Lucy Christopher: The sand stretched out gray and ghostlike and illumi...

One day they'll let you out of that dry, empty cell. You'll return to the Separates, and you'll feel the rain once more. And you'll grow straight, this time, toward this sunlight. I know you will.

Lucy Christopher

one-day cells rain

You saw me before I saw you. In the airport, that day in August, you had that look in your eyes, as though you wanted something from me, as though you’d wanted it for a long time. No one had ever looked at me like that before, with that kind of intensity. It unsettled me, surprised me, I guess. Those blue, blue eyes, icy blue, looking back at me as if I could warm them up. They’re pretty powerful, you know, those eyes, pretty beautiful, too.

Lucy Christopher

powerful eye beautiful

I looked down at my stomach. I grabbed at it, seeing how much fat I could lift up in a roll. "Don't worry," you said, one eye open again like a crocodile watching me. "You're beautiful." You tipped your head back. "Beautiful," you murmured. "Perfect.

Lucy Christopher

eye perfect beautiful

I’d never seen a man cry before, only on TV. I’d never even seen Dad close to crying. Those tears looked so odd on you. It was like the strength of you just seemed to sap away. The surprise of it stopped me from being so scared.

Lucy Christopher

dad tears men

I remember that feeling of skin. It's strange to remember touch more than thought. But my fingers still tingle with it.

Lucy Christopher

strange skins feelings

I thought you wanted to catch a camel," you tried again. "No." "I want to." "Well, you go then." You laughed. "I want your beautiful face where I can see it

Lucy Christopher

camels want beautiful

But without humans, the wild would take over. It would only take a hundred years or so for nature to win again.

Lucy Christopher

hundred winning years

I want you to see that the person I glimpsed running beside the camel, running to save my life, is the person you can choose to be.

Lucy Christopher

camels want running

You won't be able to hurt me, or touch me.

Lucy Christopher

hurt-me able hurt

I was surprised at her gentleness, her willingness to give in.

Lucy Christopher

gentleness willingness giving

It didn't make me glow. I felt more like I was fading away, like the world had forgotten me.

Lucy Christopher

fading-away forgotten world

You're right, he's a killer," you said. "A rooster with some serious issues.

Lucy Christopher

killers issues serious

You moved my head so that it was lying in your lap. "Keep your eyes open," you said. "Stay with me." I tried. It felt like I was using every muscle in my face. But I did it. I saw you from upside down, your lips above my eyes and your eyes above my lips. "Talk to me," you said. My throat felt like it was closing up, as if my skin had swollen, making my throat a lump of solid flesh. I gripped your hand. "Keep watching me, then," you said. "Keep listening.

Lucy Christopher

eye lying hands

I could hear you, talking to the daffodils and tulips, whispering to the fairies that lived inside their petals. Each separate flower had a different family inside it.

Lucy Christopher

different flower talking

I thought you didn't want to let me go.

Lucy Christopher

let-me-go let-me want

I love you," you said, simple as anything.

Lucy Christopher

simple said love-you

The land wants you here. I want you here," you called. "Don't you care about that at all?

Lucy Christopher

care land want

Where are you going?" I asked. "The middle of nowhere." "I thought this was it." "Nah." You shook your head. "This is just the edge.

Lucy Christopher

middle-of-nowhere middle edges

Those blue, blue eyes, icy blue, looking back at me as if I could warm them up. They’re pretty powerful, you know, those eyes, pretty beautiful, too.

Lucy Christopher

powerful eye beautiful

I made it," you said, gruffly, "for you." You shoved it onto my finger. It was roughly carved, shaped from a lump of something colourful and cold...a ring made entirely from a gemstone. It was beautiful. It glinted emerald greens and blood reds over my skin, and had tiny flecks of gold catching the light. I couldn't stop staring at it. "Why?" I asked. You didn't answer that. Instead you touched the ring gently and looked piercingly at me, unsaid questions in your eyes.

Lucy Christopher

light eye beautiful

The sand stretched out gray and ghostlike and illuminated, a column of light leading forward. It was like something a dead person would see, a tunnel leading toward heaven.