So Hide Your Eyes

Chapter THREE - Aviation

Chapter TWO

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My mama told me when I was young, "so hide your eyes when they come."

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I WALKED A STRAIGHT path north to where I'd seen him yesterday. Then I sat and waited. It was a long time before he came - or at least I thought so, time was murky there - and I was itching from the sand sneaking into my shorts. I was scratching my leg again when he appeared.

"Hello," said the boy, sitting down in front.

I shrieked, my hands turning ghastly pale. He'd appeared like a ghost.

"So, how'd you get here this time?" he asked and stuck his tongue at a cheek.

I opened my mouth to speak.

"Wait." He paused and held up a hand. "Let me guess. They killed you because your eyes killed a sweet boy or girl."

I shook my head and curled up to my knees.

"Then I've got nothing," he laughed. His laugh came easily, and I envied him because mine always lodged in my throat and sounded like an awful shuddering sigh.

I was quiet for a moment. Then I told him, "I took my mama's knife across my throat."

Then he was quiet too. It thoroughly confused me.

"You mean you committed suicide," he said.

'Red,' I thought and my breath was snatched by awe.

He'd glanced into my eyes. "Look, I know life's a pile of dick- dictionaries, and dun- dungeons. Dungeons," he repeated firmly. "But there are good times too."

"Like?" I asked curiously, and leaned close. Our faces were only a finger's length apart now, our noses nearly touching.

"Good times."

"Like?"

"Good times?" he wheedled.

I nodded and leaned away. Perhaps it was one of those things only wizened gods could understand.

He grinned. "I bet you have loads of questions. Well, don't worry, I'll answer all of them." He puffed his chest and crossed his arms.

"Where do you live?" I stared at him intently, determined to catch every word. My next course of action would all depend on his reply.

The boy blinked, surprised. "If it weren't for the fact that the soldiers are chauvinistic pigs, I'd have pegged you for one of them. But I did asked you to find me didn't I?" he mused, more to himself than I.

'Chauvinistic' sounded beautiful, and so did pigs. I'd only ever seen pigs in the school's musty and mouldy book of folk tales, but I knew they were adorable winged creatures that were round and pink like the evening sky. Teacher always whipped the book away before I could do anything more than skim past its yellowing smooth surface.

  He seemed to have realised something significant. A smile spread across his lips. "I live in Likah."

"It's the village on the land to the right of Khoel," he added. "Ly-Kah. Ask any local on the island, they'll know where it is. Real friendly as long as you hide your eyes."

"Sure," I said, thinking that saying 'alright' would sound too depressive. Tired.

He eyes narrowed. "Are you being sarcastic?"