10 - Broken Silences - Keith
It was a beautiful day on the open fields of Ireland. A comfortable cottage was the only item dotting the landscape for at least five miles. The door opened and out stepped a young man. He was not too tall, his blond hair gathered behind him in a pony tail. His eyes sparkled ever so slightly in the morning sun and he stretched with a loud groan. He strode a few steps from the cottage and looked around, it was a great day out. He was dressed comfortably in slightly baggy blue jeans and a black shirt. Since no one else was awake he decided to go for a short walk. No one knew they were here so I should be safe he thought.
The fields seemed to go on forever in all directions but after a few short minutes he arrived at a hill. It was then that he first heard it. A beautiful voice broke the silence. He had never heard anything like it. It sang no words, just sounds. He had to know who that was. He quickly crested the hill. Then he spotted her.
She was a girl, appearing to be about sixteen years of age. She had vibrant red hair. She wore a plain white dress which shimmered faintly in the breeze. She was very beautiful, almost ethereal. She turned to look up at him with her sparkling green eyes. She ceased singing and smiled up at him.
"Hello there," she said with a thick Irish accent. "Hi," he replied. He walked slowly down the hill stumblimg slightly on the steep incline, she giggled. "And just who might you be?" she queried. She didn't know him, he thought, thats so cool! "I'm Jordan, but people call me Taylor," he said smiling, stay cool Tay, stay cool, he thought. "Well Taylor," she replied,"I'm Tessa, 'tis a pleasure to meet you." She extended her hand to him. He shook it, whch seemed to surprise her for a moment. "So what are you doin roamin' the open wilds of Ireland, Taylor?" she asked. He flashed a winning smile,"My family and I are on vacation here." She smiled back, "Then perhaps we shall see each other again then. Goodbye for now, Taylor." With that she walked away over the next hill. Taylor stood dumbstruck as she vanished over the hill.
He couldn't get her out of his head. After she left he sat down on the hill and smiled. She was, quite possibly, the most amazing girl he had ever seen. And her voice, her voice was a touch of heaven. He began wandering back towards the cottage.
When he arrived he could see most of the family was outside. Ike was kicked back on the edge of the building scribbling in a notebook. Zac was keeping the younger siblings busy playing some game or another, probably tag. He could see his mother sitting in a chair holding the baby. His dad was probably inside. He meandered towards them.
His mother called out as he got close, "Where did you get off to so early?" He looked up at her, "Uhm, nowhere mom. I just went for a walk." "Allright," she responded, "Just leave a note next time please. We were a little concerned." He didn't even respond, just walked inside and flopped down on the couch. His dad sat in a nearby chair reading the newspaper. "Good mornin," his dad said, looking up from the paper. "Hey dad," Taylor responded. The conversation ended there.
Taylor spent the rest of the day thinking about her. Tessa. The name echoed through his mind. Tessa. That beautiful voice. He didn't eat much that night, but sleep came blessedly quick.
He awoke with a start. He was camped out the floor of the main room. This cabin had only two bedrooms, so the boys got to camp out on the floor. He looked at his watch, it was 3:00 am. He wondered what woke him when he heard that voice. Her voice. He rose from his bed and walked to the door. He stepped out into the night wearing only sweatpants and a t- shirt. It was chilly out, but he didn't notice. He started walking.
She seemed to elude him in these hills he couldn't catch her. He heard her giggle, she was playing with him. Suddenly he felt an urge. He breathed in deep and started to sing with her, no words just music. Their voices intertwined to form a melody that was almost inhuman, almost heavenly. As they sand he began to feel pain. He couldn't understand it, but it hurt, it hurt all over. The more they sang the more wracking the pain, until he crumpled to the ground. She appeared next to him. "Taylor, you must go home. I will find you when the morning comes. It is dangerous out here at night," she whispered. With that his eyes closed and he saw only darkness.
