Intention Man (title in progress)

Unforgettable

Lev's heart sped up and words tumbled out of his mouth without his permission. "You are."

Her mouth moved into a half smile of broken dreams. "That is kind of you to say, but I could never shine so brightly as the stars do. My time has passed."

What had gotten into her? Where was the stubborn, go-getter Zora that he had re-become friends with hours earlier? "Don't say that."

"I am merely verbalizing the truth."

"No you're not."

Zora seemed to shrink. She scooted away from Lev. "I apologize for bringing the mood down."

"I just want you to see the truth. You are a star. You burn."

"That is just the thing about burning, Lev. Eventually one has to burn out."

Lev shook his head. "No! You don't have to." He might have—he didn't know if he ever had truly burned, but he was certainly burned out. But others didn't have to burn out. "You can continue burning. An eternal flame. The stars are ever steady and constant. You can keep going."

"I suppose you are right."

"Of course."

Zora snorted and it was a beautiful sound after the gravity of what had just happened. "Are you saying of course you are right?"

"Of course."

"I believe you are utterly ridiculous!"

Lev found his mouth trying to crack into a smile. It was painful.

"You have been on this side of the river for an entire day, Scooter."

His heart constricted and emotion rose to his throat. "Do you think they miss me?"

Zora didn't answer, but turned her face back up to the sky.

Had they given up searching for him? Had they even begun searching for him? Would they repair the fence once they found his shoes? If he ever made it back would they question him? What would they do with him? Put him under surveillance? Did he want to go back? Would it be easier to live here for the rest of his life? Could he make a life here? There was food and acceptance. There was freedom. That was just about enough. Did he truly miss the East side?

"I find, Lev, that when there is an absence that spans over a long period of time, people begin to forget. They begin to move on. I honestly cannot answer as to whether or not your parents miss you. I should hope so." She touched his elbow and offered a consoling smile. "But I believe they now know how valuable you really are."

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Birds sang their morning songs with at full throttle. To welcome the day, they didn't hold anything back and it was such a refreshing sight and sound as they fluttered about between trees and flowering bushes. Lev and Zora sat once again at the edge of the roof. Zora, with her strawberry milk carton posed elegantly in her hand as she watched the horizon lighten. Lev with, well, nothing, but watching the sky as the sun came up. Sunrises were different from this side of the river. Of course he never actually saw the sunrise with his own two eyes before. It was magnificent. He almost didn't want to breathe for fear that even the slightest ruffle of air would cause something to go wrong.

Rays of orange and red colored the clouds and sky...Lev sucked a breath of air into his lungs and held it as a fiery ball peeked over the earth. The sun in all its morning glory—seemed almost to beckon him to the ends of the earth (although it was round) and bathe in the brightness and beauty that it was. But of course if that was at all possible—which is wasn't—Lev knew he would get burned. Yet even after acknowledging that fact, Lev was still drawn. Although he was perched on the edge of the roof and was as still as he could possibly be, he still wished he could chase the morning sun. It was a beacon of hope to him that all would be well.