Taken Away

Chapter 3

     "Joshy's daddy, was takin' him fishin', when he was eight years old. A little girl came through the front gate, holdin' a fishin' pole. His dad looked down and smiled. Said 'We can't leave her behind. Son I know you don't want her to go, but someday you'll change your mind.' And joshy said..." She quit singing the lyrics of her favorite song. It discribed her and Josh perfectly. Of course, she had to twink the name so that it would fit. She turned her body and faced the young man. "Hey Josh?"

      "What, Eli?" he flashed a smile her way. Knowing he was the only person in the whole world that was allowed to call her that, always brightened up his day. She rolled her eyes, seeing the mischeivious grin apon his lips.

      "Don't push your limits, pretty boy. I was going to ask you something," she turned to look up at him. As she gazed into his eyes, she lost all confedince. "Um.. What time am I going to get home? It's getting pretty dark." She was too scared. Too scared of rejection, and too scared he wouldn't love her back. She didn't usually get scared. But when she was with him; everything changed. She became helpless to his eyes, his looks, his laugh, and even his smile. Everything about him made her vulnerable. All of her friends tried to warn her. They all said the same thing; Don't lose your heart so fast. But she couldn't help it. She didn't give it to him, it wasn't a present. He took it. He showed up with his good looks, his charming smile, and his true country boy attitude. He took it out from under her. She only hoped that he would take care of it. And as time went by, she found out that he not only took care of it, but he guarded it with his own heart. He protected her like it was his last day on Earth.

      "Eli! Snap out of it" he chuckled to himself, she always did this; got caught up in her own thoughts, forgetting the world around her.

      That's exactly what she did now; snap out of it. She couldn't get lost in her memories. The last time she did that, she ended up in God-Knows-Where. She wouldn't allow herself to leave him. She had finally found her Josh. She wasn't about to let him go.

      The front door jerking open caught her attention. She was currently sitting on the couch comfortably. The anger in his eyes was unbelievable. She had never seen him so angry. He threw his things down on the ground, stomping himself up the stairs, and slamming his door shut. That's when she heard it. The last song he played for her. 1234 by the Plain White T's. She has always been obsessed with them. Anytime they came out with a new song, she knew. She kept up with all their status'. She was like a miny manager. But when her dad died, her whole life crumbled. She stopped listening to music, and dancing around in her pajamas. She quit painting, and she just quit being herself. She became shy, never speaking unless spoken to. She wasn't Elizabeth.

      He had gotten sick of not seeing her smile. He sat on the computer all night, for countless nights in a row. Even with the never ending pain in his back from sitting on that damned bench all day, he ached to see her smile. Even if it only be for an instant. That's when he found it; the perfect thing to cheer her up. To make her into Elizabeth again, was all he wanted to do. He showed it to her, holding her in his arms all the while. She smiled for the first time in forever. And slowly -VERY slowly- she turned into an Elizabeth.

      A smile grased her lips at that very moment. Remembering things about him always made her sould brighten up just a little bit. Even with the rock music playing, she knew he was gentle. Gentle with her. That's when everything started to fade around her, shifting into an unknown area.

      "Josh! JOSH! Oh my God... Come back.. Please..." She felt her knees sink into the never ending sand that now surrounded her. She had found him. She had found his smile. She had found herself. And in an uncaring moment, she lost it all.

      Silent tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please Joshua, come back." She held onto herself tightly, afraid that if she let go, she would dissapear into forgotten afterworld. "I love you." She whispered to herself. She could just remember when he had told her those three words. She has never been able to tell him back. She only wished he could listen to her now. "I love you, too..."

     She looked around, gazing upon the sad faces of her friends and family. 'What are they all doing here?' She thought to herself. 'And why are they crying?' She glanced around, taking in the scene. 'A funeral? But I don't remember anyone dying.' She spotted her best friend as she strolled up the aisle towards him. She knew she would be scolded at by her mother later, but she let a smile show on her soft pink lips. She always pictured herself walking up the aisle towards him, but never in this manner. In her fantasies, everyone was happy. If they were crying, they were tears of joy.

     But now was a different story. People were crying out of regret, and sorrow. "Joshua." She called out. He acted as if he hadn't heard her. "Joshua, answer me please." This time louder, but everyone was still deaf to her calls. She reached out a hand, touching his shoulder. She felt herself falling forward, into the boy. She looked at herself. Half of her on this side of him, half of her on the other. 'It can't be.. I-I'm dreaming. I know I am.'

     "Eli.. Come back to me, please.." He clutched onto the casket, squeezing his eyes shut. 'D-did he just tell me to come back?' She slowly stood up, glancing down at what should have been her worst nightmare. She looked at herself, lifeless. Makeup on her as if she were attacked with her mothers purse. It couldn't be.. Could it? Was she actually dead, watching her own funeral? She felt the boy tremble beneath her. Glancing down, she watched as he mouthed the most beautiful words she has ever heard. "I love you, Elizabeth Dawn Harris. Now come back to me, Eli. Now that you know, you can't leave me here by myself.." Her heart felt as if it had been rising up. She felt as if her whole world were set upon the most fluffy cloud in the sky. She watched as the boy stood up, walking down the aisle and taking his seat beside his mother, crying into her shoulder.

     She reached her hand out, towards the crying boy. "I won't ever leave you... I promis. I'll look after you from where I am. As long as you promis to never forget me."