Chapter 20

            “I’m sorry-” Lucas began apologizing            
           
            “For what?” I asked confused.

            “Daniel told me what you said last night and he was right. I should have just kept my mouth shut, instead of bombarding you with information like I did.” He guiltily said, turning away and breaking eye contact.

            “I’m the one who asked you all those questions Lucas. I just wasn’t prepared for the answers.” I admitted. “Where’s Daniel?” I asked him, steering the conversation in a different direction. “He wasn’t here when I woke up either.”

            Looking up from his half eaten plate of food to me, he answered “Oh, he took the jeep into town.”

“For what?” I nosily asked, pushing my plate and the few remaining pieces of bacon to Lucas, having had my full.

“Not really sure, just said he was going into town a couple hours ago. He should be back soon.” He coolly replied, before finishing off what was left on his plate and mine.

Sighing in frustration at not being given a straight answer, again, I started back flipping through Daniel’s book, reading through some of the hand written notes that littered the pages. While some of them were only a few words, clarifying the meaning of phrases or unfamiliar words, others spanned from the top of the page straight to the bottom, filling up the margins, arguing with characters and their actions. The comments were smart and witty, full of humor and amazing insight, that had me smiling as I read. I was just about to enter another scene, when I felt the book being lifted off my lap and torn from my hands.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Daniel said, his voice a harsh scrape. As I looked up at Daniel’s face, I saw his hardened jaw and flinty eyes, and knew that I’d somehow crossed a line. 

“I’m sorry, I just found it on the sofa.” I apologized.

The edge in his eyes slightly softened at my apology and I turned to look at Lucas, who wasn’t sitting on the floor across from me anymore. 

“Where’d Lucas go?” I asked out loud.

“He went out back, to clean up the stuff he used to cook.” Daniel answered.

How long was I reading that book?

I thought, looking across to the now fading fire. Waking past Daniel, I headed outside to find Lucas and see if he needed any help with the cleanup.

“Hey.” Daniel said to me, as he reached out and grabbed my wrist, stopping me before reaching the door. Lifting my fist, he opened it and placed a small box in my palm.

Furrowing my brows in confusion I looked down at the box in my hand before looking back up at Daniel.

“I tell you I don’t like guns and you give me a box of bullets?” I said, handing the box of bullets back to him.

Refusing to take them back, “Their standard bullets, not like the ones we use for hunting. You can use them to practice with.” He replied in a serious and unwavering tone.

“I told you, I’m not good with guns.” I rebutted, matching his tone.

“Tough Luck. You have a gun, you’re gonna learn how to use it. Whether you like them or not is irrelevant.” Daniel told me, as if it was his decision and I had no choice in the matter.

My eyes narrowed to slits at his tone, as I threw the small box of bullets at him before walking out the front door. Walking barefoot on the lush green ground, the blades of grass gently stroking the pads of my feet, I followed the soft sound of a whistled song to find Lucas, crouched down near the edge of the shallow river a couple feet downstream.

“Hey.” I said catching his attention as I made my way to him.