We Dream of Mountains

She disappeared for two weeks after that.

He had looked for her every day on his morning jog, for her black hair blowing in the wind, or Tink's wagging tail, but hadn't seen her in the fog laden beach or the soggy streets. He had subtly changed his route to include her street, just hoping to see her.

When he did see her again, she was on her porch smoking a cigarette as Tink played with a large and very loud squeaky tennis ball. He crossed the street to her side of the road, and gave her a smile. She returned it, taking a drag. Tink stood in front of him, having abandoned her ball, and was wagging her tail so hard her whole body was shaking.

"Say hi, Tink!" Tink turned and barked at Mac.

He looked at her quizzically, and she laughed. "We're working on the jumping. She gets too excited and jumps."

Tink let out a whine, and he bent down to say hello to her, quietly talking in the same baby speak he used with his own dog.

"See?" Mac said. "I think it's working."

As if on cue, Tink leapt up and knocked him over, licking him all over his cheeks and forehead. Mac put out her cigarette in an ashtray that might have previously been a flower pot, and grabbed Tink by the collar.

"Well, it's in progress," she said, pushing Tink up the small steps of the stoop. "I didn't think you ran this way," she said, looking around. He was embarrassed that she noticed.

"Just thought I'd give another route a chance." He shrugged. "It isn't like the one I have is so interesting anymore."

"Bored already?" She laughed. "You make it sound like you've been running that route for a decade."

"Close, five years."

"Oi, shouldn't you be finding something new every day?"

"I think I ran out of new things." The two of them laughed.

"Aw, it's getting a bit late," Mac said, glancing at her watch. He expected her to say goodbye and turn into the mysterious house, and was ready to go back home and mull over the interaction. She seemed genuinely happy to see him.

"Yeah," he acknowledged, turning to look at the sky. It was nearly always grey in North Shields, and it always felt like the early morning.

"Do you wanna come in for breakfast?" she asked instead, opening the door as Tink pushed her way inside. He was taken aback, and stood dumbfounded on her front step.

"Um, yeah, sure, yeah," he finally blurted out, following her in.

The house was nice, painted with red accent walls and given furniture to match. He couldn't really remember the last inhabitant of this house, but it must have been someone young, or Mac had already had a chance to redecorate.
She led him through a long hallway to the kitchen, where she brought down breakfast ingredients. Cereal, pancake mix, eggs, sausage, fruit, rolls, she really seemed to have it all.

"Went shopping not too long ago," she explained. "See anything you like?"

"Just cereal will be fine, thanks." She handed him the boxes that she had, and then got the milk out of the unusually large refridgerator.

"So where are you from?" he finally asked.

"A lovely state called Delaware."

"Why come all the way up here?"

"I like the water. It keeps me calm." She smiled, as if telling a joke.

He wanted to tell her that this town was inescapable, that one time there had been people like her who settled in the North, all bright smiles and happiness, and never left, even when it had all been sucked out of them. Instead, he took the ceramic bowl that she handed to him as she began to chop fruit from the refrigerator.

"One day you'll get sick of seeing it."

"You don't."

"Everyone needs a change."

Mac shrugged. "I always thought that. Now I'm not so sure."

"What changed your mind?"

"Change isn't always good."

She looked over at him, and gave him a very reassuring smile as though she had been on the wrong side of every change she had ever encountered.

They ate mostly in silence, him with a bowl of cereal and her with a bowl of fruit. Tink had begged for some food initially, but walked away dejectedly when she found that they didn't have any good food.

"So spoiled," she chided, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, mine's like that. Just won't take no."

Finally, he couldn't really take it anymore.

"But really, why North Shields?"

"Am I being interrogated?" she joked.

"I'm just . . . really curious."

"It's a perfect mix of home and something new. I grew up in an area like this, but there was always something so bleak about it. So as soon as I could leave, I did, but every place I moved oddly wasn't bleak enough. North Shields is a perfect blend. It's beautiful, and just like home, but without anyone I actually know."

"It is a bit bleak."

"I mean it in a good way, I promise."

"I trust you."

They sat in silence for a moment, with him chiding himself for saying that. Finally, he thanked her for breakfast, and walked slowly home contemplating the encounter.

He turned it over for the next three days, coming up with nothing each time.