Bright Lights: Stories I Wrote For Prompts & Contests

HF: Smackdown -1-

The petite lantern in Elise's hand cast a glow upon a patch of dewy grass. Soft, chestnut hair tumbled from the delicate head; Elise watched her surrounding with hazel, owl eyes, whose irises were haunted by passing shadows. Mia Perry had always called those eyes 'unbecoming', but any good friend would admire those wide, curious orbs, which shone brightly as long as Elise was awake.

Ray certainly admired them.

He stood now by the gate, dressed in a patched, brown overcoat and loose trousers. He was a lumberjack in contrast to Elise, whose pale, slender body was hidden by layers upon layers of ungracious, blue fabric.

"On an errand again?" he whispered.

"Only to bring two hot water bottles to rooms twenty-three and twenty-four," Elise answered matter-of-factly, raising her gaze to meet his eyes.

He winced slightly as her eyes reminded him again: she didn't fit in here. A young, spirited girl like her shouldn't be working in a pension for old people, especially not among lonesome hills.

The misty outline of the Gabrigas mountain range stretched as far as the eye could see, the sky painted a dull grey. The clouds covered the sun with a vengeance. And still, Elise smiled with her eyes.

"Someday," she said, "The clouds will part, and we'll see red jewels in that sky of ours."

"A clear horizon," Ray agreed, stifling a wince.

Primly, Elise nodded and disappeared through a door, into the grey brick Pension house. A slight glance backwards revealed that Ray was still watching her, and his eyes beheld an expression she could never discern.

If only Elise knew how much it hurt Ray to see her there.