A Ripple In The Water
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Urban Fantasy Short Story
Urban Fantasy Short Story
Lobo el aqua... a ripple in the water. Not everything in this world is what it seems...
Written by Mélodie Rivers; first draft published November 2 2017
Written by Mélodie Rivers; first draft published November 2 2017
Water flows all around us. Its never-ending movement keep us company in our long journey; its music echoes our soul's longing. Even though we are alone, we are cared for by the water.
Who can truly see this water? For most, this is only a river, stretching further than they can see. Just an ordinary river. But for a few special souls, they see beyond these ordinary waters, and they know the truth. And their hearts heed a thought for what flow within these waters. Even though it comfort us, we never wish that they join us in our lonely journey. For it all start with a ripple on the water.
The truth should never be known to those ordinary souls that sees only a river. The truth would break their heart. This river... it once was only still water. But then a ripple broke its surface, along with a song. This song now keeps us company, and we sing it when a new ripple breaks the water. When the words are sung by a broken heart.
Her name was Gracia. She was a kind and gentle soul, newly arrived in this world. 14 years of age, but already so knowledgeable of the truths of life. She was meant to show those she loved what truly was life; for her soul was not of this world but of another. She gave those that would raise her the gift of life. A life full of kindness, wisdom, and joy. They were meant to learn from her... Alas, they never understood, and made her learn from them; a life filled with age, seriousness. Despite her effort, she couldn't get through to them; and they didn't understand her, and found her to be childish and irresponsible. They endeavoured to make her like them... normal. At last, they planned her life to become that of all the souls of this world, devoid of her teachings, of that special gift. They couldn't care less of her feelings, and made it clear: she needed to grow up and be normal.
One day, we finally saw her. It was her last day as a free soul: the next, she was to enter what humans called "college", and forever lose what she was meant to teach those that she chose to love. Here she was, walking with her parents, her long brown hair framing her kind eyes. She looked toward us, and we knew she saw past the water, past what seemed only as an ordinary river. Her parents moved ahead on the trail, ignoring their beautiful daughter, talking about plans for her future. Her eyes turned sad, but her soul accepted the truth. We knew what was going to happen, and we accepted this. She was just like us; so we moved to her.
She sat on the verge of the water, looking one last time at the world around her. Then she sang softly. So softly no one heard her but the water; words sung sadly but also hopefully:
"Lobo el aqua. Lobo el aqua..."
She then laid back as softly as her song, and her body touched delicately the water. The river moved to the rhythm of her song; and when her flowing hair finally merged with the water, her words became a harmony within the water. It was now singing as well those words alongside hers as her body she created for this world dissipated into the river.... A ripple on the water was the only remains of her presence, but her song was carried across all of the river.
"Lobo el aqua"... A ripple in the water.
Now, she travels with us down the long road of this river. A river made of hundred of thousands of ripples on a once still water. Hundred of thousands of souls that no one cared for, that no one missed. Travelling within the water until such time as these souls are once more wanted by another.
So we travel, and we wait. And sometime, though our heart break upon such a sound, we hear once more the sung words:
Lobo el aqua.
And another ripple adds itself to the current.
Here we finally are, amongst the stars. For the current of this special river, and such a long journey, has nevertheless a beautiful destination, for it reaches the farthest stars. Our souls are finally free, and though we are still lonely, there is beauty welcoming us: the sight of all these worlds, all these ordinary yet beautiful souls searching for something wonderful, forming one great river across the stars. All souls that together dare to carry hope for all of us.
Who can truly see this water? For most, this is only a river, stretching further than they can see. Just an ordinary river. But for a few special souls, they see beyond these ordinary waters, and they know the truth. And their hearts heed a thought for what flow within these waters. Even though it comfort us, we never wish that they join us in our lonely journey. For it all start with a ripple on the water.
The truth should never be known to those ordinary souls that sees only a river. The truth would break their heart. This river... it once was only still water. But then a ripple broke its surface, along with a song. This song now keeps us company, and we sing it when a new ripple breaks the water. When the words are sung by a broken heart.
Her name was Gracia. She was a kind and gentle soul, newly arrived in this world. 14 years of age, but already so knowledgeable of the truths of life. She was meant to show those she loved what truly was life; for her soul was not of this world but of another. She gave those that would raise her the gift of life. A life full of kindness, wisdom, and joy. They were meant to learn from her... Alas, they never understood, and made her learn from them; a life filled with age, seriousness. Despite her effort, she couldn't get through to them; and they didn't understand her, and found her to be childish and irresponsible. They endeavoured to make her like them... normal. At last, they planned her life to become that of all the souls of this world, devoid of her teachings, of that special gift. They couldn't care less of her feelings, and made it clear: she needed to grow up and be normal.
One day, we finally saw her. It was her last day as a free soul: the next, she was to enter what humans called "college", and forever lose what she was meant to teach those that she chose to love. Here she was, walking with her parents, her long brown hair framing her kind eyes. She looked toward us, and we knew she saw past the water, past what seemed only as an ordinary river. Her parents moved ahead on the trail, ignoring their beautiful daughter, talking about plans for her future. Her eyes turned sad, but her soul accepted the truth. We knew what was going to happen, and we accepted this. She was just like us; so we moved to her.
She sat on the verge of the water, looking one last time at the world around her. Then she sang softly. So softly no one heard her but the water; words sung sadly but also hopefully:
"Lobo el aqua. Lobo el aqua..."
She then laid back as softly as her song, and her body touched delicately the water. The river moved to the rhythm of her song; and when her flowing hair finally merged with the water, her words became a harmony within the water. It was now singing as well those words alongside hers as her body she created for this world dissipated into the river.... A ripple on the water was the only remains of her presence, but her song was carried across all of the river.
"Lobo el aqua"... A ripple in the water.
Now, she travels with us down the long road of this river. A river made of hundred of thousands of ripples on a once still water. Hundred of thousands of souls that no one cared for, that no one missed. Travelling within the water until such time as these souls are once more wanted by another.
So we travel, and we wait. And sometime, though our heart break upon such a sound, we hear once more the sung words:
Lobo el aqua.
And another ripple adds itself to the current.
Here we finally are, amongst the stars. For the current of this special river, and such a long journey, has nevertheless a beautiful destination, for it reaches the farthest stars. Our souls are finally free, and though we are still lonely, there is beauty welcoming us: the sight of all these worlds, all these ordinary yet beautiful souls searching for something wonderful, forming one great river across the stars. All souls that together dare to carry hope for all of us.