Friendship

Portrays the need of friendship of the human soul.

The snow was falling thickly outside the window now as the day gradually gave way to dusk. One could almost see the sun as it hovered hopefully among the clouds once or twice attempting to shine through them to light up the dismal world below.

On the other side of the window, sat a hunched figure in a rather carelessly worn expensive fur coat; knees pulled up to the face supported by arms crossed around them. A distant observer might have thought it a painting or a statue had it not been for the shoulders shrugging now and again as Katherine sniffed into her coat and knees or the ever spreading stain created on her coat by the tears falling ever so freely.

She let them flow, for there was no point in stopping them, no point in being brave for she had no one to be strong for, no one to comfort, no one to share her pain with: she had no friend. The room was well furnished, but dimly lit, presenting a rather melancholy picture to anyone who cared to observe it.

Katherine’s parents were rich Lords and so she had everything money could buy, but she did not have a real friend. There were the other children of the nobility who would play with her and dance with her, but it was all pretence and social inanities - she felt empty, for what was life without someone to care for, someone to call a friend?

As she sat there crying she remembered the day’s events:  All of the children had been taken to watch a circus today. They had acrobats and lions and tigers and monkeys and elephants and the other children laughed and mocked as the poor animals were forced to perform the most strangely droll antics imaginative. She had gone so as to relieve her loneliness and find something she could enjoy with the others and perhaps laugh and love and perhaps feel a little wanted. But she could not bear the helplessness in the animals eyes as they rolled about, kept in line by the Master’s whip: it reminded her too much of the pain in her heart, the need to be loved. She could not bear the envious stares of the other children and their parents who hated her for being richer than them and saw her only as a piece in the race for power and would stab her in the back given the slightest chance.

She remembered the fixed smiles on the faces of her playmates that did not quite reach their eyes �" eyes burning with envy and hatred - and trembled at the cold of the world that surrounded her.

 She clutched the blanket and seemed to withdraw even more into herself, tightening her grip on her knees with her arms.

A low, subdued shuffling - different to the regular patter of snow against the ground below - disturbed her silent vigil. She got up, wiping her nose and eyes indiscriminately on her sleeves and knees and tiptoed to the window as though afraid she would scare the sound away. Her gaze fell on a rather ragged petite little girl trudging, hesitantly across the snow. A need to help the little person rose up inside of her, inexplicably strong, and she felt the most alive she had in years. She involuntarily fastened her coat as she ran down the stairs and to the door.

In an instant, she was running across the lawn, eyes still moist, not heeding the shortness of breath as she dug each step into the snow as she ran. As she drew near the young stranger, she slowed down, a little cautious, a little reserved, face flushed due to the cold.  The young stranger who had essentially frozen upon noticing the unusual, rapid approach now turned to look at her.

 Their eyes met and Katherine felt like she was looking into a mirror: the young stranger had the same empty, blue, empty, scared eyes: unloved and unwanted cast out, without a real friend in the world. Their eyes told each other of the pain and sorrow; of the need to love and to be loved; of the need to just hug and hold and never let go; of the need to wipe away the grief and fill the hole in each other’s hearts.

As if in a trance, Katherine moved across to the young stranger and put her coat on the little trembling shoulders. A shrill cry, strangled by sobs emitted from the little body, and the girl who had been nearly motionless the entire time ran across and hugged her ever so tightly, continuing to sob into Katherine. Katherine froze for an instant as the young stranger hurled herself onto her. It was a strange sight, two petite figures perfectly still: one standing as though frozen, and the other wrapping herself around the first as though wanting to be one.

A strange warmth spread through Katherine and she pulled the young stranger - to whom she felt more close to than all of her family and playmates �" in close and tightly embraced the frail body. The world seemed to melt away, and with it all of its cruelty and madness. They embraced each other’s pains and sorrows filling up the great void inside of them, fulfilling each other’s need to be loved, just a little, the need to be wanted by someone, the need to be worth something in someone’s life, the need to have the bond of friendship. And so they stood there, as time froze, and for the second time that day Katherine was crying into her coat, but this time these were tears of joy and elation and she was crying in her own coat on someone else’s shoulder.

Author's Note

I was feeling pretty down for the last couple of weeks and so wrote this to express my feelings. I gave myself a happy ending though.

Reviews

[Shy Girl]

Such a deep sadness inside her soul. Being alone and feeling as though there is absolutely not a single being, who could possibly relate to the pain, of watching others smile and laugh, from the outside, is just devastating. Then to find this connection within a small delicate comrade...is just inspiring. A way out of the darkness. Well done :)

[SOUL LESS]

Thanks for reading and the wonderful review!

[Zoya]

Aw, this is lovely. It's the worst feeling ever to be unwanted, to have no friends, to live without love. You've expressed the feelings beautifully here. I could feel it, and could see it all happening inside my head. All the lines were beautifully formed as well. Great work. I loved it!

[SOUL LESS]

It really is. But it helps to write. It really does and you can give yourself a friend there. It's really nice to be able write about what I feel.

Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the story. I wrote it after a long time so good to see I haven't completely lost the skill.

[Zoya]

Most welcome.