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

Chapter Eighteen

Samuel and Eli sat together on the edge of the pond. Both of them dangled their feet into the water, kicking them back and forth with the bright sunlight on their backs. Eli removed his cap. Beside him, Samuel kicked his legs against the cooling water of the pond, sending small droplets spraying against Eli. Eli watched the ripples created in the water. A small fish darted past their legs and he almost wished he had his fishing pole, but it wasn't the time for fishing.

Eli took his cap off, dropping it onto his shoes which sat on the grass beside him. He rested back on the palms of his hands, squinting against the sunlight that beat down on them. They sat in silence. Samuel angled his head towards the trees behind them, listening to the birds chirping away.

"What do you think?" Eli asked, finally breaking the silence. He dropped his head to his chin and rolled it to look at Samuel.

"I don't know." Samuel shrugged, picking at the skin around his nails. "You haven't given me much time to think about it, and it's hardly an easy decision to have to make."

"I know, but I can't go to the city on my own and no one else would go with me."

"Victoria would. She said as much when she read the letter. If you asked, she'd go along with you."

Eli shook his head. "It wouldn't be appropriate. People would talk. The only reason they didn't was because Mama was around the house whenever she was and we were never really alone. If I disappear off to the village with her, people will talk."

"People will talk about anything in such a small village. No doubt I'd be the subject of a lot of gossip if they knew I existed, but Mother has been pretty determined to keep me hidden for a while."

"Then come with me!" Eli pushed himself off his hands and straightened up. "You can't stay locked up in a farmhouse all your life, I know what that feels like. You keep telling me that I'm the one in charge of my future, and that I need to take every opportunity I have, but you won't do the same."

"It's not as simple for me as it is for you, Eli. I can't just get on a train and go somewhere new. As much as I hate to admit it, being blind does limit me to some things and what you're asking me to do is one of them. It'll be easier for me to get lost and confused with all the noise in the city and you'll be too focused on the exam to worry about what I'm doing."

"You honestly think I would ask you to go only to abandon you?"

"No, I—"

"—Forget I asked. I'll go on my own."

Eli pulled his legs out of the water, spraying Samuel with small droplets of water as he scrambled to his feet. He jammed his cap back on his head, but made no attempt to put his shoes on. Instead, he allowed the blades of grass to cling to his damp skin. Eli grabbed his shoes and socks from the floor, and turned away from Samuel.

Behind him, water splashed and he knew Samuel had scrambled out of the water the same way he had. Eli ignored it. He took several steps away from the pond before Samuel's fingers wrapped themselves around his wrist and forced him to stop. Samuel's grip wasn't aggressive, or anything worthy enough to leave a mark, but the touch alone was enough to bring Eli to a stop.

His heart thumped against his ribcage, blood roaring in his ears. Eli felt that familiar ripple of anger building in the pit of his stomach, but he pushed it down as best he could. Despite wanting Samuel to go with him, Eli knew it was too far-fetched of a request. He'd wanted to do something to help Samuel gain the independence he said he lacked, especially after Samuel had been the one to push him to go against his father.

Eli turned his head just enough to look at Samuel who looked at him with a small furrow in his eyebrows. In an instant, the anger that had startled to ripple, disappeared.

"I would say that I don't think you'd ever abandon me, but you just did." Samuel raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging on his lips.

Eli's eyes widened as the realisation set in. He swore. "I didn't mean to."

"It's not like you made it very far, but don't leave the blind person near a body of water." His face straightened for a moment before he laughed. "I'm only teasing. I might be blind, but I'm not a dunce. All I meant before is that I don't want to be the person that holds you back, not when you're doing all of this to get away from someone else holding you back."

"You won't. You're the one who encouraged me to do this, the only person who stood by me and actually listened to what I wanted to do. I wouldn't be going were it not for you and, to be honest, I don't know if I can go on my own. It's one thing to make the plans, it's another to follow through on them."

Samuel sighed, but he didn't let go of Eli's arm. "Just give me a few more days to think about it, but even if I say no, you have to go anyway. You're not going to walk away from this even if I have to get Victoria to march you to the train station herself."

"I need to leave in three days."

"You'll have your answer by then."

Eli nodded, his eyes fixed on Samuel. Standing by the pond with the wet grass clinging to his legs and feet and Samuel's fingers still wrapped around his arm, Eli muttered a silent prayer and hoped someone would listen. He knew it would be complicated, he understood that there would be things they both struggled with, but he needed Samuel to be by his side when he boarded the train.

There was no one else he wanted to go with, no one else he trusted as much as he did Samuel. Without him, Eli knew the fear would eat him alive long before he made it to the train station.

~~~

First Published - April 23rd, 2024