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Logan
Senior Member
since 2001-05-28
Posts 1641
Arkansas

0 posted 2001-08-28 06:49 PM


COMPANIONS

      Brushing her black hair back from her sweat streaked face, the striking looking woman muttered to herself,  “I don’t know why we have to keep this mess packed in all these cardboard boxes.  We’ve got more junk packed away in this house then we have furniture.”
     As she pushed the filled box across the hardwood floor back into the closet, her head jerked around in exasperation at the sound of her young daughter calling her.  “Now what?” she thought with a sigh.
     “Mama, look, look, at what I found!”  
     Turning, she saw her four year old daughter running across the room to her holding a large sea shell in her outstretched hand.  Her face soften as she saw the excitement on the little girl’s face.  “Listen Mama, you can hear the sea!”  
     With a smile the woman took the offered shell and held it to her ear. Listening to the roar in the shell, it seemed that she could once again feel the hot sun, hear the waves crashing, the gulls screaming and her thoughts drifted........

    .......................,  “Why are you crying?” the small voice asked.
     With an angry swipe at his eyes, Jonathon looked at the small girl looking down at him. “I’m not either.” he retorted.  “I got some sand in my eyes.” With that remark, he turned back to the sand castle he had been building, with a back stiff with as much indignation  as his eight-year old form could manage.  
     “But your hand is bleeding.” the little girl insisted, “What happened?”  So saying, she knelt down beside Jonathon and reached for his hand.
     Mortified, Jonathon jerked his hand away from her.  “Cut it on a dumb old shell.  It’s okay though.  You don’t have to look at it.  Blood would probably scare you anyway.”
     “It would not. Let me see it.”
     “Okay, but you will probably pass out, scream or something gross.”  He replied, squeezing an extra drop of blood out of the scratch as he thrust his hand forward.
     Instead of his hopeful expectations, the girl gravely looked at the scratch and wetting her finger with her tongue, wiped the small drop of blood away.
     “Hey,” Jonathon shouted, jerking his hand back.  “You don’t have to spit on it.”
     The girl’s face fell as she got back to her feet.  Then lit up as she said, “My name is Michelle, but my friends call me Misha.  What’s your name?”
     “Jonathon.” he mumbled, “But I’m not your friend, so I’m not going to call you anything.  Why don’t you go away?”
     Michelle’s lips trembled and with a hurt look in her eyes, turned and trudged back up the sand.       Jonathan watched her with her little shoulders bent, walking toward the woman under the umbrella up the shoreline.  “Dumb girl,” he muttered as he furiously dug out some more sand.  In a minute, he looked around again to see the girl listlessly pouring sand out of her hand and talking with the woman.  Guiltily, he jerked his head back around.  Jonathon knew he had not acted properly and that his mother would be very disappointed in him.  “If she had just not caught him crying,”  he thought.  With a sigh, he got to his feet and walked over to where their umbrella was shielding them from the sun.  “Michelle,” he called.  
     Michelle jerked her face around and looked at him very solemnly. With just a trace of the tears in her eyes, she sat very proudly and said “What do you want?”
     Jonathon swallowed and look down at the sand.  Looking up, he bravely replied, “I’m sorry, can I call you Misha and do you want to help me build my castle?”
     With a big smile lighting her whole face, Michelle turned to her mother, who was watching the whole proceedings with a silent amusement.  “Mama, can I please, can I go with Jonathon?”  
     Before Michelle’s mother could reply, Jonathon broke in.  “Ma’am, my name is Jonathon and my mother is right over there,” pointing toward another umbrella that was close at hand.  The object of his pointing finger, who had been observing the interchanges, waved at the trio.
     Michelle’s mother hid a smile at Jonathon’s courtly manner.  Returning her gaze to Michelle, she answered her question, laying her hand on the side of Michelle’s face.  “Of course, Cherie,  you two go have some fun.  I’ll be right here and we can all eat our lunch when you get tired.”  With a twinkle in her eyes, she turned to Jonathon.  “Jonathon, will you watch my little Misha for me?”  
     Jonathon straighten his shoulders and put his hands on his hips.  “Yes, ma’am, Misha will be safe with me.  I’ll take care of her.”  Holding out his hand, he said, “Come on Misha, let’s race to the castle”
     Michelle grabbed Jonathon’s outstretched hand and the two ran down the beach to where Jonathon had been playing.
     After several hours of digging and sculpturing the sand, they then set back surveying the result of their labors.  The two had found out that they both went to private schools, Michelle was seven years old to Jonathon’s eight.  They both liked the same kind of ice cream and other foods although Michelle was French and Jonathon was English.  She had doubled over in laughter when Jonathon had thought French fries were made in France.  With a sheepish grin, Jonathon had taken the laughter in good spirits laughing with her at his mistake.  
     “That is the best castle I’ve ever built.” Jonathon sighed.  “You sure are a good castle maker, Misha.”
     With her big grin on her small tanned face, Michelle said, “Thank you Jonathon, I really did want to help you, and I’m so happy that you came and got me.”
     Jonathon ducked his head a little bit. “I’m sorry I acted so badly Misha, I was ashamed when you saw me crying.”
     Michelle reached out and patted him on his arm, “But it’s all right now Jonathon. Look at our wonderful castle.”
