Sighing, he lifted his feet onto the cot and dried off the excess lotion, the whiff of eucalyptus strong and unmistakable, and pondered his next move. He knew full well he had hurt Kieran’s feelings, but he had to be honest. Kieran’s motives were still too much in the dark, just like his personality, his past, his whole life.Now that the hatch was open, warm, humid air breezed in, and Gabe realized then that the air underground had been dry and cool. He missed it now that it was gone. He missed mountain air, the scent of grass out on the range, the evenings that lasted long and always held a touch of cold everywhere.After putting on the red T-shirt and worn boots Kieran had given him, Gabe made his way outside. The sun hung too low and the view was too blocked by the trees for him to see the horizon, but despite it being early evening, the air was still heated. Shadows grew and a sanguine full moon rose up leisurely in the sky. There was a mild puff of wind from the river, where dark blue waters ran lazily, like a piece of night on earth.
