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Uncharted - Z, PG-13
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Uncharted
by Serai
“I think about you sometimes,” she says, leaning her head against one hand.
He smirks. “That’s nice to know.”
She laughs gently. “Don’t be a smartass.”
“You taught me well,” he replies, and his eyes are as much resigned as amused.
“I did, didn’t I?” She takes a drag off her cigarette and studies him. He’s tipped his chair back, balancing with his long legs against the table. “I’m sorry about that.”
He shrugs. “It has its uses.” At her look he sighs. “It’s too late for sorry, Mom. Let it go.” He drops his chair back to the floor and leans towards her. “I’m alright. Really.”
She doesn’t believe him. There are old shadows under his eyes, and his face has become harsher in some subtle way. She doesn’t think he’s lost weight, but he’s always been so slender, it’s hard to tell. Who did this to you?
“How’s the weather over there?” he asks.
She thinks of miles of air clear as a diamond, under a sky as hard as granite and blue like nothing else she’s ever seen. She feels like she’s wrapped in cotton wool here, buffered against a freezing landscape. “It’s never gotten below seventy-five yet.”
He looks out through the window at the snowed-in road. “Must be nice.”
“It’s convenient,” she replies, stubbing out her cigarette. “But it’s…” Flattening, she wants to say, but doesn’t know if that would make sense. No, what she wants to say she can’t say, because he won’t hear it. He looks back at her, and the wall is clear in his eyes. Even so, she tries. “Zeke.”
“Don't,” he says, with no rancor but no leeway either. He means it. The tinge of a smile is gone, and she sees the thing she used to fear has happened after all. Come back, she thinks, Not that road. There are monsters down there. But the thought is sad instead of desperate, and she knows he’s long past hearing it. He’s right. His heart has hardened, and it’s too late.
She looks out at the untouched snow and lowering, steely sky, and thinks it'll snow again soon. She’s not a tearful woman, thank god, because if she were, she doubts she could ever stop crying after today.
Chapter 19 of High Contrast
Chapter 20
Uncharted
by Serai
“I think about you sometimes,” she says, leaning her head against one hand.
He smirks. “That’s nice to know.”
She laughs gently. “Don’t be a smartass.”
“You taught me well,” he replies, and his eyes are as much resigned as amused.
“I did, didn’t I?” She takes a drag off her cigarette and studies him. He’s tipped his chair back, balancing with his long legs against the table. “I’m sorry about that.”
He shrugs. “It has its uses.” At her look he sighs. “It’s too late for sorry, Mom. Let it go.” He drops his chair back to the floor and leans towards her. “I’m alright. Really.”
She doesn’t believe him. There are old shadows under his eyes, and his face has become harsher in some subtle way. She doesn’t think he’s lost weight, but he’s always been so slender, it’s hard to tell. Who did this to you?
“How’s the weather over there?” he asks.
She thinks of miles of air clear as a diamond, under a sky as hard as granite and blue like nothing else she’s ever seen. She feels like she’s wrapped in cotton wool here, buffered against a freezing landscape. “It’s never gotten below seventy-five yet.”
He looks out through the window at the snowed-in road. “Must be nice.”
“It’s convenient,” she replies, stubbing out her cigarette. “But it’s…” Flattening, she wants to say, but doesn’t know if that would make sense. No, what she wants to say she can’t say, because he won’t hear it. He looks back at her, and the wall is clear in his eyes. Even so, she tries. “Zeke.”
“Don't,” he says, with no rancor but no leeway either. He means it. The tinge of a smile is gone, and she sees the thing she used to fear has happened after all. Come back, she thinks, Not that road. There are monsters down there. But the thought is sad instead of desperate, and she knows he’s long past hearing it. He’s right. His heart has hardened, and it’s too late.
She looks out at the untouched snow and lowering, steely sky, and thinks it'll snow again soon. She’s not a tearful woman, thank god, because if she were, she doubts she could ever stop crying after today.
Chapter 19 of High Contrast
Chapter 20
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