Running Shoes (The Shades of Northwood) by Wendy Maddocks

loneliness, the fear. “There’s not
much to be sad about. I’m a runner and there’s all this on my
doorstep.”
    “So why aren’t
you usin’ it?”
    Good question.
“No reason, I guess. I should.”
    “Is that why
you’re sad?”
    “I told you,
I’m not sad. Maybe a little in shock.”
    The boy with
the green eyes got up and held a hand out to Katie. She didn’t take
it. Couldn’t. While she knew with every inch of her being that this
young meant her no harm – how could she know that about a perfect
stranger? It was illogical but there it was – she didn’t take it.
“You’re new around here. You got that look like you’re sizin’
everything, taking it all in.”
    “Just moved
here yesterday. It’s way, way out of my comfort zone and everyone’s
older than me and more mature and it’s like they’re also sure of
themselves. And I am… I just am.”
    “So? Nothing
wrong with that?”
    “There’s so
much wrong with who I am you couldn’t even begin to understand. I’m
Katie by the way.” She held her hand out to the boy. He leaned down
to shake it and his eyes grabbed hers once more.
    “Jack.” He
brushed her hand with his and although their fingers barely seemed
to touch, a grip circled Katie’s palm and pulled her up. She
followed him down the steps and out into the open, where rain was
falling in lazy, fat drops. Right at the edge, he turned back to
her, bright eyes cutting their own paths through the gloom.
“Northwood can be a scary place but you’ll be okay. Brave people,
strong ones, that’s what the town’s always needed. There are a few
around and you’re one.” Katie raised her eyebrows at him, doubting
he would be able to see the movement. There had been nothing brave
about taking the place at Levenson Academy or leaving home; it was
just about escaping her home city. “Trust me, Katie. You’re here
because you’re supposed to be. And there’s no reason to be afraid
of any of those things I can see in that pretty little face. Not
while I’m around.” And suddenly she realised she was in the middle
of the red running track and walking down it at Jacks side. Alarm
bells rang a symphony in her ears. It was almost night time; she
was walking along a deserted track with a strange young man whose
name was the only thing she knew.
    Then all that
took a back sea as she noticed that the thick rain was not falling
on either of them. She held out a hand and watched rain drops fall
onto it, tepid and surprisingly heavy. Jack stretched out his right
arm and covered her palm. They stopped and watched together as drop
after drop fell through them. “You’re not scared?”
    “You said I
didn’t need to be.”
    “I did.”
    “Call me insane
but I believe you.”
    “You’re insane.
Nothing can really hurt you here. Nothing you can’t come back
from.” Jack froze for a moment. Katie twisted her hand out of his
and tried to find his eyes that were just inches away but it
suddenly seemed so incredibly far. “I’m here and you’re safe. I
know why you came here. So go.” Jack made a shooing motion with his
hands and Katie started walking down the track, adding in a few
jogging steps every few yards. It was dark enough now that she
could barely see the track in front of her. Tiny footlights set
into the edges of the seating threw up just enough of a glow to
keep her in a straight line. As she went through her lap, Katie
kept glancing back to Jack to make sure he was still there. As she
reached the edge of the first bend, he stopped being Jack anymore
and started being just a dark shape that was watching her. And then
the shape started to move. She saw it move, just slightly, as
though it was simply shaking itself, it freaked her out. The
movement was familiar and sinister. A moving shape could be totally
innocuous. Still… Katie fixed her gaze on the track ahead of her,
not quite ready to run, when she heard Jack coming up beside her.
Even without looking she knew it was him.