|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amigos w/ Common Interests
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View Next Image >>
|
Category: Sub Category: Short Stories |
|
|
The waves crashed against the deserted muddy beach. He should have known better than to go fishing tonight, full moon and all. A lifetime battling the sea and still he underestimated her. He frowned and started gathering his things from the boat, main thing was to get inside and a hot mug of coffee as soon as possible. He glanced up at the clear sky and then stared back down at the boat, desperately avoiding the girl.
The wind whipped away her words as she spoke but there was no use in pretending he hadn't heard. He rubbed a hand over his leathery face and stepped away from the boat and the tangled net.
"Don't really think this is gonna work," he said, shuffling his feet against the broken down wood of the dock. "I'm on my own here now and well, just can't see I can do it.Think you may as well just go home."
He kept his gaze firmly on the deck but he could feel her eyes on him, drilling holes into his heart.
"So that's it? You are just going to stand there? Do nothing?"
"Well..."
He looked down at her, frowned.
"Some things are just more than a man can deal with." He knotted up the rope, testing to make sure it'd hold. "And well, I know better than to fight a losing battle."
"You can't just..."
He didn't stop to listen, was no point, just started walking away.
"You can't just leave me here!"
He heard her and it hurt him. But what's a man to do? He paused, the wind whipping his hair.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "You just, well, you picked the wrong man." He walked into his shack and closed the door, closed her out. The wind shrieked, or maybe it was her. He pulled the bolt tight and knelt to stroke the cat. "Wrong man," he said again and walked over to put the kettle on.
He sat awake through the night, listening to the wind, sipping his coffee. Sounded like a storm but the light of the moon was still casting shadows into the house. No rain. Shame, they could use some.
At dawn, he stole a look out of his window, out to the old dock. His net was ripped to shreds, crying shame. Main thing though, the mermaid was gone.
"Lucky escape," he told the cat as he closed the curtain. "Can always get a new net."
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|