Meara
by
Breana English
I
met Meara O’Connell the summer I turned thirteen.
The summer my mother put me on an airplane and never looked back.
Dinner had been almost unbearable. The air around the table crackled like it does just before a thunderstorm while we sat in silence, picking at the mush on our plates avoiding each other’s eyes. I escaped outside as the storm broke behind me, my aunt’s voice rising above the rumble of my uncle’s.
I wandered down the lane, past stone walls that looked a thousand years old, and sheep that stopped grazing to stare at me. Rubbing my arms, I trudged on.
The end of the lane opened onto a lighthouse and the bay, leaden in the dusk. I picked my way across the pebbly beach, slippery with seaweed and slime.
“Be careful you don’t fall.”
I whirled around, and almost lost my footing. A girl, about my age or a little older, sat perched on a rock near the water, a large black dog lying guard at her feet. She wore a shabby grey dress, her dark hair swirling around her shoulders in the wind.
“I startled you,” she said, more curious than apologetic.
The summer my mother put me on an airplane and never looked back.
Dinner had been almost unbearable. The air around the table crackled like it does just before a thunderstorm while we sat in silence, picking at the mush on our plates avoiding each other’s eyes. I escaped outside as the storm broke behind me, my aunt’s voice rising above the rumble of my uncle’s.
I wandered down the lane, past stone walls that looked a thousand years old, and sheep that stopped grazing to stare at me. Rubbing my arms, I trudged on.
The end of the lane opened onto a lighthouse and the bay, leaden in the dusk. I picked my way across the pebbly beach, slippery with seaweed and slime.
“Be careful you don’t fall.”
I whirled around, and almost lost my footing. A girl, about my age or a little older, sat perched on a rock near the water, a large black dog lying guard at her feet. She wore a shabby grey dress, her dark hair swirling around her shoulders in the wind.
“I startled you,” she said, more curious than apologetic.
“I
didn’t know you were there.”
“Are you new here?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so.” She nodded to herself, satisfied.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Meara. What’s yours?”
“Amy. Can I pet him?”
“Yes. His name is Hugh, and he’s very gentle. My da says he’s useless for such a big dog.”
“He’s beautiful.” I crouched down and buried my hands in his woolly fur. He sighed and rested his massive head on my leg.
“Thank you.” Meara seemed pleased by the compliment. “You have a dog, don’t you?”
“How did you know?”
She shrugged. “I can tell.”
“I had a dog. I had to leave him behind in New York. I’ll probably never see him again.” Tears pricked at my eyelids.
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
We both sat in silence, looking out at the clouds soaring across the sky. Meara reluctantly stood up and brushed off her dress.
“I have to go, or Da will worry. But come back tomorrow night, please?” She reached out impulsively and squeezed my hands. “I think we’re going to be good friends.”
I stood and watched Hugh plod after her until he had vanished in the darkness and she was just a pale smudge against the gloaming.
“Are you new here?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so.” She nodded to herself, satisfied.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Meara. What’s yours?”
“Amy. Can I pet him?”
“Yes. His name is Hugh, and he’s very gentle. My da says he’s useless for such a big dog.”
“He’s beautiful.” I crouched down and buried my hands in his woolly fur. He sighed and rested his massive head on my leg.
“Thank you.” Meara seemed pleased by the compliment. “You have a dog, don’t you?”
“How did you know?”
She shrugged. “I can tell.”
“I had a dog. I had to leave him behind in New York. I’ll probably never see him again.” Tears pricked at my eyelids.
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
We both sat in silence, looking out at the clouds soaring across the sky. Meara reluctantly stood up and brushed off her dress.
“I have to go, or Da will worry. But come back tomorrow night, please?” She reached out impulsively and squeezed my hands. “I think we’re going to be good friends.”
I stood and watched Hugh plod after her until he had vanished in the darkness and she was just a pale smudge against the gloaming.
I
came back the next, and the next, and the next, until the days blurred
together. I loved Maera, and adored Hugh, and they loved me in return. They
were the only ones who did.
Maera didn’t attend school, and I never saw them in town. I asked her why once, but she just looked at me and laughed. I bit back the hurt. I couldn’t see why it was funny.
We met by the shore, caught between the sea and earth and sky. Hugh watched over us as we built castles in the clouds soaring across the bay, discovered jewels in the magical touch of the sea against the pebbles and planned adventures to far-away lands.
One night the spring before I turned eighteen, I flew down to the shore clutching a crumpled envelope. A full scholarship to Georgetown. My golden ticket to freedom.
A crimson sunset bled across the dark sapphire sky and sank slowly into the waves, but Meara and Hugh never appeared. I waited until the stars blazed out across the sky, and then dragged my feet home.
They stayed away the next night too, and the night after that.
Weeks went by. I wondered if something had happened to Maera, or Hugh, or her Da. But the town was small, and anything out of the ordinary was discussed until it was threadbare. She must not have wanted to come. I avoided the shore, and spent most of the time locked up in my attic room.
I wandered down to the old churchyard the evening before I left for school. The sheep were used to me now, and paid no attention as I passed. I followed a hawk careening against the sky, until I was brought back to earth with a painful thump.
Swearing softly, I looked down at the blood smearing across the cuts on my shin and the lichened gray rock. Great. Just great.
Maera didn’t attend school, and I never saw them in town. I asked her why once, but she just looked at me and laughed. I bit back the hurt. I couldn’t see why it was funny.
We met by the shore, caught between the sea and earth and sky. Hugh watched over us as we built castles in the clouds soaring across the bay, discovered jewels in the magical touch of the sea against the pebbles and planned adventures to far-away lands.
One night the spring before I turned eighteen, I flew down to the shore clutching a crumpled envelope. A full scholarship to Georgetown. My golden ticket to freedom.
A crimson sunset bled across the dark sapphire sky and sank slowly into the waves, but Meara and Hugh never appeared. I waited until the stars blazed out across the sky, and then dragged my feet home.
They stayed away the next night too, and the night after that.
Weeks went by. I wondered if something had happened to Maera, or Hugh, or her Da. But the town was small, and anything out of the ordinary was discussed until it was threadbare. She must not have wanted to come. I avoided the shore, and spent most of the time locked up in my attic room.
I wandered down to the old churchyard the evening before I left for school. The sheep were used to me now, and paid no attention as I passed. I followed a hawk careening against the sky, until I was brought back to earth with a painful thump.
Swearing softly, I looked down at the blood smearing across the cuts on my shin and the lichened gray rock. Great. Just great.
Then
my heart stopped, and I dropped to my knees to trace the faded words engraved
on it.
Maera O’Connell, October 16th, 1860- April 5th, 1878.
Maera O’Connell, October 16th, 1860- April 5th, 1878.
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