Drowning the Moon

One day, the sun didn't come up. I walked to school under the silver moonlight with my backpack on one shoulder and tried to remember if I'd locked the door. I wasn't sure but it was too late to go back anyway. The street was busy and there was a traffic of umbrellas which seemed to whisper as they rubbed past each other, although the rain had stopped a while ago. As I gazed at all their different colours, the feel of wood under my fingers made me realise I was holding one, too.

When I walked past the supermarket, something caught my eye. I turned and saw a girl walking by the shop and staring at me. I suddenly realised that I should have given in my assignment the night before. The school bell rang just as Ipassed the barred gate.

In the computer lab, we all logged on with our passwords and started to work. I accessed the school platform and a red notification indicated that my assignment had been graded. Intrigued, I tried to see the date it had been uploaded and my mark, but the numbers seemed too small for me to read. All I could see was the girl in front of me. Her hair was like the sun, which was absent outside. She then turned around as if she had felt my gaze on her shoulders and looked straight at me. Her eyes transported me to the ocean and I saw a pier and endless water. I smelt the salty air and felt a nostalgia that I could not place. My head felt full and fuzzy, so I left the room to clear my mind.

I went to the bathroom and wet my face. My forehead was burning. I turned around and saw her again, supermarket girl. She was looking at me. I looked away and walked past her. On my way back to class, I realised how quiet the corridor had become. Through the glass panes on the lab door, I saw the room was empty, the light switched off. I decided to walk back home.

The street was empty and I thought I could hear the echo of my footsteps. The moon was gone and the pale streetlamps lit my way. Suddenly, I heard the sound of water, the rush of the tide on the beach. First, it sounded distant, but it seemed to get closer and closer as I walked towards my house. On turning the corner, I saw it. The sea stretched all the way into the horizon, and I was able to see the last slice of the moon hiding behind the water. Behind me, the streetlamps started to fade behind a thick mist. I quickened my pace before it was too dark to see.

Finally, I reached the door and stumbled inside. It was dark and empty. When reaching for the light switch, I realised it was no longer there. I went into all the rooms, and in none of them did I find a switch. I sat on the sofa and looked out of the window as the last rays of light were smothered in silent agony. Now it was dark. Truly dark. I sat there for what seemed like hours, my mind drifting from coloured umbrellas to blue eyes and the moon sinking into the sea.

When my thoughts returned to the room, I noticed the light in the bathroom was on. I walked towards it, my feet moving slower than I intended. I reached the door and the light blinded me temporarily. When I recovered my vision, the first thing I saw was supermarket girl. She was standing in front of me and staring right at me. As I approached, she walked towards me. We stopped at the same time. On the surface, she looked as bewildered as I was, but deep down in her eyes, I saw silent understanding. Not expecting an answer, I asked her, "Who are you?" Her lips moved with mine. So I turned away, and was swallowed by the darkness.