October marched on in unceasing precision. The sweltering humidity slowly replaced by brisk, foggy mornings and sunny afternoons. With Odi’s tips and motivating monologues, Wilona began to close the gap to the top ten. Edmund struggled to keep up and eventually settled for simply beating his own times. On afternoons that Odi didn’t have work, they could be found huddled in the library or wandering the city. When Odi did work, Wilona and Edmund typically accompanied him to the store before parting ways for the evening. Mr. Ujazdowski, though still gruff and short in his manner, refrained from throwing old books at their heads.

One such afternoon went like so.

Showered and changed, Odi lay flat out on a bench by the entrance. The air had a slight fall chill and the sky was a dinghy wash of smooth clouds. He ran through a checklist in the side of his mind, nodding slightly as he confirmed in his memory that the tasks had been completed. Satisfied, he let his mind wander into whatever direction it fancied. This time, it was inspired by trees. Steady growths of thick organic material that plastered the surface of the world. Somehow, both invading and shoring up the soil.

Wilona, finished with removing the scent of hard work and a feeble attempt at brushing her hair, emerged from the lockers. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the same bench that Odi currently lay. She knew he didn’t choose that bench every time on purpose. It was simply the natural choice. The thought of his reaction to her pointing this out gave her a laugh. He would get all flustered, try to explain it as if he’d done something wrong all the while she couldn’t help think how adorable…

Wilona shook her head, sending a blizzard of curls in all directions. She balled her fists and cut a track straight to Odi.

Odi was blissfully drifting through his own mind. Students passed, but by now they knew that greeting him at this moment would be fruitless. He would snap from his reverie and look around like he’d lost something terribly important and no one wanted to be the cause of a derailed thought.

The sky in his mind’s eye changed. It became dark. Red flickered at the far reaches of the horizon. Something was coming.

A weight fell hard onto his legs pulling Odi back from the recesses of his mind.

“AH! What the hell?”

He was met by a pair of green puddles and amber curls.

“Wake up, Odi. We have adventures to organize.”

“Where’s Edmund?”

Wilona hesitated.

“He’s busy with History Club.”

Odi sat up with a jolt but he did his best to keep his tone measured and controlled.

“Oh,” was all he managed to say.

–––––

They talked all the way to Ujazdowski’s shop. Their latest novel findings, school work, running techniques. Those sorts of things.

When they reached Ujazdowski’s shop they were surprised to find him outside the locking up the front door.

“Ujazdowski? What’s going on?” Wilona asked.

“Shop’s closed. Family’s in town.”

“Oh,” Wilona said a little more crestfallen than she meant.

“Don’t mind it kid. Your help has been plenty. You two have a good evening.”

Umbrella in hand and hat on his head, Ujazdowski set off at a light jaunt down the sidewalk humming as he stepped.

Odi’s heart kicked up its pace. He had an idea.

“Wil. Wanna check out the water tower?”

It wasn’t really a water tower. Not anymore. It was over a hundred years old and looked more like a guard tower. The tower had outlived its purpose as new technologies came into play. Now, folks like Odi and Wilona could venture through the top. Luckily for them, they were the only ones there today.

“This is lucky. I never get the tower to myself,” Odi mused as he gazed out the city skyline. Wilona was in awe. From this height, the tower appeared to be surrounded by a lightly rustling ocean of orange and red leaves. Across the basin of trees were the cubic silver spires of the city skyscrapers, jutting out of the earth like boxy approximations of stalagmites.

Wilona could hear her heat beat in her ears. Though the tower was uninsulated from the autumn air, she felt very warm in her coat, gloves and scarf. She felt Odi shuffle on his feet next to her. She looked up at his eyes as they lost themselves in the view.

Odi’s breath caught as he felt two soft limbs enclose around his arm. He looked down to see Wilona clutching to him tightly, burying her face into his side. They stood still as the wind whispered around them.