Instep, 849 words.
It was only when he felt the cool wind race across his palm that he realized she had let go of his hand.
Will's fingers twitched involuntarily at the sudden change in temperature, and as he slowly and absently relaxed them , he turned his head to figure out where she had gone. She wasn't far; she never was. Evie Voegel was just that kind of person- she would be there one minute, but her mind would instantly fly off in some crazy direction, and her body would follow, amblingand stumbling in her happy haze towards a goal that only she knew. And sometimes he wasn't even sure she did.
What had caught Evie's attention this time were some old railroad tracks. They were worn and had probably been well-used long ago when it was the most reliable form of transportation, but now they were neglected, save for the occassional cargo train that chugged loudly through the neighborhood. If you could call this place a neighborhood, there were more lonely-looking trees and half-dead grass in this part of town than anything. She was standing on the edge of one side of it, one foot just in front of the other. She swung one foot in front of the other, then another, then another. She was barely an inch off the ground, but she was concentrating as though she were on a tightrope with no net waiting for her below.
Will had to squint to see her. There were only a few last overachieving rays of sunlight straining to get that last word in before the stars came out. The crisp autumn wind that had been so refreshing just an hour earlier was now whipping across his face, making his eyes water. "Wasn't this the point?" he muttered. "Isn't this why we left early?" If Evie heard him, she didin't acknowledge it. It wasn't so bad in the daytime, but it definitely wasn't safe at night. Balancing on train tracks? Kids did that. Kids also had such small attention spans. They needed to get home.
It was always like this. He loved Evie more than anything, but her grip on reality was loose and noncommittal at best. If he wasn't there reminding her to go to class, get some groceries, not to spend all her time waxing poetic, she'd never get anything done. She'd get taken advantage of, or worse... And of course, he ended up looking like the bad guy. He didn't really care what everybody else thought, but every so often, Evie would just give him that look. It wasn't really angry; Evie didn't do angry. It was more resigned than anything, and it scared him. It had crossed his mind more than once that if she felt too caged in, she would simply swing open the door and walk out. Walk away without looking back. If she could do that to her family, she could certainly do it to him.
Above the faraway sounds of traffic, Will could hear the tap of shoe soles on metal. There was no rhythm to it; the only thing he could predict is that they would continue. He glanced at Evie's booted feet moving one in front of the other and noticed the curve of them- those heels were actually higher than he had thought. Her feet moved with random but precise steps, like a ballerina in a dance that knew no time signature. Her arms would flutter out now and then to adjust her balance; it was almost...graceful in a way. Perhaps it wasn't so childish after all. He smiled to himself, then sighed. He knew what needed to be done.
Evie turned her head briefly to look at Will as she heard footsteps coming nearer, but it was only a quick glance. Something in her expression twitched- her eyes? Her mouth? It happened so fast, he didn't really remember, but she kept walking, perhaps to get a few last steps in. She paused only when she felt arms slip around her waist. She felt the tip of a shoe nudge her heel, and she smiled, taking a step forward obediently. They walked like that for a while, a random and graceful tangle of arms and legs. Will tripped a few times, almost causing both of them to fall over, but somehow they were always able to right themselves, laughing. Will figured he was probably right most of the time, but maybe Evie was right too. Maybe it was all right to just live a little bit. And anyway, Evie could wander all over the world if she wanted to; as long as he was walking along with her, she'd be all right. ...As long as he was walking along with her, he'd be all right.
The air had gotten still colder; their breaths were visible in puffs of air when they finally stopped. Will held Evie close and murmured into her hair, smiling ruefully, "You know that nothing's solved, right?"
Evie laughed and answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world, "But that's life, Will."
Will's fingers twitched involuntarily at the sudden change in temperature, and as he slowly and absently relaxed them , he turned his head to figure out where she had gone. She wasn't far; she never was. Evie Voegel was just that kind of person- she would be there one minute, but her mind would instantly fly off in some crazy direction, and her body would follow, amblingand stumbling in her happy haze towards a goal that only she knew. And sometimes he wasn't even sure she did.
What had caught Evie's attention this time were some old railroad tracks. They were worn and had probably been well-used long ago when it was the most reliable form of transportation, but now they were neglected, save for the occassional cargo train that chugged loudly through the neighborhood. If you could call this place a neighborhood, there were more lonely-looking trees and half-dead grass in this part of town than anything. She was standing on the edge of one side of it, one foot just in front of the other. She swung one foot in front of the other, then another, then another. She was barely an inch off the ground, but she was concentrating as though she were on a tightrope with no net waiting for her below.
Will had to squint to see her. There were only a few last overachieving rays of sunlight straining to get that last word in before the stars came out. The crisp autumn wind that had been so refreshing just an hour earlier was now whipping across his face, making his eyes water. "Wasn't this the point?" he muttered. "Isn't this why we left early?" If Evie heard him, she didin't acknowledge it. It wasn't so bad in the daytime, but it definitely wasn't safe at night. Balancing on train tracks? Kids did that. Kids also had such small attention spans. They needed to get home.
It was always like this. He loved Evie more than anything, but her grip on reality was loose and noncommittal at best. If he wasn't there reminding her to go to class, get some groceries, not to spend all her time waxing poetic, she'd never get anything done. She'd get taken advantage of, or worse... And of course, he ended up looking like the bad guy. He didn't really care what everybody else thought, but every so often, Evie would just give him that look. It wasn't really angry; Evie didn't do angry. It was more resigned than anything, and it scared him. It had crossed his mind more than once that if she felt too caged in, she would simply swing open the door and walk out. Walk away without looking back. If she could do that to her family, she could certainly do it to him.
Above the faraway sounds of traffic, Will could hear the tap of shoe soles on metal. There was no rhythm to it; the only thing he could predict is that they would continue. He glanced at Evie's booted feet moving one in front of the other and noticed the curve of them- those heels were actually higher than he had thought. Her feet moved with random but precise steps, like a ballerina in a dance that knew no time signature. Her arms would flutter out now and then to adjust her balance; it was almost...graceful in a way. Perhaps it wasn't so childish after all. He smiled to himself, then sighed. He knew what needed to be done.
Evie turned her head briefly to look at Will as she heard footsteps coming nearer, but it was only a quick glance. Something in her expression twitched- her eyes? Her mouth? It happened so fast, he didn't really remember, but she kept walking, perhaps to get a few last steps in. She paused only when she felt arms slip around her waist. She felt the tip of a shoe nudge her heel, and she smiled, taking a step forward obediently. They walked like that for a while, a random and graceful tangle of arms and legs. Will tripped a few times, almost causing both of them to fall over, but somehow they were always able to right themselves, laughing. Will figured he was probably right most of the time, but maybe Evie was right too. Maybe it was all right to just live a little bit. And anyway, Evie could wander all over the world if she wanted to; as long as he was walking along with her, she'd be all right. ...As long as he was walking along with her, he'd be all right.
The air had gotten still colder; their breaths were visible in puffs of air when they finally stopped. Will held Evie close and murmured into her hair, smiling ruefully, "You know that nothing's solved, right?"
Evie laughed and answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world, "But that's life, Will."