The Woman (A tale of Simon William Smith)

Tom, Dan, Mel and Francesca – this is the next installment in what is becoming the ‘Simon William Smith Saga’ This is what happens when Simon has a conversation with someone else!

Simon William Smith tensed the muscles in his arm and flung the stone across the lake. As always, the stone skimmed across the water, glinting as it caught the moonlight. It made three jumps and then disappeared under the water, lost to Simon forever. The ripples spread across the water, criss-crossing as they met and then faded, leaving the surface of the water placid and still.

Simon turned, intending to head back to his car, but standing on the path looking at him was a woman. She was slim, slight and her pale skin made her look almost ghostlike in the moonlight. Her hair was a light-reddish shade and fell down to her shoulders, framing a quiet, thoughtful face.

Simon rarely had meaningful contact with other people. His work was performed on his own, and the paperwork was always delivered to his desk before he arrived and collected after her had left for the evening. When he shopped he would be polite to the shopkeepers and checkout assistants, but never made small talk, preferring to complete his transactions and then continue with his day.

The woman was watching Simon with interest. Simon was about to being the walk back to his car, when the woman spoke.

“Hello.” She said simply and a little shyly.

Simon inclined his head in greeting, “Good Evening.” He said politely.

“Why are you here?” the woman asked, “it’s late and it’s cold.” She was wrapped up in a scarf and a warm looking coat, but her pale cheeks were infused with red patches and her hands trembled slightly in a shiver.

Simon didn’t say anything. This was something new, people had been at the woods before when Simon had been there, in the summer months it was often still light when he was stood at the side of the lake. However no one had ever stopped to make conversation with him and those few who actually did notice him never particularly gave him a second thought. It wasn’t that Simon was trying to be rude, but neither was it that this was something that had thrown him. It was simply something new to him.

The woman moved closer to him, she was fully a head shorter than Simon and as she moved towards him she was looking up at him. “Are you lonely?” she asked him.

“No.” Simon said simply.

“Then why are you here?”

Again Simon didn’t answer.

“I’m lonely.” The woman said sadly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

Simon said nothing. The woman reached out and touched his arm, her touch was delicate.

“I thought you were lonely too. I thought I had found someone else who was lonely like me.” She laughed sadly, “I thought maybe we could get to know each other. Maybe we could be lonely together.”

“Why are you lonely?” Simon asked after a moment.

“Why are any of us lonely?” The woman replied with a sad smile.

“I’m not.” Simon pointed out.

“You say you’re not, but do you really mean that?” The woman asked.

“Yes.” Simon said, “I have a fulfilling job, a busy life. I come here on a Friday evening in order to get away from the constant rush of it all.”

“You come here often?” The woman asked hopefully.

Simon nodded.

“Maybe I’ll see you here next week then?” The woman asked. “Maybe we could stand and watch the moon and talk about our weeks? You could tell me about your job, your life and I could tell you about mine?”

Simon shrugged.

The woman smiled, “I’ll take that as a yes then.” She said. She reached up on tiptoe and kissed Simon delicately on the cheek. “I’ll see you next week then” she said and walked away.

Simon walked back to his car and went home. The next week, the woman wasn’t there.