Original Works

Tranquil

One hundred forty-two— she never lost count of all the days they met. When he first stumbled upon her, she wondered if he had gotten lost. The lake was well within the depths of the forest and human visitors were few and far between. She was caught by surprise, too late to dive under the water and hide. But he simply cast her a glance before sitting down on a nearby rock. There was no questioning who she was or what she was doing in the water. Likewise, she did not question what he came there for and what the large case that he carried with him was.

She curiously watched as he opened the black case and pulled out a harp. Without a single word, he placed the harp in front of him and began playing. She was immediately enthralled by the sound that his hands made as they moved along the strings. Without any reservation, she quietly waded closer and listened to the music.

The second time they met was very much the same. He sat down, retrieved his instrument and began playing, while she rested on a rock nearby and listened. She enjoyed the soothing music that he played and he enjoyed having her as an audience. One hundred forty more days passed and not a single word was spoken between them, as if they feared that their voices would break the tranquility that they created.

On the one hundred forty-third day, he came as usual. With the harp in hand, he balanced himself as he walked on the rocks, closer to her. She eagerly leaned against another rock, closed her eyes, and awaited his performance. But after the first few notes, the music stopped coming. She opened her eyes and looked up at him in question. His brows were furrowed as he looked at the instrument in his hands. As if feeling her eyes on him, he turned to her and offered her a smile.

“This one is for you.” He said before beginning to play again.

Her eyes were glued to his lips, wondering if he actually spoke or if her desire to talk to him had spurred her imagination. She let out an audible gasp when his mouth opened again and he began to sing. Her hands immediately flew over her mouth, cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment for disrupting his music with her voice. But he didn’t mind and smiled at her, eyes crinkling in amusement. Seeing his serene expression, she put herself at ease. She would be able to speak with him in due time. For now, she was just going to listen.

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