Halcyon

C H A P T E R O N E: HE CAME FROM THE NIGHT

The outskirts of Wildgate bloomed in front of us. Though small, it was a city of trend, due to the ski resort not far from the limits and tourists meandered the streets, bundled up in expensive coats while admiring the early Thanksgiving and Halloween decorations in the windows of shops and restaurants. We passed the main thoroughfare and turned left, where the road curved into luxury home properties. The farther back, the more separated the homes became until we reached the end of the winding road and pulled into the open drive.

At first glance the house looked small and compact. But if you rounded the corner you found it was settled across a great hill that overlooked the others, punctuated with frost covered trees, like white, splintered matches. My heart swelled with pride whenever I looked at it. My mother, Marley and I had slaved for that house. We'd accepted no money from the government program, we'd wanted a place we could call our own forever where no one would make us leave. Boasting four bedrooms and vaulted ceilings, my favorite thing about it was the hot tub, sunk into the stone of the yard, which glittered like a jewel in the watery sunlight.

I braked a little ways from the house, because a silver Mercedes was parked outside with Marshal Hanson leaning against it. "Mom," I whispered, shaking her awake. Her eyes flashed open and for a moment she sat there, with the frightened stillness of a rabbit before she gained her bearings. Brushing away red hair that stuck to her face, she stretched and then spied the Marshal in front of the house.

When her countenance visibly brightened, Marley and I shared an eye roll in the rearview mirror. She sprang from the car and walked quickly over to the agent with a cheery, "Hello Marshal!"

He grinned down at her, graying hair ruffled slightly as the wind tugged at his expensive coat, "Jill, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Dean?"

"Ew," was Marley's reply to that.

"No classes today Bonnie?" Hanson called, giving me a kind smile.

With a shake of my head I replied, "Skipped out today for the promise of food."

He laid a hand over his chest in mock dismay, "Why Bonnie I never knew you were such a criminal. Don't make me arrest you!"

With a low chuckle, I unbuckled a sleeping Toby from the car seat and carried him inside, leaving the door open for Marley to struggle in with the groceries. The house was warm compared to the frigid winter air outside and I set a now awake Toby down on a chair in the kitchen and told him to wait for his lunch when he began to complain.

Marley walked in, huffing and puffing, her arms laden with groceries. "You'd think we don't exist when that guy ever comes around!" she exclaimed angrily, snagging an apple from one of the bags.

I grinned and shook my head, beginning to store the food while she plopped down into a chair and crunched on her snack. "She likes him because he makes her feel safe, she needs that, you know."

She frowned at me, "Isn't it a bit quick. . ." She trailed off at my look.

"Definitely not. If anything she took too long. And be honest Mar, can you really think of a better candidate for her to try to start again with? He's a Federal Marshal, all gung-ho about protecting the people and what not. No wonder she likes him." Marley gazed away and nodded in understanding.

"And he's hot."

Mar burst out laughing and I chuckled too, shaking my head as bits of her apple sprayed from her mouth and onto the table.

"I didn't know you had a thing for older men Bonnie," she teased, winking at me flirtatiously while tittering behind her fingers.

Suddenly serious, "Besides, I'm not opposed to having a guy with a gun around are you?"

There was was funny look on her face when she replied darkly, "definitely not Bonnie, definitely not."

Dinner was a long and arduous affair. Marshal Hanson stayed for penne in marinara sauce and after that he and my mother adjourned to the living room for a glass of wine and a movie, leaving Marley and I to wash the dishes. Marley was less than pleased. "See!" she whispered harshly, "we're invisible!"

After we'd finished rinsing them and storing them all away in the dishwasher to be cleaned, Marley stomped upstairs with the kind of angst only a teen could possess, leaving me alone in the kitchen. Outside, a few clouds had obscured the moon but it was not yet snowing. Whatever was left of the powdered blanket that hadn't been swept away from the yard, gleamed in the dark seeming to give off a light of its own. Perfect.

I was sure my mom was too occupied with the Marshal to notice my absence and Marley thought it was funny that I continued to do this, so she wouldn't tell. I quietly padded into the back porch, where my swimsuit hung out to dry from last night. From inside, the dials to the Jacuzzi were lit up red and I spun both of them until the little pool's lights came on in the dark yard and the water began to heat and bubble. I stripped quietly, tying the suit around my form and laid my clothes on top of the washing machine for later use. As soon as I observed steam from the bubbling water rising into the air, I wrapped several towels around myself and made a mad dash for the water, cold air prickling my exposed flesh just before I sunk into a flurry of bubbles and steam.

I'd done this for the last week, ever since Marley had dared me to do it, naked, of course. There was something magical about it. The water was hot and enveloped my entire body, even while my breaths puffed out in the cold. Stars tilted overhead and the world was quiet and white amidst the rolling hills blanketed in undisturbed snow. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply as the steam kissed my face.

After a while I heard the noise of the Marshal's car departing. Soon after that my mother's bedroom light flipped on as she settled in to get ready for bed. I sighed and stretched luxuriously in the water, a small smile curving up the corners of my mouth. It seemed like an hour before I opened my eyes again and a scream caught in my throat. Steam rose up into the night sky, and etched against the starry backdrop was the huge silhouette of a man, whose eyes were so dark and burning they stole the shriek from my mouth and the breath from my lungs. All I could do was bob there helplessly in the water while we both stared, and waited.

Hope this was enjoyable!