Tom

This story was inspired by AMM, who mentioned a while ago that everyone has a voice to be heard.

Millie woke suddenly, breathing rapidly, hands gripping the sheets.
Again, the same dream.
Only a dream she told herself, only a dream. Standing in a crowded place, alone, people walking round her, unseeing -she is crying out with no sound.

Millie lay awake, gradually relaxing her hold on the cool sheets, slowing her breathing. She lay watching the moonlight filtering through the curtained window creating soft shadowy shapes on the wall and bookcase.

‘No one hears me’. She knew what the dream meant. It had always been that way.

Waiting for her heart beats to subside and her eyes to accustom to the darkness, she lay watching the moving moonlit shadows. Hearing a soft rustle to her left, she turned her head sharply - surely not the mice - she would have to get the pest control people in again.
With a small sigh she relaxed back against the pillow, hoping that elusive sleep would claim her until morning.

‘Millie’ - the whisper was soft against her ear, quiet inside her mind. She opened her eyes. There was no one there of course - there never was. Wryly thinking that years of loneliness had begaun to turn her mind, she closed her eyes again tightly determined to ignore the voice and slip away into welcome oblivion.

‘Millie, I hear you.’

Beginning to feel alarmed she sat up and looked around the room. No, nothing - her wardrobe, dressing table with the good perfume she had treated herself with last Christmas, a pile of books on the floor, net curtained window open to the balmy summers night.

‘I hear you Millie’

Feeling rather silly, she surprised herself by whispering back, ‘Who are you?’ No answer. of course! What was she thinking of?

‘Look out of the window!’ Millie peeped outside and softly caught her breath. It couldn’t be! It was Tom! But she thought he was lost. Running downstairs and outside in her bare feet, hair streaming behind her, she sped across the ground and flung her arms around his warm neck. His mane tickled her face and he blew softly in her ear.

‘Where have you been? I’ve missed you so much’

Sliding her hand across his back she noted the saddle bags packed for a journey and a voice whispered again ,

‘Come on, its time to go now, no time to lose. Come on the journey to find your heart’

Millie did not hestitate. Where Tom led, she would go. Her childhood friend, they had been inseparable and she was inconsolable when he went away. Dressing quickly and gathering her painting gear, crystal and warm blanket she climbed onto his back.
As he walked slowly down the path towards snowy mountains she had not seen before, she heard a soft chuckle.

Enchanteur watched, smiling, laughing softly to herself. Everyone has a voice she murmured.

(Picture of Tom to follow)

by Peacebird