The Woodlands (#1 THE WOODLANDS SERIES) (COMPLETE)

7. THE KISS

The decision I had to make was simple. Leave now or wait a few months and leave then. So why hadn’t I got there yet? Why was it so hard?

I sat in the abandoned factory, my refuge. It used to be a thriving shoe factory, employing over a hundred workers, until they shut it down. Funny now, when I think about it, that this was where everything went wrong for me. This was Paulo’s factory. He became so successful, so quickly, that they took it away. The Superiors ordered him to triple his workload so the shoes could be issued to Police and Guardians. He refused. He had many loyal employees and what the Superiors were asking would mean they would have to work twenty-hour shifts to get it done in time. So maybe he was a good man, once. Of course, his arrogance at thinking he had any control over what happened in his own business was his downfall. They quickly shut it down, dispersed the workers to another town that had a similar factory, and sent him to work at a distillery that made exclusive alcohol for the Superiors.

When I was old enough to make it to Ring Five, I wanted to go there. I wanted to stand in the place that broke him. Revel in his failure. Instead, what I found was a beautiful old building, a castle. It was falling down around the edges but the structure was stunning. The windows were imposing, carved wooden arches. The big double doors were heavy wood with big, ornate, iron hinges. I climbed through a broken window and found riches for a fourteen year old—pieces of colored leather, wooden feet, old sewing machines, and colored buttons. I made myself a small space to sit or sleep, pulling together some large pieces of leather and some fleece lining. It was comfortable and warm. I felt more at peace there than anywhere else. It wasn’t a home but it was the closest thing I had ever experienced.

I said he could come in this time but I was already regretting my decision. My once quiet space was filled with his booming voice. Joseph hadn’t come into the factory before. He had asked but I told him he couldn’t. He didn’t worry about it too much, other than to tease me about what I was doing in there.

“I know, you’ve made a life-sized Joseph doll and you’re trying to figure out how to tell me that you’re choosing him over me!”

“You are ridiculous,” I yelled at him as I closed the door behind me. And he was. He was too happy. He was too trusting. He pried and made statements like he knew me really well. I did like him. But I couldn’t let go of the fact that he was leaving, and I was leaving. It made no sense to be making new friends, or to have any friends at all.

“So two days ‘til the big day.” He sounded nervous, his voice higher and crackly. It was unlike him.

“Don’t worry; I’m sure you will get into Intelligence.”

“Yeah maybe, probably, oh I don’t know. I’m not too worried about that.” He was leaning on the door, his head so close I could feel his warm breath on my face.

He hovered over me, the heat coming off his body inviteding me to come closer, so I took a step back. “Do you want to come in?” I said, sweeping my arm open like a servant.

“You sure?” he asked. I shot him an eye roll. “Ok, ok, in I go!” he said, stepping through the door and into my private world. I bowed and shut the door behind him.

“So this is it? It’s just dust and old bits of leather.” He winked at me, a flutter in my chest made me feel like I was choking. I gave him a tour, showing him the old sewing machines, the rusty old conveyor belts. He seemed bored but he suffered on until we got to the place where I spent most of my time. We sat down on the seat I had made all those years ago.

“So what are you going to do?” His voice was a loud echo, out of place amongst the dust and stillness.

“I don’t know,” I confessed. All this soul searching and I had come no closer to a solution. Distracted by how close he was sitting, I was startled when he put his arm around me. It reminded me of the first time we met; I sighed and tried not to cry. Despite his annoying behavior, his loud voice, and disarming attitude, I was going to miss him. He was my first and only friend. I put my head on his shoulder.