Where the Devil Says Goodnight (Folk Lore 1)

Eventually, some two hours into their walk, they reached one of the tall hills surrounding the valley and faced a steep incline. Emil’s first instinct was to lead the way back, since it was deep into the night anyway, but Adam kept walking ahead, to where the approach became sharper and shot straight into the sky. The rock wall was smothered with moss, but the pillow-like softness of it did not detract from the majesty of the cliff.

Emil hurried, following Adam all the way to the rock wall, but as they walked between the silvery trunks of beech trees scattered over a bed of last year’s leaves, a shiver crawled up his back and tightened his throat threatening to choke him. He’d felt nothing but peace and excitement since they’d left behind the others, but unease was tearing into his insides in silent warning.

As if the forest didn’t want them here.

“You didn’t tell me you’re friends with Nowak’s son,” Adam said out of the blue.

“You don’t know him, so why would I?”

Adam sped up with a huff, but his foot must have slipped over a damp stone, because his breath turned into a yelp, and he would have fallen over if Emil hadn’t kept him upright with one hand.

Blue eyes darted to meet Emil’s when Adam slowly composed himself and steadied his breath, still holding on to Emil. “You two just seem very friendly, that’s all.”

Emil bit his lip, standing still for that bit longer to enjoy Adam’s fingertips on his bare forearm. Then, his thoughts lit up like fireworks. “Wait. Are you jealous?”

Adam frowned and looked away before the flush creeping up his neck could have reached his face. But in the torchlight, his nape was pink, as if it had been stained with raspberry juice. “Don’t be stupid. It’s just that he’s a redhead and has freckles. And you mentioned someone like that,” he said, continuing his slow descent.

It was nice to see Adam remembering that fateful confession by heart. “But it’s private. And I don’t want him getting in trouble with his dad.”

“I’m not gonna tell on him. Not that I particularly like Nowak.” Adam wouldn’t glance Emil’s way though and sped up, heading straight for the diagonal wall that now blew ice into Emil’s face.

He wanted to say it was late, that they had a long way home, but the words wouldn’t leave his mouth in the face of Adam’s confident strides. When torchlight slithered over the sharp stones, he expected to see bugs, maybe a lizard skittering away from the intruders, but the glow stole farther, revealing a narrow passage into the cliff.

Emil swallowed, trying to ignore the goosebumps erupting all over his body in response to the unnatural cold of the cavity. “We’ve hooked up on and off for a while now. It’s not like he’s my boyfriend,” he felt compelled to communicate this without beating around the bush, even though he knew Adam had told him in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t interested in breaking his vows.

“It’s none of my business. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked,” Adam said, touching the rocks at the entryway into the passage as an excuse to not look at Emil.

Emil ignored the unease that had bothered him since he’d laid his eyes on this very wall. The crack was only visible from up close, at a specific angle, but he supposed an average person might be able to get in there. If they were brave enough.

“It’s okay. He’s my best friend, I guess. I was never particularly close to anyone my age here in Dybukowo. I met other alternative kids once I started high school, but the school was far away and I could only spend so much time with them. Besides, many of those I got close to moved somewhere else since, so we lost touch. Now that Radek’s left for Cracow… It will be the same with him. People who leave Dybukowo visit less and less until they forget about their past and move on.”

“Didn’t he invite you to stay with him?” Adam asked, grabbing Emil’s forearm and directing it so more light could penetrate into the darkness of the passage.

“I’ve got no money, I’ve never held down a job, and on top of all that, I’ve got Jinx to think of, and I’m beginning to realize I will never leave this godforsaken village. That’s just the reality of it.” Saying it out loud made Emil’s heart heavy. There was a finality to admitting to someone how much of a failure he was.

The torch cast a warm glow on Adam’s face. Handsome, with eyes like jewels, it was in such stark contrast with the somber cassock, the thick, black fabric seemed like a trap, an anchor to keep him from rising off the ground. “Hope is hard to come by sometimes,” he said and gave Emil’s free hand a squeeze.