The Vanishing Galway Girls: Chapter 1, The Mute Man in Black

Vance Returns

Vance whistled cheerily as he walked the long miles back to Galway from the mountain camps where he had spent the summer logging. He hated that he had to spend so much time away from Galway, but it had been a good season. Wood was becoming scarce, so the companies had payed good wages this summer. He was able to save up a nice amount. And now... The whistle died away as his thoughts trailed off to his future. It was time. He was going home to CC. He smiled as he thought about Cecilia, the cute girl who had been his best friend since.. Well, since forever! He had missed her companionship terribly during his absence, so he decided the natural course of direction would be to marry her. Sure, he was quite poor and she came from a rich family. But that had never bothered her. That's what he loved most about her! She never looked down on him just because of his lot in life. Rather, she was the one who always encouraged him and insisted he could be and do anything he wanted, no matter what others thought. She was a strong one, his CC. She never backed down from anything. He sighed as he thought about the circumstances in her life that had made her that way. But she had come through it with flying colors. She still mourned, but she channeled her grief into strength to carry on and do her responsibilities in life. He hoped that when they married he would be able to make her happy, because that is what she deserved! He smiled as he thought of how life would be as he continued his journey..

Hours later, he jogged down the road to their meeting place, breathless with anticipation. He was late, and hoped she hadn't given up on him! But he had needed to think of what to say. He was going to propose to her tonight - tonight, under the moon, he could picture her glossy hair reflecting while her blue eyes sparkled under the stars. He startled as he heard a distant faint screech before it was cut off. Strange! He shrugged, it must have been an owl. He sped up his pace as he realized it might frighten CC. He didn't want her mood to be anything but happy for this occasion! Ah, almost there now as he passed the mysterious castle. He heard some rustling beside the road and suddenly shivered at the odd feeling that he wasn't alone. Suddenly he understood why CC never liked the night quite as much as he did. Shrugging his shoulders he darted off the road to their hut. But wait - why did she not run to meet him?? Had something happened that she couldn't make it? Had she forgotten about him in the long months he was gone?? No-he wouldn't entertain such thoughts! She was probably just late because she needed to wait for her father to fall asleep before she snuck out. Yes, that was it! But as he waited patiently in the dark stillness, he eventually had to face the truth - she wasn't going to appear.