Another Life| Joel Pimentel

Sixteen.

Around five O’clock Joel saw Elizabeth walking away from the house towards the farm, he looked towards Sam who laughed and nodded at him. Joel ran over to Elizabeth and took the bundle of washing from her arms kissing her firmly on the lips. Elizabeth looked angry and pulled away from him.

“ Joel!”
She scolded, Joel frowned before he realised what he had done was not ‘proper’. Joel stepped back from her.

“Sorry, I didn’t think….. Shall we go home?”

They walked home chatting about their days like any other couple would. For some reason Joel got the urge to look up to the hills and what he saw made him stand stock still.

Elizabeth was still chatting away when she realised he wasn’t at her side, she turned to look at him, and then walked back she touched his arm carefully.

“ Joel are you okay?”
Joel nodded for a minute and Elizabeth looked up following the path of his vision, what she saw made her stomach churn. Joel dropped the bundle of washing.
“It’s back….. It’s come back for me Lizzy.”

Joel dropped the washing on the ground and turned around grabbing Elizabeth by the waist spinning her around.

“This is it Lizzy, I’m going home!”

He placed her back on the ground, Elizabeth’s expression was stoic. Joel was confused. “ Elizabeth I’m going home, WE are going home.”

He now felt worried, the look on his face told him everything, and he stepped back in disbelief.

“Elizabeth, please don’t do this… You can’t, I won’t… Eliza?”
His voice became stern now as Elizabeth looked up with a sorrowful look in her eyes.

“I can’t Joel , I don’t belong there. Stay here with me; we can make this work you will see.”
Elizabeth took hold of his hands as she pleaded with him.

“ Joel, listen to me, you have a job and we have a home…..”

Joel cut in he was furious now.
“I have a job and I have a real home, not that thing we live in. I can give you everything you could ever dream of and more, come back with me.”

Elizabeth picked up the washing and turned away from him trying to hide her tears that were now forming.

“I don’t belong there Joel, you obviously don’t love me enough to stay!”

Joel looked at Elizabeth as she now walked toward the house and then he looked at the fog which didn’t seem to be as thick as it had been, he had to go and he had to go soon. He loved Elizabeth with all his heart but he had friends and whole family that he needed back home.
He walked beside Elizabeth now but didn’t look at her.

“That fog is back for me, you know that and you know I have to go home, come with me Elizabeth we belong together. I can help you, we will make our lives together, I have a family who will love you. Please I need you; I gave me soul to you.”

Elizabeth walked ahead striding purposely, she knew something had to go wrong, why would anything good ever happen to her and stay? She was destined to have a life like this; maybe after he left she would find herself pregnant that would be about right.

“If you go, you leave without me, I belong here, this is my home and if you leave me, then it shows me you don’t love me enough.”
Her voice was calm although inside she was breaking up.

“Fine, you’ve made your choice and I’m now making mine!”
Joel stormed past her and ran towards the town and their house. He had to run so she would not see him cry; boys didn’t cry in this era, it just didn’t happen. Elizabeth didn’t want him, she didn’t want all he could offer her or his love, he had to get away from here as soon as he could.

Elizabeth stopped once Joel had gone and she dropped to her knees and wept, her dream was over and her angel had gone.

Joel was crushed; he really believed she loved him. Why wouldn’t she come with him? But then why shouldn’t he stay? He tried to think about the consequences of him staying and then he saw his mother, brothers, and father’s faces, he thought of all his family and his friends. He had to go home, he had people who needed him, if Elizabeth did indeed love him she would come with him, but she had shown her true colours obviously. People could be as two faced here as they could in the present time.

Not wanting to waste time for fear of the Fog going away again Joel rushed into the house and up to his room. He opened the drawers that held his clothes Elizabeth had washed and pressed and he changed quickly.

Elizabeth sat for a while trying to compose herself, what was she ever thinking hoping he would stay? He was a boy and boys lie to get what they wanted. How could things be any different where he came from, it was probably worse if anything. No she was meant to stay here alone and just help people who passed by and needed her that was what she brought to this world and it was why she existed. Her job now was to make sure Joel went back home to his family and friends and didn’t feel he had to stay for her. It would be better for everyone who loved him, except Elizabeth herself.

Elizabeth walked around the back of the house and through the backdoor, as she turned to close the door she looked at the fog, it hung on the hills as it had the day Joel had appeared, it was waiting for him, it wanted him back. He was never hers to keep at all, only ever to borrow and then give him back, the fog wouldn’t let her keep him she knew it. If he didn’t go this time the fog would come back for him time and time again until it got him and took him back.

When Elizabeth got inside, Joel stood by the kitchen table in his jeans and jeans jacket with fur at the neck region; he had worn the day they met. He was passing his mobile phone from hand to hand. He looked up when she walked in, looking for a sign of sadness in her eyes, some kind of remorse, but he saw none. He felt his heart breaking, she wasn’t going to come with him, and he knew that.

“Eliza, I’m only gonna ask once more, will you come home with me?”

She placed the bundle of clothes on the floor; she took a deep breath and tried to compose herself if only for Joel ’s sake.

“No Joel, this is my world, I could never make myself fit into your world, and you need girls who are like you. I’m just a girl who washes clothes.”

Joel moved towards her holding his hands out to touch her but she stepped back knowing she couldn’t keep control if she felt his warm hands holding her hands up in the air.

“No Joel don’t!”

Joel closed his eyes as he face palmed himself.
“ Eliza, don’t make me beg you, you’re breaking my heart here…. Please, come home with me, I love you.”

Elizabeth walked past him so her back was to him and started to make up the fire.

“No Joel you don’t love me, you needed someone to look after you until you went home. Well now you can, so go home with a clear conscience.”

Joel shook his head; she was one hard girl, the Elizabeth he first met only she didn’t have even a tiny heart.

“Fine if that’s how you feel I’ll go but I gave you everything I had to give and if you cant see that…… Well you deserve to grow old and miserable on your own. What the hell did I ever see in a heartless bitch like you?”

Elizabeth heard the door slam and felt things in the room rattle, Joel had gone, he had walked out of her life as quickly as he had walked into it.

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😭😭😭💔💔 I almost cried while writing this chapter😂.

Hey everyone reading this! I am so sorry for the late updates lately😔😔😔. I have been super busy😑😥. I promised myself to update a chapter on Christopher's birthday😁😁 so here's the chap I hope you guys liked it. It not related to Chris though.

Happy B-day to Christopher Vélez!!!🎂🎈🎈🎂🎊🎊🎊💜