Here's To The Night

                 “Every moment of one’s existence one is growing into more or retreating into less.                                                     One is always living a little more or dying a little bit.”

                                                            - Norman Mailer

                                                            Here’s To The Night

                                                                            *

It was a cool autumn night. The chill had crept down from the hills, and smothered the muggy heat that had plagued the woods for countless days. As if in celebration of its victory, a biting breeze swept between the ancient trees, sparking the leaves alive with dance.

There was an odd calmness about the man as he stood immobile, his arms crossed before his chest, leaning against the wooden railing.

It was a sereneness that had never possessed him before, having always been a man of action. Strangely, he found the moment enjoyable. One changes at the end, he mused, feeling comfortably lethargic as the wind toyed with his shaggy brown hair.

At the feel of arms slipping about his waist, the man simply smiled.

"I don’t know how you can be so calm about this," came his wife’s accusing voice from behind. But her words held little bite, the sound muffled against his back.

Still wearing that alarming smile, he allowed his fingers to intertwine with hers, locking them tightly in front of his stomach. "We’ve known it was coming for weeks, it’s time I stopped running."

"I still don’t like it."

Turning around, the man could only be pleased his wife’s eyes were dry. She’d shed so many tears in the past weeks, it was a blessing she was coming around to herself again. In fact, it was a blessing they were both strong again, he’d shed a fair few too. But it was their last day together, bordering on their last minutes, there was no room for tears any longer.

Gently he lifted his hands to her smooth cheeks, pressing a soft kiss to her pale forehead, his nose brushing over the hair that smelled of lilies and spring. "I don’t like it either," he assured her, letting his shockingly blue eyes meet her soft brown ones. "I don’t want this; I don’t want to leave you or Alexandra. I want to see her grow up, scare her first date and cry like a baby at her wedding."

His wife’s eyes swam with moisture, but she refused to crumble. "Then don’t do it, come with us."

The plea in her voice cut deeper than any blade, but he only closed his eyes against the slash. "It’s a tired line, but it’s for the greater good."

"I don’t give a damn about the greater good."

"Yes, yes you do," he sighed, dropping his forehead to hers. "And so will our daughter, are you ready?"

She nodded, willfully holding her eyes closed as if the moment would stay paused forever as long as her eyelids were shut. Finally trusting her voice not to tremble, she said, "Yes. It’s all packed at the front door, Alexandra is in the car. We’re ready to disappear."

"Good," he breathed, he too closing his eyes. "Do it."

"Do you have everything you need for tonight?" she asked beseechingly, asking for a reason to stay.

"I do, I love you. Now go, leave!"

- I hope you liked it so far, just the prologue. Please vote and comment, it always makes me smile when people do. And special thanks to the amazing book cover made by IsaSecret  -