Summers End

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Corbin
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Summers End

Post by Corbin »

Summers End

Jenny sat below the shadows of the old bluff, beyond the scrub, lying hidden by the dunes and settled in, mutely watching Lily; watching the sea. It was a warm night with the gentlest of breezes and the common coastal fog, usually deep and rich at night, rolled off the sea, a little mistier … less opaque.

Lily was like a big sister to Jenny, delightful and kind, yet she had always had a mystery to her. A quiet calm. She had secrets.

Jenny strained to see what Lily was looking for, out to the lapping black sea and then she saw them and stifled a gasp. Little boats. Many of them, lit by the wan moonlight among the panorama of gentle crests. All sailing past. Not an oar stroke among them yet she could make out figures …. People … and almost imperceptible at first, the muted sound of anguish. Something about Its stifling almost made it more tragic; an oppressive lament. Yet while some wept, some stood and stared out desperately, in all directions yet seemingly blind to the safety of the coastal bay. Jenny watched as Lily lit her lantern and held it before her, watched as the tiny flickered light wavered vainly.

Nobody saw it; nobody came.

-------------------

Jenny couldn’t stay away after that night. Alone she visited the shoreline but assuredly the fog was too heavy for the tiny light she brought with her to make even a dint in it. No wood for a fire to hand ... yet they were there … these sad forlorn castaways, she knew, she could feel them, feel their pain carried on the waves.

Why did they suffer so? Why were they blind to the light? Why could she not reach them?

She sat there, so wrapped up in those heavy thoughts she didn’t notice Lily settle down on the dune beside her, and cock her head enquiringly with the ghost of a smile on her lips, concerned affection in her eyes.

“It’s hard isn’t it? Just knowing they suffer”.

With moist eyes, Jenny replied “Who are they Lily? Why do they suffer? I shout out but they can’t hear me?”

“They are the lost my darling … they can’t find their way”

“Their way?”

“Onward … because their grief holds them … because they can’t see the light”.

Jenny smiled through her tears “but you still keep trying?”.

“Yes my dove, always”.

That was so like Lily, never the quitter, her compassion would never allow it.

So each night, careless of the lateness, the two would wander down to light their little lanterns in the dark, though the fog conspired against them, two lanterns shone out in the darkness. People began to remark on it; it was a remarkable thing.

But nobody saw it; nobody came.

----------------------

The festival of Summer's End was always popular. People would gather together as a community from all over and celebrate the passing of the old and the birth of the new. Far too much fine food and spirit was consumed, the dancing a little too raucous, the music wild like a ragged heartbeat … carrying with it a joy from the old times, far too undiluted to be stoppered. Jenny and Lily enjoyed it immensely, yet as the night grew on and the festivity became more languid … settled in … Lily and Jenny, hand in hand, slipped away to the coast, as they did every night.

Yet such a night! The mist was but a wisp and a bright moon! The boats were so clear that Jenny could make out faces … Daughters, mothers, fathers and sons … and some of the weeping was more drawn; hushed whispers … the yearning searching seemingly more hopeful, more keen.

Recognising this, the girls lanterns were frantically lit and waved desperately, with such hope! Voices raised “We are here!”, “Come in!” … “You have found us!”

But still, nobody saw the light … nobody came.

Jenny and Lily felt crushed and slumped, dropped to the ground, holding each other tightly on the grainy sand ... feeling so very tired, so very defeated.

What was the point?

Yet as they wept on the shoreline they became aware of a presence, then they noticed them, the revellers, the festival crowd. They had followed them, with unlit lanterns, some with tallow candles and oiled torches, some grasping handfuls of kindling and wood.

They saw the boats. They began too to yell and greet, lighting their candles, lanterns, torches … building a fire … leaping and hollering in the light, creating shifting spectacles of light and shadow, far too bright to be extinguished, far too bright to be mistaken or missed.

Among the boats little lights began to appear, desperate replies carried on the wind. Many of the boats began to turn toward them, yet some others seemed to fade away into the darkness. Not in a dramatic way; one minute they were there, the next they were gone.

With tears in her eyes, of both joy and sadness, Jenny turned to Lily and said “They’re coming in! The lost. But some have vanished Lily! Oh where have they gone?”

“Calm sister, they’ve gone back to their lives … the lives we left behind .... they have taken our light back with them. They found us”.

As the boats turned towards the coast, kindly winds obliged them and carried them forth. Toward the light.

Daughters, mothers, fathers and sons.

For they saw it; and they came.




Fin.

------------------

This Samhain, however you should mark it, honour the dead by reaching out to the living. To those left behind who suffer, those whose grief holds them lost yet among us.

Samhain Blessings

Corbin x
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Firebird
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Re: Summers End

Post by Firebird »

Corbin, that was absolutely beautuful! Thank you for sharing. :flyingwitch:
FF
“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
― Jim Morrison
“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”
― RWEmerson
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moondustandunicorns
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Re: Summers End

Post by moondustandunicorns »

This was quite enchanting. Thank you for sharing.
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