Flash Fiction
For Hemmingway- by Eden Langlands
Between the sea and the sky, there is a certain point on the horizon where the earth curves to meet them both. It is of that I am reminded of when I see the contour of her naked lower back. I long to get close enough to her to see if her scent is as intoxicating as the orange blossom scented night air that surrounds us.
I have not yet dared to get too close to her, for I fear if I had, the temptation to trace my finger around her perfect eyebrows would be too great. I would not be able to stop myself from gazing deep into her soulful brown eyes, to see for myself if they could in fact see into my soul.
Every evening she serves me coffee at the little café facing the sea, and every day I promise myself I that it will be the day I finally pluck up the courage to ask her name. I already know her name but it is the pleasure of hearing her speak it that I crave. I have only heard her voice on one other occasion and her sweet voice sang to my soul.
It is true folly to love a woman with such a passion that it feels as if it will ignite the world, when she only views me with pity. Every evening she serves me coffee from a particular cup that my old hands can lift with greater ease.
I only happened upon the café on one of my days out. That serendipitous day, I ventured further than I ever have before and was in dire need to rest my old legs. That is when I found her, with the sun shining behind her raven hair, giving her the appearance of an angelic halo. With the sound of the ocean pounding on the shore behind me, I was sure I died and that magnificent goddess was sent to guide me to heaven.
She spoke to me then, but I could not understand her language only the beauty of her tones. I stared at her in awe as she turned away from me smiling graciously. I followed her with my eyes as she descended deep into the darkness of the café, until I could no longer see her, but only hear the clink of a cup being placed on a saucer.
With her tanned slender fingers, she placed the cup of thick dark liquid in front of me, I was disappointed that the aroma from the heady concoction masked the scent of her hair that had fallen in front of my face momentarily.
I don’t like coffee, but I drink it every evening because she made it for me. I never once complained to her about the cloying sweetness of it because that was how she thought I liked it and nothing in the world could ever make me destroy the only connection to her that I ever had.
Every evening I make the three mile walk to her café, just to be in her presence for a short time, to be a part of her life – even as only an observer. In the mornings I suffer. I can barely bend my knees from the pain, but the memory of her smile from the night before is spurning me on to prepare myself for the next visit.
As I sit here now watching her clean the tables with languid strokes – I view every movement she makes as poetry. Every time she leans in, her body blocks the setting sun and once more I am reminded of that spot on the horizon. Once again, she reminds me that I am one step closer to heaven.
The end
The last Good-bye by Eden Langlands
The red car pulled slowly into a vacant spot in front of the train station. Emily got out of the car with apprehension. She peered over the roof of the car to Nick and smiled hesitantly. They were never good at saying goodbye, in fact, that was one promise they made to each early on in their relationship, never to say goodbye. Their partings were always hastily made with promises of their next weekend together, but something felt different.
Emily couldn’t put her finger on it, but the feeling started the night before. They made love as usual, but could not help but notice the added passion. She thought that for anyone else they would have been pleased with the new found devotion, but something about it put her on edge. It felt as if it was a bad omen of things to come. She laid next to Nick all night and watched him sleep for hours, occasionally touching his sleep warmed skin, trying to imprint the memory of him on her mind forever.
The morning was the usual rush to get to the station- where nothing out of the ordinary was said, but Emily could not shake the feeling. Before they left the house, she paused to take one last look around the house that come to feel like her home. She wanted to remember everything just as it was, like a snapshot frozen in time.
In the short car journey to the station, they made polite conversation about nothing in particular. There was nothing left to be said, as all their plans had been made the night before and there was no point of either one of them reminding each other of the time they needed to spend apart. Nick occasionally glanced at her nervously, as if he wanted to say something to her of meaning, but lost his nerve at the last moment.
Emily took a deep breath and walked to meet Nick at the boot of the car. He already had her bag in his hand, he handed it to her and embraced her tightly. Emily did not want to let go of him, she wanted the moment to last for eternity.
“Hey, come on. No tears- remember the rules.” Nick said, soothingly.
Emily smiled and wiped her cheeks. Nick looked determinedly into her eyes, and she felt the intensity of his feelings for her.
“I will see you soon.” He said, as if it was a promise to her.
Emily silently agreed because she did not feel as if she could speak at that moment for the sinking sensation in her heart. She kissed Nick softly and crossed the road to the train station. She turned back to wave to him but he did not look back at her. She waited until he drove away for him to glance back at her, but he never did.
As she turned to enter the train station, the feeling of loss overwhelmed her, as she knew then that it was their last goodbye.
The End.
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