The sound of water running is enough to stir me from my sleep. The noise seems to be emitting from the bathroom.
I glance at the clock under the TV set- 9:04. I slept later than I intended to. As predicted, my back is as stiff as the couch and I have a feeling it's going to be like that the rest of the day. I don't know who I thought would be in the bathroom other than Kindle, but I get up to check anyway.
I can hear faint humming coming from the other side and feel the steam from the shower creep out from under the door. I decide to head to the kitchen and start breakfast.
I make the same meal as before since I have the ingredients and it's simple to do.
As I cook my mind wanders, thinking about what to do today. I have to find some place else to live, being as I don't want to over stay my welcome here. Kindle's sweet but she probably has enough problems to deal with without me being here. I think I might travel somewhere near the coast. I've lived in a landlocked forest my whole life; never seeing anymore than shallow streams. But the ocean is massive and looking at it it would seem to be infinite, and in a way it is. The creatures that are indigenous to the coast are also a sight I want to see. I can imagine the smells and sounds of the beach differ from that of the forest.
I've decided my destination now the only thing left, in my mind, is to figure out how to get there. Before I can conjure up any ideas, Kindle comes into the kitchen- making me jump a little, again.
"You flinch quite often you know." She has that familiar smile on her face that always seems to be there.
"Sorry."
"You don't have to be sorry. It's my bad. I always think I'm as loud and noisy as an elephant, but people never notice I'm there till I say anything."
I notice that she's more dressed up than yesterday. She's wearing a dress instead of a t-shirt and jeans, and has on clean flats in exchange for the worn-out sneakers she had on yesterday. Her hair is styled rather than put up in a rushed ponytail. Even her quirky purse has been swapped out for a more mature, matching one.
"You look nice today." I say. But I immediately want to take it back. I hope she doesn't think I meant she wasn't nice the other day. She was nice both days. I have to look away to keep her from noticing the blushing appearing in my face.
"Thank you." Her voice is still cheery and light as it always is, meaning she didn't take it in the wrong way. Her voice only lightens when she speaks again. "You can come to church with me if you want, Miles."
"Church?" This stops me in my track. Church. I've never been to one or seen one in person. I don't really know how they're actually like. I've read about them and seen pictures, but sometimes you have to experience things to truly know about them.
Apparently Kindle takes my confused reply out of context.
"You don't go to chur- oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply- if you're atheist that's cool too, I just didn't know. Or if you practice another religion..." Unlike me, Kindle doesn't conceal her blushing as easily.
"Oh no. I've never been to church and no one has ever invited me."
Letting out a sigh of relief, the familiar smile returns to her face.
"I would like to go, but I didn't bring anything too dressy with me."
"That's ok, you don't have to wear anything too fancy, just something clean and appropriate will do."
I finish cooking the eggs and plating the bacon when I decide to get ready.
I take a brisk shower before sorting through my bag and picking out which clothes looked 'clean and appropriate'. I don't want Kindle to look bad, but I really have nothing but jeans and plain looking shirts. Nevertheless I have wear something so I go for a white button-down shirt and neatly pressed blue jeans. I look myself in the mirror.
"I guess I look 'clean and appropriate'. It doesn't look like I was raised in a barn."
Coming into the kitchen I hear Kindle talking to someone, but when I look around the corner there's nobody there but Kindle.
"...today will definitely be better than yesterday. In fact I feel like there's good days ahead. Yup, you go through bad storms than like the end of a hurricane there's peaceful days beyond."
I don't know why but I find it interesting how Kindle talks to herself so confidently, like she's talking to an old friend. Either that or she's slightly off, but that's another I find interesting about her.
She must sense I'm near, because she whirls around and tries to collect herself.
"See. You look fine. Nobody's going to say a thing." Getting up she pulls up her purse and says, "Now that we're ready, let's get going."
"But you don't have a car." I'm assuming her church isn't in walking distance since she's leaving so early.
"Oh. You're right." Sitting back down she's at a lost. "I didn't think about that."
"Do you remember what car repair shop has your car?"
"Yeah, but I'll need to call a taxi to get us there." She makes a face at the microwave clock. "But we'll be a little late to church."
