Tales In The Night

• Carina Machnyk, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2007

At the end of the alley two children sat holding each other. Tears traced white tracks down their dirty faces. Five days before their mother had died and left them alone in the world but for one man who beat them, within inches of their lives and turned them out onto the streets. Now Elena crouched in a damp alleyway with her arms around her younger brother Conal. Elena could see that Conal was fading fast and wouldn’t be around for much longer, his breath rattled in his chest, his grip on her hand was not as tight as it had been two days ago and his bruised eyes were fast losing their spark of life. Elena herself did not feel too well, every breath that she took sent a jab of pain to her ribs, she wondered how much longer she would be alive.
“Elena?” Conal’s small voice piped up.
“Yeah…”
“What’s going to happen to us?”
“I don’t know Con.”
“No, Elena, please.” Elena knew what he was asking.
“We are going to find somewhere we can be free to live our own lives.” Conal looked at her, his small eyes wide and white in the dark of the night, waiting.
“Tell me about it Elena, just one more time, please.” Elena looked into the teary eyes of her five year old brother and sighed. It was the least she could do for him.
“Well Con, this place is the most beautiful place ever imagined. Full of rolling green hills, glassy lakes and misty ocean shores. Tucked in between two hills there is a huge castle, tall and proud.”
“Are there Knights Elena?”
“There are knights Con, big knights in silver armour, reflecting the sun’s golden rays. These knights ride on huge chargers through the castle’s brazen gates.” Elena Lee stopped and looked up, it had started to rain. She pulled Conal closer and continued.
“One knight, riding a coal black gelding, hails another knight. The knight bows respectively and hails him. Do you know what he called him Con?” Con shook his head, but really he did know.
“He called him Sir Conal. Sir Conal goes to the stables, dismounts and puts his charger away. Then, followed by a bounding puppy walks through the halls of the castle to a room.” Elena looked down at Con, his eyes were shut but still she went on, as if this was not just a story for Con, but a story of hope for her. Elena shut her eyes.
“In that room there is a beautiful woman with long mahogany hair, by her side sits her daughter, Elena. Elena’s face is aglow with happiness; the mother looks at her children and smiles, tears falling down her face.” Elena felt herself growing light, drifting away and in the back of her mind she heard Conal’s voice.
“Elena,” It called, “Elena, I can see them.” Con was laughing, Elena was crying.
“Can you see them Elena?”
“Yes Con, I can see them.”