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Every year Firth watched the boat arrive with the new student load.
Every year he watched and saw the hope in their eyes at being on the island.
And every year he watched as many went back to the mainland after a month of gruesome lessons.
Halcyon wasn’t for the week of heart.
The renowned university had gotten that name because of their lenience with students, but because of the high results they produced. The best way to do that was to cut down on the student population that wasn’t good enough.
But honestly the university that had gotten her name from the island it was situated on wasn’t the most challenging part of the experience.
“Are you guys going to the lighthouse tonight? I heard that is the best spot to hear the sirens sing.”
The ocean and its many shipwrecks were the thing that proved to be too much for the outsiders.
They were city kids, most of them hadn’t even seen the ocean before they had travelled to the island. This wasn't an ocean for landlubbers, especially not for them, they didn’t know to fear and respect her.
Most of the adult populace of the island taught at the university or was part of the fishing industry. Firth had never been one for academics, but this year he had been convinced by his mother to at least try his hand at it.
After all, what was the worst that could happen?
As long as he stayed on land she was happy, and the alternative was taken up on the offer of his late father’s brother to join him on the sea. Making an honest life with hard physical labour.
“Do you really think that is a good idea? We will have lectures at six in the morning, I don’t want to stay up too late.”
Fragments of the students’ conversation rose up with the wind to where Firth was sitting on the cliff. There where the port came up from the ocean and the road continued to the village and the harbour where the fishing boats laid in wait.
It was a dangerous place to hang around, let alone sit. But for the people who had the ocean flowing through their veins it was nothing. They were merely visiting on land, and no wind nor earth would harm them on their mother’s territory.
“I know studying is important, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And it isn’t as if you would have gone to sleep early anyway. That group your fan off will perform here in a few days right?”
Firth kicked his feet against the rocks beneath him in a steady rhythm. He had seen the advertisement posters hanging around the village. Had even listened to some of their music and had come to the conclusion the singer came from an ocean town like him.
Who else could sing like that?
“Firth, it isn’t nice to listen in on people’s conversation. Now come, your mother called!”
Saoirse was looking down on him from her vantage point further along the road to the lighthouse. He waved at her to show he had heard her words, but stayed seated for a moment longer.
The weather was surprisingly nice for this late in the season, and he would enjoy every second of it.
Soon enough the clouds darkened and gathered together, signalling it really was time to go home. Firth wasn’t the only one hurrying back to the village, the students that had been wandering around weren’t too out of touch with nature not to notice the signals for rain.
The road back home wasn’t too long, but the first raindrops had already fallen when he opened the kitchen door and almost ran into his mother who was finishing up dinner.
“Ah, that smells really good mom.”
They sat together at the table and Firth quickly devoured his food before standing up to clean up. His mother had been busy most of the day, least he could do was clean up after both of them.
“Love you mom, sleep well.”
It was two more nights till the concert.
-
Morning came quickly and with it the first day of university, waking up with the dawn was a gruelling experience Firth never wanted to get used to. He had done it for as long as he could remember, but he could never get used to it.
“I’ll be at the university and after I’ll go with Saoirse to her home, don’t wait up for me. Love you, mom.”
He was outside before hearing an answer as his mother was prone to sleep at least till sun had risen in the sky. No need to wake up at the break of dawn, if only for oneself.
The path to the university was busy as always, though no one walked into Firth so he counted that as a win.
“Hey Firth, come sit with me!”
Saoirse was waving at him from one of the front seats with her bag next to her, reserving a seat for him. He moved quickly around the student masses and took the offered seat, grateful to be able to sit in the front of the room. It was, after all, one of the best places to learn.
Behind her was an entire empty row apart from one seat where one of the new students sat.
“Thank you, did you get home in time for the storm?”
The lecture started before their conversation could start off and the next hour and a half was filled with the many ways mythology had shaped Halcyon. It was nothing Firth hadn’t known already, the tales told by his mother during the long cold nights when his father was out on sea had already filled his head up with knowledge.
It was time for lunch and after that there were more lectures till they were left to their own devices in the late afternoon. For Firth and Saoirse it meant walking around the edges of the island before sitting down in a secluded spot to do their homework. It had been a routine for them all through elementary and high school, and now for college.
The wind trashed against the few trees brave enough to grow this far seaward, making it impossible to hear each other from time to time. It was also a good indication for how close the next storm was.
Before long they picked up their books and walked back to the village. They separated and Firth continued to the house he was born and raised in, following the dam encompassing the village. It gave him a higher vantage point, being able to hear and see others without them noticing he was there.
“That girl, you know, do you think she is… Like Nash, you know?”
There were students walking on the road below, Firth recognised the girl speaking as the one that sat behind him and Saoirse during the lectures.
“Don’t know, she surely is strange.”
The students took the left turn back to the university grounds and Firth followed the dam till he had to climb back to the road to access his home. The new students were always strange and surprised by anything they saw, a few rumours were nothing like the things that had happened last year.
It was better to not think about that.
“I’m home, mom.”
There was no answer as she was most likely already asleep. A cold meal waiting for him on the counter the only sign someone had been in the house to begin with.
