Maggie hopped off the stairs sneakers on laces tied. The all to familiar feeling brewing inside her. She was ready to bolt. Saying goodbye to what she had worked so hard on was a challenge. Even if it was something she never truly embraced. Trusting that the strength she needed was inside her, Maggie took a deep breath and decided it was time to start all over "It's not you, it's me" she said. In her mind - a poster board cliche she could not stand to be. She just couldn't be angry anymore. Couldn't try to change things, or spell out her frustrations in any other way. Troy wasn't listening. And she didn't care. The love they had all but disappeared. A clean and clear Sunday morning. It wasn't even 9 am But she remembered vividly. It was the day she decided to never speak again.
Maggie's modus operandi, hiding. Drawn to something beautiful, new or intriguing to witness, she escaped away alone. Silently passing everyday times new canvas where day turns to dusk. Her brother Max, wheeled around the neighborhood, ticking thru her prerequisites of a good place to rest. Somewhere hidden, never too far from home, close enough to a place she travels often, just tucked beyond the beaten path. Together, each under the sky splashed painted richly with cotton candy hues. In their own right explorers, trekking ahead confident yet lightly in soft footsteps, passing the days away. Max, thought to himself, "If I was Maggie where would I go?" He knew how to find her. He was accustomed to it. She always found a good spot. He didn't mind looking. It wasn't him she was hiding from. Just beyond the concrete barricade, on the other side of the dead end zone, he came around the corner. There she was. Like every time before this he let his bike drop to the gravel, and plopped down silently there beside her. Sneakers worn, socks dried muddy Maggie sat, back against the wall. "This is a good one" He said as they watched the frogs together leaping in and out of the canal. The sky was alive tonight as birds dipped in and out of their peripheral trying to get last bits of rations before they tuck in for the night. Their own silence sliced by all chitter chatter diving in the air. "Mac & cheese tonight" He says. She slowly pushes rocks down towards the water scattering the minnows that gathered in the slime. The disturbance masked the grumble growing from her hungry belly. She doesn't say a single word. They sit for a moment more together, watching the sky turn from blue and green to try purple fire. Pulling up her sock she plucks at the elastic that has stretched out a bit too far. It doesn't stay up as she stands and wipes off her earth stained pants. Maggie picks up her brothers bike, and rolls it his way slowly revealing "Fine, but I'm not doing my homework." She pushes the handle bars towards him, and like all the times before. He hops on as she steps on the rear wheel spokes, holding on at his shoulders. "Deal" he says, as they ride away together, probably heading home. Laughing he tries to pop a wheely, darting faster farther from the dusk diving bomb birds, or are they bats?
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