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The Edge of Her World
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The Edge of Her World |
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wayoutwalt Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870TEXAS (it's all big) 
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It had been ten years to the day since Eleanor had set foot on the spot that had changed her life forever. As she drew near, her vision was blurred by the biting wind that whipped her hair out of place. This violent weather was strange, not like that day at all. Just as she was imagining a summer evening with a gentle sea breeze, it was so. Inexplicably, the wind stopped howling and the ocean waves were becalmed. Eleanor frowned. She was a superstitious woman and this sudden occurrence jarred her confidence. Staring out at the vastness of the ocean, Eleanor relaxed. If anything, this was a good omen. She brushed back the golden strands of hair from in front of her cat-like green eyes and took a small step closer to the edge of the cliff. She had been about to get in her jeep and leave the haunted sight, but now she was enchanted by her surroundings. Two sea gulls distracted Eleanor from oblivion. She watched as they soared through the air, ducking and spiraling, never breaking away, as if testing their bond. Then, suddenly for no reason Eleanor could see, they stopped in mid-air and began screeching at each other. The female was pecking at the male's wing until he could no longer stay in the air. Eleanor turned away, not wanting to see the terrible outcome. This turn of events was too much for Eleanor. She ran for her jeep, waiting on the side of the non-existent trail, and jumped in. The key was in the ignition. She held her shaky hand up and turned it. The engine was dead. Several attempts later, Eleanor gave up. She didn't need a man around to know her battery was useless. The car phone was her only hope but a quick check revealed its battery too was fully drained. Somebody up there really didn't want Eleanor to leave that spot. After sitting in front of the driver's seat for what seemed an eternity, denying the facts, Eleanor got out of the jeep. The brisk air washed over her body and her head slowly stopped spinning. She might as well have been stranded at the end of the world. Eleanor hadn't told anybody where she was going, not even her soon-to-be husband Paul. This little secret just might be her undoing. Eleanor decided she'd do what she came for. The cliff was where her previous husband had slipped and fell to his death and she told herself this trip would do her good to forget him. Eleanor walked to the edge, stopped a foot short, and slowly looked down. The waves gently buffeted splintered rocks each having jagged edges like a sinister maw waiting for its next victim, frothing at the mouth in anticipation. There were two white forms on one of the rocks. Eleanor squinted and saw that one was the male gull from the fight she'd witnessed before. Its torn wing was bent under its lifeless body. The little face on the gull was twisted in its final throes of agony. Next to the bird lie its attacker in a similar fashion, except for its face was indistinguishable from the rest of its caved in body. Unanswerable questions raced through Eleanor's mind as to how the female gull had reached this fate. Eleanor had had enough. She was getting out of there if it meant running fifty miles to the nearest gas station. As her paranoia mounted, a hand clasped her shoulder and the coldness of the touch sent shivers to the ends of every nerve in her body. The voice from the stranger was dark and haunting, "Eleanor. Eleanor." Eleanor turned to see who her savior was and immediately wished she hadn't. All the blood drained from her face and she felt dizzy. When her mouth could form words she managed a pathetic, "M-Michael." "Why so pale Eleanor? You look as if you've seen a ghost. Oh, I've been waiting ten years to use that one," said Michael smiling at his poor joke. It was lost on Eleanor as she tried futilely to regain her composure. She had waited her entire life to be contacted by the nether world, but not like this. She expected it to be on her terms like everything else had always been. Now it seemed her whole world was falling apart, but as she gazed into the steel gray eyes of the man she once loved it all made sense, "You've come for me, haven't you Michael?" Instead of answering, Michael took a step closer to Eleanor so that there was but an inch between the two. He smiled forcing her to remember better times. Eleanor's muscles untensed and she reached out to embrace Michael. Her hands went completely through his body and Eleanor watched in horror as Michael faded away. "I'll see you tonight Eleanor," a voice said from nowhere. The chunk of cliff that Eleanor was standing on gave way under her weight. She clawed madly at the earth as she went over the side, screaming uncontrollably. The warring gulls stopped fighting and watched Eleanor's plight. Her hands caught hold of a rock that was anchored into the ground and she tried desperately to pull herself up to safety. A male sea gull flew over for a closer look. Eleanor cursed violently at the pestering bird until she got a look at its eyes. Eleanor knew those eyes. Eleanor laughed hysterically at the bird as the rock gave way. As she fell the gull stayed with her, taunting her. Eleanor flailed helplessly for a hold and managed to strike the bird hard across the beak. She shouted defiantly but then was silenced. Her body lay sprawled out, impaled by the sharpest rock and blood spew freely from her mouth. The wind began to howl furiously and the sulking gull took cover under a ledge away from its enemies. The waves hit the rocks with extreme force and tugged Eleanor's corpse out to sea. Her body sank to the ocean floor and lay peacefully with its own. [This message has been edited by wayoutwalt (edited 08-09-99).] |
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| © Copyright 1999 Walt Burns - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Dragoness Senior Member
since 1999-08-07
Posts 513 |
Walt,this was fabulous.I couldn't stop reading it. The twist at the end was fantastic!!! ------------------ Set you heart free and your mind will follow. |
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~one voice~ Senior Member
since 1999-07-08
Posts 664Billings, MT USA |
Walt, these stories are fabulous! I really hope to see more of them! They are very enjoyable to read!  ------------------ ~onevoice~ "She looked at her life like lines, never-ending, constantly forming, reforming and bending." |
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DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
Walt, giving you my official, Welcome to Passions in Prose. Excellent tale, I'm looking forward to more. ------------------ Shall I indulge in flights of fancy hampered by clipped wings? DreamEvil© |
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Nicole Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835Florida |
Well done! I very much enjoyed this...looking forward to more. |
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Moonlight Member
since 1999-06-25
Posts 105Auburn, Alabama USA |
WOW! WOW! I loved this!! Perfect example of good short story telling! |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Excellent story! I stared, riveted to the page as I read it! |
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Saxoness
since 1999-07-18
Posts 1102Texas |
I agree with DeVine....it was riveting! you are very good, must write more! ------------------ "Glory remains unaware of my neglected dwelling where alone I sing my tearful song which has charms only for me." -Charles Brugnot |
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wayoutwalt Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870TEXAS (it's all big) |
ank you guys i was timid to post this for sure and gimme lot o confidence tho no really got patience for stories yuh i cant even wait till i get done typin this last wor |
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