“Thank you mom. Sleep well, love you.”
It was one more night till the concert.
-
A soft song rose Firth from his slumber. It took several moments for him to realise it was his mother’s voice that was singing the lullaby.
Lausche den Weiten der Meere
Im Dunkeln der Tiefen
Am Grunde der See
He quickly pulled on his clothes and staggered downstairs on one foot as he was trying to pull on a sock on the other.
Flüstert ein Wesen der Leere
Singt Weisen und von Fern- und Heimweh
Lausch, ihre Stimme trägt Lieder
“Hey mom, the food smells amazing.”
He served himself a portion and took something aside to give to Saoirse, as his mother continued the ballad.
Und sie singt
Wind, Wind, Wind
Auf den tosenden tiefen der See
Tanzt ein Kind
Eine Tochter der Weiten
Von Sturm und Gezeiten
Ein Wesen so schön wie der Schnee
The song stayed stuck in his mind as he ran down the road to the university. It had been a nursery lullaby for many a sailors’ child in the village and he had never gotten enough of it. It never stopped to calm his mind despite the fact that the lyrics themselves was a bit more than only sombre.
He ignored the memory of the song being sung by his mother on a very different occasion.
The square in front of the university were the students had gathered to await the first lecture, was filled to the brim. With conversations flowing in and out of the small groups already formed.
This was were the concert would be held tonight, he wondered how many would actually show up. It would be the longest night of the year, smart sailors would stay inside and the more adventurous ones would climb up to the highest cliff on the island to feel the ocean.
Students who had never seen or felt the ocean but had heard the many rumours about the festivities might be tempted to see for themselves. Time would tell how many would show up to either occasion and following lecture in the morning.
It wasn’t something Firth was comfortable betting about, nor would ever be.
Klingt in den Brandungen wieder
Und lockt mit der Freiheit die Mancher verlor
Und wenn sich all die Himmel dann verfinstern steigt sie lachend empor
“Come Firth, the lecture has started already. Don’t let your imagination run wild like that, you need to be sharp and on your guard. Remember last time?”
Firth didn’t know what exactly Saoirse was talking about, but he nodded along nonetheless. Chances were she was right and he had simply forgotten what had happened.
The day passed quickly and before Firth knew it the afternoon had arrived and they were pushed out of the university to get ready for the night. The square was filled with equipment of the band including a lot of technicians and band members, it would be a true show.
“Pity we won’t be able to come and listen, I would love to hear them sing Tochter der Weiten live.”
They didn’t linger for long but went to Firth’s home for dinner, with some good food in their bellies it would be much easier to stay up late. His mother was still softly singing the song that had woken him up that morning. It was a soft reminder of what would happen later tonight.
They were back on the road and only made a slight detour to listen to the first song the band would play.
Sie greifen nach denen, die wag mutig sind
Jene hinab gar zu ziehen
Ins Reich der Ertrunknen
“Come it’s almost time, the clouds are gathering.”
Saoirse pulled him along the path to the lighthouse and than straight through the bushes separating them from the cliffs looking out over the ocean.
Zum Tanze mit Wasser und Wind
Sieh wen sie mit sich reißt nimmt sie für immer ins Dunkeln
Ins nachtschwarze Meer
The spectacle that the thunder clouds would be in a few hours, was nothing compared to the breaking waves throwing them against the island in a constant battle. At some point the island would lose and disappear in the ocean with all its inhabitants, to become one with her once more.
It was a truly magnificent sight.
Wer kann da schon noch widerstehen
Wenn sie singt
Firth knew it was his turn to sing, and carefully he began. He had neither talent nor a great voice, none of those were necessary to feel the ocean course through your veins. To let it consume you.
It was Saoirse’ turn to sing, her voice was as otherworldly as he remembered. Having only heard it one time before. Last year they had come to the same spot as they had done many a time before, but that time Firth had been relentless.
Year after year he had sung the song on his own, that year he had wanted to hear her voice as she had heard his.
They hadn’t left their spot till the sun rose high in the sky, and only one of them returned to the village whole.
Und sie singt
Wind, Wind, Wind
Auf den tosenden tiefen der See
Tanzt ein Kind
Eine Tochter der Weiten
Von Sturm und Gezeiten
Ein Wesen so schön wie der Schnee
From a far away place he could hear the concert come to a close, the musicians finishing with one last song that tore through the village and its inhabitants. He could hear the voices of the students that could hear Saoirse’ soft voice following the verses to their finale.
This was what it meant to be alive.
-
The sun rose and with it the slumbering people of Halcyon woke. They returned to their homes and houses as if nothing had happened.
It was one night since the concert.
The students returned to their classes and lectures with Saoirse keeping a spot open for her best friend Firth. He was a bit later as usual, though nothing to worry about.
Und wenn sich all die Himmel wieder klären
Dann steigt sie lachend hinab
Tanzt dort mit den Seelen der Verlornen
Tanzt auf dem Seemannsgrab
Behind her was an entire empty row.
Wer kann da schon noch widerstehen
Wenn sie singt?