Chapter Thirty-Two
Max sat on the porch leaning forward his hands cupping the back of his head as he stared at the ground lost in thought. All night Liz tossed and turned, mumbling in her sleep and even though he tried to make out what she was saying he could only make out bits and pieces. He found himself pulling her so often closer to him and soothing her with words that he'd actually felt himself doing so in sleep. Sighing he kicked at the ground beneath him in frustration.
"Hey, Max." Stopping in front of him Kyle pushed his hands into his pockets rocking back and forth on the heal of his shoe's.
The unexpected voice brought his head up quickly. He stared at Kyle for a second before he said. "Hey." Letting his eyes drift to the girl standing in front of him he stared at her blindly before returning his eyes back to Kyle.
"This is amber." Kyle pointed at Amber then at Max. "Amber, Max." He covered him mouth with his hands trying to smother the grin he couldn't control. 'One night, one day left of their little outing before they had to return to reality and things was finally looking up.'
"Nice to meet you, Amber." Max made himself say as he rotated his eyes between the two people in front of him.
"Ditto." She smiled as she stared at him. 'Definitely workable… maybe this lame vacation won't be a wasted trip after all.' She said to herself as she let her eyes roam over him, her bottom lip incased between her teeth.
"Amber and a few of her friends are camping down the lake." Kyle said into the silences that settled awkwardly around them.
"We just got here, but I couldn't stop myself from exploring." Tearing her eyes from Max she made herself look around her. "It's absolutely beautiful out here." She said as she fought the urge to squeal. 'God…how can anyone think this bug infested place could ever amount to a vacation?' If she hadn't seen Kyle she wouldn't have even lift the run down structure someone had the audacity to advertise as a cabin.
Max looked around him allowing himself for the first time to take in his surroundings. "Your right. It's beautiful." He agreed turning to look at her. He let his eyes wander over her face from the curly black hair to her green eyes, which seemed to reflect a hint of blue. He lingered for a moment before he turned his eyes shyly away only to find himself returning to meet her eyes once again a smile on his face as he allowed the warmth of the sun to heat the cold chill consuming him.
Frowning Kyle cleared his throat loudly. "Um…um…weren't you going to check on Liz?" He demanded glaring confused at Max.
"No." Max blinked his eyes a few times, his smile vanishing just as quickly as it appeared. He held her eyes for a moment longer before he turned back to look at Kyle. "Actually I was just going for a walk." He turned back to Amber. "It was nice meeting you." He said before he walked away a frown on his face.
"I've invited Amber and her friends over later." Kyle yelled after him staring baffled at his retreating back. 'Max googoo eyes over another girl.' God…he didn't know how much more of this sick twisted nightmare he could take any longer.
"Whatever." Max's response drifted back to them as he continued toward the lake.
"Who's Liz?" He heard Amber asks beside him.
"His girlfriend." Kyle looked at her then glanced back at Max before he returned his full attention back to her pasting a smile on his face. "Actually she's more his better half."
"Well I just got the impression that he's better half is definitely on her way out." She said grinning as she swung her body from side to side staring at Max's retreating back.
Kyle continued to watch her for a few seconds before he swallowed the response that leaped inside him at her remark. He'll let her feel first hand the degusting saga of the Max and Liz tragedy that they have all had to endure.
"Come on." He said instead. "I'll walk you back to your cabin."
It seemed like an eternity since he'd seen Liz smile like that. For one precious moment his subconscious seized the present and gave him a glimpse into the past, replacing the image of Amber with his beloved. Her beautiful face smiled back at him and he allowed himself to embraces it until Kyle forced him back to reality. "God." He growled smothering the sound within his body as he forced himself to take another step and then another toward the lake.
He took a beep breath as the image suddenly invaded his thoughts. Closing his eyes for a moment he tried to push the image away, but he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't erase the picture of that little girl from his mind. Couldn't stop her fear from racing inside him. 'I can be your child.' The words echoed in his head. 'I could be your daughter, your son.'
He stood at the edge of the lake unaware of how long he'd actually stood there lost inside himself. He stared out before him at what part of him knew should be breathtakingly beautiful, but he could only feel the child's anguish haunting him. Her innocent face begging for release's from the terrifying existence clutching on to her. Cupping his head between his hands he stared blindly out across the lake. He didn't know how to make this go away. Didn't know how to erase the memories that that child was forcing Liz to relive. He felt so helpless, but he'd be damn if he'd give up. They were in this together. No matter how long it took they would get through this.
"I can be your child.' The soft whisper surrounded him drifting on the wave hitting the sand at his feet only to retreat into the body of the lake. Startled Max took a deep breath as his heart raced inside him.
Shaking his head he took a couple of steps back staring intently at his surroundings. "It's just your imagination." He told himself running his hand through his hair. "Just your imagination."
TBC
