Water's Edge ✔️

05 - Ellen

CHAPTER FIVE: ELLEN

It had been awhile since Ellen had tried to enter a human dwelling.

She'd done it all the time when she was freshly dead. Popping in and out of stores as if she was still vibrantly, wonderfully, a part of their world. Poking her head through children and adults alike, laughing at the absurdness of it all. This had all happened, of course, after she'd accepted the fact that she didn't exist. Made peace with it.

But after a month or so, it had lost its appeal. Drifting through tables and candy jars wasn't worth the twinge in her gut she got every time she left her river domain, and Ellen had disliked people anyway, even when she was still alive. Crowds, however small, weren't her thing, and now there wasn't peer pressure forcing her to participate in gatherings and social events.

And yet here she was. Trailing after Alysia, still in disbelief.

"My imagination is really weird." Alysia was saying, bouncing up and down, ignoring the odd looks people gave her as she supposedly spoke to herself. "I can't believe this! Can you, Ellen? Wait- can you eat? We are going to...well..." She gestured to the neon-pink flashing sign above the ice cream shop a couple of yards ahead.

"No." Ellen said distantly. "I haven't had real food for a long time."

"That's sad." Alysia's mood dampened for a moment. She was probably unable to imagine a world without food, and Ellen almost laughed.

She had left that world a long time ago, and she no longer missed it.

Well, she hadn't. Until Alysia.

"After you." Ellen said, just to fill the awkward silence as Alysia stood there, doing nothing.

"Oh! Of course." Alysia flashed a grateful smile and headed for the door. A bell rang when she pulled on the bronze handle, welcoming them. Or rather, Alysia. Either way, Ellen hadn't had the sound directed at her in a long time. Even when she had visited, she'd drifted through the window instead.

"Hey, Aly!" The storekeeper greeted with a wave as soon as they entered. "Where's Cayla?"

Alysia's face tightened. "Busy." She said stiffly, so unlike her usual cheerful self that neither the storekeeper nor Ellen pressed for details. "Anyway. Can I have two small mint chocolate ice creams, please?"

"Alysia," Ellen reminded her, "I don't need one."

Alysia waved her away. "I can pay."

"Sweet tooth today, hmm, Aly?" The shopkeeper teased. "You sure? That'll be four dollars."

"I'm sure." Alysia grinned, rummaging through her pocket and emerging with a crumpled wad of cash and some coins. She moved to set the money on the black-and-white crystalline counter. Counting it out, she then shot Ellen a triumphant smile. "See?"
Shaking his head, the shopkeeper scooped the requested ice cream into two paper cups and passed the items across the counter. "I see." He said, then gestured to the corner. "Your favorite table is empty."

A stormcloud passed over Alysia's features momentarily, but then she shook her head, as if to clear it of bad thoughts, and beamed. "Thanks." She exclaimed, accepting the treats. An amused Ellen followed her to said table and mimicked the action of sitting down. It really made no difference to her- she couldn't actually rely on the chair for support- but she assumed Alysia would appreciate the motion, pointless as it was.

"This is SO surreal!" As she slipped into the booth, Alysia removed a heaping spoonful of ice cream from her cup and plopped it onto her tongue. Her next words were muffled as she added, "Also did I mention I looooove ice cream?"

Ellen snickered. "I can tell."

Alysia's hand flew to her mouth, her face displaying exaggerated offense. At the same time, her cup, which had been precariously balanced between two extended fingers, slipped from her grasp and tipped over. The already melting ice cream splattered onto her sweatshirt, spilling down her front in a sticky waterfall.

Ellen watched quietly, barely reigning in her giggles.

"Gross!" Alysia broke the silence, eyebrows scrunched together in disgust. "Ew, ew, ew, ew-" She stood quickly and hurried over to the bathrooms near the back, frantically sopping up the larger chunks of ice cream with paper towels as she walked. It wasn't working very well.

Ellen trailed after Alysia as she threw open the door, lips puckered, and started for the sinks. Dropping the paper towels in a wastebasket and then turning the taps, Alysia splashed water over her arms. After, she started on her sweatshirt. The damp spot spread, but at least it wasn't ice cream colored anymore.

As Alysia sighed in relief, Ellen was busy assuring herself that there was nothing wrong.

That she was perfectly fine.

That this was just a dream, anyway, so what did it matter that she had wanted to kill Alysia the moment the water came out of the facet?