Page 45 of His Pet
She hasn’t cried in days. Not since before we came to the cabin. She’s whined and complained, but hasn’t cried. There isn’t anything I can do to scare that smart mouth of hers away, and since we’ve been here, I haven’t tried. I’m more relaxed out here, and I think she knows it.
I stop and close my eyes while I breathe in the air I’ve looked forward to since shutting the cabin door last night. She continues to sniffle behind me, and it fills me with annoyance. It’s a first for me. Every other time I’ve been fascinated by it. She isn’t crying because of fear this time though. It’s because of sadness. Hopelessness. It pokes a part of me I never knew existed, and I want to hate her for it. But I don’t.
“Fine,” I growl, not turning around. “Get dressed and hurry up.”
Amelia
“Where exactly are we going?”
“I already told you. Nowhere in particular.”
I jump over a fallen tree and hurry to keep up with Lorenzo. Beads of sweat roll down my forehead, and my heart beats fast.
“Right, but we’ve been walking for a while, and you act like you know where you’re going. So, are we on some sort of hike or…?”
I stare at Lorenzo’s shoes, trying to follow his steps exactly. The sun hasn’t risen, and with the trees blocking out most of the moonlight, I can barely see. For a while, I thought that he couldn’t either, but he must because he hasn’t slowed since we left, and he walks with a purpose. Ihopehe knows where we’re going because if we’re really walking around aimlessly, he’s odder than I thought. Still, this is better than being at the cabin by myself. I think.
I wait for an answer, and when it’s clear I’m not getting one, I roll my eyes.
We walk another few minutes before I fall behind again, my eyes darting to my left when I hear something. It’s been eerily quiet in the forest, so every twig snapping or rustling of leaves is alarming.
I rush forward and match his pace. My eyes continue to dart around us until I stumble over a root, and then I go back to staring at his shoes. “How often do you come out here?” I ask, desperate for a distraction from whatever is scurrying nearby.
“Occasionally.”
I snort. “Well that’s vague.”
I’m met with silence, and I jump when an owl hoots over our heads.
“I like your cabin, but it’s kind of modest, don’t you think? Small. I figured you’d have something built that’s a little more extravagant. What made you decide on it?”
“It’s my family’s. I didn’t have it built.”
“Ah, gotcha.” My neck tingles, and the hairs on my arms raise. “Do your brothers come out here, too?”
“No.”
I let out a relieved breath, but it’s short-lived. I stumble again and notice how Lorenzo doesn’t even slow for me. He’s been pretty… kind, over the last few days. I don’t know if that’s the right word for anything he does, but it’s the one that comes to mind. Right now, however, he’s being a dick.
“I wish I had siblings.” I let out a nervous chuckle. “It’s kind of embarrassing, but when I was little, I used to pretend I had a sister named Aurora, like fromSleeping Beauty. I’d tell people that when they asked, and my mom would be so embarrassed when she had to correct me.”
I wipe the sweat off my forehead and trudge on, my heavy breathing louder than our footsteps.
“What are your brothers like?”
“Amelia!” Lorenzo comes to a halt, and I bump into him. He turns around, but it’s so dark I can’t make out his expression.
“What?” I ask, leaning into him and moving my head back and forth to scan around us. “What is it?”
Lorenzo tips my chin toward him and takes a deep breath. He caresses my cheek and then lets his hand fall as he releases air. “Could youpleasestop talking. We're tracking something. You’re going to scare it away if you don’t be quiet.”
“Sorry,” I whisper. I bite my lip and then release it. “I talk when I’m nervous.”
“Why are you nervous?”
“Because,” I say, resisting the urge to snap at him. “You won’t tell me where we’re going. I like to know things before they happen, and younevertell me. Plus,” I glance around. “There are things moving out here. What if we run into a bear or something? Has that ever happened before? Do you know how to—”
He places a finger on my lips and I still.