The Sunflower Keeper

Seriously Serious

“We need to come up with a strategy to escape this joint.” Elijah clasps his hands together as he paces around our cell. I can feel a draft forming. Any faster and it will turn into a twister. The walls are dark stone with mold growing between the cracks. Crumbled pieces of cement are like sprinkles to the stone floor.  

          “Any faster and you’re going to erode the floor…with your feet.”

“We need to get serious. This is serious.” His voice is saturated with concentration.

          “Seriously, Serious.” I slide my hand under my chin and smile up at him.

          “You’re mocking me.” He stops in his tracks and turns towards me.

          “Not mocking… really.” I grin. He crosses his arms. “Okay, you’re right. We need to figure out how we’re going to escape and find Nevaeh.”

          “That’s if our little blue-headed Blondie still breathes.” Elijah says sadly. My mouth flattens.

          “She’s not dead!” I bite out. Tears threaten to run away from my eyes.

          “I hope not, but come on. Let’s be real. From what you told me; they were getting rid of her. That seems like they were going to kill her.”

          I slump down against the wall. Mold grabs ahold of my unwashed clothes. The concrete sprinkles make indentions in my thighs. My stomach grumbles. I pull my knees to my chest. My heads falls upon them.

          “If she’s dead… I don’t know if I can lose someone else. I might finally snap and become completely emotionally unstable.” I run my fingers through my hair and clench the ends tightly. “I don’t know why everyone thinks that I’m going to overcome all of this.”

          “I’m not giving up on you, and you shouldn’t either.”

          “I know that should help, but it doesn’t. Thanks though.” I sigh.  

          “Like I said before. There is no guarantee that they're both dead. That includes your sister. Wait didn’t he tell you that he killed her boyfriend?” He asks as if a bright, yellow light bulb just flickered on inside his head.

          “Yeah… But I honestly don’t see how that matters.” Curiosity dillydallies in my eyes. I cock my head to the side, and puff my hair out of my face.

          “He’s a ghost! Ghosts can manifest! He can tell us if she’s alive or not.” His eyes light up with pride as he starts toward me.

          “What makes you think that he wants to talk to me? He doesn’t even know that I’m me. Does that make sense?”

          He stops before me and lowers his hand. He offers it to me but I hesitantly take it.

“No, not at all. You’re the sister of the woman he loves. Trust me. He will want to meet you.” His smiling eyes match his lips. I stand beside him as my hand still lies within his. His warm skin is pressed against mine. His dark purple hair flops all over the place. His green eyes wiggle their way into my heart.   

          “It’s worth a shot.” Excitement bubbles inside, and by the looks of Elijah he is experiencing the same emotion.

          “Go on.” He releases my hand and backs up a bit. I stare blankly at him. “Call his name.”

          “You can’t be serious. It won’t work. There has to be something else to it. Nothing is that simple. Everything has a twist.” I protest.

          “Just do it.”

          I go to open my mouth but pause. I look him in the eyes. “There is a problem. I don’t exactly know his name.”

          Elijah sighs and places himself on the floor against the wall. “We can ask next time Prince Charming comes to pay you a visit.”

          “You don’t think he will be suspicious?” I stare at the mold-infested wall.

          “Nope. He’ll think you’re asking, because of the curiosity you have about your little sister.” He explains. He turns his face, so that it’s facing mine. “Can I ask you something?” I join him on the floor.

          “If I say no, will it stop you?” I lean my head back against the wall. My hair becomes caught on its ruggedness.

          “Probably not.” He chuckles. “Were you avoiding me because you were mad at me?” His face is plastered with concern.

          “No. I just needed to think things through.”

          “Good. Is there anything you want to talk about?” He really seems to care. He seems to want to listen to me.

          “It’s just my mom.” I say flatly.

          “I think you should forgive her before it’s too late. Remember how I said every family has skeletons in the closet?” I nod. He continues, “Sometimes they are there for a reason. She was trying to protect you; and not hurt you. So I know it’s going to be tough, but you should forgive her. You and I both know that she isn’t going to here for very long. I know it sucks. You should try to make things right before you can’t”

          “Thank you.” I nod and smile. I put up a front. My insides aren’t smiling. They are crying.

          “You should sleep. I’ll stay awake. I'll wake you when the jerk returns.” I glide closer to him and lean against him. He holds me in his arms and lets me drift into a well-needed slumber