Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Holes, the poem Anabel Lee or anything recognizable. I am making no profit from this.

Enjoy.

Katherine POV

It had started to rain a few hours ago. Believe me, I'm not complaining. The town of Green Lake always looked so much, Greenerafter a bout of rain. I'd usually go home once my evening lessons were over and I'd prepared for the classes which I'd give the school children the next day, but not tonight. It was sopeaceful in the schoolhouse when it rained ,at least it was after the sun had gone down and everyone had gone home to fireplaces , supper, screaming children, or a bottle of whiskey. It all depended on who you were, I suppose. But not me. I enjoyed the peace and quiet of sitting at my desk, listening to the drip-drip of the water into the jug which I'd placed to catch the adventurous rain drops which snuck through the roof and into the classroom. On a more serious note, I know I should have the leaky roof fixed. But to put it quite frankly, that would cost money which I don't have.

I pulled out a book of poetry from my desk drawer and opened it to a well-worn, well-read page.

Annabel Lee

By Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea,

But we loved with a love that was more than love—

I and my Annabel Lee—

With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven

Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,

In this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling

My beautiful Annabel Lee;

So that her highborn kinsmen came

And bore her away from me,

To shut her up in a sepulchre

In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,

Went envying her and me—

Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know,

In this kingdom by the sea)

That the wind came out of the cloud by night,

Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we—

Of many far wiser than we—

And neither the angels in Heaven above

Nor the demons down under the sea

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride,

In her sepulchre there by the sea—

In her tomb by the sounding sea.

It was one of my favourites. Of course, there were a few things which I didn't quite agree with. For instance, the fact that the angels killed her because they were jealous of the love which she had and weren't as happy in Heaven. I think the author may have just been grasping for straws for an explanation as to why his love was taken away from him before her time. But I of course understand the sentiment, to him, the love he shared with Anabel Lee was Heaven on earth. The last bit about him lying down next to his darling after she had passed away, is rather disturbing and concerning. However, in both these instances I believe the poet was portraying the immense love which they shared. That even after death, their love didn't end. I find that incredibly beautiful. They loved each other with the love and innocence of children, but also far deeper and far more than that of which wise adults ever could. To love and be loved completely. For that love to run deeper than anyone could ever imagine. I pray that I will one day be able to experience that kind of utter love. To receive it and to be able to give it. I pray that one day, I will be someone's Annabel Lee.