Our Meadow NOTE BEFORE YOU READ: So I set a little goal for myself today; to find a piece of music and write a story which could use this as a soundtrack…obviously I realise that it’s not the way round they do it for films and such, but it was a challenge. I started just writing and resetting the music every time it moved on. As I got closer to the climax of both the story and the song, I realised that I would have to plan it out exactly by the second. So even though this has been written (and works) for my pace of reading, I still thought I would post the story, and you could - if you wanted try and fit it to the same music. If not, I hope you enjoy it. I Giorni - Ludovico Einaudi (the 6:51 version) HER I’ve run out of our small country country and through the mud to the little path. Down this still muddy path into the woods. Heart pounding, with tears falling. Fighting rings in my ears while tears fall freely down my rosey cheeks. My hands grip my dress and lift the hem so as not to trip but it’s already thick with mud. As I run on I wish I had grabbed shoes but there had been no time for for that. I couldn’t bear to be with him a moment longer, not while he was like that. It’s so frequent lately, the harsh words, that I can’t imagine why it still bothers me. But seeing him so out of control, with rage holding his reigns, is still disturbing enough to scare me back to the woods. My pace slows to allow me to hear if he has followed, running after me to hurl more false truths. He has done that before. Followed me all the way back to where we’d first met. I always return there. [11] It’s raining now, could there be any better way of colouring my afternoon? Wet and soggy woods which would make reaching the meadow more difficult. Shoes would have been useful. I need to press on through the trees, deeper into the heart, mine and the forest’s, to find the man I’d first met, first loved many years ago. [1:26] It had been April, weather was predictably wet but when the sun came out I would rush out to the woods. Escaping the voices of my parents and the squabbling of my siblings. The woods were so green and brightly decorated, especially with blue bells. They were always my favourite. I had once journeyed quite a way into the woods and came across the most beautiful meadow. It was carpeted with blue bells, framed with tall grass, rimmed with giant trees with broad leaves which would drip with golden rain as the sun came out after the storms. I would bring books and little picnics to my meadow to withdraw from the real world. It was my secret, my safety and my happiest place. [2:23] I fell over, tripping over a protruding branch, and landed squarely on my left knee. I cried out in pain as I rolled on to my back. I let the rain pitter-patter on my tear-stained face. Slowly I caught my breath for a few moments. I managed to sit up but I hadn’t the strength to inspect my knee. It throbbed furiously under my dress. I just remained still and started constant, I wondered how I would make it now; either to the meadow or home. [2:51] HIM Blast it! She’s gone again. It’s not even her fault. It’s not her who makes me so angry! It’s them, all of them. The whole world, all sucking the #life out of me. It’s just never enough. Never enough time or money from me. And then she sides with them! I thought it was us against the world. She promised [3:23] And nowwe fight all the time I don’t hold my tongue it’s the same fight over and over until I am screaming nonsense and she runs like a scared deer into the forest. Our forest, our meadow. [3:39] She’s sure to leave and refuse to return one of these days. If this doesn’t stop I’m sure to lose her. [3:49] I open the kitchen door, walk from the warm room to the outside door and pick up my coat as I leave. Stones crunch under my heavy boots as I walk towards the forest. I won’t take her route. I want to be the first to our meadow. I hurry half a mile further down our lane towards my entrance, the same way I entered that day we met in the meadow. [4:12] I had returned home from a winter with my uncle in the city and I ran down from my house to amble through the forest. I lost track of time and came to a meadow. It was not the meadow’s beautiful blue bells which held my attention but the young lady sat amongst them. Little did I know that she would be so important, nor that she would be holding my attention from that moment on. [4:36] We met their almost daily for the whole summer, some times early in the day, some times late afternoon. As the days breezed by her hold on my heart tightened. [4:45] Autumn came and then the winter, with it she seldom returned to our meadow, we met in other places as I could not bear to be without her, not even a day. [4:55] This continued until finally I could stand it no more. I had to have her. To make her mine so that we needn’t meet anywhere but home, our own home. Married. [58] This woman had captured my young, wild heart, made it yearn for hers. She had me happier than all the years of my childhood combined. That is why I longed for her. How could I ever have been so cruel? [5:26] I arrived at the meadow, blue bells covered with raindrops, the ground green but muddy. But she wasn’t there. I must be moving much faster than her, she must still have been coming. Instead of waiting I follow her path to find her. [5:44] I start by just walking, but then striding quickly. I see her sat alone, cry. I move faster now, running to her. My heart is pounding, I think I’m too late, she’s made up her mind about us, we’re over. [63] I arrive and bending down, the apologies flow freely from my lips. I’m sorry for my behaviour. I know she deserves so much better, she’s the queen of my heart and I need her. [6:19] I…I love her, since the day we met, how could I have forgotten. “Forgive me!” I plead, “and I will never be like this again.” She looks up, smiles through tears and confesses, “I love you too. Always. And for ever."