Awry

58

Gabriel saw Scarlet sitting on the sill of the open window overlooking the backfield. Her long hair fell down her back to her waist, and her face was pale and bland. Tristan had been dead for a month.

It had been a month filled with sorrow and mourning. It had been a month of hell.

He and Scarlet had not spoken since Tristan’s death was announced. It seemed easier that way; to pass her by and mourn in private; to stay away from someone Tristan had loved.

Gabriel almost passed her by again. He was nearly beyond the window when he paused. Sitting in the window was a girl Tristan had entrusted to Gabriel.

A girl Gabriel had promised to care for.

He slowly walked over and stood behind her. She did not move, did not acknowledge him.

Carefully and quietly, Gabriel climbed into the large window frame and took a seat beside her, his legs hanging down the open side of the frame facing the field.

Scarlet had her legs tucked under her chin, but when Gabriel sat down, she let her legs fall over the sill as he had.

They sat in silence, both looking out at the great field, staring at the unending forest and the dipping sun on the horizon.

It was beautiful.

And it meant nothing.

Gabriel thought back to a time when he and Tristan were young and thought they could race to the sun. They had run and run, and still they could never reach the giant ball of light.

And now they never would.

Taking a heavy breath, Gabriel tried to control the aching in his chest. But some aches could not be controlled. They simply had to…be.

Without a word, Gabriel reached his arm around the girl Tristan had loved. Gabriel wanted her to know he felt her pain. He wanted her to know he cared that Tristan was gone too.

But his voice was broken.

So he sat without speaking.

For a moment, Scarlet did nothing but keep her eyes on the trees.

And then, slowly, she leaned into him and a single tear escaped her eye. Gabriel wrapped his other arm around her and embraced her fully. He gently set his head on top if hers and watched the horizon swallow the sun.

The sun he could never reach.