The Show

The island was quiet, the night sky had settled over the sea. Every night since the visitation a great spectacle of colour akin to the northern lights would dazzle all those who were left to witness it. Duncan lay in the long grass and watched the light, he thought about how tomorrow he would return to Athelstan, he thought how it could be his last visit. Then somebody tapped his shoulder, he looked to the person responsible startled. Over him stood a man, Gordon, a fisherman. His hair was grey, his facial expression a permanent frown and he chewed continuously on an unlit cigarette. "Gordon - what is it?" Duncan asked a little frustrated.

"Just making sure you're still alive. That's all," Gordon replied in a slow voice. His eyes followed Duncan as he stood up and brushed shards of grass off himself. "What are you doing out here? Everyone was wondering where you were?"

"I just wanted some time alone, just wanted to enjoy the show." The show was what everyone on Sark called the light, a term coined by Gordon himself.

"You can enjoy the show every bloody night. What makes tonight so special?"

Duncan shook his head. "Nothing, I just had nothing better to do. What's so wrong about that?"

"Nowt wrong with it. Just people were wondering is all, people care about you Duncan. You know that don't you?" Gordon's frown deepened, his eyes were mostly hidden by the flap of skin that formed his brow.

"I do know that, don't worry. I just haven't felt right recently, I need these moments of peace." Duncan pulled out a lighter and raised it to Gordon's cigarette. The fisherman quickly shook his head, he liked it unlit. "Do you even ever light that thing?"

"On occasion."

Duncan continued to stare at Gordon as he stood deadly still. The old man had a tendency of freezing, he had always done it. There were a lot of characters on this island. "I'll be getting back home then..." Duncan said quietly, but Gordon didn't even move a muscle. As Duncan walked away he turned around every couple of seconds to check if Gordon had moved, but he remained still. He wasn't even looking up to the light, he was a statue. Frozen.

TBC