The Journey
They had only just met the day before and yet they felt strangely connected as though they had known each other all along. Sitting together on the railing looking up at the stars, they shared hopes and fears. The words they spoke overshadowed by each electric brush of the skin – a bumped knee, a rather intentional “accidental” meeting of the hands followed by a startled look that said, “I want you.”
“I haven’t seen so many stars in a long time,” she said. He wasn’t looking at the stars though; he looked at her, taking in her profile, her thick brow casting a shadow over her deep-set eyes. And her mouth. He wanted to touch her mouth. He refrained. He enjoyed the anticipation.
She didn’t dare look at him except out of the corner of her eye. Looking at him sent waves of euphoria through her body and she was trying to restrain herself. I barely know him! She thought.
That day, they had gone out with mutual friends for a hike in unfamiliar woods. Watching the ease with which he moved between the trees – even up and down the trees – gave her a sense of security; a primal, intuitive sense. You would be safe with him, her subconscious mind seemed to say, as though that’s all one needs in today’s world. She allowed her imagination to take over for awhile. She pictured a cabin in the woods with a wood-burning stove. She saw him walking the path back to their home with furs and fresh meat, his lean, tense body moving toward her with purpose and she burned inside. She could tell he was part Indian, probably more-so than she.
He wore mirrored sunglasses all day. She wanted to see his eyes. She wanted to see if he was looking at her when she was stealing glimpses of him. They were both shy and reserved. They barely spoke directly to each other. Their friends stopped. They were lost. As the others attempted to get directions via cell phones that had no service, the strangers surveyed the land. She joined him at the edge of a steep hill and pointed out the hawks flying west of them. They both drew in rich, deep breaths noting the scent of moist, decaying leaves. Without saying a word, they agreed on which way to go and off they went, the rest of their group following suit but taking the longest way around. She kept pace with him, secretly glad to be so near to and relatively alone with him.
He led her well, trusting she would follow his steady and well-placed steps.
“Just be patient while I wait here
Our journey is out of sync
While you’re out there running in the chaos
I need some time to think”
~ The Swell Season