From the Woods

Sitting up in bed, he could not deny the fact that he had just heard his name called. Looking over to his wife, clearly sound asleep, a very subtle rhythmic breathing the only sound coming from her, he sat still and listened. The only other sound was the slight electric hum from his digital clock. Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, he put on his slippers and quietly walked downstairs. Standing in the middle of the living room, he could hear nothing but the gentle tick of the grandfather clock behind him.

Going back upstairs, he peeked into the baby’s bedroom and could hear her barely audible breathing. Everything was still and peaceful. Sliding back into bed, he drifted back to sleep and what seemed to be an instant after his eyes closed, he again heard it, “Edward!”

Quickly sitting up again, he strained against the silence of the night but again heard nothing. Stepping to the bedroom window, he looked out, wondering if someone was outside, playing some sort of odd trick. Scanning the yard and seeing nothing, he looked to the treeline and saw her. A woman in white nightgown, shimmering, almost glowing, her radiance reflecting the light of the moon, he supposed. The woman looked at him and smiled, tucking her long hair behind one ear, she smiled at him and motioned for him to come to her.

Grabbing his robe, he quickly but silently hurried to the front door. Putting on his garden boots, he rushed across the lawn towards the woman, now standing just inside the edge of the forest. Again she motioned for him and he went to her.

“I knew that you would hear me,” she said, smiling and caressing his check. Taking his hand, she led him deeper into the forest, the light of the full moon creating a lighted path of sorts, twisting its way through branches and leaves, an unseen path that left him untouched. “Hold me,” she said, “I’m getting cold.” Pulling herself up under his arm, she wrapped her arm around his waist and whispered his name.

“Where are we going?” Edward asked.

“It’s not much further, my love,” she said, “we’re almost there.” Within moments, they passed through the edge of the woods into a wide-open clearing. “This way,” she said, pointing ahead of them. The clearing became barren and turned into a rocky path. “Here, follow me,” she said, taking his hand and leading him to the edge. “Here, be careful,” she said, slowly moving to the edge and then down a narrow path.

The two carefully passed over the narrow path and eventually reached the bottom, a sandy beach and gentle surf. “I didn’t even know this was here,” Edward said. “I’ve lived here all these years and I’ve never seen this. This is amazing.”

“I knew you’d like it,” she said. “Here come with me, walk in the surf. You’ll find that the water is quite warm.” Taking his hand, the two walked into the gently ebbing water. Ankle deep they walked for a moment, when she stopped and turned, looking into his eyes and kissing him. “You’ve been mine all along,” she said. “We should have been together but you’ve been so distracted, so busy, too busy for me, for true love.”

“Yes, I have been busy,” Edward answered. “But you have me now and it is beautiful.”

Edward’s wife stirred at the sound of the front door clicking closed. Rolling to her back, she responsively felt onto Edward’s side of the bed. “Edward, where are you going?” she asked. Slipping off his side of the bed, she walked to the window and looked out at the giant full moon that lit up the yard. Looking across the yard, she caught a glimpse of Edward as he disappeared into the woods. “Edward, where are you going?” she asked again.

Edward’s wife stood for a long time at the window, watching the space in the woods that had swallowed her husband. A shiver woke her from her focused observation and putting on her robe, she walked downstairs and out onto the porch. Pulling her robe tightly around her, she took one step down into the grass but then stopped, it’s dampness instantly chilling her feet.

Returning upstairs, she entered the baby’s room and gently lifted her from the cradle. Bundled tightly, the tiny infant remained asleep, and she held her close. Stepping to the window, she stared once again into the pocket of dark forest that swallowed her husband. Slightly bouncing and quietly humming, she stared into the darkness. “Edward, where are you going?” she asked again.

Edward and the woman stood in the warm caress of the ocean waves, embracing one another in a passion that Edward had forgotten that even existed. “You smell like wildflowers,” Edward said, pulling her hair to the side and kissing her neck.

Stepping away from him, the woman took his hand. “Come, let’s lie down,” she said. Pulling him down next to her on a small patch of grass that had grown at the foot of the cliff, she nuzzled in close and kissed him again. “Let’s stay like this forever,” she said. “You make me happy, and I can feel the beat of your heart, so I know you’re happy too.”

The two lay together for a very long time and the giant full moon shone down upon them. Rolling on this back, Edward let out a long, gentle sigh. “This is so wonderful,” he said. “So much has happened in these last few moments that I had forgotten was even possible.”

Slowly standing up, the woman looked down upon Edward and smiled. “Let’s play a game, my love,” she said. “You cover your eyes and I’ll hide and then after you count to ten, you will come find me.”

Sitting up, Edward crossed his legs and covered his eyes, slowly counting to ten. He could hear a few muffled steps moving away and then he could only hear the lapping waves. Speaking the word ten and then uncovering his eyes, he stood up and began looking around. “I’ll find you, my love,” he said out loud. “There is nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you.”

Edward searched for over an hour, but he remained alone. The air had grown cold, and a slight rain had begun to fall. “What am I doing?” he asked himself. “Where did she go? I didn’t even know her name.” Letting out a muffled sob, he slowly climbed back up the small path to the top of the cliff. Looking out across the ocean, the ache in his heart nearly made him sick. The moon looked down upon him.

Walking slowly back through the woods, he stepped into his yard and caught a glimpse of his wife standing in the nursery window. Giving a small wave, he crossed the grass and went back into the house. Halfway up the stairs, his wife met him at the top. “What were you doing, my love?” she said.

“I… I… just wanted to take a small walk,” Edward answered. “The night was so beautiful; I didn’t want to miss it. Come on, let’s go back to bed. I missed you.”