What The Blind Can See

Sinking Sand

     The wind blew lazily through Ethan's hair as Ethan continued to climb.  Reaching the rock ledge, Ethan swung his legs over the edge, looking down at the island below him.  Emma had given Ethan and Alice free time to explore the island.  Emma said that they might as well familiarize themselves with it, they might be here for a while.  Sounded to Ethan that Emma was trying to make it feel less like the prison it was.

     Sitting up here, alone, Ethan somehow felt less lonely than he ever had.  In school, and even now, he had to count almost entirely on himself, the only thing close to companionship he had was with his own thoughts.  With his family, with his classmates, it felt like an act, like they only talked to him, only associated with him because they had to, and in the few interactions he had were very abrasive and the people were often rude.  When they were nice, Ethan found out later that they were just trying to look nice to others.  It baffled Ethan how people who threw him away, the world that kept him from rising up, and fate that brought him his problems could just bring down judgement and execution for literally no reason.  Ethan longed for true friends, for true family, for true love. He longed for people he could trust.  People that would be there when he lost it all, people that would be strong when he was not.  People that could carry him from his sinking sand to solid ground.

     Alice climbed to reach the rock ledge.  She needed time to think.  Her friend, her rock, and, if she dare say, one of the few people she loved, she might lose.  Being here on this island, with danger all around, added to Ethan's impending blindness condition, was too much for Alice.  As she came to the top of the rock ledge, she saw Ethan, sitting silently on the edge.  She guessed they both looked here for some sort of peace.  They often had similar ways of thinking, she guessed.  She took a quiet, tentative  step forward, seating herself on a dead tree limb beside Ethan.  "Thinking of true friends again?" Alice asked.  "Yeah," Ethan replied, snapping out of his thoughts to focus on Alice.  Alice sighed.  "Ethan, I may or may not have told you this, but all the things you have been searching for, someone to trust, to be strong when you're not, to help you when you've lost it all, to carry you from sinking sand to solid ground... you have been this person to me.  I may not be the best person for the job, but I will do my best to return the favor," Alice said.  "Yeah, I know," Ethan said, pulling closer to Alice.  "I just wish..." "Yeah," Alice replied, the dead tree limb she was sitting on creaking as Alice shifted her weight.  Slowly, Alice started leaning her head toward Ethan's, their lips centimeters apart.  Suddenly, Alice pulled away.  She couldn't ruin their friendship like this.  "I'm sorry..." Alice said.  "What do you mean?" Ethan asked, understanding what she meant, but trying to cover for the awkwardness.  "You've been the best for me, Alice.  Thank you.  I may not be out yet, but at least I know one person is pulling me out of the sinking sand.  And I also know even if you couldn't save me, you'll jump in the sand with me, like you are now with my mess of vision.  I love you for that, Alice," Ethan said.  Of course, the last part  was intended romantically, but was taken platonically.  "Of course, Ethan," Alice said. 

     Suddenly, there was another creak of the dead tree limb Alice was sitting on.  The branch gave way, snapping in a violent crack, rapidly disconnecting from the dead tree. this loss of support let gravity come in, causing Alice to fall off the rock ledge, falling 5 feet before hitting quicksand below.  Alice wiggled.  but that only seemed to sink her deeper.  But before she knew it, a hand had reached out, pulling Alice from the impending danger of suffocation.  "And I know for sure now," Alice said, "that you would pull me from the quicksand." Alice smiled, pulling Ethan into a tight hug.