Imprisoned

Basin City

The next morning brought with it desperation and a raw desire. It burned in every part of our bodies, igniting our bones and charring our souls. The flames drove us from our sleeping bags and through the forest. We went quickly because of the heat on our heels and in our hearts. This time, however, there was conversation.

"Where are we going?"

I asked Louis with mild curiosity. We hadn't spoken much about what would happen once we found actual civilization.

"Maybe I could get a job and you could too and I guess we just have to start from scratch. No matter what happens though, it can't be as bad as our lives were before."

I smiled at his response. That was exactly what we needed to do. Maybe we could just have a fresh beginning and become actual citizens living actual lives. And when Louis mentioned our lives before, I didn't really understand what he meant. We hadn't discussed what his living conditions were before Anchorage and he only really got a cursory look at mine. Maybe he had a bad life? Maybe he thought he knew what I had been living like my entire life? Whatever the resoning was behind his statement, there was to be a discussion about it later.

I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and continued down the scorched earth path and kept up pleasant conversation with my companion. He was walking beside me today, our pinkies interlocked and arms swinging in an exxaggerated fashion. Looking down at our arms, I laughed at how ridiculous it must have looked. At least there wasn't anyone around to see us like this. It would have been mortifying.

Louis didn't stray far from me the whole day either, he was always in contact with some part of my body, not necessarily in a seductive way. It was almost like he wanted to make sure I was really there. I felt as though he needed reasurrance that I wouldn't go. That I was as concrete as anything. 

"Louis."

He turned his head toward me.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He smiled that lopsided boyish grin of his and began to speak

"yeah but-"

I cut him off as quickly as I possible could.

"You don't really get it do you? There is no me. There is no you. There is just an us. I will stay as long as you do and if we part it will only be mutual. There is nothing between us other than good feelings and by agreeing to go on this journey with me you were also agreeing to stay with me. For a long time. Maybe for the rest of time. But you can't forget that I will not leave your side, Louis. I do not know how to put it any more simply than that. I will not move away from the gravity in your hands because I am constantly being pulled. Maybe it's love or maybe it's just attraction, but let me tell you this- the way I fell towards you now is the same way I will always feel. I will still care for you even if you have your hands around my neck. You are my weakness and my downfall but you are also my strength and savior. Do not think that I will be leaving because leaving you means leaving everything I've ever wished for."

He looked absolutely stunned. I just tucked my head down and blushed because of the sincerity in my words and how much they truly came from my heart, despite the simplicity.

"Wow. Just wow. I didn't really realize how I felt until you said that. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I thought that you would leave, but the front part of my mind, which was focused on you, didn't have time to process that."

It was his turn to blush then. And soon after it wasnt only our pinkies that were linked; Fingers intertwined with fingers and lips locked together.

We became one in a tangled mess of intrigue and passion, limbs intertwined and whispered words passed. He was mine and I was his in a unspoken agreement. And the night could not have been more perfect.