SHADOWALKER by PorTroyal Smith - HTML preview

But For Now, Goodnight

Alicia and I rode back to her hotel in silence.

We made our way up to her room together. She stayed close to me, not quite touching. As if she wanted to offer some comfort but wasn’t sure what would be appropriate. Or if she even could. I wasn’t sure either.

We arrived at her room as evening fell on the city. I could feel a light reminder of why drinking during the day was generally a bad idea.

I retrieved a glass of water while she ordered pizza to be delivered to the room. We both found ourselves back on the couch, in front of a hotel TV putting out nothing but noise.

“I lost my family too,” Alicia announced into the air in front of us. “It was when I was very little. I barely even remember a normal life with them.”

I glanced over at her.

She was staring straight ahead, her face emotionless.

I reached out to her, across the couch between us. She paused a second but took my hand.

We sat like that for almost an hour. Alone, together.

Finally, a knock at the door. Our food arrived.

We both ate in silence.

“Thanks,” I said when I was done.

“For what?” Alicia looked up, startled out of some deep thought.

“The clothes.” I looked down at them.

I had been wearing the same outfit three days straight before Alicia had arrived.

“For a place to stay.” I looked around.

“For listening.” I had not talked to anyone seriously ever since… I had been drifting, lost.

“You’re welcome,” she said with a sad smile.

“I wish we had met under different circumstances.”

“Me too.”

We sat together for a while longer.

“Is there a lot more?” she asked.

“Yes. Quite a bit, anyway. But it isn’t all bad,” I answered.

“That’s good.”

“But that will have to wait for tomorrow.”

She nodded in response. But instead of getting up she laid down, resting against me.

“Mind if I stay out here for a bit?” she asked.

“No.” I didn’t mind at all.

I held her through the night. And for the first time, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe things would turn out all right in the end.