The elegy of broken hearts – fanfiction by Refugnic

Sometimes, if you walk by the oceanside by yourself while the sun sets, you can hear them.
The countless broken hearts, lost in the tides of time, murmuring their elegy as the waves crash against the shore.

Never walk the beach alone, especially not if you have an aching heart beating in your chest. For the siren’s call will reach out to you and promise you a false salvation in the cold, dark, damp embrace of the watery death.

Ada had read the message she had found in a bottle washed to the shore a few days ago a number of times now. She had talked about it with her friends and even a few colleagues, but all just told her to throw it away, that it clearly was a nutcase who had written this note, but somehow, deep within her heart, Ada wasn’t so sure.

There was something about this letter, that piqued her interest. Maybe it was the salty smell of the oceans, maybe it was the words dripping with an untold sadness or maybe it was just her mind, which longed for an adventure, an escape from the world that would refuse to understand her.

She really didn’t care. But she wanted to know.
She wanted to know, whether the person, who had written this letter had just been pulling her leg or if there was truth to his words.

And thus, at sundown, she ventured to the beach. The autumn gales had picked up and drove away the warmth of the setting sun, making Ada freeze a little in her light white dress.

She wandered along the beach, her dress fluttering in the wind, sending chills up and down her spine, trying to make out the murmuring the letter spoke of, but as she walked, the only noise she could hear were her steps crunching the sand under her shoes, the noise of the waves gently drifting against the shore.

She was just about to turn around and curse her own foolishness when she noticed that she wasn’t alone on the beach after all.

A little ways away from her, a young man stood, his black jacket fluttering in the wind as he stared out into the distance, his eyes seemingly searching for something.
He was fairly short for a guy and about Ada’s height, and his stature and demeanor gave off an overwhelming loneliness that could only be described as eerie.

Ada hurried to make her way past the stranger, when the wind caressed her already cold bare skin once again and caused her to sneeze.

“A-A-Achoo!” her voice broke through the silence, causing the young man to look up and turn around, his empty eyes looking at Ada.
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to…” Ada started, flustered at her mishap, but the young man merely replied, “It’s cold…you’ll catch a cold like that.”

Ada quickly recovered and asked, “Yeah? So what’s it to you? Maybe I like being cold!”
“Nobody likes the cold…” the young man replied with a monotone voice.
He was just about to turn back around, when his eyes fell on the letter in Ada’s hand.

He looked back into Ada’s face and asked, “You…found my letter?”
“I found your…wait, you wrote this?!”
“I had to warn them. Warn them all from wandering the beach alone. Yet here you are. Tell me, what makes you hurt so much, that you would disregard my warning so carelessly?”

The young man took a step towards Ada, who stepped back and into a defensive position, shouting, “Don’t come any closer you creep! I’ll scream! I swear it!”
“None would hear you. It is too cold to come to the beach these days. But do not fear. I have no intention to harm you.”
The young man walked towards Ada and when he came within striking range, Ada closed her eyes and threw a punch straight ahead, which hit nothing but air.

Ada’s opened her eyes again, but the strange young man was gone.
Suddenly she felt something on her shoulders as he placed his jacket on her, went back to the front and said, “You must be cold.”
“T-thank you…” Ada stuttered, blushing slightly before asking, “But what about you? Aren’t you going to be cold now?”

The young man smiled with a deep sense of bitterness and replied, “I have grown accustomed to the cold. This is nothing.”

He as just about to return to his spot, when Ada grabbed his hand from behind and said, “No, that just won’t do. A little down is a small diner. How about it, wanna grab a bite?”
The young man looked at Ada’s hand holding his own for multiple seconds while something in his eyes flickered to life.

Eventually he turned around and said with a genuine smile, “That would be nice.”
“Good, come along then. But just so we’re clear, this is just…”
“Food, I know. Still, I appreciate it…unfortunately…I don’t have any money on me.”

