The Dark Side of the Moon

Almost exactly the same as my story entitle 'My Dearest Kitty' , but I'm not sure which is the better one.

A gentle breeze shook the pine branches, releasing a few needles from their captivity as they dropped down to the ground, adding their bodies to the already needle-strewn earth. An owl hooted softly somewhere in the distance, joining the chorus of crickets in their wait for dawn. Among the trees that hugged the road, everything was at peace.

 

The road stretched out long and perfectly straight through the trees. The only break in its black colour was the thin white line appearing at intervals and a few pieces of broken glass that lay strewn, remnants of accidents long past. They glinted softly against the black tar in the bright light emanating from above.

 

The peace of silence was broken as the growing sound of an engine could be heard. A car sped past on the road, interrupting the crickets in mid-chorus and scattering the broken reminders that the moon was shining.

 

The same moonlight shone through the bared window and fell onto the paper in shafts, carrying a strangely unsettling reminder of the peace outside which was absent here as his hand worked its way to and fro across the paper.

 

He stopped writing to survey the scene outside. The sounds and sights reflecting peace were lost to him. He saw no needle-covered trees, but dead trunks, blackened and dry, and replacing the soft woodland hum was the sound of his own blood pumping in his ears. Adding to his warped version of the world outside were his emotions, tumbling over each other like the waves in a restless ocean.

 

Despite the tumultuous feelings that wrestled at each other to dominate his thinking, the writing on the page before him betrayed no hint of this struggle. His hand was steady and moved quickly as though he knew exactly what he wanted to write.

 

 

25 August 1972

My Dearest Katherine,

 

As I write to you this night, words are failing me and feelings are harder still to grasp at. Understand that I will try with every ounce of my being to explain this, but the pain inside me hinders every action and my thoughts tonight can hardly even be contemplated.

 

Fifteen years ago I was a slave to the desires of this world, hardly believing in such a thing as pure love and even less, love at first sight. Never could I have thought that my entire life would change in one day. The day I met you.

 

But it all hurts now. It hurts because the sound of your voice is so faint these days and I can hardly recall the touch of your lips against mine.

 

You alone believed me, you alone saw that I could not take another’s life. Now I must be separated from my one true link to everything, you.

 

My life changed the day I met you and nothing on this earth could be used to describe my love for you.

 

I feel the last of my hope leaving my veins. I wish now that I had your strength so that I could hold you in my arms one last time and tell you that I love you.

 

I love you

Yours Forever, until we meet again

James

 

A breeze drifted through the tiny window, it was cool, refreshing and carried with it the scent of hope. But it was too late. No amount of hope could stir the lifeless body hanging from the ceiling.

 

Nowhere in the cell could anything showing the heartache he had felt be seen. Nothing, but a letter on which in stunted writing could be read ‘My Dearest Kitty’. This was the only sign of the heartache that had caused him to scream as he stepped into the air, ready to be welcomed into Death’s waiting arms.

 

Author's Note

Let me know what you think. Please be critical.