The Visitor

The sun beat down on the lone sailor on the seemingly deserted beach. His ship, the Golden Swan, had been caught in the hurricane and been destroyed. He stirred, shielding his eyes from the bright light.
“Where am I?” he asked aloud, startling himself. The memories from the previous day flooded back to him. The giant waves, the rain pelting down on him, the loud CRACK as the ship’s main mast snapped, the screams of the other crew members, the feel of the cold, angry water swallowing him to spit him abruptly onto this beach. He remembered it all.
Rising on unsteady legs, he slowly turned around to face inland. Not far from him was a forest. He staggered in that general direction and, upon reaching the border, collapsed from exhaustion.
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The first thing he saw when he awoke was a raven-haired, slender framed woman. “Ah, you are awake now. Looks like you’ve had a rough time. Who are you and from where have you come?” She spoke with an angelic voice that was pleasing to his ears.
“My ship,” he started, but was unable to continue for a moment, so dry was his parched throat. She brought him a small earthenware pitcher and he drank. He began again. “My ship. It was destroyed. We were caught in the hurricane.”
“But what is your name? What are you called?” She shook his shoulders to keep him awake long enough to answer her questions.
“Dan. My name is Dan. Please, let me sleep. I am so tired!”
“Dan who?” she asked urgently yet belatedly. Her question fell to deaf ears as he had already fallen back into a deep, dreamless sleep.
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Dan awoke, his ears still echoing from the screams aboard his ship. He’d thought the screams were real and awakened to find they were all in his dream. His mind had revisited the horrors aboard the Golden Swan. He saw his friends’ faces express their horror as the mast snapped like a twig in the wind. He saw his shipmates swept overboard to drown in the crashing waves. He would never forget the terror from that night.
He shook his head to clear his mind and glanced around. He spotted her. He had thought she was a figment of his imagination, but there she was. She was bent over a small fire, stirring something in a small pot. His stomach rumbled as he smelled the pleasant aroma coming from that direction. He hadn’t eaten in 2 days and was very hungry.
Seeing him move, she turned to him and offered him a bowl. “Are you hungry? Here, take some of my stew.” He took the bowl and ate greedily. “Slow down! You will make yourself sick!”
“Thank you. Who are you? You are like an angel. Tell me your name.”
“I’m no angel. You can call me Celeste. And no, it is NOT short for Celestial Angel.” She gave him a very stern look when he snickered at her comments.
“Ok, Celeste. Thank you for the stew. It was delicious.” He handed the bowl back to her. “Please, do any ships go by here? I need to get back home.”
“Yes, but where’s home?”
“Britain. We were headed there when the hurricane hit. We never saw it coming. I can only assume all aboard that wonderful ship drowned.” He fell silent, unable to continue for a moment. “My wife, Emily, and two boys were sailing with us. My dear, sweet Emily. She didn’t deserve her fate.” Sorrow filled his hazel eyes as he spoke of her.
Celeste saw the tears building in his eyes and turned away as to not embarrass him. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said. She knew what it was like to lose someone to the sea, but her words felt so inadequate. “To answer your question, yes, each week a ship sails by here and docks not far from here. I could take you there if you like.”
“Yes! Please. I must get home to be with my family. Would you do this for me?”
“Of course. Gather your things and we’ll be off.” She doused the small fire with some water Dan had not previously noticed. “Are you ready?” she waited for his quick nod. “Follow me, then.”
They made a path through the forest, which was deathly silent except for the cracking of twigs under Dan’s clumsy feet. He still had not fully recovered his agility from the accident.
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Hours later, they emerged to see the thriving city surrounding the docks. “Here you go. I hope you arrive home safely.” She turned to leave.
“Thank you,” he replied, his voice thick with emotion. “May God repay you for your kindness to me.” He turned and walked quickly towards the city limits, afraid she would see the tears forming in his eyes. He didn’t care what she said; Celeste was an angel to him.
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Weeks later, Dan arrived at home. He greeted his family and told them of the wreck. He went to the local tavern and got very drunk. Staggering to the beach, walked into the water. “Dan!” someone called after him. He turned.
Through a drunken haze, he saw her. Celeste had come to his homeland. His guardian angel, Celeste. “I knew you were an angel, back there in the woods. Why did you deny it?”
“Dan, it isn’t your time to go. Emily wants you to live for her. Be strong for her and one day you will see her again.” Dan wept, ashamed of himself.
“Forgive me, Emily. My dear, sweet Emily.” He hugged Celeste, her pale body glowing. “Thank you. I will never forget you. You have saved my life.”
He turned and started to walk back to his home. Then he had a question. Turning suddenly, he saw she was gone! “Celeste, where did you go?”
He ran his right hand through his hair, befuddled. Then he smiled. An angel had visited him. God was looking out for him after all.