The ground of the forest was matted with brush and tall weeds that crunched under my bare feet. I had to push back low hanging branches as I continued running while ignoring the sharp plants and twigs that scratched my skin. I was just able to make out a ghost of a trail that had to belong to Henry.
My mind ran over the warnings my mother had given me. Shadow people are dangerous. They'll kill you without even thinking twice. They'll steal your breath from you. Don't you dare go back to that silo, Millie, it's a monster.
I tried so desperately to show her he wasn't what she thought he was like. She didn't listen. Why wouldn't she listen? And then she went to the silo to kill him. I had to find Henry before she did.
I came to a clearing in the forest. The ground rose to a small hill and three boulders sat in a triangle. Henry's figure stood in the middle. His head was turned to face the sky.
I could just make out that he was injured. Places on his arms and face had been slit, probably from the explosion and tree branches brushing against his pale skin.
My next step cracked a dead branch. I flinched at the noise and Henry whipped his head to my direction, his eyes beginning to grow with a feral look. It was like I was a fragile fawn, caught by the attention of a wolf.
"Henry," I whispered. My words were light enough to be swept away by the breeze. "Please don't run away from me."
"Leave me alone," he growled. "Get away."
I disobeyed his orders and took a step closer. He didn't retreat. Henry held his placing with muscles growing tense.
"I know you think you're evil," my hands trembled against my thighs while I slowly continued forward, "and I know things like you could kill so easily... but Henry, I know you wouldn't do that to me."
I was right in front of him then. Henry's gaze burned into mine, making me shiver even more. I broke my eye contact just to focus on something else, like his split lip or frost colored hair. Just anything to break his intense glare.
A light hand, cold at the touch, ran up my arm and to my face. Henry held my jaw up to keep it level to his face.
"Why don't you ever learn?" A discussed look crossed his expression. "You're right. I could easily kill you right now." Henry moved even closer to me. His face was just a couple inches from mine and I could surprisingly feel his breath fanning my face despite him already being dead.
"You wouldn't really kill me, would you?"
Henry didn't answer. My blood ran cold and my heartbeat was racing. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to end me. There's no running now.
Something soft came into contact with my lips. Cold, but also warming. His mouth connected with mine like a missing puzzle piece and filled me with a new sense. My body felt as if was melting into his as Henry held me against him.
That's when I realized that there's more than one way to steal your breath.
I felt like I wasn't even on Earth. My hands ran passed Henry's shoulders and behind his neck while he wrapped his arms around me. I could feel whole.
The cold feeling in his skin and lips began to warm. Henry pulled back with a face of shock. His skin was even a flesh tone, unlike the paper look it had before. Henry brushed his fingers through his hair while stepping back.
"What happened to me?" he questioned, looking down at his own arms.
"You look human."
Henry tore his eyes away from to rush back over to me. His hands returned to cup my face. He was about to say something, but instead kissed me again. This time it was short, but just as moving. There wasn't any coldness to his touch anymore.
After we ended, he still wouldn't let me go. "I think you reversed my death," Henry told me, catching his breath. "I'm alive."
I didn't know how to react at first. Then, a smile surfaced on my face. My mouth parted to say something, but I was cut off.
"Millie, you step away from that thing right now."
