Page 59 of Jacob Michaels is Dead

Lucas was out of breath, and his fingers were laced through mine as we slid to a stop behind the tree. The moon was dark, and I could barely see any stars through the skeletal canopy above us. Somehow, I felt like the moon was watching us, tracking our movements through the woods. Hopefully, it knew how to keep its mouth shut. I pushed Lucas against the tree as he tried to control his breathing and not pant loudly so as to not give away where we were. How was I breathing normally, and the football player was out of breath after our jaunt through the cold, slumbering woods?

“ROBERT!”

“Oh, shit.” Lucas hissed, his eyes fearful.

“It’ll be okay.” I grabbed his face between my hands and made him look at me. “I promise you it’ll be okay.”

Lucas looked into my eyes, the fear slowly melting away.

“You can run.” I pleaded with him. “Run to the lake. Then keep running along the shore until you get to the road. Keep running until you get home.”

“I won’t leave you.”

“This is only going to end one way, Lucas,” I whispered desperately. “I don’t want you to see it.”

“I can’t let you do this alone.”

“I won’t hate you if you run.”

“You will eventually.”

“Do you think I’ll love you forever if you stay?” I managed to tease though I was terrified as the sound of crisp, cold leaves being stomped on sounded in the distance. “Is that why you’re doing this?”

“I know you’ll love me forever.” He responded, then kissed me roughly.

It was a quick kiss, but perfect like every kiss that came before it. Lucas pulled back, his hands on the side of my face.

“Everything is temporary,” Lucas stated firmly. “Everything.”

“Everything.” I nodded. “Are you sorry?”

“I’ll never be sorry.”

“Me either.”

“Can we make it back to the house?” Lucas swallowed hard. “Before…will I just slow you down?”

“I want you with me.” I grabbed his face in my hands. “I want you to be the last thing I see.”

Lucas’ eyes started to leak.

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you more.”

“What if—what if it’s not temporary?”

“Hey!” I whisper-hissed, holding his face firmly in my hands so he had to look at me. “Every-fucking-thing is temporary. Except us. Except us, Lucas. I promise you that.”

Lucas stared into my eyes, two trails of tears winding down his face.

“I believe you.”

I nodded.

“Are you ready?” I asked.

Lucas took a shaky breath, doing his best to stop the tears from escaping his eyes. Finally, he steadied himself, resolve settling on his face. He nodded.