In an ordinary street stands a square double-storey
house in the centre of a large piece of ground.
It’s surrounded by tall proud pines that sing in the wind and fill the
air with their clear green presence. A low
stone wall braces an ancient mesh gate standing slightly ajar, random stones
leading to the steps of a deep veranda. She
has seen this house many times before, never seen a soul in the wild garden, not
a car, sometimes a cat sunned itself on the wall.
She didn’t know why she entered here, late this
Friday night. She didn’t know who would answer
the door, or what she would say, but the light of the moon propelled her
forward without thought, without fear. Her
footsteps made no sound as she crossed the polished red cement to the front
door. Her knock was soft but self-assured,
not a tremble in her hands as she waited, then she lifted her hand once more and
turned the brass doorknob. Unlocked, the
door swung open in a silent rush.
Soundlessly she stepped inside into a seemingly
empty space. A large threadbare Persian formed
an island on the wooden floors, on the mantelpiece above a fireplace three
candles flickered, casting a warm glow. Long
lace curtains floated with the breeze, moonlight dancing with shadows shy in
the ballroom, their midnight dance.
She absorbed the room, her eyes searched the dark
corners, a wingback chair over there, a guitar leaning against the armrest, a
low table with an empty glass, a dirty ashtray and silence, the deep slow
breathing of a sleeping house.
She moved toward the back of the house, past a
half-closed door, a bathroom, into the kitchen, wooden tops, table and chairs,
the back door standing open, it always stands open. Turning back she went up the stairs running
her hand over the warm smooth banister, following her instinct, as if she knew
what she would find. The smell is the
same, the energy familiar, even the rhythm of her heartbeat is in sync with the
breath of a motionless form on a bed half hidden from the shimmering
stars.
“……it’s been 5 years,” says a voice from the past, again
the silence, the sound of a distant car, “I have seen you, walking past….. sometimes
you slowed and looked up to this window…… you never stopped. I always wondered what you were thinking, why
did you look, what did you look for. And
when you walked past I wondered when you would stop, knock on my door, 5 years…..
why did you come here now?”
And still there's only silence, stretching time
out of proportion, a deep, deep sigh fills the air as she turns over in
her sleep.
