Short Stories-Lingorm

Waves of regret, Tides of love

Orm was a lone traveler, constantly wandering the world, craving the rush of new experiences and breathtaking landscapes. This time, she’d chosen a quiet beach town renowned for its turquoise waters and calm shores. The place seemed like a hidden paradise, one she hoped might bring her a rare moment of peace. She checked into a cozy beachfront resort, intrigued by its beauty but even more so by its owner.

Lingling was graceful and composed, managing the resort with calm efficiency. She was strikingly beautiful, with a quiet air of confidence and a gaze that seemed to look right through people. Orm, captivated by her, couldn’t keep herself from wanting to be near Lingling, to learn more about her, to make her smile.

Every day, Orm tried to get closer to Lingling. She would linger by the front desk, offer help with trivial tasks, and invent reasons to ask her questions. Sometimes, she’d even bring small gifts — a freshly picked flower, a shell she found along the shore. Lingling, however, was always polite but distant. Her responses were curt and her demeanor indifferent, almost as though she found Orm’s presence to be more of a nuisance than anything else.

But Orm wasn’t easily discouraged. She thought that maybe, just maybe, Lingling’s walls would break if she tried harder. Lingling, however, seemed increasingly irked by Orm’s attempts. The frustration on her face grew with each passing day, and Orm couldn’t shake the feeling that she was only becoming more of a bother.

As Orm’s stay neared its end, she felt torn. Despite Lingling’s indifference, she’d found herself deeply drawn to this mysterious woman. Yet on her last day, a final encounter with Lingling crushed her. She had tried, one last time, to strike up a conversation, only to be met with a sharp sigh and Lingling’s piercing words: “Do you ever stop bothering me?”

Hurt and embarrassed, Orm quietly packed her bags, deciding to leave without a word. As she walked out, she looked over her shoulder at the resort one last time, hoping to see Lingling watching her leave. But the resort stood still, and Lingling was nowhere in sight. Disheartened, Orm left, trying to convince herself it was just another stop on her journey.

That night, as the usual hum of the resort filled the air, Lingling began to feel a strange void. She walked around the grounds, expecting to see Orm in her usual spots — sitting by the shore, or idling around with a silly smile, hoping to catch Lingling’s eye. But she found only empty spaces where Orm used to be.

She felt a pang in her chest, as if someone had poured cold water over her. She asked her staff about Orm, only to be told that she had already left earlier that afternoon. Lingling’s heart sank unexpectedly, confusion flooding her. She had never noticed how much Orm’s presence had filled her days until that presence was gone.

Lingling returned to her room, her mind racing. She realized that Orm’s constant, unwavering attention had brought something precious into her life — a warmth, a spark she hadn’t allowed herself to feel. Now, with Orm gone, she felt that absence as sharply as she’d ever felt anything.