Page 22 of Starlight

The rope raced down the tree like a snake trying to flee a fire. It hit the ground and slithered to a stop. He looked at the rope, then up into the branches. “Please come down slower.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Cole’s legs dangled over the edge of the nest. The view was amazing. He thought the view from his deck was great, but this was something else. He wanted to wake up and feel like the entire world was his, not only the valley beneath. That everything was possible, at least until reality set in.

The nest itself was ingenious. Not round like a bird’s nest was in picture books. But as Akai had described it, a semi-enclosed hammock, supported by two branches, and capped by a third. There were more branches overhead, meaning that the nest itself was still partially hidden from above, and it wasn’t the tallest tree either. Inside the nest, there was a blanket to keep things cozy. If the weather were particularly bad, maybe Akai retreated to the abandoned mine.

“Are you ever coming down?” Akai called, sounding more than a little concerned.

Cole smiled, feeling more relaxed than he had in weeks…perhaps longer. Maybe it was because he was so high that the problems that affected him on the ground no longer mattered. He wouldn’t have said the car accident had taken away his fear of death, but something about it had changed something within him. He didn’t go chasing danger, and he wasn’t reckless…but he craved space.

When he’d been seeing a therapist, he hadn’t been able to describe what that feeling was, only that there was a part of him that wanted something else. He’d mostly found it on the land and while building his cabin. Far enough away from civilization and humans that he could forget about the things he needed to do and simply exist.

But what was the point of existence?

That was something he’d never been able to answer. He was sure plenty of people would say it was family and work and making the world a better place…and maybe they were right, and he was broken or something because those things weren’t fulfilling. He wasn’t even sure football had been fulfilling; it had simply been way out. Though he’d said things like opportunities and education when he really meant escape.

Now he knew where the nest was, there was nothing stopping him from returning to the ground. Aside from the fact that he was in Akai’s nest. Was it his home? Where did he cook? The nest was closer to a swag or a one-man tent up in the trees.

“Are you stuck? Do I need to come up and get you?” Akai’s voice filtered through the branches and leaves.

“I’m coming down. I was admiring the view and then the construction.” Both of which were true. He had stopped contemplating how he ended up stitching a monster’s wounds and offering him a place to stay. Somehow, both of those things seemed far more normal in daylight. Like it was something he’d been waiting for without realizing.

Perhaps he should be more concerned about how normal this was feeling. Not wanting Akai to attempt climbing or to spend any more time thinking, he began the climb down, which took longer than going up.

By the time he made it to the ground, he was sweating and thirsty.

Akai threw his arms around him and almost lifted him off the ground. “I was worried.”

“I’m okay.”

Akai set him down, his nose twitching as he studied him.

He used the edge of his shirt to wipe his forehead. “Nice nest.”

Akai frowned but didn’t take his eyes off him. “Yes.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to move in.”

“I wasn’t worried about that.”

“Sure, you look very worried.”

“I didn’t want you to die.” He shrugged and winced. “Can we go back to the cabin now? I’d like to lie down.”

Cole’s gaze flicked over him. For whatever reason, Akai wasn’t being truthful. “Sure. I could do with a drink.”

They began walking back to the cabin in silence, which was also unusual as Akai was usually quite chatty. Halfway there, it was clear Akai was struggling to carry the large backpack. The smaller one he’d clipped around his waist. Maybe his injuries were hurting more than he let on.

“I can carry that for you.” Cole held out his hand.

“It is heavy for a human.”

“I know…I lowered it down from the nest. I’m not going to run away with all your gold.”

Akai managed a small smile. “I’m not used to having help.”

“You’ve been on your own since…”