Finding The Light

• Stephanie Dawes, Grade 10, St. Mary's High School
• Short Story
• 2010

Finalist in the 'Something With Bite 2010' competition

Hazy emerald orbs reflected on the dirty, cracked, cobwebbed glass at the darkening sky as storm clouds loomed nearer, swimming with tears that would now remain unused.

Moonlight shone off the porcelain alabaster skin of the figure who sat rigid and mournful by the windowsill in the ancient attic, lost in thought and solemnly staring into nothingness. Raindrops pelted heavily against the cool glass and a soft golden glow silently approached unnoticed…

Running a hand through her unruly golden curls sixteen year old Lorelei Dawson gazed down once more at the ghost of the oval shaped pendant that had resided on her chest and once belonged to her mother. Look Light Find. Emerald met rusted silver as her eyes squinted to read the mysterious, faded inscription on the locket’s cold surface.
The endearing term ‘mother’ was one which Lorelei was not familiar with. She had been deprived of the privilege of knowing her mother and she hated the fact that the woman was a stranger to her.

Lorelei could remember being mesmerised by the locket the moment she laid eyes on it. Much like a magpie she had snatched up the gleaming locket and clasped it carefully around her neck and had not removed it since.

For as long as Lorelei had worn the locket she had never opened it. Something inside her had always told her to wait for the perfect moment.

But right now Lorelei realised that moment had come and gone, as she was starting to believe that she was destined to become just another faded memory, much like the gloomy window in the attic. Now Lorelei could never open the locket, could never touch it again, could never touch anything ever again. Now she had only her memories and the ghosts of what used to be…

Lorelei’s profile wavered violently as a sudden gust of wintery night air blew through the attic, carrying with it the sound of her father’s mourning. Her father had lost everything but Lorelei hadn’t chosen to go now, she had put up a tough fight, but it was merely fate, and that was something Lorelei had no control over.

From the moment Lorelei had found she had terminal Leukaemia she had devoted her young life to finding her purpose in the world, her light. But her life had ended mere weeks after her sixteenth birthday and she had never quite succeeded.

Suddenly Lorelei noticed the soft golden glow gently caressing her smoother pale skin. She found this odd as there was no light in the dingy old attic. Amidst the faint flickering Lorelei could hear the voice of an angel as it called to her sweetly. The angel’s voice was a beautiful harmonious tinkling, it sang to her, luring her towards it.

Quite suddenly the ghost of the pendant at her neck began to tingle and burn strangely. Lorelei was transfixed; she couldn’t move nor dare to breathe for fear of shattering the wonderful illusion.

As she felt the scorching heat of the pendant, words began appearing on the rusted surface: Look For The Light. You Will Find Me.

The angelic voice grew ever louder and ever closer. Lorelei experienced a sudden epiphany. She had truly found her light, and it had finally found her…
“Mother?”