Wish come true.

They walked through the dusty ruins, observing the tall spires and strange writing on the stones. Sandi stood excitedly next to the well and beckoned Sam to come. "Come make a wish!" she coaxed. Only a little reluctantly Sam walked to the well and leaned over to peer inside: there was no water left to wish toward, just a dusty visible bottom. He looked up to give Sandi a doubtful look, but her excited grin left him with no choice but to sigh and go on with the plan. Sandi walked several paces away to give him ample space, claiming that she wasn't supposed to hear the wish, because that would make it less authentic. So Sam leaned over into the well, and feeling more than a little childish whispered what he wished for.

"I wish for adventure." He paused for a moment and waited, holding his breath, and the child in him held him still, expecting something to happen. After a tense moment of silence he looked up at Sandi and shrugged, walking away from the well toward home.

"Hold on," said Sandi walking to the well and leaning on the edge. "Keep walking," she smiled. "You can't hear it." Sam rolled his eyes at her, but obliged. He watched as she strained up onto her toes and leaned forward, her long hair sliding off her shoulders, the ends disappearing behind bricks. It hid her lips as she whispered words he couldn't hear into the well. She paused for a short moment and then hopped back onto her heels and continued merrily his way.

The sun was on the verge of turning the world a slight shade of orange as Sam turned to walk home, expecting the steady presence of Sandi to glide up next to him as it always did. As he turned, a slight breeze brushed his face, then picked up speed to ruffle his hair. Sandi's unsteady voice pierced the silence.

"Sam--" he turned back to see her standing in front of the well. The wind picked up and he watched as she looked down at herself as her body began to drift off in wisps with the wind. She looked up, reached a hand out, and he hurried, reached to take hold of it but it drifted through his. "Sam!" The rest of her flew away in the wind.

Everything was still as Sam's hand hung in mid air. He listened to his name echo off the ruins and mortified had no idea what had happened. It was too fast. The silence and stillness that followed became maddening. He feared going back that no one would remember her; she was so completely gone. It was like she had never existed at all.

* * *

"I have to go, I have to go. Your hair was long when we first met."

* * *

Sam. Do you remember what happens next? Do you remember why?

3/4/11