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 Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:34 pm
Dari could still hear everything. That much hadn't changed. It all sounded different now, though. It was internal. He could feel the sound. When they stopped he looked to Cody, and then up at the branch. He smiled. Hello, robin!
"Good. That means spring's here," he said, and then took Cody's hand again, "How did you find this place if it's not marked?" Had he gone on a risky adventure in the woods?
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:19 pm
"My dad used to bring me here every spring vacation while I was in elementary school, and then in the summers during middle school and highscool," Cody said, leading Dari upward. "I don't think it's a secret place, I've seen others there before, but the main trail goes to the other side and skips around the--your surprise entirely." He had almost slipped there. Oops.
"Where do you and your brother go for vacation?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:19 pm
Ooh, now it was his surprise? Dari grinned and took in a deep breath, lifted his shoulders, and let them fall. He was excited. It was only their second date and already they were going to have a secret all to themselves. It didn't matter if other people knew it or would be there. It would be for the two of them.
"Um. Well." It was hard. They seemed to always be working. "Every winter we go down to-- well, I guess up and east to Massachusetts where we grew up." The lies were easy. They flowed like water. He simply recounted Toby's life with the addition of himself, and it made him feel warm. "We try to catch the snow. We haven't gone out on vacation much, though." They couldn't. Dari had been a blackish, inhuman freak unfit for display at humanity.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:31 pm
"That must be nice, going back home for the winter," Cody smiled. "Do you go see your parents? Do you have other family?" he asked. He led Dari forward, pausing to admire some aspects of nature; the birds, the newly blooming plants.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:43 pm
Dari's sight was limited in this for, so he was glad for every pause to look at something beautiful. He might have missed it otherwise.
"Oh, no. No other family. Our parents unfortunately passed away some years ago." The Bureau had doctored the cause of death, of course.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:48 pm
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Cody gave Dari's hand a squeeze. He looked around for a change of subject and spotted one, pointing it out to Dari. "Look, a chipmunk!" The tiny creature was sitting, alert, on a fallen log.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:59 pm
Dari squeezed back. It was okay. If you wanted to get specific, his parents, all three of them, had exploded on a spaceship and he could graphically recount every detail. Both he and Toby had stories worse than the newspapers related, and that was saying something.
"It sees us," Dari said then, freezing in place. He smiled and slowly raised a both of their hands to wave at it.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:09 pm
The chipmunk scampered away at the movement. A large crow swooped past them, cawing.
"This place has always seemed magical," Cody said, still leading Dari towards the top. The ground had become flatter after a while. "With all the animals. I love it here." And he thought Dari would, too.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:13 pm
Oh, magical. If only he could tell you, Cody! He knew of the most magical place on earth, where squirrels and birds and chipmunks ran amok beside fairies and winged reptiles and people with powers you couldn't possibly fathom. He'd been there recently, too! In fact if it weren't for Breyer he wouldn't be here at all. He smiled imagining Cody's face were he to see such a place and continued on.
"I doubt the path has as much activity," Dari said, "it's nicer to just... barge through like this." He noticed the ground plateauing. Did that mean they were close, or just at a level spot in the trail?
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:20 pm
"Nah, it doesn't. Too many tourists." Cody wrinkled his nose, and looked to Dari. He wanted to say something cheesy, something like Dari was the most magical out of everything here, but instead he hesitated. They were almost there, and he wanted to see Dari's expression when he saw the field.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:24 pm
"Tourists?" Dari asked with a laugh. People didn't generally come to Arizona for the hiking trails. It was funny that Cody should think of the other hikers as tourists, as if he owned the place. It was kind of sweet, actually. He could almost see Cody and his dad walking this path a decade ago.
"Sometimes I like the crush of humanity. Sometimes it's just better like this."
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:29 pm
"Well. Other hikers. Too trafficky. You maybe see some desensitized deer or rabbits, but that's no fun." He paused, and turned to face Dari. "Are you Ready?" He asked. "Close your eyes, we're almost there. I'll tell you when to open them."
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:32 pm
Hmm. Cody was asking Dari to put a lot of trust in him. He could just as easily roll him down a hill. He half-smiled at Cody, and then closed his eyes.
There were many bad things in the world. He didn't think Cody was one of them.
His grip on Cody's hand strengthened, hoping that a closer connection would make him easier to lead.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:35 pm
Cody led Dari to a field full of Indian paintbrush and brightly colored wild flowers. There weren't any butterflies, it was too early in spring, but there were birds chattering somewhere in the distance.
"You can open your eyes," Cody said, releasing his hold on Dari's hand and instead looping his arm around his waist.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:41 pm
Dari stumbled a bit for lacking his sight. It wasn't something he was really used to. It disoriented him at times. He laughed and finally fell into place, though, and felt Cody's comforting arm around his waist. He opened his eyes and his mouth fell open as well.
Look at this! A whole field! It was packed to the brim with color. Living color. every little petal and stamen had life roaring through it in this place untouched by humans. Animals had planted these seeds, and the wind. My, this was beautiful. He was awestruck for a time, just looking over the field with wide eyes, and then he laughed and turned to Cody. This was his surprise? He loved it. How could a man know he would like this after only one date?
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