So Kindle calls a taxi service and we head over to pick up her car. The mechanic shop is a small building with only a few workers. It might even be a family-owned shop.
As Kindle explains her situation to the dirty, solid built mechanic I study the small shop. Oil stains on the concrete floor, smeary garage windows, a small, but cozy waiting room. I only tune in dimly to the conversation between the two.
"Miss, the only problem with your car is an empty tank." The mechanic says.
"Uh...yeah I know." Kindle replies sheepishly.
"Well we filled up your tank for you, so it should run fine now."
"Thank you." Kindle's cheery voice returns.
"You just need to cover the price of the fuel."
"How much is it?"
"$70.00, miss."
"$70?" Kindle's happiness falters as she repeats the price. "Uh...do you accept debt?"
"Yes ma'am."
But after a few minutes of rummaging through her purse, then dumping out the entire contents, it's clear no such card exist.
"Uh...I don't think I have it on me right now..." Kindle's nervous laughter rings throughout the shop.
The dirty mechanic doesn't find the comment amusing and waits expectantly.
I always have some money with me at all time in case something like this occurs. It would use a lot of my savings up, but it's better than Kindle being embarrassed in front of this humorless mechanic.
"I'll pay for it."
My voice is usually soft and, with this noise, can barely be heard.
Shaking her head fiercely Kindle replies, "You don't have to do that Miles. I'll just-"
"It's $70." The mechanic tells me.
I hand over the bills to the satisfied mechanic and with that we're on our way.
"Thank you."
"Hm?" I got consumed by the whirlwind of passing scenery that I forgot where I was. Kindle also has been strangely quiet since we left the mechanic shop- I'm afraid that I insulted her by paying.
"I'll pay you back. Every cent."
"You don't have to do that."
"Yes I do." She says firmly. "$70 is a lot of money. Besides it's the least I could after all the trouble I seem to be putting you through."
Leaving it at that I gaze out the window again. The scenery has been the same for the pass 20 minutes. A dense forest with thick overgrowth and tall, marshy grass. It's not as dark and threatening as the one I've been used to.
We're soon pulling into a small, but crowded, parking lot.
The church is a traditional, small, white building with a steeple. On the left of the church is a small cemetery with no more than twenty graves. Behind the building I can see the glimpse of a playground and basketball court. The bright red doors of the church remained open to a few people still lingering in the parking lot.
"Oh, we're still on time." Kindle beams. "Come on. I'll introduce you to some people."
Just then I realized what a stupid mistake this was on my part. There are going to be people here. Maybe not a stadium full, but still more people than I've encountered on my journey so far. I don't know what to do or what to say. Hopefully Kindle will do most of the talking on my behalf.
Noticing my reluctance to leave the car, Kindle slides back in and gives my hand a small squeeze.
"They'll like you, I promise. Just be yourself. I know when I first go anyway new I'm really, really nervous but then I remember to take a deep breath and be myself. After that everything beings to feel normal and by the end you meet some incredible people."
Taking a breath I slowly get out of the car.
"She's right. Everybody I've met so far has been nothing but kind to me. Even if they haven't be noticeably kind they haven't been noticeably rude either. I can do this"
Walking behind a confident Kindle makes me feel like a child who's afraid of being around strangers. We head over to a middle-aged woman holding the hand of a young, but energetic, child and a young bright-eyed blond.
"-so I told Randy that he'd better get some help or else that rash'll be spreading faster than the Black Plague. Then he said-"
"Kindle!" The middle-aged woman's face lit up once she spotted Kindle coming toward her. It gave the talkative blond a moment to catch her breath and the woman the chance to rest her ears.
"Good morning Margaret." Turning to the blond. "Good morning Penny."
"Oh, you look nice today Kindle. You'll definitely outshine me like you usually do."
Blushing at Penny's comment, Kindle shakes her head. "You always look better than me. Besides I've had this outfit for a while now."
"We can go on about who looks the best later. You both outshine me anyways. I've lived past my glory days." Margaret shook her head before looking past Kindle's shoulder to where I stood with my head down and hands in my pockets. "Who's your guest?"
Kindle nudges me forward a little.
"This is Miles. He's visiting the area and so I thought it be nice to invite him to church. He's kind of shy."
