Eternal rest, my father told me when I was a bairn. The long sleep, he had soothed. It hasn’t proved that way for me – there is little rest for those lost at sea. It isn’t the spring tides or the curling undertow that trouble me – vagaries of current are no longer my concern. It is the yearning that keeps me from my rest.
Bars of sun-or-moonlight shaft into the saltwater, unfriendly reminders that there are those above who return to their families at their wont. That is not my fate. My brethren and I raise our heads in the darkness, whatever hair we have left tugged by the sluggish deep. We are all waiting, watching with sightless eyes for the shadow of a ship on the stormy surface and for the thrashing, floundering souls who are soon to join us.
*Thanks for reading, folks. Image courtesy of Pinterest. My recent short stories include ‘Foundering‘ and ‘Traitor’s Gate‘.
Matthew Richardson is a writer of short stories. His work has featured in Gold Dust magazine, Literally Stories, Near to the Knuckle, McStorytellers, Penny Shorts, Soft Cartel, Whatever Keeps the Lights On, Flashback Fiction, and Shooter magazine. He is a doctoral student at the University of Dundee, a lucky husband, and a proud father.
Not necessarily in that order.
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you capture the agony and anguish of those left behind very well:)
Cheers John, much appreciated!
Reading words such powerful really makes my day.
Thanks Trishikh, very much appreciated!
Great haunting perspective that’s both wistful and unsentimental. Beautifully written!
Cheers Tom. I love me a nautical tale!
Definitely going to follow your blog!
Quite chilling, matthew. Enjoyed this. Cheers
Thanks Peter much appreciated!
How did you get me under the water, gazing upward from an alien environment and perspective? Huh, Matthew? How did you do that?
Haha I’m not sure how I got myself there to be honest! A little writing exercise that took a turn!
Poetic prose with a dark and dreadful undertow. Simply beautiful, Matthew.
Thanks Chris!