Ada raised an eyebrow and eventually shook her head, “Don’t worry about that. It’s my treat tonight.”
“Why…are you being so nice to me?”
“Nice? I tried to punch you!”
“You were just afraid that I would hurt you. Why did you change your mind?”
“Eh, I guess I’m crazy like that. People sure seem to think that. But you know, most people just don’t bother to try to get me. So I know what it’s like to be on your own. Us outsiders have to stick together, ya know?”

Ada and the young man, who eventually introduced himself as Ivan Azarov headed over to the diner, where Ada gleefully ordered two burgers and a cup of coffee for the both of them.

While they were waiting for their food, Ada asked, “Okay Ivan…you come here often?”
“Yeah, somewhat often. I like watching the sun go down over the hills and how the light plays with the water.”

Ada looked out towards the ocean, where the sun was continuing its descent into the ocean, marveling at the colors it painted the waves in, momentarily getting lost in the sight.

She only broke free, when the waitress brought them their food and asked if she would like anything else, which Ada denied politely.

After the waitress went away and Ada began digging into her burger, Ivan suddenly said, “This is nice.”
“What if?” Ada mumbled, struggling to keep her bite inside her mouth.
“Sitting here like this. I had almost forgotten how nice it is to have company.”

After swallowing, Ada laughed, “I have a Goth at work who’s a lot like you! Maybe you two could go out on an actual date, being all depressed and sinister and stuff. Cheer up, Ivan! It’s a beautiful evening. And chow down, your burger’s getting cold!”

Ivan looked back at Ada, how she basically devoured her burger and smiled.
Ada noticed it from the corner of her eye and blushed again, this time from embarrassment.
After swallowing again, she said, “Usually my table manners are better, I swear!”

Ivan laughed, “That’s quite alright, Ada. It’s a delight to sit here with you.”
Ada pointed to the burger and the cup of coffee standing before Ivan and asked, “I was serious when I said it was my treat. Now eat up or I’ll hit you! This time for real!”

Ivan laughed again, but just continued to stare at the setting sun before saying, “I believe it is about time for me to get going.”
“Hey, now wait just a darn second!” Ada enraged herself, as Ivan got up and wanted to leave, when the waitress suddenly approached her and asked, “Honey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just this guy…” Ada started and hurled around back to where Ivan should have been, but there was nobody there. Just an empty seat and an empty table.
Confused, Ada asked, “Miss…what did I order again?”
“One burger and one coffee, dear…are you sure you’re alright?”

Ada sat back down, her head spinning with thoughts.
Was she going crazy?
Was she being delusional?
Was she just dreaming?

The waitress was just about to turn around and call for a doctor, when Ada said, “No, I’m fine. It’s just…I’ve been under a lot of pressure at work lately. Must be getting to me. I’d like to pay. Thanks.”
The waitress gave Ada a stern and worried look, but eventually did as Ada asked and after Ada paid, she wanted to leave.

However just when she was about to go, her foot brushed against cloth on the ground.
She picked it up and recognized it as the jacket Ivan had given her.

Ada considered asking the waitress, where the jacket came from, but from the looks she gave her, Ada already knew that she wouldn’t like the answer.
She put it on and went home, taking a long, hot shower before going to bed.

She didn’t speak about what happened to anyone, however one evening, after coming home from another stressful day at work, her eyes fell on the jacket still hanging over the wardrobe.

A smile crept on her face, she dressed into the same white dress she had worn that day, bound little pigtails into her hair and headed out to the beach, taking in the crunching sound of the sand beneath her feet, the cawing of the gulls and the murmuring of the ocean not too far from her.

As she walked, something like a whisper was carried by a gentle wind to her ear.
It was just three words, but they still made her smile.

“Thank you, Ada.”

A little before her feet, the tide washed a small, empty bottle ashore.
Ada pulled out the letter, picked up the bottle, unplugged it, shoved the letter inside and said, “Until we meet again, eh Ivan?” before throwing it back into the sea with all her might.

She never saw him again, but each time she watched the sunset over the ocean, she would remember his smile and hope to meet again. Even if it was only on the other side.

Author: Refugnic
See this short story on Deviantart.