Eli

Short Story i wrote in 15 minutes that i really enjoyed doing and reading.

Shorty Story �" Eli

Eli was small for her age, full of wonder and imagination. Whilst all the other girls her age were interested in clothes, make-up and thinking about boys, Eli would often spend her time contemplating events of life that no one else could begin to think of, and questioning why they occur. Eli had often already come up with her own answers; she was very intelligent for her age after all but just didn’t like the hassle of showing it. Eli saw the world in a way that most could never begin to understand. She never spoke to many people in the belief they could never understand her and if she did, it was nearly always someone older than her.

She would often times leave without ever seeing her other family members. Eli would walk to school leaving early to take time to watch as her surroundings throughout the year would change.. Unlike most, she noticed all the differences that came with each passing season from the crispy golden leaves to the freezing ice that had mounted itself to the side of houses and lamp posts.

It was cold with a brisk wind that would tear the remaining leaves from the trees, pull snow off the ground to the air.

It was an especially hard walk to school as Eli wondered the back of houses avoiding places she felt people might be who would pelt snowballs at her. Being hit by snow wasn’t something she particularly enjoyed and she made a habit to avoid it.

The winds continued to pick up, Eli held on to her hat that her mother had made her wear, as well as a scarf and gloves, as she pushed through the winds towards her school. As she moved slowly she could not here her footsteps in the snow as she had once done this morning leaving her house but instead heard an echoing scream from the wind as if the wind was calling out in pain. Eli thought of possible reasons the wind could sound so pained; maybe it was a punishment or a betrayal, had it deserved it and if so what had it done for such treatment. Either way Eli felt sorry for the wind.

The Walk had been quicker than usual; Eli didn’t stand around to look at parks and animals, it was simply too cold to do so as well as the threat of snowballs. She removed her hat, walking through the double doors at the front of her school that had looked so giant not so long ago. She continued to remove her scarf and gloves as well before heading to her locker; “32, 18, 9, 26” she mumbled as she moved the dial before pulling the locker door open. Her locker was surprisingly messy, full of items she had collected and had forgotten to get rid of once the item had lost its meaning.

After collecting her books Eli pushed her locker door closed and began to walk towards her first class. Upon arriving she had noticed that only seven of the usual twenty-six students were here. She left it to the fact many people could not get in because of the snow; the school was not easy to get too this time of the year. A Man walked in whilst reading a note that seemed to have grasped his attention, drawing his attention away from where he was walking. Walking into the table at the front he looked up and around the room in a manner that showed he was looking for someone in particular Eli thought. She wasn’t good at emotions normally but this felt easy, but who was he looking for. As the Man scanned the room he looked at Eli for a brief moment, looked at his sheet and back at Eli. Eli was surprised at how the Man was acting as it was almost flustered and Eli didn’t know how to act in turn.

The Man bent down briefly speaking to the Teacher before standing back up again and stood watching Eli. The Teacher looked at Eli, then the man before standing up and finally at Eli again. He loosened his throat placing his fist over his mouth before coughing. “Eli?” By this time Eli really didn’t know how to respond. “Yes, I am Eli; she spoke with a volume that could almost be seen as a whisper.  “Eli, please go with this Man to the Principles office.”

Eli picked up her coat and bag, and then proceeded to make her way out of the classroom whilst looking at the man to see what clues she could get from him. As she neared the end of the classroom the man opened the classroom door, stepped through and held it open for Eli. She moved through almost cautiously and then merely waited. “This way” the man said as he moved along the hallway that for some reason felt cold; she had forgotten about the snow outside.

Eli had never been asked to see the principle before; this was almost like a foreign land for Eli. “What does the principle want with me? I’ve never done anything wrong.” She reassured herself.

The Principle’s door was already ajar, before entering Eli adjusted her uniform and coat. Walking in she noticed the Principle watching her enter and sit on the chair perfectly placed in front of the Principle’s desk, giving the desk the appearance of being too big. “Thank You” said the principle. With that the man took one last look at Eli before exiting the room.  The principle leaned over the desk looking at Eli, doing so her facial expression changed. Eli had always thought of the Principle to be the type of person to fear but this person before her was not what she expected. The way the Principle looked could almost be seen as normal; kind even, like how a parent would look at their child.

They briefly spoke and moments later there was a knock at the door. Eli’s father walked through the door. Eli’s father was a tall handsome man wearing glasses. He reached down taking Eli’s backpack with one hand before bending down and kissing Eli on the forehead. Moments passed like this before he stood up extending his other hand in a manner offering to hold. Eli looked up at her father who wasn’t looking at her and back at his hand before placing her hand within her fathers. Her hand was tiny in comparison. He held on to her a little tighter than usual looking straight at her for a while almost as if in a daze until his eyes glared over and he looked away wiping his before leading Eli home. “Were those teary eyes?” Eli thought. “Why?”

Eli and her father walked in putting their coats on the coat rack and leaving their things near the door. Eli lived in a fairly big house, however it seemed that much larger to her now for some reason.  Something was different and for once Eli couldn’t come up with any answers. It had only been an hour or so; what could have changed. Eli slowly moved through the front of the house watching as her father seemed to rush up the stairs as if getting back to something. Eli watched for a moment till she could no longer see her father. A small weeping sound echoed through Eli’s ears louder and louder the closer she moved towards the direction her father had gone. Eli slowly walked up the stairs holding onto the rail going along the side whilst looking at each step purposefully whilst going up. Eli came to the top of the stairs and found herself still for a moment. As she followed the weeping sounds, she came to her younger brother’s room. Eli outstretched her hand placing it on the door for a moment before pushing it open.

In the room was a beautiful woman curled up in the foetus position clutching onto a bear Eli’s mother had gotten her younger brother for his birthday whilst Eli’s father held onto her. It took Eli all of a moment to realise what had happened….

…. A single tear ran down Eli’s face.

Author's Note

appreciate any feedback. hope you enjoy. any advice to improving would go along way aswell.