He was never warm his entire life. Not once. The wind rustled the leaves, stirred the grass and swept right over Eric. He could lie still, had lain still for hours, even days if needed. It was all in preparation for the right moment. He waited for a single point in time when the course of history would make a sharp change. Angel was just as still at Eric’s side. Many times in the past they had laid together in a field or a tree line and they would not make a move. “Are you sure it will be today? Angel’s voice was little more than the sound of the wind around them. “He’s been wrong before.” Eric didn’t respond, had no need to. He kept his eyes forward. He was searching, like an astronomer looking through a telescope, looking and waiting for the brief moment when he could spot a shooting star. “Wait,” Angle’s breath caught, “Is that her?” Angel had a much better view. Eric waited, counting the seconds. He could hear his heart beating and feel it in his fingers. Each beat was another second and each beat was another inch toward his goal. “It’s her,” Angel said. Eric didn’t look over, but he knew Angel was smiling. This was the moment. It was a culmination of small steps. Eric had made choices: turned left instead of right, missed a train or didn’t answer his phone and all those choices lead him to this moment. It was the same for her. This was the moment when two particles would collide and form a new element. Eric pulled the trigger. There was a long silence following the shot. Even the sound of the forest momentarily stopped. “Target down,” Angle, Eric’s spotter said into the silence, “Move out.” Angel stretched out his hand and placed in on Eric’s forearm and reflexively pulled it back, “Damn your skin is so cold.” “I know,” Eric replied, “I should probably see a doctor.” He was never warm his entire life. Not once.