Photo Credit: Michael Grogan – Paris
This week’s Tale Weaver task: Imagine you are in a foreign city and as you walk the streets you come across a set of arches that intrigue you as to what lies beyond them.
I was there the day you walked through the arches.
I was dilly-dallying a few metres behind looking at one of the houseboats tied up along the riverbank.
I saw you disappear into the shadows and thought I’ll catch up in a minute but when I did you weren’t there.
I looked around thinking another one of your tricks.
You liked to worry me.
I called out to you.
Ran along the bank looking for you.
What happened to you?
Did you plan this?
In the days and weeks since I have returned to this spot. I have looked in every place I can think of, in every nook and cranny; we have even dragged the river.
But nothing, no item of clothing, no disguarded ticket nothing.
Did you want to flee from me?
Did you run up the steps?
Jump on the bus; take the train to the airport and then on a flight to?
If so why no farewell.
My destitution has been so profound I now sit here looking at the arches wondering why, how and where did you go?
Every night I lay awake pondering, tossing and turning, crying over where you may have gone.
I have speculated that you have been taken, my blood runs cold at that thought that somewhere you are held captive, restrained and helpless against the will of others.
I fear that you have been sold into slavery that you have been sold off to some foreign country and are now working in some factory or being forced into unspeakable acts.
I have retraced our day so often. The morning coffee in the little café, the jolly barista who proudly brought us our latte’s and bragged that we’d not taste any better.
Our plans to walk along the river bank and then have lunch at the restaurant opposite Notre Dame.
Had I not been distracted by the houseboats and their domestic settings, the rusty and weathered exteriors decorated to look like home. Had I kept pace with you all this would be different.
I wouldn’t feel so wretched.
So again today my melancholic self waits for you to return. This is my last day as I have exhausted myself and tomorrow I need to go home and face your parents who are as mystified as me.
They have intimated they believe this was all my doing.
I should have been much more vigilant, aware and awake to any change in you but I saw nothing, nothing that heralded this predicament I find myself in.
Today my tears will flow again.
I miss you.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/tale-weaver-15-through-the-arches/
Morpethroad 
So, are you the current Tale Weaver?? I fear I’m getting confused with all the many prompts/challenges…
Phylor and I co-host the Tale Weaver, this week its my turn to put up the challenge…..
Oh thank goodness–I thought I was going bonkers sooner than I’d expected! Hallelujah!!
Ah no you are fine…..just write away…
Will do, Sir.
What a beautiful and touching story. You had me almost in tears by the end.
Suicide came to mind, even with the river dragged. No note but his “aware of a change in you”. Poor fellow — I hope he find some peace.
I couldn’t imagine the pain of this happening to you, the sheer desperation, the anguish the not knowing. I know this does happen so I tried to create that sense of desperation.
Thank so much for your comment.
Those last lines really bring home the despair of the piece what a terrible thing to experience, someone that you love disappearing
Exactly Yves, it must be the most despairing feeling having no idea, no clue as to what happened. Thanks for stopping by, hope you are doing well..
Just finished my national exam, phew what a load off! What about you?
I am doing well Yves…took two weeks to get over a cold I contracted when I arrived home from my trip…..the weather is now fine and so am I….I hope you received the result you desire from the exam…..
The anguish and despair – when there is no “closure” to situations like that – I think you have captured its essence very well.
As read in the comments – glad to hear you are feeling better now. Take care Michael 🙂
It can be so frustrating the unknowing part. I think there was a gent here in the states whose son went missing and he created a TV series that investigated missing persons – at the end of the show they had a number you could call if you could help. Perhaps not many, but some of the mysteries were solved. A few had happy endings.
There are so many good prompts and just not enough time. Thank you for helping to provide a prompt that fit into my series. Thanks for reading.