Words
over Water
Chapter One - Gilbert
Charlottetown's harbour gave a splendid view of the sunset; the warm, vibrant colours shimmered in the great pool of water that was the Atlantic Ocean. Mary Blythe, however, was too speechless to pay attention to any of it.
"Wait a moment," she said to her fourteen year old cousin, "let me see if I understand everything correctly. You are planning to write a letter to someone you don't know, put it in a bottle, and send it across the sea?"
"You've got the gist of it, yes," said Gilbert, rolling a sheet of paper up and tying a small red ribbon around it.
"Whatever gave you such an idea?" Mary cried. "You will have no idea where it ends up or who will read it. What if it sails all the way to Poland and a sixty-year-old grandmother picks it up? And if they truly are going to write back, they'll know where you live and everything. It's awful dangerous, Gilbert!"
"You fret too much, Mary," Gilbert said, not concerned about a thing Mary spoke of.
"Yes, I suppose you have a solution for everything I've said then?" huffed the girl, sitting down on the blanket on which Gilbert had placed an array of items.
Gilbert paused and looked up at his older cousin, hazel eyes twinkling. "Indeed I do." He picked up the small glass bottle that he laid on the beach and deposited the rolled up paper inside carefully.
Mary tapped her foot impatiently. "And?" she asked.
"A Polish grandmother probably won't be able to read English. And I wrote inside that the pen-pal—" Mary cut her cousin off. "'Pen Pal' That's what you're calling this absurd method of communication?"
"No. It's what I am calling the person who answers back."
Mary threw up her hands in exasperation.
"I don't see what you're so worried about, Mary," Gilbert said, beginning to get a little cross at his cousin's need to stick her nose in where it didn't belong. "I didn't even ask you to come with me. You followed me here."
"And good thing I did too, or you would have gone through with this incredulous idea!" Mary exclaimed.
"I am going through with it," Gilbert snapped. He took the bottle's cork and stuffed it in, pressing it hard and tight. He didn't want the paper to get wet on account of the cork getting loose and flowing away. Mary watched him grind the cork against his finger to push it into the bottle. "And what are you going to do when a sixty-year-old grandmother from Poland comes calling at your doorstep for her beloved Gilbert?" she asked.
Panting from pressing the cork so tightly, the fourteen year old boy turned to look at her. "Will you stop with the Polish grandmother, Mary?" Gilbert said, annoyed. "I know what I'm doing."
"Really? And would you care to explain to me how you are going to avoid your 'pen pal' from finding out your address?"
"No," said Gilbert flatly.
Mary smiled at her cousin icily. "I suppose I'll just have to inform Auntie and Uncle then … " she let the words hang in the air, letting Gilbert ponder for a moment. At last, he gave a sigh of vexation.
"I bought a PO box at Charlottetown's post office," Gilbert said at last.
"You what?" Mary cried, jumping to her feet. Had her cousin gone mad? PO boxes were costly! Mary thought Gilbert had broken his record for his stupidity, wasting one for a person the boy neither knew of, nor was certain would reply back.
"Well, actually, I rented one," Gilbert said hurriedly. "It's only for a couple of months! And if I don't get a letter back in two months, I won't renew it."
"And how are you going to get the letters?" Mary asked, ever the pessimist.
"We come here at least once a month. I'll have time to pick it up then." Gilbert refocused his attention on the bottle, now oiling the it to make sure the water wouldn't come in. He didn't want a leak to spoil his whole plot, especially from the cork which was dotted with tiny holes. "Besides," he said, turning to look at his cousin, "would you rather the Polish grandmother come to my home in Avonlea or to a Charlottetown post office?"
Mary shook her head in amazement. "I've got to hand it to you, Gilbert, you sure know how to make a flawless plan. It's a pity to see you wasting your talents over something so foolish as a Pen Pal."
"It's not wasted if you think it's worthwhile." Gilbert gave the bottle a last look over. "Ready to see it go?"
Mary shrugged and stood up. "All right."
He stepped up to the edge of the beach, looking at the water below. Staring up at the sky, he murmured a silent prayer that this would be reached to someone, somewhere out there, who would find as worthwhile as he did. Then, closing his eyes, he brought his right arm as far back as he could and propelled it forward with all his might, letting the bottle slip through his fingers. The glass object flew through the sky and dropped into the water with a small splash. Gilbert and Mary watched it being tousled around through the water currents, the boy with a small smile, the girl with a small frown. After a couple of minutes, Gilbert gathered up his blanket and extra materials, and asked, "Ready to go?"
"Aren't you going to watch the bottle until it disappears?" asked Mary, her voice edged with a little disappointment.
"No. Fate has set its course; we can't alter it now. And besides," Gilbert said, looking down at his stomach sheepishly, "I'm hungry."
Mary smiled and stood, ruffling the boy's hair. Putting an arm around him, the two cousins walked home. Pen Pals, Mary thought on the way sighing to herself. I wonder what scrape this will lead him into.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, this being my first Anne of Green Gables fanfiction. Please review and tell me what you think. I especially like constructive criticism, so any and all suggestions are welcome. Be as harsh as you like, as long as you don't make it a useless flame. :)
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and content are property of and copyrighted to L.M. Montgomery and her heirs and Batman Books; I own all else. Copyright infringement is not intended and done unknowingly. No money is being made off this and is read and written purely for recreational purposes. This disclaimer applies to all chapters herein.