"And the letters
On this page
Are the prints
They leave
By the sea."
The crowd burst into applause as my twelve-year-old brother Robin lifted his gaze to meet the sea of people listening to him read his poem. Each word, each pause and each breath had been perfectly timed as we'd worked on it for hours in the days running up to the annual Redland talent show.
Tears of pride sprang into my eyes and I rapidly brushed them away with the back of my hand before standing in my seat and clapping for all I was worth. A wide grin spread over his face and he bowed once,twice, three times.
I smiled. Just like we'd practised.
He then turned and scurried to the back of the stage before finally disappearing behind the curtains.
As the clapping died down, I reached for my bag under my seat and made my way through the row of filled seats to the side door of the bustling theatre. Within seconds, it burst open, and Robin sprang into my arms, gushing:
"We did it!"
"You did it, kiddo", I whispered into his ear, squeezing him hard.
"Let's go home and celebrate." He grinned, and we started heading towards the double doors at the back of the room.
But all of a sudden, the lights dimmed, and my attention was brought back to the stage. The crowd hushed as a figure appeared from behind the curtains and slowly walked over to the microphone. By the small spotlight lighting up the stage, I could distinguish a young guy, who could only be a couple of years older than me, his face set in a determined expression.
I felt Robin pull at my arm slightly, but I couldn't help but stare at the intricate set of tattoos adorning his arms. All the more fascinating was the ethereal aura that seemed to linger around him like a cloud of mist; his mere presence seemed to fill the stage, and all eyes were riveted on him in a matter of seconds.
"Hayley..." I heard Robin whine.
"Just a sec", I replied, letting go of his hand and moving closer to the stage.
I heard him take a deep breath, and he started:
"Lungs that used to be filled with air
That breathed life and happiness
Now being filled with the murky water of sadness
Eyes that were bright with the joys of being alive and in love
Now see the beginning of the water level
The boundary between light and dark
Pure and tainted at once
The darkness is closing in, invading its predecessor
The water line blurs
But a form appears in the distance
Its nature uncertain for the gray tint of the water
YOU ARE READING
Dreaming of Reality
RomanceBut it was his eyes that not only caught my attention, but held it there, captive, hypnotized. Rimmed with thick, long dark lashes, they bored into me, holding so many deep-seated emotions it was hard not to lose myself in them. Above everything el...
