Strange Sepia
Sinking Ships
The fields surrounding the lake were peaceful and bright; a place where mothers, brothers, children and lovers all came, regardless of their age. Little girls skipped and young lads ran around, shooting each other with their pretend guns whilst their parents sighed and sat in the sun. Toby took Helen's hand and grinned because he couldn't believe how lucky he was, and together they looked quite sweet.
They agreed to sit on a little grassy patch near the bridge, bejewelled with daisies and tiny flowers. Toby rummaged in his pocket, took out some a piece of paper.
"Ever played sinking ships?"
He asked, as he ripped the paper in a remarkably accurate half.
Helen frowned, and shook her head.
"I don't think so..." She hadn't ever heard of it. He explained to her.
"It's not really a game. Very simple," He handed her a 'Ship'
"Whoever sinks, loses."
Helen raised an eyebrow.
"I actually just made it up. But we need to break the ice, eh?"
He pointed her to the water.
Helen placed her boat on the edge of the lake, next to Toby's and flicked it across the water.
His ship was the first to sink, but he flicked Helen's down after it.
"Haha. You suck."
He smiled and kissed her. But whilst they touched, it felt wrong for Helen. She suddenly pulled away.
"What's wrong?" Toby quizzed her, looking puzzled.
"Oh. Nothing. Be right back." Helen avoided his eye contact as she swiftly walked out of Toby's sight. She felt disgusted with herself. What was she doing?
In a state of shock, she stumbled along a path. All of a sudden, she couldn't remember
anything. She just knew she had to get away. Fast.
Helen looked behind her all the time she was walking. She had to get home. She could hear whispering, everyone was staring, she could tell, but she didn't look, for fear. She must hurry. As she broke into a sweat, a woman stopped her, and attempted to help, but Helen just screamed and pelted away.
Toby had followed her, confused by how abruptly she'd left. He stood and watched from afar, his brown eyes looked helpless. He squirmed nervously and sat at the edge of the lake, wondering why she had to leave so suddenly.
What was wrong with her?
She was always so unpredictable, constantly changing her mind. One minute she would be shy and childlike, blushing and avoiding his gaze, and the next, she would just pounce on him. He was forever acting like a gentleman around her, trying to please her and make her smile, but she was always cold back. He angrily picked up a huge rock and threw it with all his force. It flew and brushed the branches of the trees, then skimmed the surface of the water, before descending below the dark, gentle waves.
The glint of the cool water caught his attention, and he perched himself on an old tree
trunk and stared into the stunning clear pool. really know what to do or say. The scene dark and peaceful like a pre-raphaelite painting of Ophelia, surrounded by a small gathering of trees to the left, and long, withered grass to the right. Waterlilies sat on top of the water, along with the reeds and a proud swan guarding her nest at the other side. He peered into the depths of the water, and as the wind rushed past him, blowing his hair in all directions, he stumbled upon an old memory. He closed his eyes.
He was just eleven years old. He would then, often come down to the lake to stare at the water. He liked the whole ambience, the pretty flowers, and he liked to see himself. His own reflection fascinated and reassured him.
Then his mind flashed back to a time when he was thirteen, around early spring. He remembered the words that had been spoken to him that day, and he remembered how shocked he had been. He had never even thought there was something wrong with him. He was normal. He felt normal, atleast.
Toby was one of those people who couldn't bare to admit their flaws, and lived in the illusion that they were perfect. Of course, he was not perfect. Not even close. He opened his huge, hazy eyes and stepped off the tree. It was time to go and find Helen.
They agreed to sit on a little grassy patch near the bridge, bejewelled with daisies and tiny flowers. Toby rummaged in his pocket, took out some a piece of paper.
"Ever played sinking ships?"
He asked, as he ripped the paper in a remarkably accurate half.
Helen frowned, and shook her head.
"I don't think so..." She hadn't ever heard of it. He explained to her.
"It's not really a game. Very simple," He handed her a 'Ship'
"Whoever sinks, loses."
Helen raised an eyebrow.
"I actually just made it up. But we need to break the ice, eh?"
He pointed her to the water.
Helen placed her boat on the edge of the lake, next to Toby's and flicked it across the water.
His ship was the first to sink, but he flicked Helen's down after it.
"Haha. You suck."
He smiled and kissed her. But whilst they touched, it felt wrong for Helen. She suddenly pulled away.
"What's wrong?" Toby quizzed her, looking puzzled.
"Oh. Nothing. Be right back." Helen avoided his eye contact as she swiftly walked out of Toby's sight. She felt disgusted with herself. What was she doing?
In a state of shock, she stumbled along a path. All of a sudden, she couldn't remember
anything. She just knew she had to get away. Fast.
Helen looked behind her all the time she was walking. She had to get home. She could hear whispering, everyone was staring, she could tell, but she didn't look, for fear. She must hurry. As she broke into a sweat, a woman stopped her, and attempted to help, but Helen just screamed and pelted away.
Toby had followed her, confused by how abruptly she'd left. He stood and watched from afar, his brown eyes looked helpless. He squirmed nervously and sat at the edge of the lake, wondering why she had to leave so suddenly.
What was wrong with her?
She was always so unpredictable, constantly changing her mind. One minute she would be shy and childlike, blushing and avoiding his gaze, and the next, she would just pounce on him. He was forever acting like a gentleman around her, trying to please her and make her smile, but she was always cold back. He angrily picked up a huge rock and threw it with all his force. It flew and brushed the branches of the trees, then skimmed the surface of the water, before descending below the dark, gentle waves.
The glint of the cool water caught his attention, and he perched himself on an old tree
trunk and stared into the stunning clear pool. really know what to do or say. The scene dark and peaceful like a pre-raphaelite painting of Ophelia, surrounded by a small gathering of trees to the left, and long, withered grass to the right. Waterlilies sat on top of the water, along with the reeds and a proud swan guarding her nest at the other side. He peered into the depths of the water, and as the wind rushed past him, blowing his hair in all directions, he stumbled upon an old memory. He closed his eyes.
He was just eleven years old. He would then, often come down to the lake to stare at the water. He liked the whole ambience, the pretty flowers, and he liked to see himself. His own reflection fascinated and reassured him.
Then his mind flashed back to a time when he was thirteen, around early spring. He remembered the words that had been spoken to him that day, and he remembered how shocked he had been. He had never even thought there was something wrong with him. He was normal. He felt normal, atleast.
Toby was one of those people who couldn't bare to admit their flaws, and lived in the illusion that they were perfect. Of course, he was not perfect. Not even close. He opened his huge, hazy eyes and stepped off the tree. It was time to go and find Helen.