When he awoke it was late morning. His family was all awake and making noise, and yet he had slept through it. He got up and walked to the kitchen area and sat down mumbling, "Good mornin," to everybody there. They each responded but he wasn't really listenin. His mother set a full breakfast out in front of him. He nibbled on some toast and drank his orange juice. Then got up and went and sat on the couch. Some of them looked on with concern, but nobody said anything. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
Everybody was surprised as Taylor sprang from his seat and bounded to the door. "Good mornin, Taylor," came Tessa's voice. Taylor perked right up, "Hey Tessa," he said with a big smile. "Who is it honey," his mom's voice came from the background. "Just a friend of mine," Taylor replied. "Well invite her in," said his mom. With those words the afternoon began.
They spent a good part of the afternoon with Taylor's family. Tessa was surprised to learn Taylor was in a famous band. "I have never heard of Hanson before," Tessa said. Zac chimed into the conversation, "Really? We are only, like, the biggest band in the world!" "Zachary!" his mother barked. "Sorry," Zac mumbled. The afternoon continued with a lot of idle chit chat and several approving glances from Ike, Zac, and his dad. Then they told them they were going out for a walk.
They strolled through the late afternoon air smiling and holding hands. They sat down in the grass and gazed at each other. "Sing me one of your songs Taylor," she asked. He grinned and began softly singing, "I love you more than anything...more than anything, I do...And I'd give anything and everything I had just to be with you.. These feelings I hold inside are emotions I cannot hide...these feelings will not subside...I'd do anything..." He sang through the whole song as she listened and hummed along. "Thats a wonderful song," she sighed. By this time the sun was setting.
"We had better get going now," she said, looking a little concerned. "Why?" he smiled, "It looks like its gona be a nice night." She sighed, "I want to leave." She looked very nervous now. "Why?" Taylor asked, "We were having a good time." The sun was setting fast. "Taylor, please, lets go," she said hurriedly. He shrugged and they walked back to the cottage. There she left him standing on the step as she hurried away over the nearby hill. Again he stood there, looking shocked.
The next day came and Taylor saw nothing of Tessa. He was very depressed. He thought about her constantly. He ate very little and moped around all day. His parents were concerned as were his siblings, but he wasn't really talking to them. Nobody knew what happened, but they all thought it had to do with Tessa. The day came and went. Night fell.
It was 3:00 am again when he heard the singing and ran out into the night. He ran through the fields and searched the hills and finally came upon her. She was crying. "Tessa," he spoke softly, the word leaving his lips like something sacred. She looked up and saw him. Her body looked almost luminescent in the moonlight. Her dress spilled around her like a mantle of light. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders. In this light she was almost, ghostly. "Tessa, why did you run from me last night?" he asked. She whispered, barely audible, "Go away, please." "No," he responded, "I will not go away. Tessa I think I love you, please tell me whats going on." She looked into his eyes and answered with a single note. A "C." Taylor's body was wracked with unbareable pain, and he fell to the ground. "That is whats the matter," she whispered again, "My voice is death. Now do you see?" He got up slowly as the pain went away. "I don't care Tessa. I still love you," he replied. She was truely amaz ed to hear this from him. She shook her head, "No Taylor this can never be, at night my voice brings pain and death to all men. You will die if you stay too close to me," she whispered. He could feel his body cringe at the sound of her voice. Taylor could think of nothing else to do, so he sang.
"When you have no light to guide you... and no one to walk beside you... I will come to you, oooh come to you. When the night is dark and stormy... you won't have to reach out for me... I will come to you, oooh come to you." She had to struggle not to sing with him. When he finished he said, "If I can not be with you in this life, I swear that when my time comes, I will come to you. I will remain with you for all time. I love you Tessa, and I always will." He was crying, so was she. She whispered softly, "I love you Taylor." They embraced. She was like air, like kissing air. Then Taylor turned and left.
They would not see each other for a long time after that. As he left, once she was sure he was gone, she screamed. A terrible wail of true pain filled the air. The banshee keened. It was all she could do. He was gone. She would remember him though.
Taylor went back home after that, and went back to the grindstone. He thought of her a lot. She thought of him constantly, and everynight she wailed her pain at losing him. Far away from her, Taylor sang softly to himself, the tune he had first heard her singing. They repeated this medley for many nights. Until their paths crossed again.
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