Masked Twilight

Traffic Trees

Link's POV

My butt hurts. I've been sitting in this car for way too long, and I can't get out of this traffic to stop somewhere. Midna shares my annoyance with a groan.

"Move, people!" she shouts at the cars in front of us. She groans again and slumps in her chair. Time barks at the cars, too.

We move an inch forward. That's not what Midna meant, people. Move!

We're so close, too. Tall palm trees line the roads. Tropical plants take over beyond the highway. A lake in the distance shimmers under the bright sun, no clouds to block the light. I see signs ahead directing visitors to resorts. Come on, just let us through! Thirty minutes of crawling forward pass before the traffic jam breaks and I can drive freely again.

"Yes!" I hoot and step on the gas. There's a break in the line of palm trees, opening up the view to luxurious resorts and huge hotels. When we pass those and the palm trees return, another traffic jam haults us, stealing my excitement. Time barks in anger.

"Are you kidding me?" Midna groans. I laugh in spite of myself. "What's so funny?"

"The traffic trees are at it again," I say simply.

"What?" Midns looks confused and ready to snap my arm in half if I give her another answer like that. I smile at her angry expression.

"With the last foster family I stayed with, we came up here for spring break, like every other person in the country," I explain. "Whenever the palm trees showed up, heavy traffic stopped up from moving. As soon as we left them, the traffic was gone. The trees showed up again, and so did the traffic, so we named them traffic trees."

Midna quirks an eyebrow. "That is the most stupid thing I have ever heard. But I kinda like it. Burn the traffic trees!"

I laugh with her as we inch along.

Time starts barking at something out the window. A little girl waves at him, her smile missing a front tooth. Time plays with her by ducking under the window, then reappearing for her to see. Though I can't hear her, the little girl is laughing hysterically.

"Time is cute with little kids," Midna notes. He barks in response.

I smile and open my mouth to respond, but close it. I was about to say how well Time played with Colin. I frown at the memory of the two playing fetch before. . . Before I ran into the woods. The loud barking releases me from my guilt. I plaster on a fake smile.

"You miss him, don't you?" Midna asks gently. "Colin, I mean."

The smile drops and I take a deep breath through my nose. "Yeah." I rub my fingers over the picture he drew me.

Midna sets her hand over my wrist. I look at her, able to see threads of compassion behind her tough exterior.

"He must miss you, too. You should go back to him."

I drop my gaze into my lap. Small bits of anger fizzle in my chest, but I know she means well. Still, I can't go back, and I tell her as much. "I have to stay here. I have to protect him and the rest of his family." I have to protect then from myself and Zant now.

I feel Midna's eyes on me, but I don't look at her. We sit like this - her hand on mine, me trying to ignore her - for a while. Except, it's hard to ignore her. Her fiery, commanding eyes bore into me, and I have to look at her. It feels like something is clogging my throat like cars stuck between traffic trees, and I can't swallow it down. Midna reaches her hand out, and everything stills around me.

Softly, as if they were made of clouds, her fingers caress my cheek. She holds them there, staring into my eyes as she presses her palm against my skin. All I see is her. Her blazing eyes. Her scorching hair. Her pale, flawless skin, pendant gleaming against it.

I don't register the angry honking until Midna whispers, "You should go."

I blink and snap out of it, pushing the gas petal down. Midna retreats her hands and looks out the window. Snorting, Time sticks his face next to mine. He looks at me with wide, questioning eyes, and licks me. I groan and push him away, but he returns. I raise an eyebrow. He licks his nose. Do I even want to know what he's thinking?

Probably not.