Page 26 of Beneath His Robes

It sounded like…crying?

Who was out here?

My family owned so much of this land that I doubted any neighbors had wandered over the property line, but it was definitely human.

“Hello? Who’s here? My Daddy will shoot you, don’t get smart or cocky, okay?”

The sniffling stopped, and it was followed by a sharp inhale. There was someone here, and they were hiding. My hand trailed across the bark as I began to walk around the tree, but then a form smashed into me and knocked me to the ground.

“Ow! Hey, stop!”

The person took off running so fast, I couldn’t see who it was or where they were going. Pop was going to be really mad if I ran off to chase him. There was a trailer park near here, and he said those people were troubled. I wanted to listen, I really did, but I had to know who was crying behind our tree.

Without thinking better of it, I took off after the person. They may be fast, but not as fast as me. I was Elias Cross. The chase lasted way too long, and my opponent was a true equal to my own speed. That just made me want to catch them more. Finally, I saw him, a little boy about my age.

He had dark hair, and he looked scared of something.

“Hey! What are you running from? I mean, besides me. I won’t hurt ya, but my Pop don’t like trespassers.”

The boy stopped and turned around to face me. His face was covered in dirt and tears. “I am tryin’ to find help for my mama! She…uh, fell down the stairs, and I need to get her help. My stepdad is…asleep.”

I scrunched my face, trying to put together the pieces of his story. It didn’t feel like the truth, but something about how scared he was helped me see the truth in it.

“I’m Elias,” I said calmly, walking toward the boy.

He reminded me of one of the scared rabbits when they ran big foxes in the spring. “I won’t hurt ya. Let’s go to my Pa. He can help your mama. I promise.”

The boy still had that unsure look on his face. His pretty eyes darted around like he was waiting for someone else to chase him.

“I won’t hurt you. What’s your name?” I said again, walking closer to him.

I reached my hand out to him. Maybe he would know he wasn’t alone if he held onto something. I didn’t like feeling lonely. If he accepted my hand, that would make him feel safe.

“I’m…Ronan,” he said, and I smiled, extending my hand further out to him.

“Nice to meet ya, Ronan,” I greeted softly, slowly getting closer.

I didn’t want to spook him. I wanted to offer comfort in the only way I could until my Dad could help. “It’s gonna be okay now. My Pa will help your Mom, and then maybe we can all eat the buck we got tonight.”

Ronan was breathing heavily, and I started to lower my hand, afraid that I was just scaring him more, but then he reached the rest of the way and grabbed on.

My hand tingled. Even though he was scared, his hand was warm, making me happy.

* * *

I sighed at the memory of meeting Ronan, the boy who would become my best friend.

The cool air rushing in replaced the lingering warmth of Ronan memories.

“Come on,” he said, shaking his head and reaching a hand out to me.

I blinked at my memories of his chubby, boyish face and frightened eyes. He wasn’t that boy anymore, but he was still so scared in many ways.

But so was I…

I was the one to accept his hand tentatively now. It wasn’t romantic. It was anything but…

This was a gesture like the forest when we were kids, letting the other know they were there.

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