Breaking the Chains

Chapter Five

The movements were slow, as if the suspense was something Riley wanted the boy to live in for a little while. She bit her bottom lip as she finished the first of the many knots just to keep the cloth blocking his sight. He had what looked to be a nervous grin, but maybe that was just Riley's opinion. She smiled to herself ever so slightly before she put on a focused look as she undid another two knots. From what her fingers could feel, there was about four more left to go.

Seconds upon seconds stretched into minutes until the black cloth that was once over his eyes tightly loosened and would have fallen to the ground if Riley didn't hold it up. He gave her a grin and she returned one, and when she realized yet again he couldn't see it right away, she took the blindfold away and held it in her right hand as she looked at the two closed eyes in front of her. Everything in her mind stopped, and her hands landed on the ground to the sides of her delicately. Her grin slowly lessened until her lips were just barely curled. This was the first time she actually ever saw him.

"Open your eyes." She said softly. Eli almost didn't want to. He had spent the past few days in total darkness and was almost afraid if he opened them he would blind himself. He didn't see much behind his eyelids and the expected brightness seeping through his lids was not there, so finding no immediate danger Eli cautiously opened his eyes. He found himself lost in her's; bright eyes looking at him curiously, he could see a sadness in them that broke his heart. Her eyes were green. Green like the ocean after a storm, a harsh storm taking down everything in its way, but lighter. Green like a four leaf clover, signifying faith, hope, love and luck to those who have the ability to find it, but darker. In her eyes, he could clearly see that she didn't want to give up, though she wasn't happy. He saw the strength, the unbelievably beautiful passion she had for living through what she had. He could see it all, and looking at her she knew.

"Look at me." He finally let his eyes drift and saw a faint blush on her nose spreading darker across her cheekbones. His heart clenched again when he saw the purple stain on her jaw, disappearing under her chin, claw marks decorating her neck brought tears to his eyes. Eli reached out to touch her but only made it as far as her waist before his chains jerked at the strain. He let his hand rest softly on her waist, diminishing his ache for physical contact greatly. She was sitting on her legs, their knees brushing against each other. They were both sitting on the floor, it was normally a cold, almost stinging icy feeling on his legs but right now it was barely there.  She was close, but not close enough. He felt like he knew everything about the girl in front of him, but at the same time he knew nothing. She leaned closer to him, her hair brushing his shoulders and rose on her knees, so he had to look up at her face. She touched his shoulders and he felt a warm tingling across his chest and back.  He leaned in closer to her, his forehead touching hers. "I am."

Riley put on a little smile as she looked in his eyes. She wanted to see them a little closer since her eyes didn't want to pick up any details in them. Her eyes ticked from his left eye to his right over and over just to look at them. She was fascinated. His bangs were locked between both of their foreheads, and all she could do was give a little laugh inside of her as she got lost in the two gray orbs in front of her. It didn't take her long to see that he felt completely lost and alone, but there was a spark of hope in them that sent a brighter grin to her rosy lips.

In hopes of making him give a laugh, she crossed both of her eyes as she focused on the tip of his nose, which was inches from her own. All of her worries went away once he gave an honest little chuckle. After she brought her eyes back to his, she took a slow breath and moved back a bit so she could sit on the ground in front of him.

Silence was between them and after a moment, she took his hand, looked down to her lap that was covered with dark purple bruises, and whispered shyly. "I'm Riley." The name seemed like the greatest secret of the world. Alison never called her by that name, and Riley was told never to let anyone else know. Slowly, Riley looked up and immediately her eyes locked with Eli's, except this time, his eyes were softer.