Dedicated to Jewel Medek
Inversion
The night was cool, crisp and clean. The stars glittering ever so nicely. This was the night that the Captain had to say good bye to Rip Van Winkle. Her pool-blue eyes pleaded silently, not wanting to Part Company. Her tall musket was held in her left hand, her happy clock and yellow umbrella from Sumson's drugstore firm in her right. Her glasses were perched on her freckled nose, reflecting the full moon light gracefully. She looked into the cerulean blue eyes, shadowed under the forest green cadet's cap. They knew what path lay before them, on the road, a ribbon of moonlight that looped over the purple moor. The wind, a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, they stared deeply into the other's eyes, looking deeply into the others souls. They knew that they would be joined again. Tonight would not be the end. It would only be the end for this world. This world of pain and sorrow, suffering and deceit. They awaited a better life in the world beyond.
Tonight, they would each fulfil their purpose. Tonight, one of them would pass on to the next world. The Captain gazed one more time into Rip's eyes. She turned and stepped onto the Adler. She instructed her crew to leave dock, and she began her journey outward toward the open sea. She gazed back and saw the Captain waiting at the dock, his forest green trench coat wavering in the gentle wind. Rip turned toward the bow of her ship, looking at her fate head on. The wind blew, throwing her long black hair into her face. The wind tasted salty on her tongue. As she wiped her hair from her face, she looked back once more, only to see that the dock was no longer visible. She set up her umbrella, wound her clock and waited for the sunrise.
The Captain stood at the dock for hours, till the ship was no longer visible. Yet he still stood, gazing into the void of nothing that was sea and sky. He stared until the sun rose and fell once again.
Only a few hours left, just a few. Rip was tense and nervous. She didn't know how to react. Yet, she prepared herself.
The Captain had been standing at the dock for an entire day. He didn't want to move his eyes for the fear of missing her, missing the last bit of sanity that he had. He could hear the warplanes flying over head, he could hear the sounds of war. He saw the goshawk witnessed it flying over head, he watched as it dove heading towards the ship that carried his lover. He watched as the goshawk crashed and burst into flames as it hit the Adler.