Dream Date

Chapter 18

Gasping for air, Elle found herself leaning against a weathered lantern outside the store. Her chest constricted, making each breath a struggle. As she fought to fill her lungs, her eyes darted around, taking in the bustling scene. The cars whizzing by, the vibrant display of flowers across the street – it all blurred together, barely registering in her overwhelmed mind. With trembling fingers, she answered Paula's call, the phone feeling unnaturally heavy in her hand. As her friend's comforting voice reached her ears, Elle's fragile composure shattered. "He's married," she choked out between sobs, the weight of the words hanging heavily in the air.

"WHAT?"

Elle's words tumbled out in a rush as she recounted the conversation with the young woman, her voice laced with disbelief and anguish. Paula listened in somber silence, allowing Elle to pour out her heart. "Yes, so... He is married. That's probably why he's not looking for me. Because he's married. MARRIED!" Elle's voice rose with each repetition of the word, carrying a mix of shock and devastation.

"Elle, okay, stay calm now!" Paula's words were a gentle anchor amid Elle's turmoil. "Go back to the hotel and take a moment to collect yourself. I'll make sure to reschedule your flight for tomorrow."

Elle followed Paula's advice, and a couple of hours later, she returned to her modest hotel room in Juneau. Collapsing onto the bed, she lay there, her limbs splayed out as she attempted to untangle the jumble of emotions swirling within her. Tears continued to stream down her face, and her attempts to steady her breathing proved futile. The ache in her heart was all-consuming, its weight reverberating through her entire being. With a muffled sob, Elle pressed her head into the pillow and unleashed a raw, anguished scream that seemed to pierce the air.

"Why... are we in Mordor?" Ben's voice carried a mix of disbelief and unease as he stood alongside Elle on a small, rocky plateau surrounded by the relentless flow of lava. The molten river snaked around the island, its fiery tendrils spitting and crackling. The oppressive heat pressed in from all sides, and the air was thick with the pungent scent of sulfur, reminiscent of Elle's haunting dream on the suspension bridge. The towering rocks that enclosed them were a deep, ominous black, their jagged edges casting eerie shadows in the flickering light. In the distance, a plume of dark smoke billowed from the heart of a bigger island, where an intense fire raged, painting the horizon with an apocalyptic glow. The scene was a nightmarish tableau of fire and stone, a place where the very earth seemed to rebel against the intrusion of humanity.

Elle whirled around, her anger palpable as she pointed an accusatory finger in his direction. "You bastard!"

"Please?" Ben's voice wavered.

"YOU'RE MARRIED!" Elle's words tore through the air, her anguish uncontainable as tears streamed down her cheeks. "What kind of person are you? How can you do this to me?"

Startled, Ben gazed at her, his hands raised in a gesture of reassurance. "I'm not married, Elle. I never have been," he stated, stepping back.

"I was in the grocery store and asked about you. Your family no longer resides in Kitwik. They've relocated. And 'Thomas' moved away with his wife YEARS ago. With his WIFE!" Elle stood with her fists clenched on her hips, fixing her gaze on him. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through her mind, completely consuming her attention to the point where she was oblivious to her surroundings.

It took a moment, but then Ben erupted into laughter. "Oh, baby, goodness," he said, rubbing his face, tears welling up in his eyes from laughing so hard. "If you asked about Thomas, the woman must have been referring to my brother."

Shocked, Elle gazed at him, her mind struggling to process the words. Then, in a sudden realization, the news sank in. "Bro... you have a brother? You never mentioned that you..." she stammered. "You fucking idiot!" Elle took a step forward and attempted to push him, but her hands hovered just over his chest.