Wanderlust

the ending for 'write an ending contest'

The darkness evaporated as soon as it came, a small match flickered in the room before blooming into a small fire. "Going somewhere?" Lillith ignored the impulse to yell out in surprise, clearly not expecting to see an old man boiling what seemed to be tea over the small fire. The elderly man had a worn, lined face, ashen from the fire's glow. The hut had an air of warmth and home, nothing like the appareance of abandonment and negligence that coulld be seen outside of the house. "Or are you just going to stand there?"

Ignoring her instincts to just run like hell away from this man into the rain, she hesitantly dropped down to a crouch beside him, she warmed her hands with the fire, sighing in content pleasure as the warmth licked her palms, making her more aware of her clothes, slightly drenched in the downpour. A steaming cup was offered to her. "Earl Gray?" Lillith nodded with a mumbled quiet thanks, training her eyes on her shoes, she could feel the blisters from the canvas. "I don't mean to scare you off." she could see the quiet asain take a long sip of his tea before he continued. 'But why exactly are you here? You're on the highway on the road to nowhere for a possible eight hours."

"What are you doing?" the sound of crashing, the feel of August heat, taste of blood-

"Napa Valley." I whispered, my voice hoarse with disuse and thirst. The asian man stared at me, an amused glint in his eyes.

"That's pretty far."

"Hm, it is,"

'Do you have a map?"

"Why?"

"We're up north, you need to head south."

"What about you?" Lillith stared confidently, more confidently than she felt.

"Pardon?"

"It's a road to nowhere, no civilization for eight hours." I mocked, and that amused glint remained.

"Do you know what a recluse is?"

"No."

"Honey, we can talk about this!"

He stroked the slight fuzz on his chin, staring at a part of the wallm searching through his thoughts.

"i guess you can say I'm isolated from the world."

"Why do you do that to yourself?"

"It's better that way."

"Are you a monk?" he let out a laugh, eyes glittering with humour.

"No, I'm just a hermit waiting around for his death toll."

"Don't you have any family?"

"If you walk out this door you're never coming back!"

"Yes." he croaked, examining suddenly.

"I had a son, last time I saw him he was around your age. Cute kid." he took another sip, encouraging me to do the same. She didn't want to tell him that she was probably older than he thought she was "But he's all grown up by now, probably long forgot about his old man."

"What was he like?"

"You're pretty! I like your hair!"

"Full of energy. Always wanted attention." he stopped, hesitating to continue.

'And what happened?"

"We got into a fight. Couples spat. Then she started talking about my job, female co-workers, that I didn't lover son enough, that I didn't love her enough." he ran a hand through his thinning hair and covered her eyes, resisting shuddering breathes. "i lashed out on her. He called the cops, I ran. I was scared."

Lillith wanted to feel empathetic, but she stared into her cup disinterested. "Is that all?"

"A number of things." he admitted, he chuckled nervously.

"How do you get the food, the stuff."

"Have a friend who helps me out."

"i though you were a recluse?"

"A recluse can't have friends?" he smiled at her. "I consider you one." Lillith looked down, stomach still in knots, and it wasn't from the hunger.