The Corner of the Grand Canyon

Chapter 2: Hiking Partners

The desert was one hell of an artist.

However,I couldn't stare forever. The boy turned towards me, looking rather defiant.

"Can I help you?" he asked. Stuck in place, I couldn't get my mouth to move.

When in doubt,introduce yourself.

The only thing I could think of was my dad's rule of thumb.

"H-Hi I'm uh Elijah Oliver," I stammered through. Manners extended my hand for a handshake.

The boy's eyebrows knitted slightly. He looked guarded and confused as he shook my hand.

"I'm Asa," he introduced. Sunlight was now lighting up his dark hairlike some sort of ethereal painting.

"I'm guessing you want to be partners?" he asked. He seemed closed off,like he turned off his emotions.

"Yes,"I answered promptly. A small, tight smile was forced onto his face.

"Well it's good I found someone."

We didn't talk much after that.

After the general partner commotion, the guide lead us through the trail to explain the billions of details correlated with the Grand Canyon. Asa stayed next to me, but not too close. After the sun went out and the stars came in, a chill settled over the desert. I shivered in my hoodie, zipping it up all the way and shoving my free hand in a pocket. Sometimes I would glance over to see how Asa was doing, but he would never catch me or look back. He just seemed somewhat gone?

I tried to banish my worries and continue staying with the rest of the group, but I kept getting distracted and falling behind. I couldn't even hear the guide back here. Trying to hurry up, I took long strides.

But Asa still seemed far away. I had to stay with him, so I slowed down,just a tad.

After a long period of complete silence, I asked, "Where are you from?"

He glanced at me.

"California."

"Really?Me too!" He didn't respond. Aphoristic much? I thought to myself.

I cleared my throat a bit. "Um which city in California?"

"Berkeley."

"Oh wow! I'm from Palo Alto!"

"Mm."Jeez, did this kid even talk

Well he could be going through serious stuff right now. Being yelled at isn't easy,one voice in his head claimed.

He should at least talk, said another,smaller and very sassy voice.

He doesn't need to do anything, just give him space.

I bet he's a jackass.

Shut up.

Asshole.

Have some mercy, jeebus.

Motherfucker.

Would you want to fuck your mom if she yelled at you constantly?

Only if I wanted it.

You're sick dude, I'm leaving.

"Does your dad work at Google or something?" I jerked my head to the side, startled that he'd spoken. (Probably felt bad for ignoring me.That's a good sign.)

"No,he works at this publishing company." The conversion felt natural now, in some odd way. Maybe it was the feeling of nature running through me. "He gets pretty into the books he reads."

"I always wished my mom read me books." Asa feel silent for a while.

"Does he like he job?" he asked. I smiled, knowing how much books meant to my father.

"Yeah he loves it. Sometimes, he'll bring back a 'legal' copy of the book he's reading."

A hint of a smile toppled onto Asa's face. Maybe my rant was making him...happy?

"I've only seen him turn down one book. Granted, I've only seen him work like 3 times, but it must've been some bad shit happening because he got this weird look on his-"

"Where's the group?" Asa's voice did a complete 180 from the last time I heard it. Tensity laced through each word. Giving him a glance, his face muscles had tightened too.

"The group?" I asked before it him me. I looked upward toward the trail but saw no one. I looked behind me.

No one.

To the side.

No one.

"Shit,"I whispered. Not a single person lay in sight.

It was just Asa and I.

Lost.