The Mojave Desert 1983
"Got something on your mind?"
Philip Swann snapped out of his thoughts before looking up at Mr. Greenwood's sunburned and friendly face. Mr. Greenwood owned the very gas station Philip was sitting outside of. Just a month ago while driving by Philip spotted a help wanted sign, since then he had been working full time there pumping gas and checking cars. The job was easy, most of the day Philip spent sitting in one of the broken down lawn chairs outside and watched the day slowly pass. Usually there were fifteen or twenty cars in total that past by for gas or an oil change. These were tourist who were headed to either Vegas or Los Angeles. Swann liked the peace though, it gave him plenty of time to just sit around and think. Mr. Greenwood most of the time sat inside drinking ice tea and listening to the baseball scores. He was a friendly nice older man and paid Swann under the table, never asking any questions. Swann knew he needed the money and liked the fact there wasn't any paperwork or background checks involving the job, it was straight and simple…he pumped gas.
Looking up as a warm breeze blew by, Philip's bangs fell in front of his sparking blue eyes. Mr. Greenwood stood before him with a half empty glass bottle of soda and a cigarette hanging in his hands. Offering the soda to Philip, he simply shook his head. Greenwood then took a seat in a rusting lawn chair, almost exactly like the one Philip was sitting in. For a moment both didn't say anything. Philip simply sat there staring ahead at the empty desert road. Greenwood meanwhile lit his cigarette and took a long hard drag before clearing his throat.
"One bitch of a hot day huh son?"
Philip nodded.
"Why don't you take the rest of the afternoon off, I'm having a few of my buddies over to play some poker…you like poker son?"
Philip shrugged.
"Never really played much, not that good."
"Well your welcome to play, my pals are good guys…met them while we were serving in the war."
Philip faintly smirked.
"Sounds cool but I gotta get back."
Greenwood took another drag of his smoke before eyeing Philip.
"Got a girlfriend waiting for ya?"
Philip paused for a second, looking ahead in deep thought before a smile began to creep up on his face. Just thinking about her made his entire mood change.
"Yeah, something like that."
"Well that's real nice…give her a kiss for me, sounds real sweet."
Philip stared off into the distance thinking about her…somehow all of his worries seemed to drift away whenever she entered his mind. Most of the time whenever he was just sitting here or working around the garage what got him though the day was knowing she would be there when he got back.
"Yeah…she sure is."
"I bet you knew someone who fought in Vietnam War, huh?"
Philip looked over.
"Yeah, my father did…or at least that's what I was told."
"He die in the war?"
Philip nodded.
"My mom was only fifteen when she said me, still pregnant when he went off to fight…she got really heavy into drugs after that…can't really blame her you know?"
Greenwood simply nodded as he continued to smoke his cigarette.
"We lived on the streets mostly, her parents kicked her out after she had me…she tried her best, worked a lot of odd jobs…died of an overdose when I was ten."
"Jesus…"
"Yeah…been on my own since then."
"How old are you now son? Eighteen?"
"Nineteen, I'll be twenty this spring."
Greenwood signed before finishing the last of his smoke. Standing up, he cracked his back before patting Swann's shoulder.
"Well…you sound like you have a lot of history behind you, still…you're a good kid, I can see it in your eyes."
Swann faintly smiled up at him before Greenwood waved his hand.
"You go ahead and get home, I'll see you Sunday."
"Thanks mister Greenwood."
"George will do just fine."
"Okay George."
"And remember what I said, give that girl of yours a kiss for me."
Philip grinned before standing up himself.
"I sure will."
Climbing into his '66 Thunderbird, Swann started the engine before pulling out onto the dusty road. It would be sunset in a couple of hours and finally it would start cooling down. On the ride back Swann drove with one hand on the steering wheel and his left arm resting on the rolled down window. His elbow stuck out and softly playing on the radio was some old Temptations song. Driving a little under sixty, Swann watched the desert unfold before him. The same desert that had been his home for so many years. Thinking back on what he had told Mr. Greenwood he remembered his mother suddenly. He had happened to forget that his mother had become a horrible junkie by the time he was old enough to walk. That she usually took her anger out of him and would sometimes beat him so bad that both his eyes would become swollen shut. He had left out the part that his mother was a whore and how the two of them lived on the streets until he found her overdosed and raped in the filth of a back ally with rats and scum. Still, he didn't blame her. She was just a kid and heartbroken when his father died. Sometimes, when he was much younger would try to pretend what his father was like. He had dreamed up this image of some hero who was handsome and brave. He dreamed up a mental image of what he thought his mother was like before he died. Back when they were two love struck teenagers with the whole future ahead of them.
After his mother had died he lived on the streets. Picking trash for food and sleeping with the rest of the homeless. He had no idea how he survived, but he remembered how he ended up here in the first place. He had just turned sixteen and was living in New Mexico. He had developed a pretty bad drug habit himself and was whoreing himself out with a few of his friends. Thinking back at all those horrible memories he got chills. He remembered he didn't matter who had sex with him, male or female. He just wanted the cash…that's when he met Nix. It was warm summer's night and he appeared before him while he was sleeping up against one of the old broken down churches. At first Swann thought he was a customer and stood up quickly in his torn and dirty clothes. Pushing back his hair he told Nix he was twenty if he wanted any. That's when Nix threw his head back and simply laughed. Opening his palm, a beautiful fire appeared from it. Swann remembered becoming transfixed on it before Nix's eyes glittered.
"How the fuck can you do that?"
Nix closed his palm and the fire was gone. Smiling he stepped forward before putting his arm around him.
"I'll show you…I'll show you everything."
Nix brought him deep into the desert that night to the ranch. Back when Nix had twenty other followers in total. Quaid, Pimm, and Jennifer were there. Nix introduced him and told him that this was his home now…these people were his family.
Swann at first felt uneasy and scared. He didn't believe in which until now.
Everyone was friendly and welcoming. Nix had a helper who was fourteen…his name was Butterfield. Right from the start Butterfield was jealous of Swann. Nix gave Swann clean clothes and food. He told him he was safe now and that he would show him everything he ever wanted to see.
Within a week Swann decided to stay.
Everyone was nice and during the day they usually worked the land around the ranch. Nix had meetings with them twice a day. Everyone would gather around transfixed as Nix would give these powerful and chilling speeches. Each time he would give such meaning to his words it seemed scary.
Swann became good friends with Quaid, Jennifer, and Pimm. They were all around his age and usually all hung around each other. Everyone pretty much had the same back-story…they were runaways with no family. On the ranch Swann learned how to fire guns and read and write. It really did seem like a family. Time had no meaning there.
He looked up to Nix as though he was his father.
Each night once everyone was fast asleep Nix would take Swann aside and talk with him for hours. He promised him he would show him the secrets of the universe. He slowly began to teach Swann his ways. Within the first six months of living there Nix taught Swann how to use mind control. Somehow Swann was a fast leaner and was amazed at how there truly was a thing called magic. Nix told him great stories and taught him how to fly and other little tricks. Soon everyone knew that Swann was Nix's favorite. Butterfield's hate for him grew worse. Talk began to go around to ranch that Nix wanted Swann to take over for him one day and show the followers the ways of the world.
It all seemed so overwhelming.
Swann knew Nix loved him.
Yet…things didn't seem right.
A year past and Swann was Nix's apprentice. He was the only one who had enough power to create the same magic as Nix could. Twice, late at night Nix attempted to kiss and hold Swann. Each time Swann pulled away as Nix laughed, gently touching his face.
"Within time…within time. Then we'll rule the world together."
Everyone at the ranch slept together. It was something Nix loved. He taught them that flesh was just a trap and that death was the biggest illusion of all. Sharing flesh was something that had to be done. Most of the time orgies would be held in front of him. Nix would sit up watching them, drinking wine and watching Swann as he licked his lips.
Swann mostly slept with Jennifer.
Jennifer had fallen in love with Swann, and even confessed this. She told him she would do anything for him but Swann had to admit he didn't think of her that way. He loved her as a friend, but never as a lover. Yet, Jennifer still wanted to sleep with him. Swann felt guilty, and empty inside.
Finally, things began to go wrong.
Swann remembered the screams at night. He remembered overhearing Nix and sometimes spying on him. He remembered watching him skin a young farm boy alive when he stumbled upon a ranch. Soon Swann began to fear Nix and discovered that he didn't want to change the ways of the world…he wanted to destroy it. He saw that all this magic was nothing but evil.
Nix was insane and wanted him.
That's when Swann met up with Quaid, Jennifer, and Pimm one night in his car. The same car Nix had found for him and gave to him. This last summer Quaid and Swann spent many hours fixing it up in the hot summer sun.
They all knew things were going bad. Nix was crazy and had to be stopped.
So what would they do?
Leave?
They had no place else to go?
For two weeks straight, shortly after midnight the four of them would meet up in Swann's car and talk. Swann had been doing research and had stolen one of Nix's books. One of the books that was bound in human flesh. He read that the only way to stop Nix was to bind him.
They all planned out how they would escape.
At first Swann told them that they should all just leave. That's when Quaid laughed at him.
"He'll find you Swann…wherever you go he'll find you."
Swann shook his head.
"No, he's just a man."
"Is he?"
Swann looked at his friend unsure before looking in the backseat at the two girls.
"I promise I'll keep you all safe…I know how."
"Then let's just leave Swann…we'll go into town one day and get those guns Nix had hidden and just leave, take off…"
Swann stared ahead.
He thought of Nix searching the world for him. Would he really just leave? Leave the man who had taken him in? The man who gave him a home and a family? The same man who showed him such powers it terrified Swann.
Swann didn't know.
A week later they had made their decision. They were all going to leave.
Their plan was to split up afterwards. Maybe meet up in a year or two. They knew Nix would send some of the others after them. The plan was to ride into town and pick up Nix's guns. After that they would all go their own ways.
That's when Swann found out that Nix had kidnapped a child.
Word traveled fast. It was just a few days before they planned on leaving. Nix had told them that he found this young girl at an orphanage. He planned on making a sacrifice for the upcoming year. He planned on spilling her blood on the desert sand. Nobody was allowed to see her until it happened. That's when Swann knew Nix had gone too far. That morning they heard helpless cries from Nix's room. Butterfield was guarding it. Meeting up outside, Swann, Quaid, Jennifer, and Pimm decided enough was enough.
He had to be stopped.
Swann then showed them the metalwork to bind Nix.
"Where did you get that?"
Pimm gasped.
"I stole it from him, I know how to do this."
"Swann…this is crazy."
"Do you really want to live the rest of your life scared? He needs to be stopped…he's crazy."
"Do you have any idea what he'll do to us?"
"I'll protect you, I promise."
Jennifer was the first to agree. Then Quaid, then Pimm.
Moments later Nix appeared, telling everyone he wanted to share his wisdom with them and to gather up inside. That's when Swann turned towards him. His eyes wild.
"No."
Everyone froze.
"What?"
Swann simply shook his head and went to his car.
Nix watched him, amused.
His followers watched.
That's when Quaid shook his head as well.
"This is bullshit man, killing little kids."
Turning, Quaid shot a look at everyone.
"Fuck all of you."
Quaid joined Swann.
Without a word, Jennifer and Pimm followed. Nix watched as they pulled away. Butterfield couldn't believe it.
"Your really going to let them go?"
Nix folded his arms watching Swann's car.
"He'll be back…"
Turning, everyone followed him inside.
Driving out further, the four of them found where Nix had hidden his guns in an old underground bunker. Grabbing what they needed, everyone seemed unsure as they grabbed their weapons. Jennifer seemed to be the only one who seemed deadest on helping Swann.
Swann knew of course this was because of how she felt about him.
Grabbing their stuff, they headed back.
Driving back, Swann's mind was set.
He was going to stop this.
Snapping out of his own thoughts and memories, Swann clutches the steering wheel tighter before looking ahead through his dusty windshield. Horrible visions appeared before him as he drove forward, remembering that day. Quaid, Pimm, and Jennifer all joined him and went back to rescue the little girl Nix had kidnapped. From the moment Swann stepped out of his car that day he knew what had to be done. Along with getting the kid, he needed to finally put to stop to all this madness. He felt dirty inside knowing how much he had trusted and followed Nix in the beginning. How he learned and listened, believing everything he said. Part of him felt guilty knowing he was turning on the one man who saw something in him. The only person who took him off the streets and truly cared about him. Remembering all those times of Nix showing him how much the mind could bend if taught the right way. How amazed he was whenever he felt the power pulse in his veins. How he could slowly lift off the ground if he put enough thought into it. How he could light fire within a flick of his fingers, how he could shape shift things and make things move.
It scared yet excited him.
He now truly believed there was something else to this world. Magic was real and so wasn't Heaven and Hell. Once he saw what an evil man Nix was, and all the lies he had told…he knew what had to be done.
Yet through all these terrible memories he remembered slowly creeping into Nix's room with his gun held out. His heart racing, and his hands shaking. He knew how powerful Nix was…and what he would do to him if he caught him. Going in he remembered hearing a cry and jumping.
That's when he saw her.
A little girl, twelve or thirteen. Scared and curled up in a little ball crying. Her sundress dirty and long scratches on her arms and legs. That's when Swann felt the strangest feeling overcome him. He wasn't scared nor nervous. Looking at her he knew why he had come back. Kneeling down and taking the gag out of her mouth he placed his hands on her tiny face as she cried.
Both locked eyes.
"You're gonna be okay…"
Brushing away part of her dirty blond hair he looked at this girl and feel completely in love. She was beautiful. That's when she began to scream.
Within seconds visions of Nix appearing before him, his eyes set on him.
"I knew you would come…I have so much power to give you. All you have to do is beg."
"Fuck you."
Swann remembered standing up against the wall, looking at him.
"You don't think I have it to give? YOUR WRONG!"
Within seconds Nix flew across the room crashing him into the wall. His hands grabbed at his neck choking him.
"I could eat your fucking soul!"
That's when he saw flashes of when they stopped Nix. How he had gotten inside his head and showed him such awful things Swann knew for the rest of his life he would never be the same.
He got to see how humans looked in God's eyes.
Feeling goosebumps break out on his arms he kept remembering.
Within seconds he remembered the horrible screams and gunshots. Seeing her, so tiny and little holding the gun before dropping it and breaking down. He remembered how Jennifer tossed him the bag to bind Nix and how he had covered his face, muffling his cried of revenge. Moments later the terrible monster that was once his leader was still.
Swann remembered standing up with the others as they circled around the dead body.
"Dead."
Quaid said.
"What do we do now?"
"We bury him so deep…nobody will ever find him."
That's when she began to cry, slowly Swann put his arm and tried his hardest to sooth her. He wanted to let her know that he had stopped it. Nix couldn't hurt her anymore.
The rest of that horrible day was a complete blur. Once they left the ranch they saw that all of Nix's followers had no more fight left in them. In fact, everyone had ran off into the desert. Still, Quaid and Swann kept their guns handy. Swann thought for sure that Butterfield would show up.
Instead, the ranch was deserted.
Jennifer and Pimm took the little girl into Swann's car as Quaid and him lugged Nix's lifeless corpse into the van outside. The entire time Swann felt in edge, waiting for Nix to jump up and claw his nails into his neck.
Instead, he was still.
They loaded the body up and had the women follow them. They drive nearly fifty miles out in the middle of nowhere and opened Swann's trunk to get the shovels.
Pimm stayed in the car with the little girl as Jennifer, Quaid, and Swann dug for hours.
By the time they had finished night had fallen and a million sparking stars were out in the sky. Wrapping Nix's body up they threw him in, nearly ten feet deep and began to fill the grave. With each shovelful of dirt Swann felt free.
Finally they finished, dirty, exhausted, and drained.
"Your sure man, nobody will find it?"
Quaid asked lighting a smoke. Swann shook his head, staring at the ground almost dazed.
"I hope not."
"Now what?"
Swann glanced over at his car and saw the little girl fast asleep with Pimm sitting beside her.
"Go our own ways…live our life's."
"You…think we can? I mean…are we safe?"
Jennifer asked with uneasy eyes.
"Nix's people have no fight left in them…their lost without their leader. Anyways most of them are addicts…that's the only way Nix got them to follow him in the first place. Their all gonna go back living on the streets anyways."
Everyone nodded, it was true. Each and every one of them were ex-addicts, that's how Nix got them to join in the first place. Turning, Jennifer pointed in the direction of his car.
"What about the girl?"
Swann looked up at her.
"Huh?"
"Your gonna drop her off someplace…somewhere with kids right?"
"Yeah…sure…"
Quaid and Jennifer eyed each other before Swann headed back to his car. Within seconds he opened the trunk and threw down his shovel. Jennifer and Quaid slowly followed. Going around, Swann leaned up against the driver's side of the car and shoved his hands into his pockets. Sighing he looked off into the empty dark land.
It was over…it was finally over.
That's when Pimm opened the passenger side door and got out, looking around.
"Is…it finished?"
Quaid who was drinking a beer from Swann's trunk nodded.
"Done."
Jennifer was in the middle of rewrapping her cut hand which had started bleeding badly after shoveling.
"How's the girl?"
"Fast asleep…took awhile."
"She…okay?"
Swann asked, his voice slightly uneven.
"Pretty shaken up…as far as I know she has no family…nothing."
"What's her name?"
"Dorothea."
Swann glanced inside the car and saw the little girl sprawled out fast asleep up front. Suddenly his heart melted.
"Dorothea…"
He whispered under his breath.
"So what now?"
Swann looked up.
"Stick to the plan, go our own ways and keep our mouths shut and our eyes open…maybe in a year or so we'll meet up again."
Quaid and Pimm nodded.
"I'm gonna take the girls to the junkyard where I have a few cars ready…got enough cash to go awhile."
Swann nodded.
"Los Angeles?"
"Yeah…or Mexico, whatever works."
"You?"
Jennifer asked with hopeful eyes. Swann looked back down into the car again at the little girl.
"Gonna drop her off someplace…then just go my own way."
"You sure we're safe?"
Pimm asked in a nervous voice.
"I'm sure."
Quaid nodded before finishing his beer and tossing it to the ground. Up above a full moon was peeking out. Walking over, Quaid offered his hand to Swann.
"I'll see you around buddy."
Swann shook his hand.
"Will do."
Turning, Quaid went back to the van. Pimm only looked at Swann before turning and following him. The engine of the van was started. That's when Jennifer walked over.
"So I guess this is it?"
Swann looked down at his boots.
"Yeah…I guess so."
"Where will you go?"
Swann shrugged.
"Around…I'll find someplace."
Jennifer glanced over her shoulder at Quaid and Pimm who were waiting.
"You know…I could come with you, I mean…"
"Jennifer don't."
"But…"
"We made a deal, it isn't safe this way."
Jennifer's heartbroken eyes studied him for a moment.
"It really was that horrible wasn't it?"
Swann just stared at her. Jennifer then leaned forward, softly pressing her lips up against his before whispering…
"I'll always love you Philip Swann…"
Before he could say anything she turned away and joined the others. Swann waved as Quaid pulled away. Seconds later he was alone.
Turning, he looked at the grave and got chills.
He wanted to get away from here. Getting in the car, he looked over at the sleeping girl before starting the engine.
She didn't wake.
Driving through the night, Swann kept thinking back at what happened.
Was it really all over?
By dawn he had made good miles and was heading West. Turning on the back highways he kept driving ahead before looking down at her. She hadn't stirred in hours, in fact she was curled up so tightly in a ball on the passenger seat it worried Swann. Her face was dirty, streaked with dirt and blood. Glancing down at her, Swann wondered what was he really going to do with her. He knew there were plenty of orphanages around, good ones in fact. Swann was thinking once she woke up maybe she could tell him where she had been taken from. Maybe he could put her someplace safe with other little children…someplace where nobody could find her.
