Soaking Heart

Sunlight seeped slowly through the windows where the rain had just been, replacing the lurking shadows with illuminating light. The cream-colored curtains sway and flap while little breezes pass through the window. Taking a deep breath, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and slide on my fury slippers. I touch my neck just to reassure myself that yesterday was just a dream. Breathing a sigh of relief when my searching fingers touch a thin chain, so I continue towards the kitchen. I linger in each cupboard to observe if there is anything I would like to consume for breakfast. Finding an old apple and a packet of Quanta's peanuts, even though I could have made bacon and eggs if I had wanted to.

After breakfast had been eaten and I had gotten changed into some jeans and a white blouse, I headed out the door for the general store. Grabbing my bike, I peddled down the narrow road to town. The wind blew in my face whipping my hair behind me. By the time I'd reached the small town, my long brown hair had become a haystack. Leaning my bike against a nearby pole, I walked into the empty general store.

'Hello Anna, how are you today?' asked Melanie cheerfully. Melanie was the owner of the store who had employed me a few months ago. She is 32 years old and has one darling three-year-old daughter called Emily who is shy and fragile, while also being six months pregnant. Many people throughout the town admired her gorgeous blue eyes and were envious of her beauty.

Hey Mel, I'm great! I was just wondering if I could take the morning shift today so you could take a break.' I said.

'Oh Anna, how sweet of you! If you could work for about an hour or so, I would be able to drop off Emily from childcare. Thank you sweetie!' She gratefully sighed with relief as she stood up from where she sat on a frail stool. While she waddled around the store to make sure everything was okay, I watched her enormous belly stick out in front, which apparently held twins.

'Bye Anna, and thank you so much!' Melanie said halfway out the door.

So here I am, sitting in a general store with nothing else to do except stare out the advertisement filled windows, which say 'Free jar of Vegemite when you buy two loaves of multigrain bread.'

Peter Brown strolled into the store at nine o'clock to get his morning newspaper and light coffee telling me his daily joke while walking out of the store chuckling like a kid in a candy shop. However Mrs. Wilson came in to the store to get a loaf of bread and a carton of milk, she decides to smile at me and tell me that my top makes me look fat.

When Melanie came back I had nearly fallen asleep with boredom and exhaustion. The weather had gotten extremely hot and the sweat on my forehead was starting to look embarrassing.

'Oh Anna thank you for looking after the store for me. If you weren't here, the store would have been robbed and Emily would have never gotten to childcare.' She chirped gratefully. Melanie waddled around me and opened the cash register and handed me a twenty-dollar note.

'Here you go sweetie. I know you're a good girl, so don't spend it to quickly.' She said.

'Okay Melanie, I won't.' I said as I walked out the door, giving one last wave to her as I got on my bike and peddled home.

By the time I'd gotten home it was lunchtime, which was brought to my attention when my stomach told me so. I made myself a plain salad sandwich and walked slowly outside into the back garden. I walked across the overgrown grass and over the back fence towards the weeping willow trees. I had changed into some shorts and a white tank top when I had gotten home from Melanie's shop. I could never be bothered to put on bathers because it didn't trouble me to get my clothes wet. So I sat next to one of the enormous trees to finish my lunch on my own.

The trees rustled almost like they were whispering to one another. A breeze flew passed me, feeling wonderful on my skin in the stinking hot weather. Breathing in short breaths, I stood up exhausted like the world had taken the energy out of me. Taking of my sandals, I walked step by step into the water, which was nice and cool on my feet. Before I dived I took a deep breath, which seemed very unnecessary with my necklace around my neck.

As I opened my eyes under the surface everything was as clear as yesterday. This time fish came to greet me with silent hellos and swam happily around me. I laughed as they swam in and out of my legs and through my curly brown hair, probably thinking they were muddy reeds.

'I see you've made some friends.' whispers a lingering voice behind me, making me shiver. I turned around staring into the eyes of Harvey, who was dazzling me with his smile.

'I thought I told you to not scare me like that.' I answered.

'I'm sorry, but it's pretty hard to resist, your reaction is really rewarding,' he chuckled.

'Yeah well then, I guess I'll just go home then.' I said, turning around to the edge of the lake. Even though I didn't want to go back home I couldn't help but tease.

