your family from?” Marcus asked.
“I grew up in New Hampshire, both of my parents taught at Dartmouth College.”
“Oh how excellent,” he replied, “Academics! I do appreciate people with learning.” He leaned against one on the enormous windows, momentarily gazing outside. “Was it beautiful there? That’s in the Green Mountains, no? Fall must have been exquisite.”
“I…I wouldn’t know,” I fumbled. “I know it is where I am now though.”
“I’m not sure I follow, dear. Did you never spend fall at home? Ah! You were at boarding school, no doubt.”
I hesitated, trying to find the best way to explain my visual history. I was really hoping Eric would reappear and save me from the whole line of questioning entirely, but I had no such luck.
“No. No boarding school,” I replied while playing nervously with the hem of my shirt. “It’s a strange story really. The short of it is that I was born blind. I never saw the fall. I never saw anything.” Marcus looked stunned and taken aback. “It’s OK,” I said, trying to save the conversation. “I gained my vision after a trauma. The doctors call me a miracle.”
His expression changed to one of intrigue.
“Trauma, you say? How old were you?” he inquired.
“Twenty-eight.”
“Interesting,” he said, pushing off of the window. “What happened?”
He seemed oddly persistent in his inquiry and it was slightly off-putting; not conversational at all. It was more of a fact-finding mission and it made me uncomfortable.
Where in the hell is Eric?
“ My family…we were attacked in the woods. My parents were killed. I don’t like to talk about it,” I responded, unable to keep some of my change in mood in check.
“I’m so sorry, dear. Of course you don’t,” he said, his face softening. “Have they been gone long?”
“Nine months,” I said, with a hint of sadness.
The subject quickly changed to something more generic and lighthearted. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something about his apology just didn’t seem sincere and it was really bothering me. He professed it a couple more times before Eric’s return, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was distracted, mentally piecing something together. His gaze was studious and the energy he put off was no longer friendly, but frustrated. I did my best to hide my suspicion with my lack of poker-face.
Eric returned shortly thereafter, and the three of us chatted for a bit, but something was becoming more and more off in the room. I sensed a growing wave of hostility and aggressiveness, which seemed to correspond directly to my increasing discomfort. I slammed the rest of my drink down my throat and tried to excuse myself to go outside and get some air. Eric wasn’t far behind me.
I wove my way through the mass of bodies, as my need for escape increased exponentially. I was nearing the end of the crowd when a huge male stepped directly in front of me causing me to bounce off of his chest and stumble backwards into Eric, who quickly shielded me behind him, stepping up to the wall of man.
“Do you have a problem, Duncan?”
The massive man laughed heartily before bending down to speak directly into Eric’s face.
“How could you bring the dessert and not expect to share it?” he asked.
Is this guy high? What dessert?
The room was suddenly so silent you could have heard the proverbial pin drop. All the men at the party were encircling us, closing in. Testosterone flooded the air. They wanted, or expected, a fight and had the energy to fuel one.
“Back off Duncan, she’s mine,” Eric said sounding far more menacing than I’d expected.
“I’m within my rights and you know it,” he replied calmly, inching closer to Eric.
“Ruby,” Eric said calmly, “I want you to follow me to the door. Hold onto my waist and don’t let go.”
I said nothing but latched onto him like a vise.
“She’s not leaving with you, Eric. She’s going to stay and play, aren’t
“I grew up in New Hampshire, both of my parents taught at Dartmouth College.”
“Oh how excellent,” he replied, “Academics! I do appreciate people with learning.” He leaned against one on the enormous windows, momentarily gazing outside. “Was it beautiful there? That’s in the Green Mountains, no? Fall must have been exquisite.”
“I…I wouldn’t know,” I fumbled. “I know it is where I am now though.”
“I’m not sure I follow, dear. Did you never spend fall at home? Ah! You were at boarding school, no doubt.”
I hesitated, trying to find the best way to explain my visual history. I was really hoping Eric would reappear and save me from the whole line of questioning entirely, but I had no such luck.
“No. No boarding school,” I replied while playing nervously with the hem of my shirt. “It’s a strange story really. The short of it is that I was born blind. I never saw the fall. I never saw anything.” Marcus looked stunned and taken aback. “It’s OK,” I said, trying to save the conversation. “I gained my vision after a trauma. The doctors call me a miracle.”
His expression changed to one of intrigue.
“Trauma, you say? How old were you?” he inquired.
“Twenty-eight.”
“Interesting,” he said, pushing off of the window. “What happened?”
He seemed oddly persistent in his inquiry and it was slightly off-putting; not conversational at all. It was more of a fact-finding mission and it made me uncomfortable.
Where in the hell is Eric?
“ My family…we were attacked in the woods. My parents were killed. I don’t like to talk about it,” I responded, unable to keep some of my change in mood in check.
“I’m so sorry, dear. Of course you don’t,” he said, his face softening. “Have they been gone long?”
“Nine months,” I said, with a hint of sadness.
The subject quickly changed to something more generic and lighthearted. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something about his apology just didn’t seem sincere and it was really bothering me. He professed it a couple more times before Eric’s return, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was distracted, mentally piecing something together. His gaze was studious and the energy he put off was no longer friendly, but frustrated. I did my best to hide my suspicion with my lack of poker-face.
Eric returned shortly thereafter, and the three of us chatted for a bit, but something was becoming more and more off in the room. I sensed a growing wave of hostility and aggressiveness, which seemed to correspond directly to my increasing discomfort. I slammed the rest of my drink down my throat and tried to excuse myself to go outside and get some air. Eric wasn’t far behind me.
I wove my way through the mass of bodies, as my need for escape increased exponentially. I was nearing the end of the crowd when a huge male stepped directly in front of me causing me to bounce off of his chest and stumble backwards into Eric, who quickly shielded me behind him, stepping up to the wall of man.
“Do you have a problem, Duncan?”
The massive man laughed heartily before bending down to speak directly into Eric’s face.
“How could you bring the dessert and not expect to share it?” he asked.
Is this guy high? What dessert?
The room was suddenly so silent you could have heard the proverbial pin drop. All the men at the party were encircling us, closing in. Testosterone flooded the air. They wanted, or expected, a fight and had the energy to fuel one.
“Back off Duncan, she’s mine,” Eric said sounding far more menacing than I’d expected.
“I’m within my rights and you know it,” he replied calmly, inching closer to Eric.
“Ruby,” Eric said calmly, “I want you to follow me to the door. Hold onto my waist and don’t let go.”
I said nothing but latched onto him like a vise.
“She’s not leaving with you, Eric. She’s going to stay and play, aren’t
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