     Jonathon turned with a happy smile, “Yes, it is wonderful, isn’t it?  Let’s go wading in the water and wash some of this sand off.  I’m hot.”
     Announcing their intentions to Michelle’s mother, the two ran hand in hand down to the water’s edge, wading out to their knees.  After splashing each other with water until most of the sand was off ,  they walked in the water down to where some people were playing a game of volleyball. They were standing in the water watching the game when a badly hit ball hit Michelle, knocking her on her back and under the water.   Michelle bobbed back up with her face screwed up with the salt water in her eyes trying not to cry.  “Misha, are you all right?” Jonathon cried out.  Grabbing her hand to lift her upright and making sure she was not hurt, he released her hand while turning toward the players. Placing his hands on his hips, he shouted at the boy that had hit the ball.  “Why don’t you just watch out!”
      The boy walked over to the two and looked at Jonathon glaring defiantly at him.  Smothering a laugh at the red-faced features of the small boy, he apologized. “I’m sorry, sonny, I didn’t mean to hit your girl.”
      Jonathon, outraged at the remark, shouted again.  “You big stupid, I’m not a sonny and Misha is not my girl, she is my best friend.”  Turning, he grabbed Michelle’s hand again, “Come on Misha, let’s go back.”  Turning his back on the volleyball player, who was trying desperately not to burst out laughing, he and Michelle walked back toward their part of the beach.  “Big stupid,” Jonathon muttered.  “Are you sure you are okay Misha?”
     “Yes, Jonathon, I’m all right.  Thank you for taking up for me.” Michelle said and squeezed his hand harder.  “He really was a big stupid.” And with that she started laughing.  
     Jonathon looked at her, then both of them laughed and laughed as they came back to the sand castle.  The two sat back down and started final improvements on the structure.
     In their young minds, it was the most beautiful castle in the world, with turrets, moat and drawbridge.  A paper flag bravely fluttered in the sea breeze atop the structure.  “Camelot,” Jonathon breathed out slowly.  His mother had been reading to him about King Arthur and his knights of the round table, he explained to Michelle.  “Old King Arthur didn’t have a castle this beautiful,” he said.  
     Michelle, with her hands and arms covered with sand, agreed that all their efforts had produced a masterpiece of art.  Trying to wipe the sand from her arms, Michelle looked at Jonathon.  “Come on Jonathon, let’s go wash all of this scratchy salt and sand off and go eat.”
     The two children ran up to the outside fresh water shower and unselfconsciously stripped off their bathing suits and washed them out.  Laughing, they stood, letting the water rinse them clean of all the sand.  Still laughing with pure joy, they started back to Michelle’s mother, who had been joined by now with Jonathon’s mother, to dry off.
     “Look at them,” Michelle’s mother remarked, watching the two naked children coming toward them with their suits in one hand and clasping hands with their other.  “Wearing nothing but big smiles without a thought in their heads but of their own enjoyment as companions.  It’s a shame to think of them growing up and losing that innocence.
     Shaking her head, Jonathon’s mother replied to the comment. “Sometimes I think we grow down instead of growing up.  Those two are enjoying what’s special inside of themselves instead of what’s outside.  They’re experiencing the brightness of their world as it is now for them, and will probably never be happier.”
     Jonathon and Michelle ran up to the waiting towels and after getting a good rub, pulled on some dry clothing.  Lunch was already waiting for them and the two hungry children devoured more then their share.  Chattering like magpies, the two bombarded their mothers with the saga of their adventures.  Their laughter and obvious enjoyment of each other lent a warm glow to the gathering, making their mothers share in their laughter with them.  Finally, sharing sleepy looks, the two stretched out on the spread-out towels and soon were fast asleep, their little arms over each other, side by side.  Every once in a while, one would slightly move and the other would snuggle closer, resembling two puppies seeking each other.
     The two mothers gazed fondly down at their offspring as they started gathering the scattered clothing and seashells that marked the end of the adventure..........................................

    ................ With a start, the woman pulled her head away from the seashell at the sound of the voice at the door.  “Darling, I am home.”
    A big smile lighting her face and holding their daughter’s hand, the woman looked at her husband standing there.  “Jonathon, let’s build a sand castle.”


© Copyright 2001 Logan - All Rights Reserved
Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
1 posted 2001-08-28 09:14 PM


Logan...This was such a wonderful love story..and the ending was perfect.  I enjoyed reading this very much!
Lady In White
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Elite
since 2001-02-12
Posts 2799
USA
2 posted 2001-08-29 05:31 PM



This is perfect, and your story-telling skills are not to be denied....

and a definite keeper....

shadow974
Senior Member
since 2001-06-21
Posts 636
Michigan
3 posted 2001-08-29 09:12 PM


I throughly enjoyed, this one hit the spot!

Throw your heart out in front of you
And run out to catch it.
ARAB PROVERB

b4dawn
New Member
since 2001-08-30
Posts 7

4 posted 2001-08-30 09:44 AM


Bravo!!


Temptress
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-06-15
Posts 7136
Mobile, AL
5 posted 2001-08-30 07:30 PM


I love this, Logan. Your stories always hold me captive. This one makes me reach.  
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