'Wait!' he called grabbing my arm lightly, but then he relaxed and smiled. 'You only just got here, what's the rush.' Where his hand touched my arm, flames flickered beneath my flushed skin. My eyes grew probably twice the size they actually were when he wasn't looking while my heartbeat had accelerated. As he took his hand off my arm, it almost felt cold from where he had touched, I had never felt anything like this before. I looked back into his wonderful green eyes when I had emotionally recovered.

'Well then, what do you have planned?' I asked smiling my most teasing smile.

'Follow me then,' he said swimming a little a head of me.

The currents pushed my hair out of my eyes so it flowed behind me. Harvey lowered towards the lakes floor and went through tall reeds and around rocks. At one point I had thought hat I had lost him, but then I found him sitting on a rock waiting for me in front of this huge rock that could fit and elephant. I stared wide-eyed on the huge rock. Harvey laughed and stood up beside me, who was still looking shocked.

'It's, it's, it's a big rock,' I stuttered.

'No it's not, it my home,' Harvey said, smiling at my expression, whatever it was.

'But where's the door?' I asked looking around, but all I saw was reeds. I heard him laughing but I was curious and bothered. How could he live in a house with no door? It doesn't make sense.

'Um…Anna… The door is behind those tall reeds over there.' He said, pointing to the some tall reeds almost right in front of me.

'Oh.'

'Come on, I'll show you around.' He said stepping forward gracefully, while pulling away the long reeds to one side so that I could swim through.

Inside the cave, it was like a fantasy wonderland that only my eyes can see. There was natural light coming from some holes in the top of the cave. The looked like glittering stars which sometimes flashed a little from the sunlight from the surface. There were two rooms that were separate to the main one, which probably were bedroom.

The main room had a table and chairs, which were made out of wood. I could tell that they had once been sticks at the bottom of the lake, which Harvey had filed and stuck together. There was a huge couch that looked like two beanbags side by side made out of reeds and other mushy stuff.

Harvey led me into another room that was to the left. It had a single bed and a hole in the wall that had the use of a very beautiful window. Where you could see out of, or close the curtain if you wanted, which were made out of reeds. While the bed was made out of wood for the base structure, while the mattress and quilt were made out of reeds. The other room was similar except the bed was twice the size of the first one, but there was a smaller window.

'You like it?' Harvey asked smiling proudly.

'I do, it's very…beautiful,' I said taking the hair out of my eyes.

'Well then, do you want to stay?' I asked stepping closer to me, breathing on my neck again.

'W, what like overnight?' I asked trying to keep my breathing steady.

'Yeah,' He asked smiling angelically, so that my heart staggered.

'I don't know…' I said.

'Pease Anna, it'll be fun,' he said, staring into my eyes.

'Fine, Okay, You win. But I have to leave early tomorrow to see an old friend of mine. He's come from Sydney and is coming to Melbourne for a few days to see me.' I said looking out of the window.

'Anna?' he asked hesitantly. I looked back at him surprised to see how close his beautiful face was to mine. My heart stumbled, while my pulse was racing in my head. Everything was spinning, but then it was black.

I woke on something comfortable that felt like silk underneath me. I breathed in and out, noticing it wasn't just my breathing I could hear. I opened my eyes to see Harvey staring at me with a worried expression on his face. I wanted to tell him to smile, but my energy had seemed to vanish.

'Anna, are you okay?' he asked worryingly.

'…Yes. I think so, what happened?'

'You passed out and you haven't woken up until now.'

'Do you know what time it is?' I asked groggily, as I started to sit up.

'Um…9.30ish, I think.' He said looking out the window.

'Oh my god, I have to go now.' I said standing up. 'Charlie will be there in a minute.'

My legs wobbled beneath me, Harvey must have noticed because he looked worried and unsure to leave me on my own.

'Are you sure Anna? You can stay as long as you want, If you like.' He said

'No I need to go, right now.' I gushed, swimming towards the front door. Feeling light headed I turned around looking one last glance at the cave. I saw Harvey standing at the front door looking worried, I wanted to stay so much, but I knew I had to leave.

'I'm sorry,' I whispered, as I swam towards the surface.