Sneak Peek!
There, in the pantry doorway was the same boy as before, dressed in pajamas, short hair sticking up, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.
Lance.
That had been the name written in messy handwriting on the note.
Keith’s hand instinctively moved to his knife. He didn’t want to do this, but he needed to get past this boy and get out.
“Are you immortal?”
He… what? The question that burst from the boy’s mouth was so confusing Keith paused, hand just touching the hilt of his knife.
When it was obvious Keith was not going to answer that insane question, Lance started advancing and speaking rapidly. “My parents said you’ve been breaking into our house and stealing food for twenty years, but you look like you’re my age so how is that possible? Are you immortal? Some kind of fairy or wood creature? Or are you like Benjamin Button and you age backwards? Or are you just really short? Seriously how old are you?”
Lance advanced further until he was within a foot of him. Keith slowly raised himself to standing, feeling trapped and unsure of what to do. He was so thrown off from Lance’s rapid fire questions that he said, “Th-thirteen.”
His voice came out like a croak and he cleared his throat right after. The realization that he likely hadn’t said a word out loud in weeks hit Keith with a painful prang inside his chest.
“I’m twelve!” said Lance, like their closeness in age was exciting to him. “I haven’t seen you at school. Do you not go to school? Where are your parents? Why are you stealing things? You can’t be the Hermit because you’re not old enough. Are you a copycat? What happened to the real Hermit? I’m Lance by the way, what’s your name?”
Telling Lance his name would be the stupidest move, wouldn’t it?
He knew it was bad to give up his identity to a stranger, but… everyone in the world was a stranger and in that moment Keith realized not a single person knew his name. The longing to be known overwhelmed him.
“Keith…,” he said, quietly, shifting his eyes down in case Lance could see the tears pooling there, even in the dark.
“Wow Keith. Okay, I wasn’t sure if you were a boy or… You’re a boy right? I guess I shouldn’t assume because of the name.”
Keith just nodded in response.
“Hey, that’s cool,” said Lance, “So, uh…”
“It was my dad,” said Keith, cringing at the sound of his croaky, underused voice. “My dad was the one that would break in. But he wasn’t a Hermit.” His voice gained power as he went even though he talked to his hiking boots instead of looking up. “He lived away from everyone else, but he wasn’t alone. He had me.”
“He… had you?” said Lance, slow and quiet. “Did he…?” Keith winced, not wanting to hear the words. “Keith, are you alone?”
Want to read more? This fic is coming on September 4th!
