The Sound of Singing
A 56-year-old William Calner sluggishly turned the wheel of the sailboat as his eyes started to become heavier. The boat begins to slow down as the wind pushes it back. Will then releases the halyards and ties up the sails, resulting in the boat coming to a rest. Will looks around to see the quiet and empty ocean. Not an animal was stirring, nor a bird soaring. He then goes into the interior of the sailboat and slumps onto his bed. Even though he was very tired, he couldn’t seem to get his mind to be. He tries to let the sound of the soothing water help him fall asleep, but when doing so, Will begins to hear another sound. A voice. But not just any voice, a beautiful voice, singing with the notes from her lips flying through the night sky. In fact, if his confusion was at bay, Will would have dozed off instantaneously. Though, he was confused. How could someone be out here? He had just moments ago seen the silent and empty ocean.
Will takes his curiosity with him as he then gets up out of his bed and slowly walks out of the berth. When he arises though, he finds that no one was there. The singing had suddenly stopped. A creeping feeling crawled up Will’s spine. Maybe I’m just hallucinating from the drowsiness. He thought. He decides to head back to bed, and try to get some sleep this time.
Fortunately, Will was able to fall asleep this time around. However, he soon finds himself staring at the ceiling of the cabin, fear enclosing him as his ears are nurtured with the sound of singing. His body then quits cooperating as he gets up from his bed again to look for the person singing outside. But again, nobody is there. He is finally fed up and begins to untie and release his sail, and sets off in the direction of where he heard the singing.
Will crashes through the miniscule waves as he starts to hope that he is dreaming and that none of this is real. That would have probably been the better ending, but sadly, it is not, as Will’s ears perk up. The sound of singing is again boosted into his eardrums. He is reluctant, but his eagerness takes over as he continues towards the noise.
The urge to find where the noise is coming from drives Will to become impatient. The singing isn’t just words in a song anymore, no, now they are speaking to Will, calling to him. They call out his mistakes in the past, and how they can help relieve him of them, and turn him into a better person, and live a better life. Will is caught into a daze as he starts to crave the song more and more. He begins to hear the singing from underneath the boat. William wasn’t even stunned when he considered jumping off into the water. Will then hears the singing stop. He then snaps out of his daze.
What the hell was that? He thought. He was frightened at the fact that he was so eager to find where the noise was coming from. And what the words were telling him. He stayed out on the boat for a few hours, waiting for the singing to reignite. He couldn’t just let it go, no, he needed more. But, time went on, and it seemed hopeless as the sun began to rise. Will then planned to try again next night. For now though, he needed more information.
Will sailed to the shore of a small island with a dock. He stopped and tied up his boat, and then stepped onto the dock. He brought a bucket of fish he caught with him.
“Nice catch there, she’s about 16 inches, nice price.” The fisherman said. William sold his fish and received his money.
“You know, I was wondering if any of a’ have heard singing out in the ocean before.” Will boldly stated.
The fisherman laughed. “Singin’? Like a person? Not on the radio?”
“Yeah, no, definitely a person. I was… out last night when I heard a lady start singing.” William explained.
“That’s odd. I ain’t never heard of nothin’ like that before. Maybe you was just tired from fishin’ all day, from all those fish you caught.” The fisherman laughed it off.
“Yeah, maybe.” William wasn’t convinced. He said goodbye to the fisherman and was on his way. He was stuck to his plan, and nothing was going to convince him otherwise.
Will headed into the general store and bought some thick rope.
“Ah, catching some big ones, now, aren’t we?” The saleswoman said aloud.
“Oh, yep. Tough ones, they are.” Will responded. He paid and took his rope and headed to his boat. Once he was on, he began to sail out.
As the sky began to darken, Will commenced the first steps of his plan. He was going to tie himself to the mast of the ship and wait for the singing to start. He wasn’t going to risk putting himself in danger again to find the noise, he only wanted to hear what they were saying. He then grabs the rope and cuts off a good portion. He then ties himself to the mast, and waits for the singing to commence.
Will nervously waited for the singing to start as he began to realize what he was doing. But it was too late. He heard the singing start, and he started to hear the words he was longing for. He needed more though, and he began struggling to get untied from the ropes. Will started yelling for help and for someone to untie him. He then sees the knife he put down when cutting the rope. He quickly cuts through it and without hesitation throws himself into the water. The song got louder and louder, but the words changed. He then heard horrible things being said to him. He was a disappointment, a waste of time, someone who never would amount to anything, and many other indescribable things. He started to become aware again, but it was too late. His mind wasn’t a part of him anymore. He was becoming distant from himself as he felt the water fill his lungs. He gasped for air and reached towards the surface, regretting the urge and willingness, but to no avail.
Later, a search party is started for Will after reports of screaming and commotion had been heard where he had sailed off to. It didn’t take long for them to find his boat, but his body was never able to be found.
