Pulse

Shine on you crazy diamond

In all the seas, in all the world, there has never been a land quite like the isle of Eroda. Shaped unmistakably like a frown, it is home to all but forgotten fishing village that has had perpetual cloud cover for as long as anyone can remember. An isle where some still believe that it's bad luck to mention a pig in a fisherman's pub. Where seeing a minster in the morning, meant you should go home immediately. Some fishermen still wore a single gold earring for luck, some say it's to pay to have your body buried if you die in a strange port. It was also frowned upon to be caught whistling in the wind, in fear you might turn a gust into a gale. And if you ever leave Eroda, avoid doing so on odd numbered days... everyone was always frowning anyway. Which they referred to as resting fish face.

But then... well something peculiar happened... or I mean... someone peculiar happened. The boy was... peculiar... from the moment he entered the world. No one ever meant to be mean towards him, but in a town grown used to way things were, no one knew what to do with something... different. They did their very best to ignore it... hoping it would go away... and eventually so did The Boy. He had lost his smile and without it, the world grew darker, the wind colder, and the ocean more violent.

When Harry was born, people already knew this boy would be trouble. He was different, different than all of them. The boy had a smile so bright, it could set things on fire. The people of Eroda weren't used to genuine happiness, it was a gloomy town, a gloomy town with gloomy people, always frowning. Content at best. The weather was always bad, the skies always grey. Harry was a happy boy, he loved the gift of life, loved looking at the trees and the little fishies in the ponds. He loved walking past the bakeries and smelling the freshly baked goods. Loved seeing the fishermen providing food for their town, loved seeing mothers with their children. But anytime he smiled to show his appreciation, people would turn away. Bakeries would pull their curtains, fishermen would look away, afraid of getting blinded. Mothers would pull their children away, and Harry, Harry was left alone. He hid his smile, for the most part. Tried to cover his face most of the time, the people didn't pull away their kids anymore, but no one would talk to him either.

He developed some interests, mainly watching the fish swim around, early in the morning when the fishermen were still cuddled up with their significant others. Harry wished he could be one of them sometimes, to be part of the big crowd, part of something at least.

He'd shout his frustrations into jars, closing the lids on them as soon as the sounds left his lips, because even though he felt so sad, he never wanted anyone else to hear it, never wanted anyone else to feel the way he did.

He'd daydream a lot, about a day where he could be normal, could be like the other people in Eroda. He wanted to know why you couldn't mention a pig in a pub, tried putting on a singular golden earring, tried frowning all the time, but nothing made him a part of Eroda.

He'd heard people talk, talk about how it seemed to be raining more the past couple of years, how the fish seemed to be disappearing and the boats would break more often due to bad storms. He felt like it was his fault. It had to be, the town thrived before he was born. He made a plan. He was going to make sure his town would thrive again.

He leaned over and watched as teardrops fell into the water, making ripples go through his reflection. Maybe if people saw him as the distorted image he was seeing now, things would be okay. But he couldn't look like the distorted him.

He went home eventually, tomorrow was going to be the day, tomorrow he'd become one with the water and his town would thrive again, without him.