Do You Truly?

"Love...Love...Love..."

Do You Truly?

There once was a valley, called a final refuge. It was a stretch of land nearly forty-five miles across in every direction, with nearly half-mile high mountains surrounding it. Often, soothing breezes blew down from the mountains and winded their way into they valley, making the beautiful green grasses sway. The grasses covered the entire valley in one big, green blanket. They always remained illustrious and green throughout the year.

In the spring and summer months, when the softer, more benevolent winds came, the grasses bowed before their larger counterparts: the trees. All year these oak, beech, and maple giants grew and grew, using their many hundreds of leaves to shield the ground from the sun's constant, resilient rays. They grew from one end of the valley to the other, providing relief for the grasses to grow and flourish. However, the atmosphere here was not tropical, it was aspen. In the aspen forests of this valley, many animals found made residence. ;Small garter snakes with plain green scales and wild raccoons with dusty, wild eyes.

And in the middle of this unbelievably lush valley, there was a shining, luminous lake. If one was to look into it, they would see a perfect mirror image of our own world. The image was so clear and still and pristine, you might even be afraid to touch it for fear of creating ripples in our own world...

Over the course of years, several homes had been built surrounding the lake, and had eventually formed a small community. Most of the people that lived in these homes had found this amazing valley totally unintentionally. A few had ventured many, many miles through the wilderness, only to be so entranced by the vale's dream-like beauty, that they decided to leave their tragic, monotonous lives behind and live here. It was a fantastic occurrence, if you consider the fact that that this fertile valley was surrounded by nearly two hundred miles of desert. How this valley could possibly exist in the middle of an uninhabited land; nobody knows.

Many years ago, there was an incredible moonlit night. It was beautiful all over, but it was especially gorgeous in this valley. The stars were uncountable millions in the sky, and the Milky Way was stretched like a band across the firmament. The moon's light reflected off the lake and everything in the valley shone brilliant. It even cast light on the pair of figures walking through the valley.

One was a young man. He looked as if he was about eighteen years old. His face wasn't perfect, but it was handsome. His head was oval with a high forehead and round, piercing eyes. His nose stood out on his face, but not precariously. It was just...there. He had a curved mouth and simple chin. His abdomen was lean, like a runner's, or some such athlete. He appeared to be the same age as the girl that he walked with.

The Young lady was not ideal, but attractive. Her cheekbones were set apart, and  her eyes fit her face almost perfectly, to make them stand out, but not too noticeable. They were jet black. Her hair was an even tone of brown that reflected the moonlight well. She was of an even weight. Lean, like a young adult should be. She walked softly, like someone who had a gentle demeanor.

The two walked quietly and gently underneath the eight-foot trees, going westward. The girl leaned upon the boy. Eventually, they reached a rise in the Earth; a hill. It was large, possibly ten feet. They trudged up to the top. The hill rose above most of the tree tops, so the two could see the lake in the distance.

After looking out over the scenery awhile, they sat down upon the grass. The girl still leaned upon the man, with her eyes closed. She breathed softly.

Eventually, the girl opened her eyes and spoke. Her voice gave a soft, even tone.

"Will?" She asked, looking up at him with gentle eyes.

The man responded quickly,

"Georgia?" He said, still looking ahead.

The girl did not respond for a moment or two, but just stared at Will. Then she simply said,

"Do you love me?" She put her delicate hand on his thigh as she spoke.

His body tensed, but young man did not say anything, just chuckled. He sat and looked into the distance. The girl spoke again,

"I mean to say...is your love for me just...passion? Or do you really want to be with me forever? 'cause you know, you are the oasis in the desert of my life, Will."

She looked at him and her eyes quivered. The bluntness and simplicity of the question slightly irritated Will, but he just stayed still and said,

"I-I..." He sighed. "I-I don't know.” He looked down.

Georgia pulled her head away from Will slowly. She gazed at him with her piercing black eyes, which reflected the luminous moonlight. Her mouth quivered slightly. Will looked at her, barely keeping eye contact. They stared at one another this way for a long few moments.

"Listen, Georgia. We've been with each other for two years. You are beautiful. But...I don't know if..." Will's voice flew off. He bit his lower lip after he finished.

"W-Will? I see. You don't really love me... I'm just a receptor of your passions, aren't I?" A single tear emerged. "Just one more of your friends...nobody special." She continued to look at him with her fervid gaze. Tears had emerged from both her eyes. Will still said nothing, just held her eye contact waveringly.

“Georgia, I...” Will had nothing now.

“I thought, maybe...that you would love me...that you would be the first and only.” She stood up, the tears on her eyes falling farther. "I want to help you and please you by myself. I don't want to be with you If I'm just a dead weight...I couldn't live..." Her emotional levels were rising. Her shoulders began to move, and then she broke into sobbing. Her stomach moved in and out fiercely with each breath.

“Georgia...please. Don't cry.” Will said, and stood up. He reached for her hands. She spun away from him, her head down and her tears falling. He put his shaking hand on her shoulder, but she took off running down the hill, towards the trees. Her cries were loud. Will responded quickly, running down the hill after her.

He caught her as she reached the beginning of the trees, nearly a hundred feet away from where they sat before. He grabbed her arms and turned her around so that she faced him. He then held her by the shoulders. She wouldn't look at him.

"Georgia, please!" He said loudly. Georgia then raised her head and gazed into his eyes. It was as if she could see straight into him. It was so sad and caring; it ripped his heart and soul right down the middle. He began to cry, as well. Georgia said loudly,

"Will, if you love me, tell me. Please, I just want to know..." Her powerful sobs cut through the night air, as did Will's. They cried tears of the same material. "I...I want to be with you for ever and ever, Will!"

Will could not hold it in anymore; it was just too painful for him. He let out a cry of agony that came from deep inside.

“Raaaaa!”

Will and Georgia then stood together, bewitched with pain, sorrow, and enchantment for several minutes.

Will then pulled Georgia close to him, merely inches from his face. He said to her, in a whisper,

“D-Do you love me?”

“Yes, Will, I love you.” She responded quietly.

With this, Will broke down and kissed her directly upon the lips. Georgia's eyes went wide with surprise, and then she fell into it altogether. They both held each other with powerful, loving grips, Will's hands were around Georgia's waist, and Georgia held Will's head. Their lips were joined with such a loving fierceness that it was like welded iron. They were not aware of anything else but one another, now. They eventually pulled apart and Will said, quivering,

"Y-Yes, Georgia, I do love you. I want to be with you. I-I don't want you to leave me...you are my oasis." He then put her into an embrace that lasted a long, long time. Georgia whispered in William's ear one more time,

"I love you...Will. Oh...Now and forever..." Georgia's voice trailed off with the gentle breeze, and the wild raccoons stared into the night with their dusty, wild eyes.

 

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Reviews

[::Yv0nne::]

I have to say I enjoyed this story. The ending was such a surprise to me and I had to go back and read it again. The first time I read it I was picturing a man and woman until the end of the story. I love your imagination and how you went about your story. I absolutely love your use of description and as you described the valley. I felt as if I were really there. It had my attention from the very beginning because I am very fond of large, green meadows with trees and flowers for some reason :) I just want to run through a meadow one day!! I didn't really see any problems with it...I thought it was a really well puiece of work. I know you wanted some critiques...and I know some people don't like the idea of "empty praise" but I loved it. Just a few technicals though that I'll send you in a message. :o) **Yvonne