Roxi's mountain

I want to be four again. Not this aged woman before you.”

Lewis unfolds his hands and after shifting his weight, says to miss Purdy, “This curse, can it be broken?”

“It can. What mother told me was four must go two at a time."

“To where,” asks O’Malley.

“I don’t know what lies beyond the door. All I know is that I am still here.”

Lewis interrupts, “The other two, where are they?”

“Roxi’s mountain. One is named Benny, the other Vincent. Local boys. Good boys. They’re waiting at the barricade.”

Staying ahead of the game, O’Malley asks Lewis, “Do we need a cab?”

Lewis is on the verge of saying yes when miss Purdy tells O’Malley, “That won’t be necessary.” O’Malley shoots right back, “No, it’s no problem. I got this.” “No really, that’s not necessary.” The strain in her voice has O’Malley asking, “Then how do we get there?”

“Are you willing to go there? The two of you?”

Her question has weight to it, and caught in its web, O’Malley admits to her, “I guess so.” Once said, miss Purdy shifts her gaze off of O’Malley that has her looking at Lewis who says to Miss Purdy, “Why not.”

Pushing away from the table, Lewis and O’Malley do the same. Following after her, not once does she look back.