Waiting

It's been years since she has heard from him, and of him. She sits idly by, day after day, waiting for his return, but alas, not one word comes across to her by the breeze. Everyday, she writes him a letter telling him of her day, and mails it in hopes that she will hear from him again.

It has been years; five long, agonizing years since she has last seen him. She yearned for him; for his touch, his kind words, his soft lips as they shower kisses upon her forehead. In all her years of waiting, not once has her hope wavered. Her soul brightened up as the dawn of a new day approaches as she waits for her love; to hear news of him, of his return.

'Today is going to be different,' she told herself. 'Today, I will get a letter. Today, i will read how much he misses me, how much he yearns for me. Today, I will read of how much work he has accomplished as he fights for this bitter war that has emblazoned the earth, swallowing much of its joy and hopes for a brighter future. Today,' she thought, I will read how much he loves me, and aches to return to the bosom of warmth he calls home.'

So today she sits on her porch, playing her harp, waiting for his return. It is early dawn when she first sit down. Her heart is brimming with hope, her eyes shining with love as her fingers worked the strings of her tiny harp. She looks up at the sky, and is wistful as she stares at the sun waking from its slumber, waking the world with him. With her eyes halfway closed, her thoughts drifted off to him, of how he would gently hold her as the sun's rays kissed the earth, of how he would caress her skin softly, afraid to bruise her fragile exterior, of his sweet kisses that was more intoxicating than the wine they shared at their wedding ceremony. Oh how she yearns for him. She shakes herself awake, for pain start begins to crawl in the crevices of her heart.

She sets her harp aside, and walks towards the the front gates of her home. Although she lives luxuriously, she cannot seem to appreciate her worldly possessions. All she wants most costs nothing, yet is taking from her everything.

It was a long dirty path to the front gates, yards and yards, her simple white silk dress getting dirty by her feet. As far as the walk is, she can't help but feel her heart grow lighter as she closes the gap between her and the front gates. She knows there is something at the end of the road; she can feel it. Excitement begins to give way to the sadness she had felt earlier. She could not explain it, but she knows today is a different day.

After several minutes, she reaches her gates, and notices a man lying down on the dirt path. Shocked, she rushes over to see what awful fate befell this man.

Sh reaches the gates, and opens it. She kneels down, and tentatively touches his skin. It felt so cold to the touch. A shiver runs down her spine as her hope is quickly replaced by dread. 'Oh no,' she thought, 'please don't let this be him!'

His body certainly looks like his; tanned, weathered skin, blond curly hair disheveled...but it must be someone else!

With a feeling of dread creeping up in her heart, she musters up the courage to turn him over. But his body is heavy, cold, and stiff. Not knowing what to expect, she sits down, and exerts her energy into turning him over. After about three attempts, she is beginning to grow weary. Her growing exhaustion did not deter her from turning him over.

After several failed attempts, she sees his face. She could not believe who it was...