Page 59 of In Between Darkness
‘How the fuck do I do that!?’I snap back, feeling hopeless as I look around at the perfect scene River created for us, this place, the picnic. He tried so hard to make this date amazing, and I ruined it.
‘The moon boy… You can trust him with your secrets.’I feel her voice quieten as if she is retreating in the distance.
‘I need your help, Oriah. Please, just tell me how to get him back. PLEASE!’I scream into the void of my mind, but I get no reply.
So this is it? She can butt into my conversations whenever she pleases, but when I actually need her, I’m on my own? Typical.
I race back to the secret hatch and rush down the stairs. I place both hands on the tunnel wall and dip my head low between them, taking three deep breaths and exhaling shakily. A musky smell greets my nostrils with every inhale. Come on, Asha, pull it together. River needs your help. I peel myself off the crumbly wallpaper and run to the stairs at the end of the tunnel. I catch my breath and barrel up them. As I open the hatch, a cool breeze entangles in my hair, reminding me to breathe. I squint my eyes to adjust to the brightness; the sun is almost set.
‘Find the moon boy. ’I hear Oriah’s words repeating in my mind. I run faster than the wind can carry me. I don’t know where I am going, but I feel a pull in the earth’s atmosphere encouraging me along.
My feet drive me forward and patter on the hard concrete of the courtyard floor. I am running so fast I cannot catch my breath. The wind is swaying my hair behind me as the adrenaline floods my system. The world feels still as I race forward. A loose stone stops me in my path and has me tumbling down onto the hard ground, but before my body can hit the floor, I am transported to a different location. I am now kneeling on a dirt floor, my hands embedded in its soil.
What just happened? I pluck my hands out of its grip and look around. The woods? It is dark now; the sun has set and left complete darkness in its wake.
“I was wondering when you’d fall back into my life,” a familiar voice breaks through my thoughts.
I stand up and dust myself off. Ryder emerges from behind a twisted tree trunk, his face glowing slightly under the moonlight. It’s as if I were drawn to his exact location. I walk towards him to see him more clearly under the blanket of the night sky, my shoes crunching on the stray twigs littered across the forest floor.
“Ryder, I need your help,” I plead with him as his face becomes clearer, wiping my eyes from the sobbing that took place moments ago under the dome. “River’s gone. I sucked him into my vortex, and I don’t know how to get him out, and Oriah said I could trust you. I mean, she said ‘moon boy’, so I think it could be you. I mean, I am hoping it’s you. I’ve just been under so much stress lately and-”.
“Whoa! Slow down,” Ryder cuts me off and approaches me slowly. “One thing at a time. I might be able to help you, but we need to go someplace else first. Take a breath.” He gently holds my face and begins taking a deep breath, encouraging me to breathe with him. I had been too panicked to notice that other moons might be near us. I see a few shadows moving in the distance, and a twig snaps a few yards away from us. My face must’ve visibly changed to look more tense because Ryder grabs my hand and pulls me into a small alcove behind a tree. We duck low and sit for a minute, waiting for the figure to pass.
“I’m leading a search party tonight… for Tommy.”
I notice a crack in his voice as he says this; he looks vulnerable. He has his own problems. He shouldn’t have to deal with mine too.
“Oh…okay, well, I can come back later?” I don’t really want to come back later. River could be suffering, and I need Ryder’s help now, but I don’t want to pressure him. He furrows his brow deeply.
“What? No, you need my help… This is the third one, and we haven’t found anything yet.” His eyes sadden. “No doubt tonight will be the same; the bastards that have taken them sure are good at covering their tracks.”
He kisses his teeth in annoyance, and I feel his pain.
“I’m so sorry.” Before I can think, my hand cups his face in an attempt to console him, but I flinch and pull it away just as quickly as I placed it there, remembering that this is exactly what got River trapped.
“What the fuck was that about?” He looks a little startled at my reaction, and a little hurt.
“Ummm… I-I need to tell you something.” I look down, embarrassed as I say this. “Can I trust you?” I look up into his chocolate brown eyes, which harden upon my question.
“We’ve been through this before, Asha. I’ve kept your little visits a secret so far, haven’t I?”
A smirk curves on his lips as he licks them, and his face shifts from hurt to flirty again. This boy can really turn it on at any time.
“This is different this time. I-I need your word.” I want him to understand the severity of this situation. He turns his head away and huffs in frustration.
“I’m serious Ryder,” I say, cupping his cheek with my left hand to force his head to face mine again. His eyes lock with mine and my heart skips a beat or two.
“You can trust me, Asha.” His voice softens, and concern smothers his face. “Come this way, we’ve already scanned this section of the woods so no one should bother us for a while.”
I nod as he takes my hand and walks me in the other direction. There is a small wooden bench, under a tree lit dimly with lanterns.
He urges me to sit down next to him and envelops us in shadows, like our very own shield, the shadows protect us from prying eyes. “Now talk me through it slowly.”
I nod slowly and pause, trying to articulate the best place to start.
“How did you know about the humblebee vine?” This question has been weighing on my mind ever since that night in the tunnels.
“I didn’t.” He sighs and stares at my face, which must be looking very perplexed right about now.
