The Black Canvas

Green

Marisole wore a heavy jacket over her sweatshirt since it was extra cold today. She relaxed a bit because it was a change in scenery- a little colder than the past two weeks have been. Maybe, just maybe, everything will be okay.
She met Ellis at the café and they walked several blocks to get to the pier. Ellis had fishing gear on and a crate full of worms and hooks. With a fishing pole in hand, he smiled at Marisole.

"Ready?"

She simply nodded and followed him down the pier. A feeling grew in her stomach, a feeling she can't describe, a horrid feeling. It grew bigger and Marisole found it was hard to keep her breath. She was feeling dread.

Marisole saw it. The boat she was staring at. The one she was entranced with. It looked menacing. Ellis was walking right towards it.

"Which one is yours?" Marisole asked weakly, praying it wasn't the one he was heading for. Maybe it was the one behind it- the bland white one that didn't give Marisole a bad feeling.

"This beauty right here." Her heart dropped as he pointed to the white dove on the black sail.

Marisole trembled madly. Her legs became jelly as she forced herself to follow Ellis. Suddenly things became slowed and blurred.

"Don't fight it." She heard him say.

"What?" She asked him, the words barely escaping. She was terrified.

"I said come on, let's go." Ellis clarified with concern on his face. "Are you alright?" He asked as she reluctantly stood there.

"I'm fine," Marisole lied, as usual, "I just forgot I was ill."

Ellis gasped as a guilty expression fell upon his face. "Oh no. I'm so sorry, I forgot too. Look, you don't have to go. I don't want you feeling nastier than you already do."

"Laying in bed won't help." The words escaped her before her mind could process them. She was internally screaming, ready to run the other way. Why was she making herself do this?

Ellis sighed and took out a bottle of pills. "Here, take two of these. They help me a lot when I get sea sick."

Marisole gently took the pills and gave him a grateful smile.

"Of course, I don't get sick anymore when I'm out here. If you want the whole bottle, you can take them."

Marisole nodded and slowly stepped towards the boat. She sucked in a breath as it shook under her weight. Ellis held onto her tightly, supporting her until she was safely on the vessel. She immediantly sat down on the small bench so she wouldn't wobble over and fall in the water.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ellis asked, breaking the silence.

Marisole looked numbly at him. "Of course I want to do this."

"The second you want to go back home, you tell me, I don't care where the hell we are, I will turn this thing around and make it back home in seconds." Ellis assures, untying the rope from the pier.

Marisole nodded, even though Ellis wasn't looking at her to see it. He released the rope from the deck and Marisole felt the boat sway with the waves. She closed her eyes and tried to fill her thoughts with good things, but her mind is no where near that. Her stomach churned.

"Alright, and we're off." Ellis cheered, making his way to the front of the boat to steer it.

Marisole gripped the edges tightly and took deep breaths. Her sister once taught her a trick if she feels nauseous- look straight ahead and not anywhere else. She tried it. It only helped for a second.