Abandoned - part 1

"It's time to go."
"I've changed my mind. I'm not going."
My father sighs exasperatedly. "Cara, we've been through this a million times. He's not coming back. He dropped off the face of the planet and left you here without so much as a note. You're never going to see him again."
I shake my head, trying to shake his words out. All of the logical reasons for leaving threaten once again to smother the overwhelming certainty I feel: Alex is not gone.
"I know it doesn't make any sense," I say. "Believe me, I know. All the evidence is in your favour, but... I know Alex wouldn't just leave me like that. He wouldn't."
"Well he did," my father says bluntly, but I barely hear him; the memory I have been over too many times to count wells up in my mind again. It happened only a few days before Alex left - less than three weeks ago - but if feels like forever.
I roll over on the bed so that I am facing him. "I was worried today," I say lightly, tracing his face with my hand. "When you were late; I thought something had happened."
Alex chuckles. "It'll take more than a broken down carriage to stop me from getting to you."
He must see from my face, though, that I am still upset.
He puts his hand under my chin and leans forward, kissing me ever so gently on the lips. "I'll never leave you, Cara. I love you, forever. I promise."
"I love you, too," I whisper. Alex wraps his arms around me, holding me close...
With a start, I come back to reality. My father's face is red and I can see him trying to suppress his irritation with difficulty. I suppose I can't blame him; I've been changing my mind on and off for the past three weeks.
"Look, Cara, we can discuss this on the way," he says, gesturing to the carriage.
I shake my head. "I can't go. Alex needs me."
"Cara, listen to yourself! We've been through this already, remember? You spent weeks looking for any evidence that Alex was kidnapped, or in some other way taken against his will, but there was none. There was no sign of a struggle, his things were packed... he's gone. He made the decision to go by himself and he never looked back. I know that you two were close, but now you just need to get over - "
I turn abruptly and stalk away. I can't listen to this, can't let him wear down my certainty yet again. This time, if I give in, there is no going back. The carriage is packed and we're ready to move to the other side of the kingdom. If I leave now, I really will never see Alex again.
He strides angrily after me. "Look, I know you have issues with this, Cara - it's been hard on both of us since your mother left like that. It's been difficult for me, too, bringing you up on my own..."
Though it is childish, I put both hands over my ears. I can't let him make me feel guilty; that will be the end, he will have won.
"You go!" I shout. "You may all have abandoned Alex, but I won't!"
"You can't stay here," my dad says in a voice of forced calm. "The seas are rising - soon this whole village will be swallowed. Why do you think we are moving?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't come with you," I say. "I love you, dad. I will try to find you again someday; Alex and I both will."
"Cara, I can't allow you to do this."
He reaches out to grab my arm. Though years of hard labour have given me strength enough, I am no match for my dad. I know that if he gets a hold of me, he'll force me to leave, even if he has to keep me tied up for the entire journey.
"No!" I shout, making to push him away. What happens next is over so fast I hardly see it happen. I don't touch my dad, but he flies back as though he has been hit by a rampaging buffalo. He hits the ground, hard, winded.
I stare at my own hands, appalled. What did I do?
Before he can get back to his feet, I turn and run, back into the abandoned town, back to the ghost city. Tears splash down my face, but I ignore them. All I need is to hide until they leave; then I will be free to find Alex... however I am going to do that.
A few minutes later, I find myself squashed into a broken water barrel behind Mrs Smith's yard, watching the colour of the sky through a crack in the wood, trying to judge how long I must wait. My dad will look for me, but he can't wait forever. The village elders will insist he leave and save himself, forcing him if they have to.
I close my eyes, trying to stop the stupid, stupid tears.
"I'll never abandon you, Alex," I whisper.

To be continued