Short Story: Hidden away

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The year after Jane had met Thor, Eric had given her a birthday present. The act itself was anomalous; Eric was incredibly forgetful about some things in life. For all the years she’d known him he’d never once remembered her birthday on time. He always made up for his forgetfulness in this department by taking her out for dinner or making other thoughtful gestures. That year in particular, as he presented her with her gift—a small box wrapped in newspaper—Jane had been nothing short of astonished.

The gift itself surpassed anything and everything she could have imagined in generosity from her oldest friend. Lying inside the box was a silver small charm meant for a necklace. Jane had gently grasped it with two fingers and lifted it up for closer inspection. A year ago she wouldn’t have recognized the charm and even if she had, it would have meant nothing. Now, however …

“It’s Mjolnir,” Erik said unnecessarily. “I, ah, found it … after he came. Thor …”

He’d mistaken Jane’s silence for disapproval. In truth, Jane was fighting hard not to burst into tears. It was a thoughtful, compassionate gesture by someone she loved dearly and she knew that no other gift would ever be able to compare. Aware that Eric was growing increasingly distraught by her silence, she turned to him and flashed a brilliant, watery smile. “It’s perfect, Erik. Absolutely perfect.”

He never got a chance to reply because she’d thrown herself at him and encompassed him in a tight, inescapable embrace. Instead he’d patted her back awkwardly, his own eyes a little wet as her tears dampened his shirt.

.x.

Once Jane had made the final decision to go into hiding she’d had to pack quickly. Obviously she wouldn’t be able to take everything—only what could fit in a veh...

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...ant night sky canvas, unpolluted by city lights in this remote rural area. The sky was thick with stars, the lights of which glinted and shone with a crisp, clear light. Her trained eyes made out constellations and mapped clusters as she drove. She’d never in her life seen a night sky as lovely and pure as that which appeared every evening here in the north.

The stars weren’t the only treat for her eyes. In the total darkness the Christmas lights of every house she passed on her way twinkled and beckoned with cheerful seasonal charm. One yard had a number of animals constructed entirely of lights, horses and reindeer that pranced among each other. Other houses were dressed up with careful consideration toward color coordination; a large house artfully illuminated in strands of yellow and blue was so attractive that she slowed her truck in order to get a better look.

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