big spaceships?"

"Ehm... no, that is Star Trek. Right, next time you go to the library, pick up a Star Wars book."

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to just sit next to him and watch the film. I'm not a big fan of Science Fiction – although that book I read was pretty awesome – but with him I would watch anything. Something pops into my brain and I ask, taking a step back, because I'm still almost pressed against him: "Didn't you once say you've never read Sci-fi?"

The smile on his face gets replaced by a guilty expression. He too takes a step back and clasping his hands behind his back he clears his throat and says: "Yeah, I've been meaning to explain. Apologize, I mean. When I first met you, I thought it was easier to make you believe I was part of the book. I didn't expect you to come back, so I didn't see the harm in it. Sorry about that."

"Oh well", I wave his apology away. How many white lies have I told since I discovered I could walk in books?

That brings me to the next subject. There is a window in the wall of logs besides me and looking out, I say: "I'm thinking about telling my friend what I can do. Right now I have to keep coming up with excuses and she already thinks how we met is scarcely credible. I think I owe it to her to tell the truth."

"You told Isla about me?"

Shyly I look up at him, that careful smile is back. I like how he remembered Isla's name.

"Yeah, I ... I was so glad you e-mailed I showed it to her and that might not have been the best idea."

In the distance the sun begins to shine and a little while later the rain stops. The characters from the books might be frozen when we don't walk along, nature apparently keeps doing it's thing. Although I doubt it will become night if we just stay in this moment.

We're on a mountain, surrounded by more mountains.

"Wow, this is incredible", I whisper.

I feel more than I see how Sorley comes to stand next to me. Together we look out over the green meadow and the waving branches in the distance.

"Is this what it looks like where you live?" I ask, still speaking softly. Somehow the world around us compels me to be reverent.

In the same tone, he answers: "Different, less green. And I don't live this high up."

"Shall we go outside?" I take a step towards the door, but Sorley quickly grabs my wrist.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

My eyes widen. I didn't step into a horror story unaware, did I? "Why not?" I squeak.

Sorley lets me go and says, a little uneasy: "He's a hunter. I'm not sure how well your stomach can handle carcasses?"