Another Life| Joel Pimentel

Ten.

Joel lay in bed that night, Elizabeth filled his thoughts, so much so he found it hard to sleep. He thought of her hands all over his body, swirling over his back in gentle strokes. He felt his body react in an instant and groaned as he rolled onto his tummy. He needed to stop these thought, Elizabeth wasn't like the girls he knew. Thinking back to his history lessons in school he knew the whole process of meeting girls and dating them was very different to everything he knew. But something niggled at the back of his mind, Elizabeth was yet again different, she had been let down by every man in her life. Her father relied on her to run the house while he drunk himself to death. Then she had to care for her brothers and sisters, the girls were married off and the boys moved away leaving Elizabeth all alone. Joel felt his heart ache for her; she had been treated poorly by her whole family.

Joel thought of his own childhood, his mother and father and other siblings, he was lucky compared to Elizabeth but he had taken it for granted that everyone's childhood was the same. He didn't realise that someone could have such an empty life as Elizabeth, yet she was strong, she lived her own life almost cut off from other people as she did not attend Church and therefore was scorned by most of the town. Joel lay tossing and turning for what seemed like hours, he just couldn't get her out of his mind. Eventually he got out of bed. Thinking in terms of decency Joel slipped his trousers on and walked bare-foot over the creaky wooden floorboards. It amazed him how everything seemed to make so much noise when you were trying to be quiet, why on earth did that happen? He pulled his door open further and looked directly ahead at Elizabeth's closed door; Joel stepped forward so he stood almost touching the door and he placed his ear against the door trying to hear her breathe but he couldn't.

Joel knocked on the door gently. Elizabeth stirred and heard another knock on the door; she sat up and pulled the bed sheets up to her neck.

"Hello?"
She asked in a timid voice. Joel took a deep breath and walked into the room.

"Are you awake Elizabeth ?"
Joel gave a tiny laugh.

"No Joel I always answer people in my sleep."

Joel walked over towards the window until he could make out the candle and the matches. Lighting the candle he placed it on the bed side cabinet and sat himself on the bed. He looked down at the sheets not making eye contact with her; he ran his finger across the fabric thinking about what he wanted to say.
Keeping the covers pulled up tight Elizabeth sat up straighter now and looked at Joel , his dark eyebrows were furrowed together and he had frown lines on his forehead.

"What on earth is wrong Joel ?"
As he looked up their eyes met and the connection was felt by them both, it was something very strong, almost like a magnet pulling their souls together.

"You know when I go home?"

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to frown at him, she worried how he was convinced he would go home; there was no guarantee that would ever happen.

"Yes Joel ."

Joel felt as if his heart would burst with the emotions he was feeling, he had to try to restrain himself, remember that he had to treat her with care.

"Well.... Erm, the thing is..... You see... It's er, Well, you know...."

Elizabeth moved one of her hands and placed it on top of Joel 's that rested on the bed.
She cared for the good looking guy who now appeared so shy.

"Come on you can tell me its okay."

Joel took comfort from her warm voice and soft hand on his. Taking a deep breath he garbled all his words out.

"When I go home I want you to come with me and I want you to live with me and leave here and have a much nicer life that I can give you in my world."