SSWM : 395
Pripyat was surprised at the man's word. Don't bow to him? No one had ever refused his respect before, or rather the physical expression of such respect. Yet it was his respect for Noah that caused him to raise his head again and note not to bow down to Noah. If Noah wished it to be that way than Pripyat would comply and not question it. Instead he smiled pleasantly at the man, if somewhat confused, and nodded as the man asked how he was. “I'm well too.” And he was. There were no physical ailments to complain of and the weather was good, so why wouldn't he be well? The heaviness that weighted down his spirits wasn't to be mentioned, it wasn't to be acknowledge.
Yet acknowledged it was, and Pripyat hadn't said a word. Noah's question confused the boy for a moment, what was stopping him from what? Turning to look over his shoulder towards the ocean as Noah had the meaning clicked into place. Was it so easy then to read the longing on his face? Or did Noah feel similarly? Or was it simply something that all youths went through and Noah was just old enough and wise enough to guess at the young boy's heart. Pripyat didn't know and he wouldn't ask, he simply sighed heavily and shrugged his shoulders.
The source of his unrest was unknown to the boy, all he knew was that his feet were itching to take him someplace. Any place. His eyes longed to see sights that couldn't be contained within Phoenix Valley. He wanted to meet new people and do new things and once in a while he wanted to forget about home and his family and all the members of Phoenix Valley. Forget them for just a little while with the understanding that he could never really let them go. Wouldn't ever to really ever let them go, even if the desire to arose, which it hadn't. But it might. And that perhaps was what was holding him back.
“What if I go someplace, and then I don't want to come back? That's what is stopping me.” Was it silly? Stupid? Illogical? He had free will, he was the master of his own future. Nothing could keep him from Phoenix Valley except himself, and that was the most terrifying idea of all.
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