Gabe - Eleven

Gabe

 

            Silence. Nothing but endless, empty, uncomfortable quiet. For the third hour straight.

            It was midnight. Erich and I had been trapped within four feet of each other up on the freezing, shockingly high roof since nine o’clock. Neither of us had said a word for more than three hours.

            More than once I considered throwing myself off the roof, or regretted asking Erich for help when I almost slipped off the ladder.

            I had never experienced anything so uncomfortable. For the first hour, we had scanned horizon and avoided eye contact. That was when we were still a little hopeful that this fire warden thing might actually be useful, that we might actually see some action and be the heroes who saved the school when the bombs fell. No such luck. Eventually I had started counting the tiles on the roof and Erich had broken out his flask, determined to look at anything but each other.

            Now Erich had his head lolled back against the chimney and his eyes half closed. I figured he couldn’t see me in the dark, so I finally looked at him, just for a change of scenery. I never looked at him or any guy for very long, fearing the assumptions that usually came with staring.

            His shoulders were perpetually hunched, like he was constantly suspicious of something behind him. His once severely cropped white-blond hair had grown out a little since I first met him; it looked better that way. His face was all harsh, square angles, half hidden in the dim lantern light. His eyes were completely shut now, hiding the ice blue squint that scared the hell out of me on a daily basis. This guy must have been the ultimate specimen back in Germany, I thought.

            I got nervous, then, that he would open his eyes and catch me staring, so I quickly whipped my head back and looked at the stars. I knew the constellations in Italian and English. I lay back, figuring it would be a good way to pass the time.

            Big mistake.

            I pointed at the sky, though obviously no one was looking but me. “Gemini,” I mouthed. Gemelli, I heard in my head. Suddenly I was warm all over, thinking of that voice.

            Oh God, I hadn’t thought about this in so long.

            Lying on my back in the vineyard. My jacket spread out under us.

            I bit down hard on my nail. Gnaw gnaw gnaw RIP

            The light of the full moon falling on that face. Grass between my toes. The smell of ripe grapes and stolen wine and sweat.

            Gnaw gnaw gnaw RIP

            . Soft Italian in my ear. Hands on my face. Head on my shoulder. Lips on my throat.

            Gnaw gnaw gnaw RIP

            “For the love of God, would you cut that out?” I sat up so fast it made my head spin. Erich was now wide awake and looking at me angrily from across the roof. “Calm the hell down and quit biting your nails! What the hell do you have to be nervous about?”

            I bit my lip and lay back down again. He had snapped me out of the memory, and I was unreasonably grateful. I didn’t care if he yelled at me. Human contact was all I needed.

            “Sorry,” I muttered, promising myself that I would start up again in a few hours. Just to get him talking.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very strong chapter. I like the thoughts in this chapter. When we have too much time to think. We can wander to the wrong places. I like how the chapter ended. Thank you for a excellent chapter.
Coyote