Forgotten pages

On The Rooftop

He'd retired to his bedroom for the night eyelids heavy and limbs weary.He let himself slump onto the bed and drift off into the comforting blackness of sleep.It couldn't have been long past midnight when he'd awoken by a rough jostling to his shoulder.The room was illuminated by a single candle as a hand clamped over his mouth before he could even open his mouth to speak.In the low light,long dark hair and a familiar face were lit by the low glow of the single flame.Elizabeth shot him a look before calmly retracting her hand.

"W-what are you doing?"She gently put a finger to his lips.

"Follow me."Her voice was so hushed he could've mistaken it for the wind if not for her face still only being centimetres from his.To keep from waking anyone else,he silently nodded.She led him by the wrist through the dark halls as a blanket the blanket slung over his shoulder trailed along the floor.With precise and silent moments the latch to the attic was opened with a tiny click before her hand was on his shoulder,soundlessly urging him to follow.

The candle's meek light cast the dusty room in shades of orange and yellow.How long had it been since he'd been up here?had it really been two years?As his eyes scanned as much of the dim room as possible he took notice of how all the old boxes and crates were still in the position that he'd left them.Another latch clicked and through the candlelight he saw the door to the roof was wide open.Cool air blew into the room with the clear scent of a summer night air.Earthy and subtle like how it smelled before it began to rain.She climbed through the door with ease.He followed with considerably less grace.

She was already up on her feet when he popped his head to look around.The whole world so different.The roof seemed so much more otherworldly,an expense of shingles and nothing more aside for a couple of chimneys sticking up against the flat surface.They opted to sit down on a section that rose above the rest and gaze off into the stars.He barely registered the light shuffling of cloth until a little glass bottle was sat in his lap.The golden brown liquid swished around in the moonlight apaun inspection.

"You stole Speedwagon's gin!"He hissed,too afraid to yell from the rooftop lest someone find them with the contraband.

"I've never had alcohol,and I only took a little,barely three shots."

"Neither have I but I'd never steal for it."

"Well it's stolen now,I can't put it back."

"Then go ahead and drink it before he finds out."He sighed exasperatedly."Just please never do this again."

She didn't even speak at that,just nodded in agreement,drew back her head and began to down the contents.She gasped for air a moment later with only half the original contents.He could already tell it wouldn't be good to just leave her to her own devices so he outstretched his hand.The glance she sent him was a bit more than confused but she handed it over a moment later.Eyes lidded shut and hand clutching the shingles for dear life,his head tipped back and opened his lips for the liquor.It tasted disgusting and burned going down his throat but the assurance of Elizabeth's safety was enough to coax him to consume all the remaining liquid.He choked on air as he went for a breath,almost jumping when Elizabeth clapped a hand to his back.

"Don't down it so quick,you'll gag."

She patted his back as his choking fit came to an end.And when the burning sensation went away he looked back up to the sky.The Heavens were still,not a single cloud stirred the inky blackness.Every star twinkled in the same place they always seemed to be,he knew they changed place in the sky but they looked so stagnant.Maybe people were like that too,to themselves they are still the same as they've always been,but to everyone else they are a completely different person than they used to be.