Take my place by Esther Byrne
Dear Sir/Madam,
It is my sincerest wish that this letter does not find you well.
It is my duty to inform you that in discovering it, you have given over to us the rest of your life.
I must emphatically state that there can be no bargaining, no exchanges and above all, no turning back.
You sailed here, all intrigue and naivety, curious to know why a lighthouse would beam in shades of black and red.
You flashed. I flashed back.
And in so doing, you unwittingly became the newest performer at Mayfly Carnival.
The door is locked. Your boat is gone.
There is nowhere for you to go, and I shouldn’t advise jumping – it is a terribly long way to fall.
Your task is a simple one.
First, you must toss your old face out of the window, and take the new one hanging on the hook before you.
Next, take a handful of the berries from the dish.
No doubt you are glancing around, looking for something else to eat.
There is nothing else.
After you have gorged yourself to your heart’s content, you will climb the stairs.
Climb up, up, up, until you reach the top.
There, we will meet.
We will exchange no words.
As soon as I see your face, I will recognise you.
You will push me off the top of the lighthouse; setting me free.
You will then be trapped and happy to be so; the next ringmaster in the storm.
The carnival is now yours.
Guard it well, until the next mayfly comes along.
All my fondest wishes,
The one who came before
Esther Byrne is a writer from Yorkshire, UK. She has had short stories published with fiftywordstories.com, Toasted Cheese and Secret Attic. In 2021, she was highly commended for the Val Wood Yorkshire prize. She lives with chronic illness and is passionate about encouraging people with disabilities to express themselves creatively.
Tags: