seven

lola-write-hand


7

From the jungle, fifteen-year old Ben made his way back to the Dharma community. Slashing through deep vines, he finally saw the cozy few acres of the suburbs in the middle of the immense valley. Curfew had already rung, and the street lights were attracting bugs over the suburban sidewalks.

Annie was on the swing. She kicked the small wood chips and looked up at the moon. She gave a weak sigh and hunched her shoulders, so that her long brown hair reached her hips.

"Annie!" Annie heard a distant voice. It was none other than the voice of her good friend Benjamin. He was giddily running down the hill, and she laughed at the sight of him.

"Where have you been?" She asked, as he reached her. "Curfew rang an hour ago."

"So that explains why you're out here." Ben replied sarcastically.

Annie smiled. "I thought a polar bear ate you or something."

"Why are you on the swings?"

"I just felt like swinging." Annie said.

"May I join you?" Ben asked. Annie wrinkled her freckled nose. "Stop sounding so formal, Ben….and what if I said no?"

"Then I would challenge you to a swing off."

"Like old times?" Annie asked playfully.

"Like old times."

The two teenagers sat on the swings. They both pushed off, and churned against the wind. They soared high, higher, higher, until the swing set began to shift.
"I don't think these were made for teenagers!" Annie cried.

Ben laughed. "Then let go- ONE, TWO, THREE!"

The two let go of their swings, and soared through the air like freed birds. With a thud, they both landed dazedly in the grass. The world spun before them, and the cloudy stars smiled down on the Dharma community. Annie laughed in the grass, and Ben grinned, seeing her ecstatic face. Gradually, her tone grew serious.

"Do you ever think we'll leave this island?" She asked. She rocked up and hugged her knees to her chest. Ben leaned on his elbows.

"Do you want to leave?"

"Oh…I don't know. Not right now. I like it here." Annie stood up. "The wind is beautiful- and when it rains…" she closed her eyes. "God is in the rain, Ben. He is…I'd gladly leave school- everyone there…but I'd miss the rain." Her brown eyes sparkled and she held out her long arms as a drop began to fall. Soon, the rain fell, like bullets, over the Dharma community. It soaked the ground, and made music on the wind chimes and gutters. And as Ben reached for her hand and pulled her to the ground, she could still feel it everywhere- like a wonderful, marvelous disease. And as he leaned over her, resting on the hand positioned by her head, Ben kissed her. And the rain grew numb for a long moment, until he let go.