Page 54 of Night and Day
Chapter 21
Mia stared in awe atthe endless rolling hills behind the car window. “It’s the Shire!”
They’d only been driving for an hour when Izzy turned to her with a secretive smile. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
She wanted to protest, but the song on the radio had lulled her into a state of relaxation. Mia let her eyes close. The playlist Izzy had curated for the drive had a dreamy, mellow feel. She felt the car take a right turn, then another one.
Eventually, they came to a stop. She cracked her eyelids, and found him smiling at her, holding a piece of white cloth with frayed edges. “What’s that? Chloroform?”
Izzy’s eyes widened. “What?”
“You’re holding a rag next to my face.”
He chuckled. “No. Believe it or not I actually prefer you conscious. It’s a ... blindfold.”
On a closer look, it seemed he’d cut up a pillowcase. Mia stifled a laugh. “You don’t trust me to keep my eyes closed?”
They’d stopped on a gravelled area surrounded by thick greenery. What was there to see?
Izzy held up the sad piece of fabric, pleading. “I want it to be a surprise.”
Mia relented, and he helped her secure the blindfold.
“You might need a jacket,” he added.
“Really?” It was so warm outside they’d blasted the air-con on its highest setting the entire drive, and Mia regretted not wearing a dress. Jeans had been a mistake.
She felt something warm land on her shoulders, probably the hoodie she’d borrowed earlier, and Izzy helped her out of the car. She held onto his arm, taking tiny steps, only detecting a bit of daylight through the fabric.
“Where are we going?” Mia asked, struggling to keep up. After a while, a shadow fell over them and she heard a beeping sound. The ground under her feet turned hard and solid and Izzy guided her through a doorway of some kind. The air became cooler, moisture gathering on her skin, and she heard an echoey dripping sound. She felt like she was inside a giant well.
“I’m scared,” she whispered, her fingers tightening around his arm.
“Trust me.” He said softly, leading her forward, along a slight downward slope.
Despite the full-body shiver, the floor under her feet felt solid, so she kept moving. The dripping sound intensified and the air turned even cooler. Mia relished the warmth of Izzy’s hands on her shoulders as he guided her forward. She became a little bolder, taking bigger steps, trusting him to keep her from hitting anything.
The ground levelled and Izzy stopped her. “Wait here.”
