The Shadow Tailors
By A. Taylor
Inspired by a true story...
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| "I'll begin then..." |
“You’re lying through your teeth.” said Brogan as he slammed his tankard onto the table.
“Thar’s no way.” said Seamus as he sat back and puffed on his pipe.
“Aye, I tell you that it is as true as the nose on my face.” said Maguire earnestly, “I would swear on my mother’s grave that it is true.”
“Sure,” said Seamus, raising his white eyebrows under his fisherman’s cap, “and me ma’s a mermaid.”
“Fine, I’ll tell you what happened,” said Maguire, he sat back with his arms crossed over his chest, “maybe then you’ll think twice about it.”
“I don’t think I’m drunk enough for that,” laughed Brogan, which sparked both him and Seamus to roar in laughter.
“You know, why not?” asked Seamus rhetorically, “Why don’t you tell us your story of wonder?”
“Right,” began Maguire, who then took a drink and then cleared his throat, “I’ll begin then…
“Back when I was in the Navy I was stationed in an island off the coast. I was told to help inspect the island to search for any possible bunkers, in the case of an offshore attack. I walked off for about an hour or so and I found that I was lost. I tried to use the compass, but it didn’t work. I tried everything in the book, but just got more lost.
“I gave up when I saw the sun begin to set. I was in the dead middle of the forest, on top of some sort of hill. When I began to set up camp it was twilight and I could hear something in the forest. I tried to see what it was, but I couldn’t see anything. Then something began to surround me. It seemed like a bunch of little stars twinkling around me. I was befuddled for a second, but then I brushed away the lights and then I looked down. I swear that I saw two figures. They were about three feet tall and they were…”
“There were two of them?” asked Brogan in a smile. Maguire furrowed his brow.
“Yes, can I continue my story?” Brogan nodded as he puffed another cloud of smoke, “Thank you, but yes there were two of them and they were both dressed in a type of green. I just remember them being very raggedy and wild looking. Oh, and the teeth, they had sharp teeth and you should have seen their fingers. The dirtiest little blighters you ever did see. What I didn’t notice until I really noticed them was what they were holding in their hands. They were holding those type of scissors that they use for shearing sheep. Then I noticed that the other one, I think that it was the woman of the two, was holding on to something in the ground. At first I thought that they were cutting up something from the ground itself, but then I noticed what the woman-thing was holding. It was my shadow. I swear to it that they were cutting my bleeding shadow from my very feet!
“I was dumbstruck for what seemed like ages and then I slowly began to come to my senses and then I said ‘Oi!’ which seemed to scare both of the little figures. They seemed to vanish into thin air and then, the lights I saw earlier, disappeared, too. Then it seemed to get dark very quickly. I stood there, in that exact spot for a good long time. I was still frozen with fear out of what I had just seen. After a while I decided to tuck in for the night, although I assure you I didn’t sleep a wink until about three in the morning, or thereabouts.
“When I finally drifted off to sleep, the dream itself was dreamless, or at least I can’t remember any of it. Now, here’s the kicker, when I woke up I got out of my tent and could feel sand. As the sun rose, I could see that I was on the beach where I could see my ship in the sea. It’s the damnedest thing. I don’t know how I ended up on that beach and when I eventually boarded my old ship I found out that I hadn’t been seen for the past month. It was a ship that was sent to look for me and also three of my friends, of whom I haven’t seen since.”
There was a silence between the three sailors, but then, after Brogan took a swig from his drink, Seamus decided to refill his pipe.
“Well, that is quite a yarn, there, Maggie.” said Seamus as he relit his pipe.
“So, you meet the Faerie Queen, too?” asked Brogan, who then began to bellow with laughter.
“Aye, I bet he’s met ol’ Nessie, too.” said Seamus as he cackled with Brogan. They both began to thunder with hilarity. Then Maguire stood up and stuffed his grey hair under his cap and buttoned up his pea coat.
“Fine, you both laugh like a couple of rabid hyenas,” said Maguire as he began to march out of the pub. The sailors sat there as they saw their comrade make his way out of the pub. As Maquire slipped through the crowd, no one seemed to notice something odd about the old sailor. At first they thought it was merely a trick of the light and went back to their drinks and friendly banter. Then some noticed it as he made his way out the door, disappearing into the night, the old sailor didn’t have a shadow.
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