The Lookout – Tin Whistle

 

You’re not surprised William and Clara wanted their first dance to be here—high on the cliffs, with the ocean glinting through the trees. You can even see the russet spires of the church they were wed in peeking through.

You pull out your tin whistle and you begin to play a jolly sea shanty. You’re sure this is the sort of music Captain William Hunter would like, spending all that time out at sea. Sea shanties are the songs sailors would sing to keep themselves merry and occupied as they work on deck. It’s not traditional wedding dance music, but it’s a happy tune, and you’re doing pretty well at playing it, if you do say so yourself.

As you play, you see  the grand figure of the Bramble Spirit appear in the distance. It’s a formidable vessel—large and transparent, bobbing in the water. You can see the ghostly occupants on its deck singing and dancing along to your shanty. Fantastic. The music is helping you pierce the veil.

But where is Clara? You continue to play, hoping you might see Clara walking out to the shore, or perhaps appearing beside you on the lookout, at the scene of the wedding dance.

But no. This isn’t Clara and William’s song. This is William and his crew-mates’ song. Playing the sea shanty appears to have reminded Captain Hunter how much he loves being out at sea, working and sailing with his mates. You can see him on the deck of the Bramble Spirit having a merry time, forgetting Clara more with every note. Eventually, the Bramble Spirit begins to sail back into the mist out on the horizon, and away from Sandgate.

You stop playing the tin whistle. Oops. This wasn’t quite the outcome you wanted. You might have gotten rid of the Bramble Spirit and its curse, but you didn’t help fix Clara Hunter’s broken heart. You’ve reminded her long-lost husband that he loves the sea more than her.

For a while, Clara might continue to torment every happy lover that strolls along Lovers Walk with a bit of chest pain. But she’ll be all right, eventually. After all, she deserves a man who’ll put her first. And a single sulking spirit is easier for you to deal with than a ghost ship full of them.

END.