Message in a Bottle [LGBTQ+] [ONC 2024]

Chapter Seventeen

There was plenty Eli needed to prepare before he could even think about leaving for the city. Although it had been a split second decision, a decision made out of anger, he was determined to follow through with it. He knew he might change his mind if Samuel didn't agree to go through with it, but at that moment, he lived in ignorance.

Eli slowly started to pack as many things as he could, squireling them away in a cloth bag tucked under his bed. Even after he took the exam, he wasn't sure if he would return home. Leaving in such a way would destroy his relationship with his father, but with the damage already done, he wasn't sure he cared. He did care about leaving Constance and his mother behind.

His mother had done so much for him during his recovery, going out of her way to make sure he did everything that was asked of him even when it hurt. She'd been there every time he skinned his knee, every time Eli had been torn down by his father she was there to build him back up again. He didn't want to hurt her, but even she wouldn't go against his fathers word.

Constance had always been the annoying little sister he thought he didn't want, but he did. He remembered when she was first born, seeing her open her eyes for the first time, and it was then he knew that he was meant to be a big brother. She'd always been able to cheer him up and he'd done his best to look out for her. He would always protect her, but he needed to look out for himself.

"I'll see you at home," Eli said to Constance. They walked down the front steps of the school, Eli eager to head to the nearby shops and Constance desperate to get home to the chickens. "I need to get some chalk for my slate."

Constance frowned, tilting her head a little as though she didn't completely believe him. "But you have chalk."

"It's only a little stump, I can't really write with it. Tell Mama I won't be long, alright?"

"Alright."

Constance nodded, clutching her books and writing slate to her chest before she took off running across the village and towards the dirt track that would take her home. Eli watched her until she disappeared, guilt sitting in the pit of his stomach at having lied to her, but he knew if he told her the truth, their parents would find out. No one could know.

He tucked his books under his arm and crossed the village to one of the general shops where he knew he could get the chalk — just in case anyone asked — along with some other small, hopefully nondescript items that he hoped no one would draw attention to. Eli noticed people watching him as he limped across the square. Although most of his injuries had healed, he still walked with a limp. The doctor said it was a mental injury rather than a physical one.

Eli pushed open the door to the shop, slipping inside. He stalked the small wooden shelves, grabbing a piece of chalk along with a small, but sharp knife, a spool of thread and a needle, and a stack of paper. The only thing that he knew might draw attention was the knife, but after everything that happened to him, he hoped no one would question his desire to carry a weapon.

With the objects in hand, he limped over to the counter where Mr Cross stood, pouring over his ledger. He glanced up as Eli approached, doing a double take as he placed the items down on the counter.

"Mr Webster, I didn't expect to see you," he said, his eyes roaming over the items.

"I just needed to get some things for school. The needle is for Mama."

Mr Cross nodded, scribbling the items down in the ledger. "It's good to see you up and walking around. The entire village was shocked at what happened to you, we never thought something like that would happen in our small village."

"Neither did I." Eli clenched his slightly trembling hand into a fist. Even after several weeks had passed, he still didn't like talking about what happened. He'd preferred that no one talked about it so he could just forget it happened — though he knew that would never happen. "How much do I owe?"

"You're not putting this on the books?"

Eli shook his head, reaching into his pocket and wrapping his fingers around the few coins he took with him. "I'll pay for it now."

"Alright. It'll be one and seven for everything."

"Here." He dropped the coins into Mr Cross' outstretched hand, watching him count it out.

Mr Cross offered him a curt nod and dropped the money into the till. "Thank you. Tell your papa that the order he placed will be arriving soon."

"I will. Thank you, Mr Cross."

Eli hastily tucked the items he bought into his lunch pail, slipping the knife into the waistband of his trousers to keep it hidden from anyone who might ask questions. Mr Cross knowing about the knife was one person too many, though he was grateful he didn't ask about it. It was the one object he'd been worried about buying. Everything else could be explained in one or another, the knife couldn't.

He made sure the knife was hidden as he left the village and began the walk home, his limp growing with each step he took. Eli had a hard time believing the limp was anything other than the result of Peter Upton's actions, especially with the small jolt of pain that came with it. He did his best to ignore it as he reached the start of the stream that led towards the farmhouse.

The slow, trickling of the water didn't soothe his mind in the way it used to. He thought back to that night, of standing beside the stream when Peter Upton snuck on him. It was by the stream he thought he was going to take his final breath, the place he was going to die.

But he didn't and in a week's time he would be on the train away from the village and towards, what he hoped, would be the start of something new.

~~~

First Published - April 22nd, 2024