Oh boy.
Where should I start?
If you read the title of this story you probably realize that this is not the final chapter. Sorry. Part 5 is nowhere near being done in its current state. 2016 has been an extremely busy year for me. I now work very long and very tiring shift, leaving me wanting only to eat and sleep when I get home. As you might imagine, it's hard to write anything - even less something of good quality - when you are asleep. But a girl still got to eat, you know, so there's not much I can do about it. Tragedy struck when the document containing the primary draft for chapter 5 was corrupted beyond saving. I lost everything. It did not do wonders for my creativity, resulting in me putting the project on the shelf for a few months. But I am working on it. I want to and will finish the story. Eventually. Hopefully. Probably this year when my schedule opens up a little.
Long story short - we have no choice but to wait. This short episode here is what I managed to scrape together over the course of two afternoons and a sleepless night. It's a bit different from the other chapters and isn't really a part of the main plot, but it does allow me fit in some action that wouldn't fit into the actual story. I hope you will enjoy it.
All your feedback, comments and criticism have been overwhelming. Thank you a lot, it does inspire me to improve my writing and continue creating stories. Please - keep sending me comments and emails. I love reading them. Also feel free to send me suggestions and ideas for future short stories. When I'm finally done with Summer's Eve I will be trying out some one-off episodes. I'll be glad to read your suggestions.
Anyway. Here's Chapter 4.5
I hope you enjoy it.
*****
The wind was strong tonight. Strong, playful and eager. It came rolling in from the sea driving the waves before it, whipping them until they were frothing with sea foam and came crashing down over each other on their race towards land. The wind came with them, hurrying them onward until they furiously threw themselves against the shore. They crashed and bubbled, sending splashes of salt water in all directions, but their strength was not enough to conquer the land. Time and time again the upswash had to retreat back into the sea.
The salty wind caught hold of long, loose hair. Overjoyed with its new toy it began tugging at it, whipping it around the woman's face and playing with the blonde strands to its heart's content. It found the long and flowing hemline of the dress too and made it flap like a banner around the slender body. Helena took a deep breath and filled her lungs with the taste of the night-time sea. Cool. Fresh. Salt. Her lonely figure was standing at the beach, face turned to the sea. She watched the waves turn and churn as they bubbled with foam, her ears filled with their voice. It was an endless whisper, deep and powerful. A constant heartbeat of the sea beating against land. The horizon was dark. A black sky merged with an even blacker sea, seamlessly blending heaven and earth into one whole. No stars were lit tonight. Only the moon was there - huge and round, basking in its own silver glow.
Helena looked around and the wind blew her hair into her face. Her midnight-blue dress was strongly flapping around her bare legs. She brushed the hair out of her face and held it in place behind her ear. Her eyes scanned the beach. It was long and almost completely flat, the low sandy dunes stretching for what seemed like an eternity in all directions. Wherever she looked she saw no grass or trees, only sand. Like the whole world was just this - a beach and a sea rolling against it. The sand rustled softly under her bare feet as she began walking along the waterline. Occasionally the upswash caught her feet and swept away the sand sticking to her skin, but it was too weak to pull her out into the sea. Each time it had to relent and be content with simply washing away her footsteps behind her.
Helena continued her search. What was she looking for, you may ask? She was not sure herself. She just knew that she had to search, that she had to find what she was looking for. It was the reason for why she was here at this lonely beach. Helena clasped her hands in height with her stomach and looked to the sea again. The waves that came rolling towards her were still gentle. Playful but harmless. The breeze was merciful. For now it was, at least. As if to prove a point a spray of salt water hit her. It dripped down her bare arm, neck and face. It felt warm and inviting. She had to admit that the sea did look welcoming tonight. But she could not swim in it. Not now, no matter how much the waves beckoned her and the wind whispered in her ears. She continued her journey forward. Searching. Something cracked beneath her left foot. A shell, whitened by the wind and sun laid broken beneath it. She wiped the brittle shards of against the sand and continued forward. Ever forward.
A man was standing in the distance. Somehow she immediately knew it was a man. Even more - she knew that she had reached her search's end.
"Jack?"
The wind helpfully carried her voice across the beach. The man did not seem to hear her. His stance remained the same, arms crossed behind his back and eyes fixed on something out at sea.
"Jack?"
Helena spoke louder now, and yet the man did not react. Was he deaf? Or was he just ignoring her? She quickened her pace and began heading towards him. In the moonlight his white tuxedo seemed to be shimmering with a glow of its own. It was spotless and pure, perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders and towering stature. A white top hat was perched on top his head, somehow managing to stay in place despite the best efforts of the wind.
"Jack!" Helena called.
She was running now. She had raised her dress up to avoid stumbling and hurried towards the white-clad figure. The sand found its way in-between h her toes and in under her toes. She had always hated that sensation, she remembered.
Now the man turned his head. Slowly and unhurriedly as if there was not a single worry in the entire world that could possible require his attention. Helena stopped at a distance of exactly ten steps away from him. The switch from running to freezing in place was as sudden as if her feet had merged with the earth. Her dress began once again flapping and the wind, noticing that she was distracted, plucked the hair from behind her ears and began playing with it anew.
"Helena." Jack said politely. "Good evening."
"Good evening." She muttered. "What are you doing here?"
"Just enjoying the evening."
Jack's turned back to face the sea again. His chest and shoulders slowly rose and fell as he deeply sighed. The wind tried nipping at the hemline of his brilliantly white tuxedo but must have found it boring - to little area to grab a hold of - and returned to playing with Helena's hair and dress instead.
"It's not evening." Helena said. "It's in The middle of the night."
"Maybe it is." Jack replied. "Then it's good night."
"What are you doing here?"
"Just enjoying the night."
Helena rolled her eyes.
"But why? It's the middle of the night. We should be sleeping, and you're forcing me to run around looking for you."
