A Song About The Moon

Part Two

"You want me to fall back in love with you? How do I do that when I haven’t ever stopped?"

- The Best of Me, coming to theaters October 17

Elara Song could tell you the exact the day her world shifted. It was Sunday, February 28th, 1954. Exactly seven days after her twelfth birthday. She knew every detail of that day. The way the sky looked, it was clear and the brightest blue she’d seen all month. How she had her hair, in a black fishtail plait running down her back. The time on the clock, quarter past one in the afternoon. Where she was, walking past Our Lady’s Hall – a vast and grandeur ballroom reserved for important school assemblies and masses. Who she was with, no one. She could not bear to listen to Virginia Collins (“How many times Elara? It’s Ginger. Please call me Ginger”) and Marian Montgomery argue over who had won the last skipping match. Elara did not want to cause trouble but Virginia – no, Ginger – had not won. She really ought to remember that. Ginger always scowled when Elara called her Virginia.

Elara kept walking, she did not wish to return to Ginger and the other girls. God knows she would die of boredom. She would have stayed with them a little longer, but Rosemary was not there to lessen the dullness of it all. Miss Brixton had asked Rosemary to help her with something in the art department. Elara left Our Lady’s Hall and continued her walk through the school grounds, she did not pay any mind to where she headed. She just knew it was better than listening to Ginger and Marian argue over the most trivial matters. Elara paused when she came to a dark and narrow alley. The darkness looked enticing so she followed it. At the end of the alley was a creaky, wooden door she pushed open and stepped through. In an instant, she was bathed in the afternoon sunlight. Elara blinked rapidly, she hovered a hand above her head and looked out at the sprawling countryside. She hopped down the small stone steps and landed on the grassy floor. More stone steps crept down the sharp hill and lead to the three bungalows, where Drama and sometimes English were taught. She had never been in the bungalows herself, all her classes where in the main building but she had always wanted to.

Elara did not look back at the school as she ran down steps on the hill. She heard the distant sound of the bell ringing, telling everyone it was lunch time and that the food was ready to be eaten in the canteen. She was not hungry, so she ignored it and continued down the steps. Elara contemplated going to the bungalows but at the last second decided against it. She left them for another time and followed the muddy, less travelled path into the woods. She breathed in the fresh, earthy air. The sound of birds singing near and far were like calming. As she walked further into the woods, the more the path faded and gave way to grass and dirt. It was pleasant, more than pleasant to be away from the static noise of the school playground. She never knew until now how much she prized being alone. Elara liked to think she quite enjoyed her own company.

She must have been walking for maybe fifteen or twenty minutes before she realised she was lost. Elara froze as she looked around.

“Bloody hell,” she muttered. This was not good. Elara took a deep breath and reminded herself to stay calm. Panicking would get her nowhere. She tried to remember which way she had come and after a few seconds of deliberation, Elara started walking. Somewhere, she heard the distant sound of water rushing. Elara kept walking in hope of finding that path again. She did not want to die in these godforsaken woods. The bushes soon became thicker and more frequent until Elara had to fight her way through, she was jabbed a couple of times by branches. Elara stumbled over something, maybe a rock or another stray branch and yelped as she crashed to the floor. She expected to be met by thorny bushes and sharp rocks to her face and torso but she landed on soft, wet grass. Elara opened her eyes and the first thing she saw were a pair of feet in black leather shoes. Confused, she pushed herself up so she was kneeling. She looked up, shocked to find there was a young boy, no older than her, pointing a bent stick at her. She gasped and scrambled back, almost falling again but she caught herself just in time. His eyes were narrowed and his mouth was set in a fine line as he stared down at her.