carried across 9

Then he went silent. He just sat there, staring into the red coals of the fire for a long time. 

Slowly, his head turned. He looked directly at me. 

I froze. I kept my breathing shallow and even, praying the thudding of my heart wouldn’t give me away. He watched me for what felt like an hour. 

Then, he leaned toward the empty air next to him and whispered, so softly I almost missed it: 

“I know.” 

He stood up and walked into the darkness toward the edge of the treeline. 

I lay there, my eyes still closed, heart hammering against my ribs. Who the hell was he talking to? 1 

I clutched the fur on my shoulders. It was heavy, it was warm, and it smelled like him. And despite the fear, despite the confusion, I didn’t take it off.