Endgame
       Chapter 12
 

There would be no sun to see set tonight. The storm coming from the ocean had cast its shadow far west. It’s clouds mocked the sea below, pressing forward, never having to retreat the land, causing night to spread across the sky like spilled black ink; expanding, concealing, and accelerating. The lightening was so close Michelle could see its brilliance through her shut eyes. An explosion of thunder released with such force that the guard rail vibrated beneath her toes. She drew in her arms from their outstretched position to her chest, feeling the wind go, not against, but through her body. 

As if I’m spirit. As if I’m already dead.

 Michelle felt she was freezing from the inside out. She opened her eyes to the waves crashing against the rocks below, calling her down.

 The ice is thin come on dive in

underneath my lucid skin

The cold is lost, forgotten*

Even with the deafening sounds of surf and storm, Michelle only heard the quiet composition of this welcoming. It was a song she knew.

 Danny looked up as he ran. He wanted to stop and stare at her, but some voice within, palpably audible, was telling him -- hurry.

 Above and below, the fury of nature was looking, staring at her, waiting, impatient.

You were conceived from your father’s betrayal - That’s ok.

That mother didn’t want you - That’s ok.

Your true mother died because of your father’s second betrayal - That’s ok.

Your father left you - That’s ok.

You nearly died in a fire but were saved to go blind - That’s ok.

You were almost raped - That’s ok.

You thought you had killed a man - That’s ok.

A hit man was sent to kill you - That’s ok.

You had to marry that hit man or die - That’s ok.

You had to break your mother’s heart - That’s ok.

You had to break your husband’s heart - That’s ok.

Your husband broke your heart - That’s ok.

Your maid-of-honor slept with your husband - That’s ok.

Your mother-in-law tried to kill you, repeatedly - That’s ok.

All of these she had bore before the world as if they were weightless. And yet, now, their weight was ready to take her down. As huge drops of rain began to entwine with the wind, Michelle vaulted her left leg over the rail, preparing to balance on the few inches spared along the outer edge of the observation deck.

Your husband nearly died, burning, because of you -

No more. No more. I will be weightless no more.

He screamed out her name, this time successfully. But the wind, surf, and thunder muffled it to the point that Danny could hardly hear himself.

Keep running. Get there. Get there.

He looked up again.

 I’m so sorry, Danny. I’m coming... I’m coming, Mama.

 Her right leg started over, but Michelle felt the breath go out of her as she lost balance, lost control. She was falling, being pulled.... backwards. She was spun around and enveloped into familiar arms, into a familiar chest.

"Danny... Danny," she sobbed. It was as if his touch, his name had broken the spell of the sea. She could no longer hear the Sirens’ song calling her away. She wanted to live. The wind whipped the rain into stinging sheets, but Michelle did not care. "I’m so sorry. I tried, I tried to get away, but I couldn’t. Danny there’s-," Michelle lifted her eyes to meet his.

The lighthouse beacon made its way to the couple as a stream of lightening flowed close by. Michelle’s hand came upon the illuminated, rain-pelted cheek of Dante.

 Almost to the door, Danny looked up once more. She was gone.

 *lyrics by Sarah McLachlan; Ice; Fumbling Towards Ecstasy; 1993