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I slid the window open, and just so, I found myself in complete darkness. A breeze rolled in and blew out my lamp. Ah, shame. The girls in town always say I should get more sleep to help the bags under my eyes. Today was enough, I’d be off to bed soon, but staying up a little longer wouldn’t hurt..
The darkness made something far more apparent. The moon was out, full, shining bright as goldenrod but almost pink. Were she a flower, she would sway, dip, ebb, and flow with the wind. But she didn’t. She hung in the sky, pretty as a feather, but still. Nearly. When was the last time I watched the moon to see her move? Not to just stare transfixed at her, trying to discern it – I never had the patience – but just losing myself in thought. Centering those thoughts around the moon, drifting away only to come back and only then noticing the movement.
Sure. She was so beautiful tonight. Baring everyone who, even before written history, looked to her as a muse, she was beautiful for me, tonight. Most ladies I’ve met weren’t of the disposition to show off so fragrantly for me, so why not now? There she was, glowing so softly and brilliantly. And yes, I noticed her move. Her position in my window was only slightly different, but I noticed. Push and pull.
I stared wide-eyed. I would look away but the darkness led my eyes back, drowned out everything else to look at. There were the roofs of buildings, but the edges and tiles of them all pointed back up, at her. Almost as if to say ‘eyes up here.’ I blushed. She wanted to be seen by me. Maybe someone could finally match my feelings. I outstretched a hand as an offer to dance. I’ve always wanted to go to some ball and dance with all the girls there. The spinning frills of fancy dresses and comfortable laughter brought out by alcohol often clouded my mind. She could be my partner. I made to the window, past it, into the cold wind, my hand still outstretched. The moon appeared just as far away.
It really was…far away. My hand dropped down to the window sill. Maybe I really could use the sleep. I threw my gaze down to the floor. It was one story away. Yes, it’s time to sleep. The wind was colder than I hoped anyway. I retreated back into my room, looked back to the moon, but it was gone. Everything in my little window was gone, black, aside from the faintest bits of light reaching around the sides. What could that be? Something so large in my window. But the only thing…
“Hello.”
I jumped. This is wrong. This shouldn’t be, but it was. What do I do?
“I saw you reach out your window. Lonely?”
Was that the moon again? It almost seemed like there were two of them. Did she get closer and maybe this is some trick of my eyes? The colour too, cerise and ebony. The size, smaller, shaped like almonds. It was wrong, but they glowed just as fervently.