Helena - 300 words

a love story

Breathtaking, mesmerizing. I pined, lovesick. She wasn't in my class, a year ahead of me in 4th grade. I dreamed my best dreams of her, unable to cross the chasm in real life, Helena a Goddess, me a mutt, a self-perception beaten into my mind.

 

I was Quasimodo to her Esmeralda.

 

I thought, somehow, if her life where threaten, I could save her, becoming her hero. Oh, the imaginings of a child!

 

I dreamed my best dreams of her, never daring to do anymore than watch her from afar, memorizing every motion, every touch of tiny foot to the earth, sweep of her long skirts around her ankles, the dance of her light brown sugar hair against the autumn air, dark doe-eyes pushed into pallid cookie-dough flesh, a giggle that made the angels weep tears of joy.

 

Each night I thought to approach her, just walk up and say hi, knowing full well I could burst into flames as always happens when a mortal confronts a Goddess. Each day, all I could do was watch, frozen like Lot's wife. Each night I planned. Each day I failed, until --

 

One day, Helena didn't come to school. And, then the next, and the next.

 

The universe stood still.

 

I hadn't told anyone of my love, me being Quasimodo, her Esmeralda, that anyone learning of my love would laugh.

 

A month sat heavy in my belly, I dreamed how I could find Helena, having convinced myself her family moved. A week before Christmas vacation, in a trance, I entered Helena's classroom before school and demanded of the teacher: "Where's Helena?"

 

Tall, sitting at her oak desk, she looked down on me with measured eyes. She said many things, droning on for relatively a long time, obviously a speech she'd given many time, obviously a speech she did not wish to give.

 

All I heard was: "Helena died."

 

Reviews

[bluessadmood]

Oh my friend what a story ..i never thought...
who of us has not had the chance to find his Helena..
she will drive you mad ,so many sleepless nights
so much planning on how to get to her doors
and knock and ask to be let in
but with all the planning ..her eyes so strong and shiny will keep you away
you falter and feel afraid just to come near
she is a normal person ,only to us
she is some strange lovely being
so full of graces..and lovely faces
but suddenly she was not there
and here every thing is like disturbed forever
we lose balance and control and decide to wait
and think of all possibilities..but i never thought it would take this turn
Helena died..must have weughed down so heavy on the poor boy..
i really enjoyed this..very intriguing
lovely write..

[Akroma]

I enjoyed your story, how you infused a child's perception (the teacher, tall, looking down) and an adult's voice.

The reference to the genesis story of Lot's wife intrigued me. The speaker looked back, even at the risk of facing certain destruction, just to catch sight of her again? Or knowing that an unrequited love is destruction in and of, itself? Interesting.

The ending came quick and harsh, as the reality must have been.

In Respect,
Akroma