Elisabeth

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

That same evening, they reached the island again. Elisa and Will pulled the raft out of the water.

'Shall we make paddles?' Will proposed.

'Let's just give it a good night's rest okay? Tomorrow is another day.'  Will said. Sure, tomorrow was another day. Why did they even try to get away? It was not like this was the last day they had. They could try to get away anytime. Why not when they were old, wrinkled and seventy years old? It was not like there was any urgency to get back. It was not like there was family they wanted to see again. And if there was, it was not like they would all be dead when they turned seventy. Oh, who was she kidding. Sarcasm was so not making her feel any better.

'Why not tonight, Will?' She managed to ask without flipping. His midnightblue eyes stared at the white beach for a few seconds, then turned to her. He took her arm and they walked to the house.

'I don't want us to fall asleep until we are far enough. I just want to make sure we won't be pulled back again.' Okay so maybe he had a good reason. So what. She was sure she could keep her eyes open if she wanted to. 'Just go to sleep, Elisa.' He said, still looking at her. 'You will be glad you did so.' 

'I won't be able to sleep when I am so excited anyway.' He pulled her into the house and put her down on her bed. 

'Then don't be excited. It's not certain if we leave this place in the first place.' She bit her lip. 

'Are you planning on giving up?' She asked him. He lay down beside her. 

'Of course not. I kind of promised myself to get away from here with you.' Those last two words sounded good. Did he really take the promise seriously? Yes, she had wanted him to when she said so. But promises could be broken. It was cheating, but it was possible. 

'Good, because we have to. We have to get back.' He turned around, facing her. 

'Don't expect too much from the mainland, Elisa.' 

'Why not? It's where I've always wanted to be since I came here.' She looked him right in the eyes, and he put an arm around her skinny waist.

'It is a world full of other people. Not only the good ones, the nice ones, the loving ones. There is more in this world than love, friendship, respect, happiness, beauty and sunshine. There is also jealousy, hatred, discrimination, racism, sexism, cursing, betrayal and disgust. And believe me, those are not worth all the effort.' He rubbed his thumb on her back, holding her close. She was to sweet and vulnerable for the outside world. She was strong, mentally and physically, but she was also damaged. Elisa wasn't ready for it. She had never learned about the world. 

'My parents are worth the effort.' She lifted her eyebrows in a very cute way and he couldn't help but smile. Family and friends were the only things worth the effort. He was so touched she had never given up on her parents. 

'They are.' He agreed. She closed her eyes, definitely satisfied with the end of the conversation. He closed his eyes too.

~*~

Elisa woke up against something hard. She tried to turn around but she was stuck. Blinking a few times, she tried to identify what it was that kept her on her place. Right. It was Will's chest. His arm was around her, and he only held her tighter when she tried to lift it up. She looked up at his face and saw him smiling. 

'You did that on purpose.' She accused.

'You're right.' He said, having no trouble admitting that he was teasing her.

'Let me go, than we can eat something and make paddles.' His grip tightened. 'Will!' She cried. He let her go. 

'Did you just speak with one word?' She replayed the conversation in her head.