Lover. Scilly Isles13. Written by Richard Alan Gardham. Transcribed by Angela Gardham.

Her little eyes shone, we walked. Her soft head stroked me, nails bit my hand; to us the hill had no gradient, we kissed and walked. I could feel her body breathing with mine. We laughed at the immensity of things – the stars and us. Her little wet lips kissed my ear. We laughed together. We were embracing and loving; people were passing us by, like shadows to us. She breathed into my ear like the four winds. When our desires were spent I lay like a baby between her thighs l - like a baby that had just been born.

She laughed and said “I love you for the wrong reasons”. “Love has no reason. Lay still but breath, then I can hear your heart.” We rolled over. I could see the stars, the grass like huge trees with the stars for glow worms shining above. “They fill you with nonsense about love. Are you ashamed?” “No, I’m not.” “You’re a wild little bugger, but strong, like a lion.” She tickles, I giggle. She bites me more. “There’s no need to torture me, ow, you bugger.” She giggles. I laughed, she sealed my lips with her finger. “shuuuush,” She kissed me. “Quiet.”

I carried her through the nettles, she laughed, I kissed her goodbye. My lips were dry. She disappeared away into the night. I made my way back, floating and whistling, I was part of the of the stars. The night was cool and it blew through my open shirt.

I saw her again. “Would you like to go for a walk?” We walked; her body did not breath with mine. I kissed her cheek, it was cold. She turned her head - “Leave me alone for half an hour.” She went and stood in front of the wild seas, her face changes back and forth in a million moods, twisting me. I was numbed, she gazed into the sea and then she turned and saw me watching her. I carried her through the brambles. She was heavy, it was as though she wasn’t part of me anymore. It hurt.

I went into the pub, it was late evening. I waited and watched among the sea of heads hoping to see the face of her appear, she did, but she was with someone else when the pub closed. I walked alone on the beach, the sea breaths towards me. My feet were heavy as they moved slowly in the dark sands.