It was a shortcut. I’d never known of it, but I didn’t get out much by myself, and, when I did, I took the long way in an effort to make it last.
That night I didn’t argue. Every step felt too heavy and I only wanted a place to lie down. If a shortcut through hell was the quickest route to my bed, I would have taken the fiery path. As it turned out, Paul’s shortcut was just that and I would by lying down sooner than I expected.
As soon as we were within the cover of the trees, Paul lost all his good breeding and religious conviction. Or maybe he never really had either.
He didn’t turn to me. He turned on me. But not right then. It had happened earlier and I was too naive to realize it. From the moment he ordered my drink, he had no honorable intentions.
The leaves and snow cushioned my fall when he pushed me down, but the warmth oozed out of me and I finally felt the cold.