“You’re lucky to have so much peace around you.”
“And you? Do you have peace?”
Charles snorted. “Peace is overrated. I gave up on that a long time ago for something else entirely.”
“What could be better than peace?” Faith asked.
“Knowledge.”
“Liz says too much knowledge can kill you. She says that there are some things better left unknown.”
“Young Liz is a bit chatty.” Charles grinned. “But it’s too late for me to turn back now.”
Faith watched the muscles tighten beneath his white shirt. When he turned back to her, his face was a mixture of worry and fear. It was almost as if a war was raging inside of him.
He sat down on the dew-covered grass. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to travel. I wanted to see the world with my own eyes. Jason and I would talk all the time about the life we were stuck in. I even wanted to be poor. I wanted to scrape by and see just how hard the working class had it. I also really wanted to see if there were any kind and generous people in the world. Last night, when Liz opened her door to us without question…without asking for anything in return…it was the first time in my life that I felt truly…accepted.”
Faith smiled. “We are women. We’re supposed to be nice and sweet and accepting of others. Doesn’t that fall under the category of good old Irish duty?”
“But Liz didn’t do it for duty’s sake. She did it out of kindness. I could see it in her eyes. Fear was there, too…and in your eyes as well…but the faith you had in your friend and the faith she has in others made it okay to open the door. No questions asked. Well…not hard ones, anyway.”
“Give me time,” Faith giggled. “The questions will get harder.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Charles flashed a perfect smile. “Seriously, though—you and your friend are the nicest females I’ve ever met.”
“There’s sadness in your voice. Maybe you need more company on your journey. You sound…so alone.”
“I always have Jason. He listens to me during my hours of need.”
“He’s a good friend.”
“He puts up with me.” Charles winked. “And I always get more girls than I can handle, so there are benefits for him, as well.”
“Hmmm,” Faith said as she stared off into the distance, a smile dancing on her lips. “That’s surprising. I would think that he’d be more popular. Ladies usually love the strong, silent type.”
“I’m strong and silent,” Charles pouted.
She smiled wide. “I hate to tell you this, but you speak a lot. You’re almost…girlie.”
Charles leaned over and kissed her strongly on the lips.
When he pulled away, Faith was left breathless. “Okay…not so girlie.”
He grinned at her.
“We should go back,” Faith stuttered. “I’m afraid that Liz in the kitchen is way more frightening than anything you or I could be thinking of at this moment.”
Charles helped her onto the dark horse, lingering at her side. Suddenly, the horse jumped beneath her. Panic seemed to fill the animal’s eyes. The black horse raised his head sniffing the strangely scented breeze. He let out a strong snort that sounded almost like a wolf’s howl. The little hairs on the back of Faith’s neck stood up. The feeling in the air was unavoidable. Something was terribly wrong. The stallion beneath her reared up moving his head from side to side as if searching for his master as his ears stood straight and tall. Suddenly, he took off racing toward the big oak tree sitting high atop the hill. Faith held on for dear life as a scream tore through her throat. Abruptly, the powerful animal stopped and started backing away from a horrifying scene.
Flames reached like fingers of fire into the sky, and thick, black smoke surrounded the burning cabin. Liz was on her knees before the front door. Jason stood behind her, staring blankly at the once safe haven.
Faith and Charles raced toward the couple. As they moved closer, Faith saw somebody lying in
“And you? Do you have peace?”
Charles snorted. “Peace is overrated. I gave up on that a long time ago for something else entirely.”
“What could be better than peace?” Faith asked.
“Knowledge.”
“Liz says too much knowledge can kill you. She says that there are some things better left unknown.”
“Young Liz is a bit chatty.” Charles grinned. “But it’s too late for me to turn back now.”
Faith watched the muscles tighten beneath his white shirt. When he turned back to her, his face was a mixture of worry and fear. It was almost as if a war was raging inside of him.
He sat down on the dew-covered grass. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to travel. I wanted to see the world with my own eyes. Jason and I would talk all the time about the life we were stuck in. I even wanted to be poor. I wanted to scrape by and see just how hard the working class had it. I also really wanted to see if there were any kind and generous people in the world. Last night, when Liz opened her door to us without question…without asking for anything in return…it was the first time in my life that I felt truly…accepted.”
Faith smiled. “We are women. We’re supposed to be nice and sweet and accepting of others. Doesn’t that fall under the category of good old Irish duty?”
“But Liz didn’t do it for duty’s sake. She did it out of kindness. I could see it in her eyes. Fear was there, too…and in your eyes as well…but the faith you had in your friend and the faith she has in others made it okay to open the door. No questions asked. Well…not hard ones, anyway.”
“Give me time,” Faith giggled. “The questions will get harder.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Charles flashed a perfect smile. “Seriously, though—you and your friend are the nicest females I’ve ever met.”
“There’s sadness in your voice. Maybe you need more company on your journey. You sound…so alone.”
“I always have Jason. He listens to me during my hours of need.”
“He’s a good friend.”
“He puts up with me.” Charles winked. “And I always get more girls than I can handle, so there are benefits for him, as well.”
“Hmmm,” Faith said as she stared off into the distance, a smile dancing on her lips. “That’s surprising. I would think that he’d be more popular. Ladies usually love the strong, silent type.”
“I’m strong and silent,” Charles pouted.
She smiled wide. “I hate to tell you this, but you speak a lot. You’re almost…girlie.”
Charles leaned over and kissed her strongly on the lips.
When he pulled away, Faith was left breathless. “Okay…not so girlie.”
He grinned at her.
“We should go back,” Faith stuttered. “I’m afraid that Liz in the kitchen is way more frightening than anything you or I could be thinking of at this moment.”
Charles helped her onto the dark horse, lingering at her side. Suddenly, the horse jumped beneath her. Panic seemed to fill the animal’s eyes. The black horse raised his head sniffing the strangely scented breeze. He let out a strong snort that sounded almost like a wolf’s howl. The little hairs on the back of Faith’s neck stood up. The feeling in the air was unavoidable. Something was terribly wrong. The stallion beneath her reared up moving his head from side to side as if searching for his master as his ears stood straight and tall. Suddenly, he took off racing toward the big oak tree sitting high atop the hill. Faith held on for dear life as a scream tore through her throat. Abruptly, the powerful animal stopped and started backing away from a horrifying scene.
Flames reached like fingers of fire into the sky, and thick, black smoke surrounded the burning cabin. Liz was on her knees before the front door. Jason stood behind her, staring blankly at the once safe haven.
Faith and Charles raced toward the couple. As they moved closer, Faith saw somebody lying in
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