Every Bright and Broken Thing

Chapter Twenty-One - Liam

We take the scenic route to Morrison, driving as much through the mountains as we can. It doesn't take long for the winding roads to make Will sick. At one point, we pull over to let him puke on the side of the road.

The higher into the mountains we go, the freer I feel – less attached the world behind me. For just a little while, I can pretend that Summit and all the things that lurk in shadows untouched by neon lights and paper smiles don't exist. For just a little while, I can pretend that everything is going to be okay.

At the highest point of the mountain road, I tell Theo to pull over. He does so without question. As if he knows what's going on. Even if he can't put it to words, he can see it in me. It scares me and I wonder how long until he discovers the truth.

Stumbling from the car a little buzzed, I nearly slip on the fresh, thin layer of snow that covers the earth. I welcome the brisk bite of the Colorado mountain air, smiling into it. Buttoning up my denim jacket and pulling my beanie tighter around my head, I wander into the woods. Realizing I'm alone, I turn to see the guys shivering beside the car. "You coming, or what?"

"It's cold, dude," Jace whimpers.

"Yeah, so?"

"Maybe we should get back in the car," Will says, his breath forming a miniature cloud in front of him. It disappears as soon as he expels it.

I groan. "I'm so sick of the car."

Theo lets out a laugh. "We've only been driving for, like, an hour-and-a-half!"

"Too long," I say, shaking my head. "I need to move for a bit."

I turn to one of the fir trees and snap off one of the smaller, low-hanging branches, pointing it at Theo. "I challenge you to a good old-fashioned duel."

Eyebrow cocked, Theo stomps over to a different tree and snaps off a branch of his own. In comparison to his, mine now looks like a toothpick. Considering Theo is a football star, I'm pretty sure this was a bad idea.

Before I can change my mind, Theo takes a swing at me. I manage to duck and block the blow with my branch.

Collecting their own branches, Will and Jace join in and we fight our way deeper into the woods, scaling trees and bounding over boulders. Stumbling across a big rock with a semi-flat surface, we start our own backwoods version of King of the Hill. For a while, Theo manages to stay on top of the "hill", but eventually I manage to dethrone him and claim his kingdom as my own. As we go, distant memories of goofing around like this with Ezra and Lincoln try to overwhelm me, but the cold wind blows them away. At least I get to be free for a little while.

I don't know how long we go on like this, but eventually, when we're all short-of-breath and drenched in sweat, we collapse to the frosty ground in a lopsided circle. I stare up at the evergreen trees, eyes soaring past their peaks, up into the cold night sky.

"The stars are so bright up here," Will says.

As if to show off, a comet flies through the sky above us in a streak of burning yellow-white light that sets the whole universe on fire.

"Quick," Theo says. "Make a wish."

I sense the sarcasm, but I wish anyway. I know it's stupid and that the stars can't hear my thoughts, but maybe the world could be kind to me for just this moment.

Moonlight filters through the mountain peaks and tangled branches, seeming almost to shine down on the four of us like a spotlight. There's a warmth to this light. And it pulls me back together little by little.

"This is our moment, guys," Theo says after a long, drawn out silence. "It's all coming together for us."

"Is it?" I ask – quiet, unsure.

"Not everyone gets this kind of chance," he says. "We can't miss this opportunity. We have to work hard – harder than ever before. We have to fight for it."

"Or die trying," Will adds.