"Well there's nothing to be shy about. Everyone around here is very kind."
"That's what I told him."
Extending her hand, the woman introduces herself. "I'm Margaret. Margaret Windcott. Been going to this church since I was a little girl."
I reluctantly accept the gesture giving a feeble shake. Before I could even put my hand back into my pocket, the perky blond is already vigorously shaking it.
"Penny Jenters. I've been coming here since I was twelve. My family moved here from Alabama. It was strange at first coming up here- in fact downright scary- but eventually we settled right in. It's not like the south, but I wouldn't trade this place for the world. I've made so many good friends here like Mrs.Margaret and Kindle. Maybe we'll turn out to be good friends as well."
"Alright Penny, you don't have to give him a whole speech right here in the parking lot." Margaret says. She directs the next question to me. "So have you ever gone to church before?"
I shake my head grimly though she's expecting a verbal answer.
"Oh, well then this'll be your first time. I hope you find the experience and people inspiring. We're not all crazy. And most of us aren't as fired up in personality as Penny is."
The young boy in Margaret's grip struggles to break free and tries to pull away from her. The child looks to be about five or six years old and seems to be restless in his fight to break free.
Giving an exasperated sigh, Margaret yanks the boy into order and tells him a firm command through clenched teeth. After that the boy settles down but only slightly.
"This is James, my grandson. He lives with me and my husband, Bill."
Squatting down to his level, Kindle smiles at him.
"I'm sorry James, I almost forgot to say hello to you. So how are you feeling?"
"I don't want to be here." James mutters.
"Why don't you want to be here?"
"Cause. I'm tire and I don't like wearin' these clothes. Plus church is borin'." Pulling down on his grandmother's hand, James' blond hair falls in his face.
"What about your friends? You like seeing your friends at church, don't you?"
"Guess so." He shrugged. "But they're no fun sometimes. When the teacher starts talkin' and all, everybody gets all quiet and everything and they don't want to talk or play with me."
"Well everybody's trying to listen to the lesson."
"Yeah but I'm bored."
"Well since everybody else plays your games all the time, maybe you should try playing everybody else's game for once. Listen to the lesson. You might like it." She says thoughtfully.
"Ok. I'll try it, but those lessons last forever."
"It can feel like that sometimes but if you actually pay attention then it can go pretty quick."
"I'll try." He mumbles.
As Kindle stands back up, Margaret shakes James' hand and nudges him with her knee.
"James. It's impolite not to introduce yourself to guest."
Slowly, the boy lifts his gaze from the asphalt ground to stare at me. His icy blue eyes perfectly match his white blond hair and rosy cheeks. He doesn't say anything, but looks at me funny.
"Why do you have girl's hair?"
"James!" Margaret yanks the boy's hand again, but with more force. "Apologize."
"But he does." James cries.
Penny makes an uncomfortable sound and, I don't look over at her, but I know Kindle is blushing profusely. I keep my sights trained on the trees across the road from the church.
"James..."
James doesn't seem to notice or care about his grandmother's warning tone.
"Its long like a girls. Only girls have hair that long." He says innocently.
The uneasiness I first felt on the ride over here was beginning to return. The urge to flee was building inside of me and at any second I might running away.
"Some people's hair is just a little bit longer than others." Kindle says, finally interjecting. "Besides, wouldn't it get boring if everybody had the same length hair?"
James doesn't reply but instead shrugs his shoulders and stares at the ground again.
"I'm sorry about that. James' curiosity and lack of self-restraint can sometimes get him in trouble." Margaret says to me.
I don't reply, but I understand. His lack of restraint and amount of curiosity interest me somewhat. So unafraid to ask questions even when those questions could be deemed unacceptable by other people's standards. At his age, I never would've ask such things of people even when it was blatantly obvious.
Penny is the first to break the silence by pointing out the service is about to begin. Margaret goes to take James to his class downstairs in the basement of the church. I stay a few steps behind Kindle and Penny as we make our way to the doors of the church. Even though they're headed away from us, I can't still hear James something say to his grandmother or himself.
"Why doesn't he talk? Can he even talk? Does he want to talk? Is he scared to talk?"