Burnwood - The Dragon Arum

by Sarah La Rose

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  I sat on a large protruding rock along the shoreline next to Nick’s house. I grabbed a handful of smaller rocks, casting them one by one across the lake.

  I wondered if Nick knew more than he was saying. The rest of the group said their parents were reluctant to speak about the past, but Torren seemed more than willing. In fact, he was practically begging to be heard.

  I tossed another rock and it, like the others before it, plopped into the water with a big splash.

  Nick walked over, kneeling down to retrieve a small, smooth black rock. “The trick is to find the flat ones.”

  “Is he okay?”

  Nick gazed out across the lake. “He’ll be fine.” He swung his arm and launched the rock across the water. It skipped more times than I could keep count and then disappeared below the gleaming surface.

  I bent down and carefully selected a white stone, similar in shape and size as the one Nick picked. I stepped up beside him, mimicking his stance. “Nick, he said something about the medallions, didn’t he?”

  Nick shrugged. “Maybe. Do you really think we should take anything he says into consideration?”

  “He might know more than we think. He’s clearly aware of the Elders and my father. He might be able to help us.”

  “Help us?” he chortled. “He can barely help himself.”

  “Nick.” I said. “He’s your father.”

  “I know!” he shouted. “It’s just that I don’t want to bring it up again. I don’t even know why I brought you here.”

  I paused. “Why did you bring me here?”

  Nick and I were hardly friends, regardless of our blood connection. It’s not that I don’t want to be his friend. In fact, I’m almost positive I do, though his mood swings make it hard to commit. I probably would’ve made an effort at some point to connect with the mysterious founding member who lurked in the background of every society meeting. Surely my curiosity would’ve gotten the best of me eventually. But we had gotten off to a rocky start- the sad consequence of my rash behavior, which I still believed was partially justified. It was practically a kidnapping!

  Nick, still looking out over the lake, dropped his arms loosely to his side. “I don’t know. I guess I was hoping it would help him.”

  “Nick…”

  “Don’t,” he said, standing motionless with an icy exterior.

  I was quiet for a moment, but the question lingered in the air like a foul odor. “How long has he been this way?”

  “Thirteen years,” he replied. “Or so I think. I can’t remember the first few years. I was too young.”

  “Ever since the fire.”

  He nodded.

  “I don’t understand. What happened that night?”

  He shrugged. “A house caught fire and took the people we loved from us. Some of us could just never get passed that.” He looked back at the house with the same sadness in his eyes that I’d seen in Torrens just moments earlier. “Some of us will never be the same again.”

  “My uncle never told me about your mother. I thought it was just my parents in that house that night.”

  “I wish it had been.”

  The words hit me like a derailed train, the blow forcing the air from my lungs. I could feel my face burning red and my eyes swelling with tears.

  Nick took a step towards me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I wish that fire never happened at all.”

  I swallowed hard. Hearing something like that, especially when your guard is down; it isn’t an easy thing to recover from.

  “I really am sorry,” he said again. “I… I don’t even know why I would say something like that.”

  I met his gaze. “I know you didn’t mean it like that. I just… I think I know how your dad felt when you said…” I stopped, not daring to inflict that kind of pain on him.

  Nick looked down for a long moment and then looked back over the lake. He lowered himself onto the rock beside me. It was quiet for a while as we both stared out at the dazzling lake with the hot sand at our feet.

  “You ever wonder what your life would be like if that fire never happened?” said Nick.

  I nodded. “I’ve thought about it from time to time.”

  “It’s just hard to accept things when you know they would’ve been a lot different.”

  “I was fortunate enough to have my uncle, but I couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened to me without him.”

  Nick laughed and gestured over his shoulder at the house. “You would’ve ended up here.”

  I giggled. “You know, my uncle never mentioned you or your father. I wonder if he even knows.”

  “I think your uncle knows a lot more than you think.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Nick shook his head in the same way he did when I asked about his father. “Never mind.”

  “No,” I demanded. “I want to know what you mean by that. He’s my uncle. You can’t just insult him and then go on about your day without a valid explanation. And I mean it better be a damn good excuse because you’ve just manned an assault against my only ally.”

  Nick rolled his eyes. “You really shouldn’t take history class so seriously.”

  “Stop changing the subject and explain yourself.”

  Nick stood up and I mirrored his action.

  “Don’t you think it’s odd that you’ve moved around your whole life?”

  “I guess, but it’s not like that was ever something we wanted,” I said. “We had to move for work.”

  “I’ve never met anyone who had to move multiple times a year for work. Have you?”

  “Just because I’ve never met anyone doesn’t mean they don’t exist out there somewhere,” I retorted, folding my arms across my chest defensively.

  “Okay, then tell me about you’re uncle’s coworkers, or his job sites, or even the name of the company he works for.”

  I pondered his question and came up empty-handed. “Where are you going with this?”

  “Don’t you think it’s odd that he has never mentioned my family? He’s never mentioned that you have a cousin and an uncle. And, he’s never mentioned my mother either, has he?”

  “No,” I said, the word no louder than a whisper.

  There was another long silence between us and I could feel his eyes watching me, though I never looked up to meet his gaze. He was right. I had never really questioned my uncle’s motives for moving, but now how could I not.

  “Okay genius,” I said. “If not for work than what did we move for?”

  He thought about it for a second and then turned to me, a devious smile and a glint in his eye.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “But, I bet we can find out.”