Love Of A Stranger (On Hold)

Part two

Part 2

Standing at the front door of her house Eloise waited patiently for the school but to arrive. What was taking the bus so long, she thought. She had been waiting for at least twenty minutes. Her mother came downstairs heading for the kitchen.

“Eloise, what are you doing?”

“The school bus, mom.” She answered.

“Oh Elly. School is cancelled today. It snowed half a foot last night.” Her mother said. Finding the kettle and placed it on a burner on the stove. “I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you. Do you want some hot chocolate?”

“It’s snowing!” Eloise gasped in delight.

It had been a while since the last time it snowed. This would be one of the highlights of the year.

“I’m going outside.”

“Put on a bigger coat…” Her mother called out to her but she was already out the door.

Upon coming outside, Eloise felt flakes of wetness caress her cheeks. It was still snowing. She could her it fluttering down to the ground. She walked around to the unfenced backyard. There was sure to be more fresh untouched snow back there.

As she crunched her way to the back of the house and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself. Even though she could feel, touch, hear, and even taste the snow but she would never see it.

Warm tears filled with self-pity slid down her face. She continued to walk mindlessly into the woods behind her house.

The further she walked the colder she got. Eloise was done agonizing over something she couldn’t change. When she turned to walk back to the house she tripped and fell over a small tree stump.

Disoriented from the fall Eloise decided that it was best to stay put to keep from getting lost. Seeing that she had no other choice but to sit on the stump that had tripped her with arms wrapped around her legs to try to keep warm.

“Someone will come.” She chanted rocking back and forth.

And someone was coming.

Bowen walked through the woods while the snow wetted his beautiful black locks. He was growing tried of this town. After he slept for the night he would finally pack up and head home without what he had come for.

When he reached the hill over looking his old cottage he caught sight of a fallen angel. Her brown and golden hair draped over her face like a veil. Her snow-white dress matted with dirt and wet snow. She was curled up very still but he could see her body shivering from the cold.

Bowen tried to walk quietly towards her but the snow and fallen branches made that difficult. With one step there was a snap that seemed earth shattering in the silence of the woods.  He stopped dead in his tracks.

“Who’s there?” Eloise asked frantically.

“No one but a friend.” She listened to the voice of the man. It wasn’t a voice she knew. This man wasn’t a friend but a stranger.

“I don’t know you. Leave me alone!” Eloise got to her feet. With every step Bowen took forward she took two back.

Bowen sighed with exhaustion and quickened his pace towards the girl. She tried to do the same but tripped into a bed of dead leaves. Eloise shriveled hopelessly, she was at the will of this unknown man.

Bowen now stood in front of her and for the first time her glorious face was in sight. Pale pink cheeks glowed in the sunlight, her nose was perfect and petite and with Cupid’s bow lips. The girl was beautiful.

“Who are you?” Bowen asked the frighten girl. She opened her eyes and faced in the direction of the voice. Bowen carefully bent down in hopes of not startling her again. “Who are you?” He asked again.

Eloise got up to run away but before she could take a step Bowen grabbed her slender wrist. “Tell me who you are!” Bowen demanded.

“El…Eloise Hirsch.” She spit out and he noticed that her eyes weren’t on him but traveling around the forest in his direction unblinking.

“She’s blind.” He whispered to himself. Eloise lightly nodded and he sighed.

Thinking he felt sorry for her she asked. “Please take me home. I don’t live to far from here. I just…”

Bowen sighed again more dramatically this time and racked his had through his hair. “I’m sorry…I can’t.”

She shook her head back and forth in a frenzy. “Please, please, please take me home. Please!” Eloise begged desperately.

Bowen contemplated Eloise’s future while she begged. Would she be able to make him happy? Could she love him?  Could he even love her? They say that love is blind, but does really being blind make the saying even truer?

He took her by the arm and whispered. “You’re coming with me.”

“No!” She screamed trying to pull away and claw at his arm. Bowen lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder.  She thrashed about and pounded on his back but he didn’t seem to mind. He walked unfazed by to his cottage.

The warmth of the toasty heated room greeted them. The old wooden floorboards creaked as Bowen walked across the room to a door on the other side.  He opened the door and placed Eloise on the bed.  “You will stay in here until we leave tonight. If you manage to escape I won’t chase you. Even though it is very unlikely you will ever escape.” Bowen said and walked towards the door.

“Wait.” She whispered. “Who are you?”

“Bowen. Bowen Moore.” He said and slipped out the door, locking it behind him.

“Bowen.” She whispered to herself. Eloise knew who he was. She had heard girls talk about him at school. About how they wouldn’t mine being taken to be his wife because they could make him happy. But always left out what would happen if they couldn’t.