Summer Shadows

The countryside air in Neerim South was fresher than anything Heinrey Smith had breathed in a long time. Rolling green hills stretched as far as the eye could see, framed by towering gum trees and dirt paths that twisted and turned like quiet secrets. It was peaceful — too peaceful for someone who’d grown up surrounded by the polished glass towers and echoing boardrooms of the Smith Corporation.

Heinrey will turn eighteen next week.

As his father suggested, his mother, Nora Smith, thought a change of scenery would be good for him — a short break from the pressure of being the only heir of the Smith legacy. His father, Alan, as usual, couldn’t leave the city. “I’ll catch up in a day or two,” he had said over the phone, and that was that.

It was on that trip — in that sleepy, golden countryside — that Heinrey met Ellie Jones.

She was fifteen. A local girl. Barefoot on the grass. Wind-tangled hair. She was innocent and kind, yet curious and brave. She approached him by the fence of the farmhouse they were staying in, a bright smile on her face and a flower crown in her hand like she’d been waiting for someone to talk to.

“Are you lost?” she asked.

“No,” he said, unsure whether to smile or keep his distance. “Just... visiting.”

“I’m Ellie,” she grinned, then tilted her head. “You’ve got city shoes.”

He chuckled. “And you’ve got thorns in your feet.”

“Worth it,” she said, shrugging. “Want me to show you around?”

That was how it started. Heinrey — or “Rey,” as he told her — spent the rest of the day exploring places he never would’ve found on his own. Abandoned sheds. Secret trails. A bridge that creaked like it was about to collapse. She told him stories — about the hill that echoed your name, about the local ghosts, about how she lived with her uncle since her parents passed away. There was something fragile about the way she said it. Honest. Unfiltered.

---

The next afternoon, Nora handed the picnic basket to her son and his new friend. She seemed glad he found someone to talk to — someone who wasn’t trying to network or impress him. “I’ll follow you in a bit,” she told him, phone pressed to her ear. “Go ahead and set up.”

Rey rode his bike to the large tree Ellie had pointed out the day before — the oldest in the area, with roots as thick as benches and branches that created a canopy of shade. Ellie was already there, sitting on the grass, hugging her knees.

“You’re early,” Rey said, parking his bike and setting the basket down.

“I like quiet,” she replied softly. “And I like this tree.”

They sat together under the branches, sunlight filtering through the leaves like golden dust. He handed her a sandwich. She took a bite and hummed in approval. Then, a strange sound interrupted the moment — a low grumble. Rey turned toward her.

“Was that... you?”

Ellie’s cheeks flushed. “Maybe,” she said, smiling awkwardly.

Rey laughed and opened the juice bottle. “You didn’t eat much, did you?”

“I didn’t want to look greedy.”

“You should’ve. There’s plenty.”

They shared the food. Talked about silly things. Her dreams. His. The kind of music they liked. How she wanted to see the ocean someday. Rey didn’t notice how much juice he drank. He wasn’t really hungry. Just thirsty — and tired. It had been a long week.

---

The air was cooler when Rey stirred. He blinked slowly. His head felt heavy, and there was a strange pressure in his chest — like he’d slept too long in the wrong position.

Then he heard it.

A quiet, broken sob.

He sat up quickly. Dusk had fallen — soft and bluish — and shadows had crept in under the tree like they’d been waiting.

There, a few feet away, was Ellie.

She was curled in on herself, her shoulders shaking. Her braid had come undone. Her clothes were wrinkled and her expression unreadable.

Rey’s voice came out hoarse. “Ellie?”

She flinched. Not like she didn’t know him — but like she wasn’t sure she could look at him.

“Hey,” he said gently, crawling closer. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

She looked at him, eyes full of something he couldn’t name. “Rey... something’s wrong. I don’t know how it happened.”

He looked down — then froze. His shirt was off. His belt was undone. His heart pounded in his ears.

“I— I don’t remember anything,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ellie wiped her tears. “I think... I think there was something in the juice. You drank so much of it.”

“And you?”

“I only drank after eating... I started feeling dizzy. And hot. And then...” She looked away. “When I came to my senses, it was already over.”

The world tilted. Rey’s stomach churned.

“I swear I don’t remember, Ellie. I would never—” He stopped himself, panic creeping into his voice. “I’m so sorry.”

She hugged herself. “We’re too young... This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Rey grabbed the only thing he was still wearing — a silver chain with his family’s crest on it — and placed it in her trembling hand.

“I’ll make this right,” he said. “I promise. When we’re old enough... I’ll marry you. I swear.”

Ellie didn’t say anything. But she held onto the chain like it was the only thing keeping her steady.

He helped her to her feet. Quietly. Carefully. They rode the bike together, not saying much. He dropped her at her uncle’s place, then turned around and sped off — toward the farmhouse, toward his mother, toward answers he wasn’t sure he wanted.

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