The Girl in the River

Chapter 6

All the young people gathered around a man carrying a tall torch close to the street that led past Sage's house, to the woods and the river. It was dark now, and most of them carried white unlit lanterns folded out of papery bark. All pale and glowy in the uncertain light, they looked like little ghostly creatures crowding around people's sides, hiding between them and in the folds of their skirts.

    Sage had one too, Brooks had bought it for her. She didn't know he was planning to get two when he left her waiting at their table earlier, and he had come back with one made of delicate curving pieces shaped like petals. It looked like a flower and she was almost heartbroken that she wouldn't get to keep it long.

    They stayed where they were until the group had mostly moved off, Brooks was avoiding his friends with a serious air that made her stomach knot. He wasn't taking any chances with her company this time; as if he'd lose it. He was acting like she had anywhere better to be.

    The walk to the lake was on a path by the river that ran along the opposite bank. They crossed it at the rocky place and he made sure to hold her lantern for her, with a whispered comment about not falling in this time. She ignored him in indignation for a few minutes after that, but as she'd been mostly silent all evening it was possible he didn't notice. It was not possible to keep a bad mood though, the woods at night were too pleasant and the occasion too generally fun to support it.

    It was dark at the back of the line. The man with the torch had stopped at the river to light everyone's path but after that he'd moved to the front. Sage stumbled a few times and it almost seemed as if Brooks was trying to hold her hand. His certainly shot out towards her at the slightest provocation. Overwhelmed, she moved her lantern to the side closest to him and focused hard on the ground underfoot.

    Then they reached the lake; it was moonlit. The soft glow of the moon lay over everything with the gentlest touch, until even the jagged rocks scattered here and there looked inviting. Everyone fanned out onto the small beach and circled around the torch. Here Brooks did take her hand. His fingers closed around hers before she could react and he pulled her around to one side until they were right at the edge of the water. He'd just done it to guide her here, she told herself, that was all. There was no reason to panic.

    But he didn't let go, and she panicked anyway. The thudding in her heart grew and grew, it matched the little waves on the water's surface, each pulse spreading warmth further through her until they drowned out even the pleasant tingle spreading up her arm from where his skin touched hers. All she could feel was this wracking, painful rhythm.

    He turned his head to look at her and she gasped, audibly, and jerked her hand back.

    "Are you okay?"

    She didn't answer, she was too busy trying to focus on the cool sand under her feet, hoping it's calm would make her forget the sound she'd just made. It wasn't fair that things like this were both overwhelming and full of potential for embarrassment.

    Lanterns were being lit. The man was going around the group with his torch and yelling to everyone not to tip them, to hold them carefully, and not to set them on the water until he said so. When he came to their end he lit both their lanterns at the same time, and Sage dared to glance up at Brooks over top of them. Their eyes met, he was already looking at her.

    Finally, their chaperone gave the signal and everyone stepped forward to place the glowing lanterns on the water's surface. Boys with long sticks moved up and down the beach to prod them out until they could meet the river's current and move on their own. Sage shivered as she stood watching. It was her first time having a lantern of her own to keep an eye on, and this was always a lovely sight. All the bright little dots on the water bobbing along, getting caught, drifting away. It wasn't long until a few started moving far away and there was much shouting and laughter. All of this was always exciting for her, but this year she found her mind kept slipping back to the moment just before. Brook's face lit yellow by the torch, his eyes looking straight into hers. How often did people actually look at her? Look at her like that, with attention, and curiosity, and even a little concern?

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Our girl is shy
-Laura