Little Talks
For this SSS, I have decided to write a story based on one of my favorite songs, "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. I'm just going to listen to the song and not look at any lyrics or anything like that, and I have no idea what the song is about, so this will be fun. BTW: I do realize that this song actually already has a special meaning to it, but I'll be making my own. This is kind of a last minute thing, so I don't know how good it'll be.
The boat gently rocked Johanna asleep. I laid in the bed across the room, unable to fall asleep. The moving of the boat kept me awake instead of helping me sleep like my sister.
I threw off my covers and glanced at Johanna. She pulled her hands closer to her face and breathed out. I opened the wood door a crack and slid out into the narrow hallway where I clambered up the stairs. Men ran around everywhere, pulling on ropes, shouting directions, and climbing up masts.
The captain spotted me and walked over.
"Why are you here, circus boy? It's the middle of the night," he shouted over the noise, "I told you to stay in your room. We're only a few days from land. Then we can take you to the circus." The circus. They were taking us to the circus because everyone believed that my sister was mental. "Go back down th-" Before he finished, a high-pitched scream called me.
"Hinrik! Help!" Johanna. I dashed to the stairs but slipped on the first step. I tumbled to the bottom and pushed open the door to our room. Johanna was sitting up in her bed, her lips quivering and her face dripping with sweat. I crouched at her bedside.
"Screams. I heard screams," she managed to say, "The screams all sound the same." Her eyes blankly stared at the wall behind me. "I'm scared." Then her eyes brightened again and she seemed to come out of her trance, but I could still see the darkness hanging from her eyes. "Don't listen to a word I say. It was just a dream." She always said this and I never believed her.
I stood up and got into my bed, and once again, was unable to sleep.
"Hinrik?"
"Yes, Johanna?"
"Where are we going?"
"I think we're going to a circus."
"What if we die?"
"This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore. Good-night Johanna."
"Good-night, Hinrik."
The next morning, we woke up and the captain told us to come out onto deck. He pushed us onto a plank that took us to a sandy dock.
We walked to a plump lady who smiled and asked the captain, "Are these the children?'
"Yes, this is Hinrik, and he's 16," he said patting my shoulder, "And this is Johanna and she's 15. They're both Icelandic." He leaned in close to the woman and whispered something that made her glance at Johanna. Then the captain stood up straight, brushed off his coat and walked back to the ship.
"Come along children. We're going to your new home." She lead us to a carriage attached to a horse and told us to get in. We did as we were told and sat in silence in the back.
The horse pulled up to an old broken down house and we got out.
"This way!" She walked to the door and stepped inside.
"I don't like walking around this old and empty house,"Johanna said to the lady.
Then hold my hand and walk with me, my dear." She kindly held out her hand ans Johanna took it. The lady took us to our room and was surprised by our lack of luggage. She left us alone for the rest of the day.
At night, Johanna tossed and turned, keeping me awake. The lady somehow knew and gently pushed open our door.
"What's the matter?"
"Stairs creak as you sleep, it's keeping me awake."
The lady sat on her bed and said, "It's the house telling you to close your eyes." She stroked Johanna's hari and left.
In the afternoon of the next day I was told to wait outside while she spoke to Johanna. I held my ear to the door and listened in.
"You're name is Johanna, right?" she asked politely. There was a short silence where perhaps, Johanna was nodding.
"Are we at a circus?"
"Oh, goodness! No! That would be cruel. I am here to help you. Tell me about yourself."
Johanna took a deep breath and said, "Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right."
"Your mind is playing tricks on your, my dear."
"There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back."
"Well, tell her that I miss our little talks."
"What talks?"
"That's what your brother's thinking. Hinrik, it's not nice to listen in on conversations. Come in." How did she know? I open the door and sit on my bed.
"Now, Hinrik. What little talks?"
"We used to play outside when we were young, full of life and full of love. We used to talk about beautiful things and not those saddening nightmares she gets."
"Johanna, is there anything else I need to know?"
"Can't do anything by myself. Some days I can't even dress myself."
"It's killing me to see you this way," I said. Then Johanna turned to cough a heart-wrenching cough.
After a few months, Johanna seemed to have nightmares less. We even grew fond of the sweet plump lady. But one day, Johanna woke up screaming.
"Hinrik! I'm going to die. The screams! They've always been me. They all sound the same because they're me. Help me!" The lady came in and sat at her bed. She stroked her hair and whispered thing into her ear. Johanna's breathing slowed and she laid back down. Just as her head hit the pillow, she coughed. The cough had become more and more frequent. Johanna stayed in bed for the rest of the day.
After dinner the following day, I heard Johanna groan. Then she screamed. I raced up stairs and found the lady at her bedside. I collapsed next to Johanna and listened to her moan and scream. Her body writhed and she coughed uncontrollably. The pain reached me, but in a different way. Her screams hurt me and my heart beat out of my chest.
Then, all at once, it stopped. The screams. The coughing. And my heart. I watched her body. I watched her soul leave her. I collapsed again on the floor and fell unconscious.
I woke up in my bed and just stared at the ceiling. Johanna?
Yes? Her voice said.
You're gone away. I watched you disappear. All that's left is a ghost of you. Now we're torn apart. There's nothing I can do.
Just let me go, we'll meet again soon.
Now, wait for me.
Please hang around.
I'll see you when I fall asleep.
And that night I did. When I fell asleep, I saw Johanna playing in the field. She beckoned for me to join her. I pranced out to her and she ran away. I chased her. After I tagged her, we sat on a rock under a tree. She showed me to make flower chains. Then when the sun set, we walked away, hand-in-hand. We were happy. Quite happy indeed.
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