Day 9

Free CounterShe watched the fog roll in, soon the little harbor had all but disappeared.  Only the dock remained and the little waves lapping at the pilings.  Sunset had passed long before now and in the midst of fog the darkness had descended.  The breeze blew softly against her auburn locks and as they caressed her cheeks she closed her eyes. She imagined his touch on her skin and the sound of his deep gentle voice singing to her.

                “Would you still wait, my bonny, my fair one?

                Would you still wait though I’ve been so long gone?

                Would ye still wait, my bonny, my fair one?”

                A tear slid silently down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away as if anyone might see it in the gloom.  Every day she had come to this hill and looked out onto the little harbor.  Sun, wet, cold, grey it hadn’t mattered.  Every day for four years, 7 months, 2 weeks and three days.  She knew they made fun of her in the village.  Even her mum had begun to wonder if she wasn’t half mad.

                “Lassie I know you love him, but its been so long.  He ain’t acoming back.  You’ve got to face the truth love and go on with your life.  He ain’t acoming back.” Gently at first but as time went by her mum grew angrier and angrier.  This time she stormed out the backdoor. It swung back and slammed behind her adding an exclamation point to her words

                “I thought surely you’d understand mum.” She had hollered back

                “I do my love, and I’m begging you don’t make my mistake.  Go on with your life lovey, I’m begging you.”

                Some of the older women said it was a curse on the family.  They said the silkies had done it to them.  That she and her mum were destined to be alone walking the shores for them that would never come back.

                She heard a splash down by the water.  The sound of a pair of dolphins playing in the little inlet.  Where are you?  She called out to him in her mind.  Whether she screamed it out loud or in her head it didn’t matter.  He would not hear her.

                The wind had picked up a bit more.  There was cold in it.  And she knew before long the nor easterner would blow and the snow and the frost would come.  Her little trek up this hill would only show her a frozen bay and it would be foolishness to keep coming after that.

                If he doesn’t return by the time the bay freezes I will stop coming.  I will look for another.  I swear it.  She drew in a sharp breath as the thought pricked her heart.

                In the wind she thought she heard the sound of faint music.  Just the softest sound of a melody and then a splash in the water again.  It must be dolphins  in the bay.

                The wind began to blow harder and she thought she heard the low soft laughter of a man just off the dock.  But the fog made it impossible to see anything at all.  She heard the bell from the mile marker as it tossed in the water.

                She heard the laughter again.  It sounded so much like him.  But could it be? did she really remember?  Her feet had already headed down, the hill towards the little dock.

                “Come away with me,” did she hear it, or was her mind playing tricks on her.

                She heard soft humming, and then she heard the song soft and low

                “Would you still wait, my bonny, my fair one?

                Would you still wait though I’ve been so long gone?

                Would ye still wait, my bonny, my fair one?”

                She screamed his name then, laughing and crying she ran to the edge of the dock and dove straight into the deep darkness of the water.  There was laughter for a moment.

                “My god, is it , is it you?”  there was the sound of splashing. 

                The next morning they found her scarf floating on the water.  The villagers were certain she'd killed herself but when her mum began to cry and to laugh remembering a time a long time ago.