That's when her eyes opened.
Right away it took a second for her to adjust to her surroundings, nearly jumping she sat back against the door and stared at Swann. Looking over, Swann tried his hardest not to scare her. The girl's eyes darted around before looking ahead though the windshield.
All she saw was the sun slowly peeking up over the desert land.
"Where…am I?"
Her voice was small and cracked.
"You're safe…do you remember me?"
The girl stared at him before slowly nodding.
"Is…he dead?"
Swann looked over at her again before staring ahead at the windshield. He felt his insides shake.
"Yeah…he's dead."
"Are…you sure?"
Swann nodded.
The girl sat there for a second before looking in the back seat, puzzled and confused.
"Where are your friends?"
"They all went their own way…safer you know?"
The little girl nodded, somehow Swann got the feeling she wasn't your typical twelve year old girl. Her eyes seemed so much older. Thinking of how much she had all ready seen his heart ached for her. It wasn't fair what Nix and his people had done to her. He knew for himself he would never be the same…would she?
"Your name is Dorothea right?"
"Yes…"
"I'm Philip. Philip Swann."
Swann took one hand off the steering wheel and offered it to her. Dorothea slowly shook it, her hand nearly being swallowed up by his.
"What…was he? Was he the devil?"
Swann took a deep breath.
"Kinda…yeah I guess."
"And you really stopped him?"
Swann looked at her.
"We all did…"
That's when Dorothea lowered her head and began to weep. Swann felt alarmed by this before pulling over on the side of the road. Taking a second, he had no idea what he was doing. She was just a child and he was just some screwed up teenager. Slowly he slid over on his seat and put his arms around her skinny shoulders.
"Shhh…it's all right…I'll protect you."
Dorothea wept against his chest as Swann gently brushed back her hair. That's when he knew he wouldn't be able to leave her.
He was in love.
Snapping out of his thoughts Swann was suspired by the blowing horn of a fourteen wheeler going past him. Jumping in his seat, he watched as the truck raced by and then ahead of him. Blinking, it took him a second to focus before seeing his hands shake on the wheel. Eyeing his rearview mirror for a brief second he thought he saw Nix sitting in the back seat grinning at him. Nearly screaming, Swann jumped before snapping his head to the side to look.
Instead he found nothing, just an empty backseat.
Feeling more goosebumps break out on his arms he felt his heart give a faint dance in his chest. Looking forward he saw the truck was nearly out of sight now on the road. Sitting there for a second he looked at the rearview mirror one last time before taking a deep breath.
He was just on edge, nothing more.
Minutes later he pulled into the small trailer park. Last month, shortly after finding himself the job at the gas station Dorothea and him he driven past here. The lot was small, with about twenty trailers in total. The woman who owned it was a middle aged witch who smoked at least three packs a day and put enough makeup on her sun dried face it looked almost like paint. She had herself an overweight little girl who mostly stayed inside watching the TV. Her eldest, a trouble making teenage boy was hardly around and mostly being brought in by the local police.
Every time this happed Swann would watch from the trailer window, nervous…thinking they might be here to take Dorothea away.
But the woman minded her own business. On the day Swann had gone to the main office, which was connected to her own trailer he had lied saying Dorothea was his younger sister. The woman didn't ask any questions and simply asked for three hundred upfront and fifty a month after the first six months. Swann had saved plenty of money, mostly from stealing and paid the woman without a word.
The trailer was mostly local whores, elderly couples, or young guys who worked in the city. There really wasn't any excitement there. Everyone minded their own business and did their own thing, still…Swann hated to let Dorothea out of his sight.
There was a general store a few miles down the road and in the back of all the trailers there was an old cracked aboveground pool with green water. Usually at night radios from the trailers could be heard until the early hours of the morning. Swann and Dorothea drifted off to sleep most lights listening to them. Most of the elderly couples spent their days inside with their small AC's on full blast. Once dusk came they would all come out on their lawn chairs drinking beer or ice tea as the big zapper flickered and hummed. Swann had told Dorothea if she did fact want to stay with him, which was a topic of discussion shortly after he held her that morning on the side of the road. He told her she had to be smart and keep a low profile. He explained that he would keep her safe but there still might be some of Nix's people looking for them. She understood and made her choice.
