Suggested Audio Candy:

 

The Pacific Ocean “Waterflower”

 

 

“Hello”

“Hi”

“Twenty minutes”

“Huh?”

“The bus. Just missed one I’m afraid. Next one’s in twenty”

“Thank you”

“I missed it too”

“That sucks”

“I swear that guy saw me in his side mirror. I’d run about two hundred yards to catch it”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I guess it’s not my day”

“I guess not”

“So what about you then?”

“Excuse me”

“What’s your story? I mean, we’re stuck here for the foreseeable aren’t we? Two passing ships in the night and all that”

“Okay. Well what do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. Tell me something about yourself that nobody else in the world knows”

“Not wishing to come across as pedantic but I’ve never met you in my life before. What makes you think I’m going to divulge my deepest secrets with you?”

“Because you can. Have you never heard of the comfort of strangers?”

“How did you come to the assumption that I need comforting?”

“Come on. This is me here remember”

“Who is that? I’m just dying to find out”

“You know who I am”

“No really. I don’t. And I think I would remember don’t you?”

“It’ll come back to you”

“Thank you for your ambiguity. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to return to my book”

“Don’t be annoyed”

“Stop telling me what I should be doing. I just want a little peace here”

“Then find it”

“How when you’re constantly hanging from my earlobe? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to come across as rude but I just want to sit here in silence. Is that too much to ask?”

“Are you asking me?”

“Jesus. Yes. I’m asking you. I’m asking you because you’re the only other person here”

“I sense that you’re growing frustrated”

“Me? Nah. I’ve never been so relaxed”

“It’s really not so bad you know. I’ll grow on you if you give me the chance”

“I’m sure you will. It’s just that I have more than enough friends right now and wasn’t looking to recruit”

“You do have plenty of friends”

“How do you know?”

“Just do. You have very kind eyes, has anybody ever told you that?”

“Okay now that just totally disarmed me. Thank you”

“Welcome”

“I’m sorry. Had you told me your name?”

“No. It’s Ellie”

“Nice to meet you Ellie. I didn’t mean to be so techy just then. Just had a rough day”

“No sorries. I know your name by the way”

“You know my name?”

“I know your name”

“Go on”

“Ethan”

“You’ve seen my bus pass?”

“It’s still in your right trouser pocket”

“You see now I’m back on edge again”

“Just tell me one thing will you?”

“Why? You already seem to know all the answers”

“Are you happy? Truly happy I mean”

“I don’t know. Yes. I suppose. Relatively. Why is that so important to you?”

“Just curious”

“Fuck it. We’ve still got ten minutes right? Until our bus comes”

“Seven…ish”

“I’m really happy actually. Not all the time, I have my bad days. But generally I tend to look on the bright side of life”

“Thank you for opening up”

“I have to admit I find your candidness fascinating. And I feel as though we have met somewhere before. I don’t know…it’s weird”

“We haven’t. You’ve never seen me before in your life but I have seen you”

“So you’re a stalker then”

“Nothing that nefarious no. Let’s just say we once shared a common interest”

“So why did you leave it until now to introduce yourself”

“I just needed closure”

“On what?”

“On a chapter long passed”

“Do you have to be so cryptic with everything you say?”

“Do I have to explain myself for you to understand?”

“Do you have to reply to a question with another question?”

“Is there love in your life?”

“Yes”

“This pleases me”

“Well I’m glad I have your approval”

“I wish you to be happy. I want only good things for you”

“What difference does it make?”

“More than you will ever know”

“Allow me to turn that one back at you. Are you happy?”

“I am now”

“I have to come clean here. I have never been so utterly confused or intrigued as I am right now. In this moment”

“It happened the right way”

“I’m sorry. What happened the right way?”

“It was meant to be you. I see that now”

“I won’t even ask”

“No need. Look, your bus has arrived”

“After you, you were here first”

“That’s okay. You go”

“Thanks and maybe we could chat some more when we’re seated”

“He’s waiting for you”

I climb aboard and approach the driver, producing my wafer thin wallet from my right trouser pocket.

“One single to the town centre”

“That’s three forty”

“Thanks”

“Alright”

“Wait up. There’s still somebody else to get on”

“Nobody there buddy”

“But…don’t worry. Just a crazy moment”

“We all have them pal”

Ellie. Ellie. Why does the name Ellie seem so familiar? Why did she seem so familiar? It felt as though we had history but my mind just throws back nothing. Ellie. My twin. That’s it. She never made it; pronounced dead on arrival. Mom and dad never really spoke about her much; I can tell that it still tears them up inside to this day. They had already decorated our nursery, implementing both blue and pink into the design. I found out about Ellie when I was nine when Uncle Pat let slip at a Christmas party. Have kept it to myself ever since. Ellie. My Ellie.

I take my seat as the delay is starting to provoke grunts of derision from the more haughty of my travel companions. The engine begins to purr once more and I take one final look into the bus shelter. There on the seat is a single lily in full bloom. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the flower I leave besides Ellie’s plaque in the old cemetery across village every April 26th. I feel a mixture of emotions right now. Part of me feels sad; like I have lost something or maybe something has just let go of me. However, I also feel compelled now to smile at the strange old lady sitting opposite even though she still appears to be holding onto some kind of grudge. I feel more at peace now than I think I ever have been; ready to take on the world or, at least, rectify a small colony. I’m still here; in the flesh and blood. Even though Ellie has moved on, she’s still here also. I just had to look a little closer to see her.

Click here to read The Last Dance