Another few halves - Silence - Part Two

Ok, I lied, the first part wasn't half of it - it seems that as I keep writing the story keeps evolving, so there may actually be a few parts to it! Here is part two...

Silence – Part two

A flash of lightning illuminates the darkening room. It’s quickly followed by a loud clap of thunder which makes the windows shake and causes me to jump. I look back at him, noticing that our eye contact was broken by the sudden announcement of a coming storm.  He doesn’t seem shaken at all. I get up and walk to the kitchen – I need to move. He follows me, but still hasn’t said anything. I start spinning my phone on the bench, not looking at him. I wish he would just hurry up and tell me what’s happening. Well, I guess I know why he is here and what he wants from me. Who knew meeting my mentor in person would be so nerve wracking. And why does he have to be so attractive?

He takes my hand, startling me, but I try to keep my expression neutral as I look back up at him. His eyes are almost turquoise in colour, contrasting against his olive skin and blue-black hair. He starts leading me towards the glass doors which go out from the living room towards the lake. It’s started raining heavily, but I won’t mention it. I don’t want to break the silence between us.

We step outside and are almost immediately drenched. My clothes stick to my skin. I’m glad I wore black. Lightning and thunder flash and crash around us and the wind keeps blowing my wet hair into my eyes. I turn and look at him through the rain. He still has my hand in his. I realise that I still can’t believe that he is here. Maybe that’s why I’m too afraid to speak.

He first contacted me 8 years ago, on my 10^th birthday. It was a birthday card without a signature or return address. I still don’t know his name. I don’t know why I believed what he was telling me or why I trusted him. I guess it was just a gut instinct; I knew he only wanted to help me. I was always different and it gave me hope.

So here he is, on my 18^th birthday, holding my hand in the pouring rain. He stares at me, as if waiting for me to do something. I close my eyes and concentrate on his warm hand in mine. I block out the noise of the rain and wind and thunder and lightning. The silence engulfs me. And then I hear it. His voice saying my name. Not out loud, but in my head. It’s warm and strong and comforting. I realise I’ve never heard it before. I’ve never heard anyone’s voice in my head before. I open my eyes quickly. What happened? This is weird, but at the same time it feels right.

I’ve been able to do strange things for as long as I can remember. Just subtle things; things most people wouldn’t notice, but things that always work to my advantage. Like making myself invisible when I don’t want someone to notice me. I don’t actually become invisible and I’m not quite sure how it works, but I know that it just appears as if I’m not there. That’s why I’m not allowed to drive; my parents took my license because I kept disappearing. But it’s great skill for sneaking out on days like today.

“What’s your name?” I almost shout, so I’m heard over the storm. I want to know who he is now that he is right here in front of me. I strain to hear over the wind as he replies quietly in that same warm tone, “Alexander”.  He has a strange foreign accent that I can’t place. “Where are you from?” I want to know everything about him. “You will find out soon enough.”

He lets go of my hand and runs down towards the lake and into the rough water. He starts swimming or rather that’s what you would call it if it was a normal person. He looks more like he is gliding through the water with no effort at all. The water must be freezing, but he only keeps going deeper. He dives under and I wait for him to come back up. I keep waiting and start to shiver as the wind picks up even more. Where is he? I start to worry and jog down closer to the water’s edge. I search out across the dark waves. My stomach drops. I can’t see him; he’s gone.

To be continued...