The days he worked she stayed inside. Swann was glad he paid the extra sixty to get a trailer with AC. He hated the fact of leaving her alone all day, but she really didn't seem to mind.
The trailer was small and cramped but Dorothea made do. A few days after they moved there Swann went to a thrift shop in town and bought as many dresses and clothes that he thought Dorothea would use. When he came back Dorothea threw her arms around him, nearly squeezing him to death.
Swann remembered smiling as she made the biggest deal over all these used and secondhand clothes. Swann had also gotten her a few other odds and ends that didn't cost that much money. A compact, a hairbrush, a few hair ties, and a few old dolls he found in a bin. He knew it was dumb to waste money on such stupid things,. But never in his life did he feel so happy seeing her eyes light up with excitement when he brought everything home.
He had also bought himself a few clothes and pairs of jeans, just enough to keep them for the time being.
Behind the owner's trailer was a public bathroom, that didn't look as if it had been cleaned in month, but on the side was an old washer and dryer that shocking enough still worked. Once a week Swann would go to the general store and get them food.
Dorothea spent her days in the trailer, Swann hated keeping her locked up but he was so scared something might happen when he wasn't there. Dorothea didn't seem to mind. Every day whenever he got up she would be peacefully sleeping beside him, still curled up in a little ball with one of her dolls in her hands. At first Swann offered to sleep on the small couch near the kitchen area but Dorothea begged him to stay. She explained he kept the nightmares away. So…Swann stayed.
At first it was awkward, and Swann would stay on the very edge of the bed letting Dorothea have all the space. Whenever she moved at night or touched him by accident he would flinch.
But within time it soon became second nature. He worked most of the days away and whenever he came home she would be there waiting for him. Every night it was the same, her eyes would light up as she ran towards him.
"Philip!"
She would jump into his arms asking him a million questions about his boring day.
Somehow, she made things better.
He would take her on walks at dusk or late at night. Mostly around the trailer park or down to the general store. She loved walking with him and always held his hand listening to him as he told her stories about the stars.
They swam twice in the pool out back in total. Both times they laughed at how nice it felt, yet how disgusting their skin looked after they were done. Swann remembered how the water glittered off her skin as she swan underneath the surface, impressing him on her swimming kills.
She had no family, her parents had died when she was young. She had been placed in different homes up until this happened. She didn't seem to care though, she told Swann he was her new family.
Both had slowly became close as weeks began to drift by. Whenever they had dinner on the front steps of their trailer they would talk, mostly about nothing. Swann was suspired at how mature she acted and carried herself.
They lived a simple, yet happy life together.
As of right now the future seemed hazy.
Swann caught himself more then once staring at her. Fixed on her beautiful dirty blond hair, her glittering eyes, her tanned skin…
And each time Swann would remind himself that she was just a child.
Yet, he still wanted to give her a better life then this.
She seemed happy, but he wanted her to have more.
Both didn't talk about what happened, Swann didn't like talking about the past.
They lived together in the cramped trailer, yet were happy and got closer over time. Now as Swann pulled up he began thinking of telling Dorothea about his power. Parking, he sat there for a second wondering if the truth would scare her. Before he could think of anything else the screened in door swung open and Dorothea appeared. She was wearing a light blue sundress, one of her books in her hand.
Dorothea had picked up reading very well, and unknown to Swann each day when he left for work she would wake up early and sneak out to the pool. She knew the water was gross, but she loved how the water felt whenever she dove underneath. She had been working on her swimming and looked forward to her a few hours each day out in the pool. But whenever noon came she would dry off quickly and go back in the trailer. She didn't want anyone to see her. Philip had warned her about that, she didn't want to be taken away. So she would fix herself lunch and then get lost in reading, always glancing at the clock every second waiting for him to come home.
She thought he had the most beautiful eyes ever.
"Philip!"
