Silence

HE He sat alone on the cold wet planks at the end of the pier. His legs were dangling over the edge and his bare feet almost touched the water but not quite. He wanted to feel the cold water with his feet but he did not want jump in. Well maybe he would jump or maybe he wouldn't. He really wasn't sure what he wanted to do. The silence was eerie. The water did not move and it seemed as if the fog was a blanket someone had just taken out of the freezer and wrappd around him. At first it shocked him but the coffee helped. He was holding the cup between his legs and using it to warm his hands. As he looked at the water it seemed to call him. It was hypnotizing him, daring him to join the silent water and he was ready to take the dare. Why not. No one would care, especially not her. She had left no doubt about that. He could still hear her. "I'm sorry, I'm leaving, I have too". He could still see her face. She was young and beautiful. There were tears in her brown eyes and on her freckled cheeks. Her long auburn hair was beautiful even in her sadness. He could see her standing on the water just out of his reach. He thought he could see her, drifting above the water. He thought he could hear her saying, "I'm sorry. I was wrong, I love you, please come home". He felt her beauty drifting in the silent fog. He could see her tears falling into the silent water. He wanted her to be there but she wasn't. A fog horn echoed a low sounding wail from across the bay and nudged him back to reality. The silence of the night had been broken. The silence of the water interrupted and the cold silent fog seemed to disappear. He shivered. No he thought, I will not give in. I will go back. I will find her. I will fight to win her back. He rose and walked silently through the lifting fog with a silent prayer in his heart.