Enders

Enders (14)

I couldn't help but feel confused as the taxi that Dex and I were in drove farther and farther away from civilization, taking us out into what looked like the country, completely covered in snow.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" I asked Dex, looking out the window to see basically nothing. Every now and then we would pass a house, but they were few and far in between

Dex nodded. "This is the right way."

It seemed like hours before we finally got to our destination. We thanked the taxi driver and paid him, and then he was off, leaving us alone in what looked like the middle of nowhere.

The house we'd been dropped off at was completely isolated, on top of a small snowy hill. There were no neighbors, or anyone else for miles. I liked that, and Dex seemed to as well.

He took my hand, leading me up the snow-covered path toward the house. It wasn't very big; it was two stories, but rather small in comparison to the rather large house I had lived in with my parents. But I still found it homey.

"Do you think we're going to be able to get inside?" I inquired. I may have been lucky back at my parents' house, but I doubted I'd get lucky again with another unlocked door.

"If I remember correctly..." Dex nodded as we got to the front door, kicking over the multiple flower pots surrounding us one by one. It took him a couple tries before he finally went, "Aha!"

He bent over, picking something up and showing it to me. A thin, silver key.

"There's just been a key sitting under that flower pot for almost ten years?" I squawked, finding it hard to believe.

Dex shrugged. "l think it's pretty obvious that no one comes around here."

That was true, but it was still weird to me that there had been a key left for anyone to take for so many years. Of course, this place had been abandoned. Who would care if someone unrelated came inside?

Dex unlocked the front door, using his strength to force the door open since it had been frozen shut. He quickly shut the door behind us, not wanting to let anymore cold air in.

Pulling our gloves and hats off, it was surprisingly warm inside the house, which was not something I was expecting. I looked around, amazed by how everything around me looked. I expected an empty, rundown little shack, but instead, the furniture inside was still intact, though of course still covered by dust.

"It hasn't changed at all," he whispered, looking down at the photographs of him and his family that rested on the counter. "Everything is exactly like I remember it..."

"You didn't come here with your aunt, when you were searching for your mother?" I had to ask, looking down at the photos with him. There was one with him being held by both of his parents in between them. He could have only been three or four in that picture.

Dex shook his head. "She said there would be no point to, because there's no way she'd be here." He ran his fingers over the old photograph. "And she was also afraid I'd get upset by being here again."

That wasn't something I'd even considered... When I went to my house, I wasn't upset. I was happy. Wanted to stay there forever, because it made me feel close to my parents again. It had been the one place that I'd ever truly been able to call home.

I placed my hand on Dex's shoulder, and he jumped just a little at my sudden touch. He then smiled, placing his hand over mine and squeezing. I could tell that me being here comforted him.

"I'm glad you're here with me," he whispered, taking my hand and placing it on his cheek. "I'm glad you're just... with me."

My whole body felt hot as I avoided his gaze, embarrassed. "Dex..."