Frozen Tears

Chapter Eleven

What's up? The sky! Haha *awkward silence* bad joke. 

Okay so anywayyyyyss... it's been a while since I uploaded but that's because of school stuff and I haven't had enough time. Don't let that bring your entiusiasm down for reading BR! <3

Love you all so so much! Enjoy xD

-Sophia xoxo

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I feel Hunter tense beside me. The boy's less than three feet away and jumps around, so uncaring, so happy, so innocent. I have no idea why Hunter reacts that way but when the boy turns his face to us, my breath catches in my throat. Standing there, a couple of feet from us now is an exact copy of a younger version of Hunter. For a moment, I'm sure that he's seen us, but when he walks right pass us without even looking at us I exhale in relief. 

I open my mouth to speak but still no sound comes out. Frustrated, I look up at Hunter who's as still as a statue; his muscles are tense underneath the tight black tee-shirt and his jaw is set. His eyes are pitch black, matching the little boy's ones, and the tinge of red in them is stronger. However, the boy doesn't have that red ring yet. He must have gotten it when he was Turned. 

Hunter is vulnerable. I can clearly distinguish a flicker of sadness in his eyes and I follow his gaze to where a young woman, who looks to be in her thirties or so, just marched out from the cottage, hands on her hips and a cross look on her face. 

Her expression immediately softens. 

'She's seen us,' I think and I don't dare to even move a muscle, or breathe. But then she laughs at her son who's chasing something imaginary in his mind around the stone fountain and shakes her head, making her way back inside. Hunter takes a step towards her but I take hold of his arm. He stops and looks down at my hand with anger. I don't take it back though; I'm as surprised as him at my action but something tells me that we have to move on. Where? I've got no idea. 

When he relaxes, still wearing a saddened expression on his face, I let go, taking hold of his hand hesitantly. He looks down at our intwined fingers and smirks, bringing an unknown feeling to my stomach. Suddenly, his eyes darken and he stares at something pass me. I turn around but see nothing. Puzzled, I look back at him but he yanks his hand back, taking a step away from me. 

My thoughts drift away into the back of my head when I see the younger Hunter, talking lively with a pretty girl, the same age as him, maybe even nine years old. Hunter catches the sight as well and I gaze sideways at him, watching as his expression softens. 

How come he's so emotional in here? Why is he showing weakness? Why is he being human? 

The Hunter I've known for less than two days is tough and hard as rock, cold and emotionless. 

Questions buzz through my head but I push them aside as Hunter begins to follow his younger self. I smile when the boy and the little girl reach towards each other, jumping down the pavement. Their hands intwine and they look so adorable, running around in the field now filled with flowers. I approach them with Hunter as they throw themselves in the grass, side by side, watching the light sky painted baby blue. The soft clouds are like candy floss and I suddenly wish that I had this kind of childhood. So carefree, so peaceful. No sounds of honking cars in traffic or smoke filling the air. Just plain nature and a soft breeze whisking over our skin like a sweet kiss. 

They look so innocent and happy. They don't have to worry about lost parents, or deaths, or being ripped apart from your sister or placed in foster care. They can smile every day, without a doubt that that smile is real. My eyes burn but I can't spoil this moment for Hunter, not when he looks so relieved, looking back at his childhood. This memory must be one that he treasures dearly and stores at the front of his mind if it's the first place we came to.