Fuck my life.
“I need you to take me somewhere in the next few days, or maybe send a car to take me. It’s just somewhere I need to be.”
I turn, studying her face. Whatever it is, this is important.
“Okay, I’ll take you,” I reply, without even asking where, because I can see the visible distress on her face as she asks.
It’s only the next day that I find out where we’re actually going. She gets up early in the morning, moving around the house enough for me to get up as well.
At least she waits for me with fresh coffee, so that reduces my urge to shoot someone in the head.
Then, straight after breakfast, because she knows I won’t let her leave the house without eating something, she starts getting dressed in a workout outfit. “Can we go?” she asks, looking at me as I join her in the dressing room, trying to pick something to wear.
“Where are we going?” I finally ask, since it’s clear she isn’t going to volunteer the information.
“It’s in the woods...”That’s all she manages to say, and I understand not to push her yet.
I have an idea where we’re going now. I had one before, but I didn’t want to be the one saying it. I just pull on a pair of black joggers and a matching zip hoodie and follow her out of the room.
“Are you trying to take me to the woods and take advantage of me?” I ask, letting the amusement show on my lips.
“If I wanted to take advantage of you, I wouldn’t drag you all the way to the woods. I’d be much more creative than that.”
“Oh, do tell,” I challenge her.
“I’m not gonna tell because you’re not gonna want to leave the house if I start talking,” she smiles again and starts walking toward the door, shaking that tight ass, so tempting that I barely stop myself from keeping her locked in. I step back, suppressing the urge to push her against the wall and remind her exactly who she’s dealing with.
“Fine,” I give up, feeling more defeated than ever as I grab my car keys. “But you stay close to me. No wandering off.”
“Yes, sir,” she answers from outside, making things ten times more difficult. I think I just got a kink for her calling me,Sir.
She’s already in the car by the time I get there, more prepared than ever, but also with a certain wariness written all across her face.
She makes me drive for around an hour until we reach the Twin Falls State Park. My initial hunch was right, we’re where Elias lies buried. She wants to visit him.
The forest swallows the sound of remaining civilization as we drive deeper between the trees. Brynn has barely spoken for the past few miles, directing me only with short commands like: “left here,” “straight past that fork,” “slow down now.” Her voice tries to seem steady despite the emotions I know are vibrating beneath her composed exterior.
“Stop here,” she says, as we reach a point where the path narrows beyond what even my SUV can go through. “We walk from this point.”
I kill the engine, and when we get out of the car, I let her guide me. Truth is, I could track a man through these woods blindfolded, follow the scent of fear for miles, and become a hunter in every sense of the word, but I need to let her take charge now. I can’t steal this moment from her.
“It’s not far,” she says, already moving toward the barely visible trail that cuts between two ancient trees.
I follow silently, my footfalls making no sound on the forest floor. An old habit of mine, to constantly keep training. Still, I can’t help notice the contrast to her movements. Her feet are heavy, burdened with more than just her injury. She remains undeniably human. Breakable. Mortal.
This thought rumbles uncomfortably in my chest as I watch her keep moving on the uneven ground, each step a potential new injury.
I don’t think my mind can handle that risk for long.But for now, all I can do is follow her.
“Why here?” I ask at one point, though I already know the answer.
She doesn’t turn. “I promised myself. I’d come here a year later. But I was injured.” She doesn’t say more, just keeps walking further, as if she were to continue speaking, she probably won’t be able to stop her tears.
After just a few more minutes, the trees thin slightly, revealing a small clearing, bathed in just a few golden rays that managed to break through the clouds. In its center stands a young lilac tree, its still fragile branches swaying gently in the wind.
Brynn stops at the edge of the clearing, her posture changing subtly, her head lifting as if preparing for battle. Though there are no enemies here. Only memories.
“This is it,” she says, her voice carrying a softness that doesn’t usually define her.
