"Nor hands nor cheeks keep separate, when soul is joined to soul."
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Inclusions"
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," muttered Erik, trying to inch further away from the girl on the other side of him who was bouncing up and down on the seat of the van as she talked and giggled with a few people in the seats behind us.
"Trust me," I replied with a smile, tucking my hand into his. Since the last performance of the show was on Tuesday, and many of the athletes in the musical had to be at practice on Wednesday, Mr. Hayes and Mrs. Lucas decided that the cast party should take place after the first performance. The party was taking place at the farm of one of the students, there was going to be a large bonfire, gallons of hot cocoa and plenty of marshmallows and other goodies to eat. I thought it sounded like fun and had convinced Erik to go.
It was completely dark outside once we reached the little clearing near the edge of the woods. The bonfire crackled merrily, giving welcome warmth to the cool autumn night. Within minutes the students were hovering around the fire and food table, laughing and talking while the teacher chaperones stood around looking cold.
Erik brightened when we found a bale of hay to sit on that was out of the way of the main group of students but still close enough to receive warmth from the blazing fire. For a while we just enjoyed each other's company, talking about the musical and how glad everyone was that the first night went so well. Erik commented on how surprised he was that aside from a few minor glitches, the pit orchestra did very well. Every so often a person spotted us and walked over to congratulate me on a stirring performance. I blushed modestly, not sure how to respond tactfully to all the praise I was receiving.
I went up to the table to get some hot chocolate, but when I turned back to our bale of hay, Erik was gone. "Erik?" I called softly, sitting the hot chocolate down. I spied something near a tree behind our bale of hay and picked it up. It was Erik's black hat. I fingered it for a minute, frowning as my eyes strained to see into the darkened woods. I glanced back at the other students, none of them were paying attention to me so I walked beyond the first few trees, hearing the leaves crackle loudly under my feet.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth and pulling me back in the shadow of a large tree.
My captor whispered in my ear: "Did I scare you?"
Erik. I wilted against him with relief as he released me.
"Shame on you, Erik," I admonished him in a soft voice, slapping his hand playfully. "What would have happened if I had screamed?" The moon provided just enough illumination that I saw his eyes and the unmasked side of his face.
"People might have come running," he replied, brushing a leaf out of my hair and hesitantly tracing the curve of my jaw with his thumb.
"And what might they have found?" I murmured as he slipped his arms around my waist, eyes sparkling as he pulled me closer, lifting my chin towards his with the softest touch of his fingertips.
"Two people... two hearts... one soul..." he whispered and then his lips found mine in the darkness, filled with the passion that only a human heart can hold. I found myself reaching up and running my hands through his hair as the kiss went on until nothing else in the universe existed.
After an eternity, we parted for air, Erik leaning against the tree and I leaning against him as the intensity of the moment gradually faded and our heartbeats slowed to a more normal pace.
Faintly I could still hear the chatter of the students back at the bonfire but felt no inclination to join them. A full moon, brilliantly white against the navy blue background of night sky, winked at us through the trees, the only witness to the brief joining of our souls. It was peaceful... and with the added comfort of Erik's warm arms wrapped around me, I didn't ever want to leave.
He gently kissed the top of my head. "I wish this would never end," he murmured, echoing my thoughts.
"And why should it?" I asked softly, tracing his visible jaw line absently with my fingertips.
He sighed. "Those teachers will soon notice that we're gone. They might worry and come looking for us."
"Oh, you think so?" I replied, a mischievous glint in my eyes as I stepped away from him. "They can't get us if they can't find us!" With that, I darted off deeper into the trees, hearing Erik's startled exclamation and then his footsteps following.
I held my laughter in and ran a bit further, slowing down to slip behind a tree. I waited with a silly grin stretching my mouth but didn't hear anything until I became aware of labored breathing behind me that was not my own. Despite his slender frame, Erik was in top physical condition... I had never heard him breathe like that. I swallowed my fear and turned around, squinting in the darkness.
"Who's there?" I asked or started to ask because on the first word a white hot flash of pain exploded on my left arm, I cried out and was immediately rewarded with a brutal blow to the side of my head that made me see stars. I staggered from the pain and fell to the ground, almost gagging as my attacker stuffed a cloth in my mouth that smelled faintly of Johnny Boy cologne. I tried to get back up but he pushed me down again, holding my arms to the ground as he straddled me. I panicked and struggled but to no avail, he struck me again on the head and against the cloth in my mouth, I started to whimper. Tears ran freely from my eyes as I waited for what was sure to come next. Perhaps mercifully, I blacked out a moment later, the ragged breath of my attacker still echoing in my ears as my last conscious thought rang out through my mind: A desperate plea to the only One who might be listening. God please help me!