The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski

Author:Chelsea Bobulski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

XXIII

The vacuum covers our footsteps as we creep down the staircase at half-past ten and into the kitchen. I press myself against the wall and motion for Henry to do the same, then peer around the corner of the doorway into the living room. Mom’s back is to us. I motion Henry to move first. He slides past the door like a shadow, sneaking into the mudroom.

I take a step forward just as the vacuum cuts off.

“You’re heading out?”

I’ve never understood the expression “my heart stopped” before. I understand the one about feeling like someone’s punched you in the gut—that’s how I felt when Uncle Joe told me Dad was gone. All the air flew out of my lungs and my stomach contracted in on itself and I thought I would never breathe again. My heart kept beating, and it felt like a traitor.

But my heart stops now. It comes to a grinding, painful halt as I freeze midstep. For the briefest and scariest of seconds, I wonder if it will start back up again, or if this is how I’ll go. Literally dying of fright because my mom caught me sneaking a boy out of the house. But then my heart flips, like a pancake, and kicks itself back into rhythm.

I put my foot down and meet her gaze. Her eyes are red and puffy, but she’s trying hard to look like she hasn’t been crying. “Yeah,” I say. “But I’ll be right next door, so just text me if you need anything.”

She gives me a soft laugh. “You sound like the parent.”

I swallow. “Mom, I’m really sorry—”

She holds up her hand, cutting me off. “It’s all right. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

I feel awful leaving her like this, but I don’t have much of a choice. “Okay. I guess I’ll be going then.”

“Have fun.” Mom wraps me in a hug and she’s practically in the kitchen. She has to see Henry there. I’m screwed, screwed, screwed.

“Tell Meredith I said hi.” She pats my cheek and turns to the dining table, scraping crumbs into her hand.

“O-okay.”

I head into the mudroom, but Henry isn’t there. I pivot on my heel, hissing his name.

“Winter?” Mom calls. “Did you say something?”

I wince. “I said, ‘See you later.’”

“See you.”

I glance out the window in the door just as Henry peers around a tree off the back porch. I exhale.

This boy is going to be the death of me.

I head through the mudroom door, closing it behind me. My boots clack against the wooden boards, and then mush down overgrown grass.

“I apologize,” Henry says once I reach him. “I know you wanted me to stay close, but I did not want your mother to find me.”

“Yeah, good thinking,” I admit. I check the porch and kitchen windows over my shoulder, but Mom isn’t watching me. “Okay, let’s go.”

* * *

The night is thick and warm with the day’s fading heat. There are no stars, no moon, just heavy black clouds that block out their light.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.