The Key of Ornoss

Suddenly I have that feeling you get when someone’s watching you. I look up and, over by the trees, a young guy is standing staring at me.

‘Hey,’ I call and carry on.

Without answering he starts to walk over. He has a definite alt rock vibe; leather trousers and silvery purple hair sticking out from under a loose leather cap, but his shirt is way too fancy for the rest of the look. He’s still walking towards me and I’m not sure if he’s going to stop to speak or what so I straighten up. I’ve got the bowl and scissors in my hands and I’m looking classy in my muddy jeans and wellies but part of me thinks, sod it, and I just stand my ground waiting to find out.

He’s so slim and walks with such feline grace that for one tiny second I think I’ve tagged him wrong but as he gets closer, yeah, definitely a guy. Jesus, he’s beautiful though. I’m standing up now and resist the urge to turn sideways into a more defensive stance. Is he going to walk right into me? Then he stops short well inside my personal space. I try to ignore my heart which is fighting to break out of my chest.

He does the usual thing most people do when they meet me, stares at my hair. It’s the kind of carrot red that shines like metal in the sun and is the main reason my parents never lost me as a child despite all my attempts to run away from them. I dyed it black last year and it’s still growing out at the tips in a style not unlike our neighbour’s tortoiseshell cat. Then he glances over my shoulder nodding at the cottage. ‘You live here?’ he asks, in an accent I can’t place.

‘No, it’s my great aunt’s, I’m just visiting.’

‘Me too. Not seen you round here before.’ Then he smiles at me wolfishly. ‘I’d have remembered.’

Oh Jesus. I manage to stammer out a sentence. ‘You staying with the McVeighs?’

‘No, I’m travelling by myself, camping in the woods here.’

‘Cool. I wish my parents would let me do stuff like that.’

I doubt I would cope with roughing it, even if they’d let me, but if you’re going to flirt you might as well go all in.

‘My parents aren’t around any more. My aunt’s supposed to take care of me but she’s really busy so I get a lot of time to do as I please. That’s as long as I can escape from my tutors.’ That smile again.

‘Oh, you’re home schooled? I wish I was, I hate the place I go to.’

He’s eying me closely.

‘It’s strange, we haven’t met but I feel like I know you.’

I don’t know much about flirting but he’s definitely lost points for style with that one.

‘So what’s this camp of yours like then?’

Too much?

‘You want to come and see it?’

So ‘yes’! But… ‘I’d love to but I’ve got to get these back to my great aunt before she gets cranky.’ I shake the bowl of mushrooms.

‘Maybe later then?’

‘Yeah, sure, just come by and give me a knock.’

‘I’m Drue, by the way.’ He smiles, extending a hand.

I swap my scissors to the other hand. ‘Cal.’

‘Right. See you later, Cal.’

And with that he turns to go. I watch him walk off towards the trees before heading back to the cottage. This might not be such a dull trip after all.