Dropping her book she ran out towards the car, her dirty flip flops pounding against the dirt. Swann right away couldn't help it, a grin appeared on his face as he got out. Moments later she jumped into his arms and was hugging him.
After dinner, Dorothea and him sat on the hood of his car looking up at the stars. It was another warm night out, and in the faint distance they heard a baseball game being played on the radio. Sitting on the hood, Swann reached into his back pocket and produced a long plastic wrapper.
He handed it to Dorothea.
Dorothea looked down at it puzzled.
"What's that?"
"It's a sparkler, I got it yesterday at the store…must of forgot…here."
"What's a sparkler?"
"You never used one?"
Dorothea shrugged before Swann smiled and peeled the wrapper.
"It's like a candle…you mostly see things around the 4th of July…you need to watch out though, it can burn you."
"What does it do?"
"You'll see…here hold it."
Dorothea held the long black stick before Swann took his lighter out from his side pocket.
"Here…"
Swann leaned over and within seconds the sparker came to life. Dorothea jumped a little before her eyes became transfixed on the white little ambers jumping up and the fizzing sound that filled the air. Right away she began to giggle.
"This is so cool!"
"Wave it around, look what happens."
Dorothea made small circles in the air with it watching the stick crackle and pop, a pleasant smell of powder filled the air as she began laughing. Swann sat back laughing as well, he loved making her happy.
A minute later the sparkler died out. Dorothea smiled before looking at him.
"Wow, that was really fun!"
Swann looked at the burnt out sick for a second uneasily, not really knowing if now was the time. Then, very slowly he lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.
The sparker came to life again, ten times brighter then before. This time Dorothea almost dropped it. She seemed stunned.
"Whoa!"
Watching it completely amazed, Dorothea's eyes then drifted over to Swann.
"Is it supposed to do that?"
Swann snapped his fingers again and it went out, the smell of the burning hanging in the air.
Swann snapped them again and it started up again. Dorothea's mouth opened but no words came out. Slowly, with her free hand she tried snapping her fingers.
Nothing.
Looking over at Swann, she seemed confused.
"How…can you do that?"
Swann sat back looking at her before sighing.
"Dorothea…I have a lot to tell you."
An hour later both were sitting in the darkness of the trailer park at an old picnic table near the pool. Dorothea's burnt out sparker laid on the table.
A few fireflies danced around them as a wolf howled in the distance.
Swann had finally stopped talking nearly ten minutes ago. He knew it was a lot for her to take in.
Finally she looked at him.
"So…you can really do that stuff?"
Swann nodded.
"He taught you?"
Swann felt ashamed, yet nodded again.
"Nothing bad though, just simple stuff."
"Your…the only one?"
"For real? As far as I know…yes."
Dorothea sat there, almost deep in thought before getting up. Swann at first was afraid she might try to run. Instead she silently slipped off her flip flops and walked over to the pool.
"Dorothea?"
Swann called out watching her. Slowly she climbed the ladder to the pool before standing on the edge. Swann got up and walked over, his hands shoved in his pockets.
Dorothea looked at him, the stars above seemed to light up her eyes in the darkness.
"Show me…"
Swann nodded before taking his hands and thinking hard. Slowly Dorothea's feet began to move across the surface of the water. At first she seemed scared before looking down and seeing Swann's face in serious deep thought. Slowly she glided over the water with grace, the souls of her feet barley skimming the surface.
After a few moments Swann brought her down over to him. Setting her down on the ground, Dorothea took a second before looking up at him, stunned.
"It's really real!"
Swann smiled down at her.
"Oh Philip…this is amazing!"
Swann's hand went down before gently brushing the side of her face with love.
"We need to keep it a secret, nobody can know."
"Just us?"
"Just us."
Dorothea nodded.
"You're the most amazing man in the world Philip Swann."
Swann laughed before Dorothea stood on her tiptoes and just was able to kiss the side of his jaw line quickly. Swann was suspired and taken off guard by this. Dorothea blushes before smiling at him and walking back to the trailer.
Watching her, Swann smiled.
One day…he was going to marry her.
One day.