Becca C-Ellis

They were lying on a couch, staring through the dusty windows at the purple shadows dancing around the stars. The stars shone bright enough to mirror the dancing shadows on the ground and in the swaying trees, it was a show and a half out there.

“How’s your arm?”

Raina mumbled something inaudible. Ridley looked down to see her eyes closed.

“You asleep?”

“Mm no,” She peeled her eyes open. “no, I was just listening to the trees.” She smiled up at him dreamily. “They’re making music”

“They sure are,” Ridley smiled back, “you want a cup of tea?”

“That’d be awesome, thank you.” Ridley slipped his arm from under Raina’s neck and she closed her eyes and opened her ears again. He made his way to the kettle in the kitchen. He filled it up with water and was putting it back on its base when she caught his eye. Her back against the brickless pantry wall, her arms wrapped around her folded legs, shuddering. She wasn’t sobbing today, she was staring directly at him. Her eyes, even from here were the most notable thing about her, but the only way I can describe them is murky, dark and murky but inextricably glimmering. He peered back over his shoulder to see Raina still lying on the couch, smiling to herself. His heart began slamming itself against its bony prison and in that nanosecond before a thought becomes an action, Raina in the pantry bought her index finger to her lips, halting his intention to return to the living room. Blinklessly and hopelessly staring at him, she beckoned. He felt as though he was hauling himself on a pulley system towards her, while simultaneously fighting against his own strength. He won.