The Night Watchmen
Flash fiction
The flames swirled, sashayed, fluttered and crackled, a hypnotic dance of fiery destruction as if it was their last night on earth. The embers spiralled softly upwards, swallowed by the infinite expanse of the haunting night sky. The calming sound of waves crashing gracefully against the shore provided a backdrop to my anxious thoughts, a balm to my weary hurting soul. It was one of those days when life conspired to beat me up, tear me down to rubble, but here, on the beach, my beach, with a bottle of wine as my only loyal companion, I found solace.
The sea seemed to be a vast and endless expanse, a dark sheet of mystery, a world unto itself, and as I sat on the beach, I felt as though I had entered a different dimension. The scent of salt, smoke and old kelp hung in the air, enveloping me in its warm embrace, as if I were being held by the magic of a thousand mushrooms. The wine began to course through my veins, and I surrendered myself to the waves call.
Suddenly, a great seagull appeared, landing on a rock near my fire. It began watching the dance of the flames as I did. As I was wont to do with all creatures, I greeted my feathered friend with a smile on my face.
“Well hello there, my great feathered friend, not a bad night to be on the beach?”
Then the seagull cocked its head to one side, as if considering a response, thoughtfully. As if it knew what my soul was carrying on this night. It looked away from the fire, leaving the flames to dance their dance. Fixed with a piercing gaze on the ocean in front of us and spoke in a voice that seemed to carry the wisdom of the ages. Its voice sounded in my head, with the tone of the loved ones that had gone ahead of me. I felt as though we were the only two beings on this planet.
“I sense that you are carrying a heavy burden,” the bird said at last. “But know that the weight of the world is not yours to bear alone. The ocean, the sky, the earth, mankind — they all share in your struggles and triumphs. We are all part of a vast and interconnected web of life, each thread woven tightly to support the whole. And just as the waves smooth the rocks and sand on this shore, so too will your struggles make you stronger, more resilient, more refined. In the grand symphony of life, every note plays a vital role, and every living thing contributes to the harmonious whole.”
I nodded, struck deeply by the seagull’s words. They resonated deep within me, echoing like the crashing waves in a winter storm.
“It’s easy to lose hope, to give up,” I said. “But your words have reminded me that there is always a new day, a new adventure to be had. Thank you, my friend.”
The seagull again turned its wise gaze to the ocean, its eyes fixed on the shimmering beauty. The waves lapped gently against the shore. As the seagull flapped its wings, taking to the air effortlessly, the world around it transformed. For a moment, the seagull hung suspended in the air, suspended between worlds. It was as if time and space had shifted around it and it had been transported to a place that existed beyond the boundaries of here.
“Farewell, my friend, take care,” it called back. “May your journey be filled with wonder and beauty, until we meet again in some far off place.”
As the seagull slowly disappeared into the night sky, I was left alone with my thoughts once again. I poured out some of the wine onto the fire, as a symbol of my gratitude, sharing a taste of the earth and my determination to face the challenges ahead with a growing strength and hope. The flames again danced and flickered, excited at the taste of wine. I felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over me like a warm blanket, as if the seagull’s words had unlocked a new sense of purpose and reminded me of meaning in my life.
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