Lost In Your Footsteps

Careful

~Andrew~

I fell to the floor immediately after penetrating the security of this stranger's home. My knees hit the hard surface of the foundation catching my upper body, my brain not even being able to fully acknowledge any pain as my eyes roamed farther into the home than my physical self.

The boy whose name I still didn't know quickly wrapped his strong arms under my flimsy ones hoisting me up by my armpits as if I was a sack of nothing. We rocked for a second to help me find my balance again before my brown orbs could really adjust to the personality of the home.

It was full of warm tones. 

My view from the front door allowed me to see a glimpse into the living room and all of the dining room. The walls in the living room were maroon with a stand-alone grey wall in the back where the tv hung from the wall. In the dining room, all the walls were grey with the exception of one being a forest green, making the stand-alone wall complement itself against the light contrast of the grey. All around the walls hung pictures. Both pieces of art and photos of what I'm guessing were family and friends.

"Keaton Jones? Is my son home?" I heard from a far-off room on the other side of the wall next to me. As the footsteps quickly approached I felt my anxiety pick up, my heart going into a slight panic. The taller boy next to me, who I now know as Keaton, must have sensed my anxiety because his hold on my side tightened for a brief moment. Enough to let me know not to fear whatever was waiting on the other side of the wall.

I pushed my fear away momentarily when I saw a scrawny, short woman with the same piercing green orbs as Keaton, come to face my own. The same brown hair her son had but longer, the curls neatly laying on both of her shoulders. She had the same tan her son Inherited from her, earning her bragging rights in the 'beautifully aged' department. Her eyes had smile creases making her look naturally happy even in an easygoing state.

The once smile on her face left her soul as she looked over at me. My eyes fell to my feet to hide the oncoming tears forming due to the burning. My teeth picked at the inside of my cheek.

That's it. She can tell and she's going to send me back-

"Oh my goodness," My eyes picked up immediately at the contact of her fragile fingers on my boney shoulder. She had formed tears in her eyes to match my own. "Oh, dear lord my boy what happened to you-" She covered her mouth before looking at Keaton and demanding right away that he bring her the first aid kit.

I have no idea what she saw. I haven't seen the exterior of my physical self for almost 3 going on 4 days now. But I'm guessing that spending 3 nights in a forest crying, is going to leave you looking a little shitty. Keaton was back in a heartbeat handing whom I'm now guessing was his mother the first aid kit.

The tiny woman placed her hand in mine pulling me further into the living room veering to the right of the home where I could now see a sofa and a flight of stairs leading to the second floor of the home.

She set the aid kit on the table that sat in the middle of the room and let go of my hand telling me to take a seat on her sofa.

I couldn't sit. I mean I could but I'm not really sure I could. I was wet and intruding in her home. Any feelings I had about taking advantage of the warmth of this home were long gone when I realized that these people weren't the strangers. I was.

It was safe to say I should leave.

I took a step back from the woman looking around, feeling my heartbeat tighten at the thought that I only knew of one exit so far and I wasn't sure if I'd make it out before she'd get mad at me for running and react the same way Keaton had in the woods.