Windsong
A shooting star sails across the sky, but the lone figure on the hill by the ocean disregards it. Once, she would have found it beautiful, but now, she cannot bear to watch it alone. She tells herself it is because she is tired, tired of all the work she has been doing, but she knows she cannot lie to herself. She hasn't been the same since his departure. Her father and her grandparents think she is insane for allowing herself to remain miserable, but her brother points out otherwise. She's just sad, he says. She'll feel better in a little while.
She gazes at the horizon where the black of the night sky meets the rolling waters of the ocean. Stars are flecked across the heavens and the full moon is suspended high in the sky. It is at such times, she misses him. She misses his smile, his laughter, his presence. But she takes small comfort in knowing that he will be with her soon.
The pain inside her still remains, though, and she finds herself on her knees, her face buried in her hands and no indication of how she got there. The tears fall of their own accord and for a long time, she cries to herself. Seconds, minutes, perhaps even hours pass, but she remains in the same position. When all her tears are exhausted, she stands up and hastily dries her eyes.
A light breeze suddenly blows and she closes her eyes and sighs in contentment. The wind reminds her of him. She can see him perfectly when it blows and whispers unintelligible words in her ears. But tonight, the wind whispers something different and she strains to hear what it says.
At first, she cannot comprehend a single thing the breeze whispers to her and the tiny smile that was upon her face fades. But ever so slowly, she hears a voice. And then another, and another, all murmuring something she cannot understand. The murmur swells to a roar but she still cannot grasp what is being said. She closes her eyes, feeling dejected because her one connection with him is fading. But then the voices join together and sing softly to her.
Katara. The wind is like music to her ears and she smiles, a single tear escaping. The voices are melodious, unbearably sweet. But as quick as they come, they disappear and suddenly it is only his voice that is whispering to her. For a long time, she does nothing but listen. Then, suddenly, his voice fades with the wind. For a moment, the stillness of the night terrifies her. But then the wind is back.
It is no longer a gentle breeze. It is a wind that blows with strength and she finds she can longer hear his voice in it. She can longer see him when the wind blows or picture his smile as it swirls around her. It pulls at her dress and tugs at her braid, as if urging her to decipher its coded message. She tries with everything in her to hear his voice in the wind but after getting no response, she gives up. In that instant, she hears his voice. At first it is soft and muted, but it grows louder and clearer with each passing second. I love you. And as it whispers to her, her vision is blurred by tears.
She wants to reply but she doesn't trust herself to say anything without bursting into tears so she just stands there, staring at the vast expanse of water that separates them. She feels no pain this time as she gazes at the ocean, no feeling of misery that threatens to engulf her. And her broken heart that she tells herself won't heal until he returns, is slowly mending. Even as the wind dies, she smiles because she knows she no longer has to try to hear his voice in the wind. It is always there just waiting for her.
The moon is climbing higher in the sky and she knows it is getting late. She whispers goodbye and the breeze is suddenly back again, soft and cool. This time, when it whispers she hears his voice perfectly.
Katara. She smiles as the sound of his voice fills her ears. I miss you.
"I miss you too," She whispers as another tear escapes. But her smile widens because even though he isn't with her, his presence is all around her. And he has left her a gift, a wind-song that he sings just for her.