Chapter 2

From the second Travis hands came in contact with the metal gate thick ivy wrapped around his hands, gripping his wrists in a vice like embrace. Thorns shoot into his skin, as the vine squeezed the life out of his hand. He cried out, but just as quickly as the plants had appeared around his wrist, they were gone, receding back to their peaceful place wrapped around the gates long bars. He watched in amazement, as the welts the vines had made in his skin puffed back out to their original shape, and the large puncture marks made by the thorns closed up, leaving only small marks of dried blood on his wrists.

Travis shook his head in amazement, before hesitantly pushing on the gate, which had creaked open since the last time he touched it. Thankfully, no other greenery attacked him as he moved to passed, and through the entrance and onto the walk way of the houses front garden. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised at the magnitude of the flowers and pleasantry along the grounds of the yellow house. Bright blues and purples popped out from every window box and flower pot, a fountain bubbled in a small out cove next to the stone steps that led up to a great rounded oak door a large golden door knocker in the shape of a dog's head smack in the middle. He thought it a rather peculiar decoration, before remembering something about Demeter and domesticated animals. He was about to make his way up to the door and rap loudly and confidently against that ridiculous golden retriever head until Katie opened the door.

He took several steps across the lawn, before noticing the trellis half way down the walk way that he assumed led to a back garden. A light pink and white flower grew along a vine that wrapped all around the wrought iron structure. He winced for a seconded, touching a finger to his wrist without even thinking about it.

But she was just….there.

Dead heading the little flowers that had fallen limp against the metal and turned a sad lifeless brown color. Her hair was in the same braid that it almost always resided in, small white flowers poked out of the spaces between each section of hair, and he smiled a little at all the times he had tugged on that same braid on his way past her at camp, even all tied up like that it still feel to the middle of her back, and he had never been able to pass up the perfect opportunity to his advantage.

He changed directions, sauntering towards Katie. Her back still turned to him, and he could see the wires of what he assumed to be head phones poking out of the side of her head. Before he could lose his nerve he came up right behind her, taking hold of her braid and giving it a light tug.

She startled, dropping the pruning sheers she had been holding in her hand, but in that same moment she regained her composure whirling around, grabbing at something at her waist. In a flash of silver, Travis felt a sudden sharp pain in his right arm, and a hot liquid began to gush down his arm.

" Travis?" Katie stood in front of him, a pair of what appeared to be bloody kitchen scissors in her hand. She yanked her head phones from her ears.

"What in the gods names are you doing here?" Her eyes widened as she saw the damage she had done to his arm.

"You stabbed me!" He exclaimed, and exaggerated look of betrayal spreading across his face, while his eyes glinted with the prospect of this new game and utter amusement. The shock on her face disappeared and was instantly replaced with exasperation. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, that's a paper cut at most." Travis fanned dizziness, swaying backward and forwards, stumbling as he tried to walk. Katie let out another sigh before taking the elbow of his non injured arm and dragging him forward, along the little pathway and to the back of the house.

There was a large covered porch, which looked out to the vast garden that lay just beyond it. He saw large zucchinis and tomatoes growing off mammoth plants, and beans winding up tall wooden posts.

Katie led him up the porch steps and pushed him towards a wicker chair, which was heavily padded with plush sun faded cushions.

" Sit." She ordered, and she headed towards the screen door that lead into the house, and disappeared within it. As soon as she opened the door, three large dogs came hurtling out of it, straight towards Travis. He braced himself for the impact, but all three of the mammoth beasts, came to a complete stop right in front of him. Their deep dark brown eyes bore into his own with an expectant eagerness. Their mouths hung open, tongues sticking out, tails wagging.

The screen door opened again, and Katie emerged, holding a small plastic bag, a damp cloth, and a lump of navy fabric.

"Here" Katie flung the little bag at him, which he used his good arm to catch and tearing the bag open with his teeth. The sweet smell of ambrosia reached him, as he plopped the square into his mouth, munching down on it. Katie pulled another chair up in front of his own, wrenching his injured arm out of his grasp and wiping away the blood that had flooded around his arms and soaking into the bottom of his camp shirt.

" You know you never answered my question." She stated as she continued to wipe the blood of his arm. Travis was finding it hard to focus. It had been a long time since he had rested properly and the mixture of the ambrosia and mid-day sun had given him such a deeply warm feeling, that the only thing he could focus on was Katie's face in front of him and the feeling of one of the dogs drool soaking through his jeans.

"Hmm?"

" You. What are you doing here?" Her voice was a little impatient, but not as harsh as she had been before.

" Oh you know" He started, sloughing down a little more in the chair.

" Just in the area, thought I'd drop by."

"In the area? Why the hades would you be in the area?"

"Just visiting family-"

"Who all live in New Mexico? It's not really considered in the area when you have to travel a thousand miles out of your way." He sighed.

"What do you want me to say her Katie? That I came to see you? Because I did. That I missed you? Because….because I do." Katie took in a sharp breath, holding it for a moment before pushing away from her chair and standing. She scooped down, and tossed Travis the lump of navy fabric, which he soon discovered to be a t shirt.

" I'll throw your shirt in the wash." She stated, folding the cloth, now soaked in Travis blood and throwing it through the open door.

He stood, stripping off his orange camp shirt and pulling on the one Katie had handed him. He glanced over at her, smirking at the way she so deliberately looked away from him. He held his surly ruined t shirt in his hand, and patted the head of one of the dogs who still stood by his side, staring at the back of Katie's head and wondering, just what to do next.