The World More Full of Weeping Read Online Free PDF Page B

speak. “Jim
said there are lots of trails, some of them really new. They
can’t tell if they’re from today, but they’re really recent.”
    As the crew had returned to the yard, Jim Kelly, one of
the owners of the Henderson Press, had been shaking his
head and rubbing his hands together. “Jesus, it’s cold out
there.”
    He stopped himself, seeing the look on Jeff’s face.
“Sorry,” he said, sheepishly.
    â€œThat’s all right.” It was cold; it wasn’t like he hadn’t
noticed.
    â€œI’m gonna pop back into the office, grab my good
gloves.” And a drink, Jeff assumed. “Is there anything you
want from town?”
    Jeff had shaken his head, and Jim had wandered up the
driveway toward his truck.
    â€œDo you want to come downstairs?” he asked Diane,
both of them watching the Search and Rescue crew girding
themselves with reflective vests, and helmets with lights.
“Claire’s made some sandwiches.”
    â€œI’ll stay here,” she said, her voice dead.
    â€œAll right,” he said, and waited, but she said nothing
more, and a moment later he turned away.

    Carly was waiting for Brian when he got to their meeting
place early the next morning. She smiled when she saw him.
“You came,” she said.
    He nodded, trying not to show how thrilled he was to
see her. “Sorry if I made you wait.”
    â€œNo, I don’t mind. I was just hoping you hadn’t forgotten
about me.”
    The thought shocked Brian. It had never occurred to
him that she might be looking forward to seeing him as
much as he had been looking forward to seeing her.
    â€œI made some sandwiches,” he said, tugging off his
backpack. “Did you want one? Peanut butter and jam.”
    She shook her head. “No, thank you.” She patted the log
next to her. “Why don’t you sit here while you eat?”
    He was shaking a little as he sat down next to her. When
he tried to unwrap his sandwiches, even his hands were
shaking.
    He hoped she wouldn’t notice.
    The day passed in what felt to Brian like mere moments.
They wandered trails he had never seen, pointed things out
to one another they hadn’t previously noticed. Carly showed
him a thrush nest, high in a tree, and Brian climbed the
tree and showed her how the feathers connected to their
shafts under his microscope. They talked and laughed and
walked in easy silence, holding hands.
    It was an endless series of perfect moments.
    As the shadows thickened, she stopped him and held
both of his hands. “You have to go?” she asked.
    It hadn’t even occurred to him to look at the time: it
was already almost 4:30. “I can stay a little longer,” he said,
thinking of the way his father hadn’t even noticed he was
gone the day before. Then he corrected himself. “No, no.
I should go. If I’m late my dad might not let me come out
after school tomorrow.”
    The look of sadness that had crossed her face lifted,
broke into a smile. “You’ll come back?” she asked, as if she
couldn’t believe her ears.
    â€œOf course I will,” he said.
    She squeezed his hands, leaned in quickly and kissed his
cheek, turning away immediately, as if embarrassed.
    His face started to warm.
    â€œHere,” she said, dropping one of his hands to sweep aside
a dense, hanging branch. Stepping through, Brian found
himself back in the clearing at the edge of the forest.
    â€œTomorrow?” she asked again.
    He smiled, “Tomorrow.”
    She squeezed his hand.

    The hours seemed to crawl by, with nothing for Jeff to do
but wait. He wandered through the yard, slowly, keeping
one eye on the dark smudge of forest, alert to the occasional
flash of lights from its edge. His heart jumped every time
someone came out, every time there was a crackle from
Charlie’s radio truck, thinking that maybe this was when
it would happen, maybe this was when