Hallowed Ground (GxG)

Chapter One

"I am a backpacker, of sorts." Ester said, giving the woman a careful smile. "I travel often."

The woman nodded. Ester started to continue her walk down the road, and the woman followed by her side, hands behind her back.

"I figured. Not many people travel here, though." She said. "How did you get this far out?"

"Hitchhiking." Ester said simply.

"Are you headed somewhere in particular?"

"Wherever life takes me, really." Ester said. "I leave when I feel that it's time to leave, and then I travel somewhere new and stop when I find somewhere that seems right."

"That must be so much fun." The woman gushed. "I've always wanted to go somewhere new, but I've never even left the state."

Esther raised her eyebrows.

"Couldn't you leave if that's what you wanted to do?"

"Technically. I guess I feel obligated to stay here." The woman said. "Maybe one day things will change for me."

Esther frowned, though she knew the woman couldn't see it. How cryptic.

"I'm Esther, by the way." She offered.

"AnnMarie Keller." The woman said. "Like in the song."

Esther didn't know which song she was talking about and she didn't pause to ask.

They walked in silence for a little while longer, and Esther kept sneaking glances over to the woman, admiring the freckles on her upturned nose, and the lively flush of her cheek. Even the distant look in her green eyes seemed captivating.

A strange one, but a very cute one, that was for sure. Perhaps this was her lucky night. She'd expected to have to travel for at least a few more days before the tides turned in her favor.

Rain began to fall, gently at first, before picking up to more steady pace. The ground slowly turned from dust into a thick orange paste that clung to her boots. Esther sighed in annoyance, knowing everything in her backpack was sure to be soaked.

AnnMarie, however, laughed giddily, and turned her face up to the sky.

"I love the rain!" She said, arms outstretched.

"You do?" Esther said, her annoyance somewhat dampened by the girl's happy demeanor.

"As a child, I would always beg my mother to let me go out when it rained, so I could splash in the puddles that would gather on the sidewalk. Then, when I was older, I started to resent getting caught in the rain. How it would mess up my hair, ruin my clean clothes.

Just last year, however, I decided to change my mind, and I love getting caught in the rain all over again. Funny how things happen like that, right?"

"I guess it's not so bad when you're not carrying everything you own in a backpack." Esther said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." AnnMarie said. "I didn't think about that. Would you like to come to my place, at least to get out of the rain? It's not too far away."