Free Rise From Darkness by Ciara Knight

His lips were full but strong. She longed to feel them against her own again, but didn’t have the courage to make a move.
    “My dad. I used to help him work on cars. Your sixty-seven Mustang is one of his favorites.”
    He reached under the engine to collect his tools. A loud crack echoed in the boathouse when the wood snapped and the motor crashed down on his hand.
    “Alex!” Gaby’s body went cold despite the heat. She jumped up and tried to pull the motor off him, but it wouldn’t budge. She grabbed a plank and tried to use it as leverage.
    Before she could manage, Alexander pulled his arm free.
    “Oh my God, we have to get you to a hospital. Can you walk?” Gaby tugged at his elbow trying to lift him from the floor.
    “No. It’s okay, I’m fine.” Alexander hid his hand in his shirt and turned away from her.
    “Let me see.” Visions of all the broken bones and stitches she’d experienced with her father over the years came flooding through her mind.
    “You don’t need to, really.”
    Gaby pulled at his arm out of his shirt. “I’m use to dealing with injuries. I can handle it.”
    Alexander’s arm pulled free to reveal no damage.
    “I don’t understand. Your hand should be crushed or at least broken, bruised or cut.” Gaby rotated, bent, and pulled on his hand, but there was nothing wrong.
    “It didn’t fall that far. My hand didn’t get hurt. The engine hit the ground and startled me but I wasn’t trapped.” His voice came smooth and calm.
    “I saw it fall. Your hand was smashed.” Her mind reeled.
    “No, I’m fine.” He smiled, took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “See, it works perfect.”
    “You don’t sweat, you don’t get hurt? What are you, Superman? Are you able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?” She asked with a half-giggle.
    “Something like that. Come on, we need to get you to cheerleading practice on time or Sammy will ground us both.”
    She sighed sadly now that the day was ending. She enjoyed their walk hand in hand through the woods with Patronus running around them. Then he froze, barking and snarling at a tree up ahead. They both stopped in their tracks and looked at each other.
    A cold shiver shot through Gaby’s body.
    “What is it boy?” Alexander called out.
    “ Patronus come here.” Gaby patted her legs and whistled for him to come. “What if it’s a snake or something? I don’t want him to get hurt.” She looked at Alexander with pleading eyes.
    “No need to concern yourselves. It’s just me. I guess your new friend here doesn’t like me.” Forras walked out from behind a tree. But didn’t approach them.
    Gaby ran up and held Patronus back by his collar. Alexander followed.
    “He has good taste.” Alexander quipped.
    “I was coming by to see if Gaby needed a ride to cheerleading practice. I figured since she’s cheering for our team and all.”
    “What do you mean by that?” Gaby bit her tongue wishing she hadn’t asked.
    “I started thinking about your little fainting spell yesterday. You didn’t faint from the heat did you? Or was it that you don’t like being at the top of the pyramid?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just got dizzy, most likely from the heat and not hydrating enough.” She refused to admit she was scared of heights, not to Forras . Not only could she tell he would tease her mercilessly, she just didn’t like him.
    “You’re scared of heights. Did you hear that, Alexander? Your girlfriend’s scared of heights. I assume you’re scared of flying too.”
    Her skin crawled at the way he articulated each word. “I’m not scared of anything. If you don’t mind I need to get to practice and I’m not going to be able to hold Patronus back much longer.”
    “See you later.” Forras chuckled as he turned to walk away. “Scared of flying, that’s an interesting twist, isn’t it, Alex?”
    Gaby was tempted to release Patronus , but she didn’t want him harmed. “Why does he