Into the fog

On a quiet afternoon in October, clouds began forming from above, with occasional glimpses of sun. Eloise appeared in the distance, looking around for Angus. In her own way, she found those glimpses of sun in his eyes, despite the storm within her. A light drop of rain delicately landed on her forehead as she breathed in and took in the scene. As the sun crept down behind the mountains, and the rain began to fall, Eloise became slightly impatient waiting to meet Angus for their dinner date for the ways that she looked forward so much to seeing him every week. Checking the time on her watch, she decided to give Angus a call. On the third ring, Angus answered with chatter in the background.

“Hey, Eloise. Are you waiting outside?” Angus had spoken casually.

“Yes, yes! Where are you?” Eloise responded with excitement.

“I’m sorry, can you catch a cab? Something came up,” Angus replied with a sense of guilt in his tone.

“Oh, sure. No problem,” Eloise replied sheepishly.

As the storm rolled in, Eloise quickly went back inside in the building she had just finished classes in, and phoned the local cab company. Usually Angus picked her up on his motorcycle. Eloise always loved looking about and seeing her fellow students stare at her in a mix of admiration and slight jealously. It began to sink for Eloise that her fears of losing Angus’ interest could happen. For there are so many beautiful people in the world, and she did not think of herself as one.

As Angus sat in the local Irish pub in their college town, he began to feel upset at his choice of choosing an afternoon to let himself go into the blurs of time lost with every drink he picked up. He couldn’t find the courage to tell her face-to-face of his problem, looking into her bright eyes full of innocence. Angus felt helpless as the moon shone outside. As the storm raged on, Seattle fog began to ascend through the quiet city. Some people left the pub laughing and being loud. Angus slowly left silent and alone.

As Eloise waited for her cab, something just didn’t sit right with her. Angus always showed up, no matter how much school work he had to do. It was only recently that he became distant. Perhaps he’s moved on, she thought.

It is sad how words people want to say, sometimes never come to life. Yet, as Eloise finally took the cab and arrived in town to have dinner on her own, it seems that there was a chance to understand what had transpired.

At the restaurant, she took off her coat and sat looking around before picking up her phone. As the waiter took her order and smiled at her, Eloise simply looked up and grinned before closing her eyes and thinking of Angus. By the time she was finished with her meal and asked for the check, the fog outside had become dense. As she began to walk through town whilst waiting for another cab to pick her up, she looked up at the night sky.

“Why, God? Why do people keep leaving me behind?” Eloise muttered to the skies above.

As she slowly began to lose her faith, she heard the voice she adored.

“Eloise?” Angus said with slurred speech.

“Angus, wait, what’s wrong?” Eloise replied.

“I’m sorry, real sorry for today. I’m not doing well,” Angus said as he continued in his slurred speech.

Eloise walked up to him, and gave him a hug, warming his body more than the spirits ever could.

“Eloise, I couldn’t be there for you. But you’re my light in the dark. I love your warmth, and everything you are. I want to make this right,” Angus said smiling through his pounding headache.

“I won’t ever leave you behind, not even once in this fog ridden town.”

Angus and Eloise walked on. As the cab arrived, Eloise had Angus dropped off at his flat, giving him her leftovers from the restaurant, before returning to her flat. Looking out at the night sky from her window, she began to cry. It was a long road ahead, but she knew deep down, her and Angus would find glimpses of sun once more.