In the meadow at dusk, he perched on the ground in front of her holding her right foot in his hands. She was opposite of him on the grass and dirt, hands splayed out behind her supporting her body weight while looking at him concerned. Her white sun dress, dirty and soiled, her skin a thin layer of sweat and smudged dirt. Her nose was marked black from rubbing it on the back of her hand. Her cheeks were streaked with brown color. Her eyes were wide. Looking up from her foot, “My Gods she’s beautiful,” he thought to himself, snickering, catching her eyes with his.
His boots were off, strewn to the side carelessly, his brown cloth trousers, tied with a strap and a poor bow knot, caked with mud. He had removed his shirt to wipe her feet of the black mud so he could inspect them for her. Sweat dripped down his throat and chest. When she cried out in the Dark holding his hand, his instinct of protection washed over him. He had carried her all the way back here to where they met for the first time, where they always meet.
He soothed the sole of her foot with his thumbs before wigging her toes one by one. He asked each time if it hurts and she shook her head no. He then scraped more mud from her heel. “How bad is it?” he heard the worry in her throat. “You’re fine silly, you didn’t cut yourself,” he said laughing. She wrinkled her brow looking at her blonde boy, “It’s sure felt like I did!”
He massaged her sole, leaning down kissing the ball of her foot, “You’re fine, Honey. There will always be rocks in the mud. You’re going to catch one no matter the pace.” “Well I don’t like rocks,” she snapped back with a playful grumble.
“It’s the nature of the Dark,” He whispered kissing her toes, soft on his lips. He glace up into her eyes, “Sometimes I think you just like to be coddled.” He hadn’t noticed her anticipation of his snarky remark and the handful of mud and grass that hit him in the shoulder.
“You know that’s not true!” She said laughing with false anger in her voice. She wiped her hand against her leg, as he shook his head at her. The boy thought loudly, “I don’t think we will have time to clean up before bed. It will be too dark in minutes.” She pulled her foot out of his hands. Quickly inspecting it, she then moved to her knees. He mimicked her old position, hands behind him unfolding out his legs in front of her with slightly bent knees.”And now I have no shirt to keep me warm,” he told her with a crooked frown.
She scooted through the grass on her knees then crawled over his legs and body, her hands on his shoulders guiding him back to the cold damp ground beneath him. Her nose was inches from his. Her lips glistened. Her eyes shined. He was filled with need. His skin warmed and his organ began to grow. Lightheaded, the boy thought to himself, “I can steal a kiss. I ache for a kiss.” She stumbled, ” I nee….I wan…I need you to just hold me tonight,” She whispered. “Belly to belly, I need you to hold me while we sleep.”
He fought the fire in himself to take her. Her hair dangled against his face teasing his nose. He slid his hand over her cheek and through her tangled hair. He put his hands on her hips resting her belly down against his. He slid his hands over her back as she embrace him laying her head on his bare chest. The boy’s fingers laced into her hair, his other hand flat on her back holding her against him as if he were protecting her from the air around them. “I’ll hold you forever,” He promised her as she wiggled against him. She let out soft whispers, “mine.” She dozed off; eyes closed listening to the beating of his heart. A soft, “I love you,” followed.
He stroked her locks, in heaven with her body on his. He slowly started to drift off to the sounds of her breath.
“I love you too,” he softly whispered as to not wake her, “…….tomorrow I kill all the rocks.”
C. A. Ostrout 