The Twilight Zone

Chapter 20

 Ellie sat on the floor of the cave, icicles surrounding her. She was enclosed in a small area of the cave, and the frozen shapes around her only made it more of a shrunken spot. She figured that it was just enough space for her and maybe one other person.

But she wanted to be alone.

It was freezing down in the darkest parts of the Zone. Her fingers felt like ice, and her breaths came out in foggy remnants of the warm air. She didn't ask, but Amelie kept repeating to no one in general; It's going to get better. I promise.

Noah had told them that he'd been in one of these dips before with some other boys in the Cavern, where it dipped down and felt like ice, but when it came back up it was almost too warm.

"Ooh, warmth sounds so good." Ellie relished at the thought. Amelie wasn't having it.

"Noah. You don't know everything. That's not true. I've been to more places than you have. You don't know everything, and you don't know that there is no such THING."

"Yes, there is." Sometimes, Ellie noticed, the two of them didn't get along well. She wondered if anything had changed between them since their sister died, or since Amelie left the Cavern. She wondered if they had been very agreeable before it all. After all, they were only a year or so apart.

Then, holed up in the cave feeling sorry for herself, Ellie started to cry. Light tears at first, but then it became much more like heaving sobs.

She felt something warm next to her then, a body. She continued to sob heavily, but quieted down a bit, resting her head on Noah's shoulder. He took her hand and squeezed it tight, and Ellie returned the gesture. Both of their hands together were warm, protection against the weather.

She didn't know where Amelie was, but she didn't really care. Noah was there, next to her, sweet Noah that she trusted with almost all her heart.

She loved him, right then and there, but she didn't say a word.

She just enjoyed him being with her for the moment.