Lana Carter Paramita Shen The Whales of the Sky Isla Carman Jasmin Sin

The Whales of the Sky

Isla Carman Jasmin Sin

The golden rays left her skin glowing as the sun descended slowly over the horizon. Her once chocolate brown eyes were now an autumnal forest with shades of orange, amber and hazel. Her hair, a mess of auburn curls, blew vigorously in the dusk winds; yet her white silk dress gently caressed her knees. As the billowing air continued to advance, she knew they were swiftly approaching – so stopped to listen. Mysterious, tranquil sounds of the gentle giants reached her ears. The whales of the sky. In awe, the world fell silent as they floated gracefully forward; the silence gloriously broken by their song. The harmonious resonation was soon joined by the birds’ melodies and strung together by the rest of nature to form a blissful orchestra. Each whale’s serenade was completely unique and impassioned. Her smile grew as she listened and observed the six whales glide benevolently across the evening sky. She gazed as their strong tails proceeded to change the sunset from the colours of fire to the dark blue of the water. It reminded her of the ocean during a quiet cloudy night – no colour other than that of velvet blue, no rippling of waves, not even the reflection of the moon – just the stillness of the water and of the dark. Despite the world being draped in darkness the silhouettes of the whales could be seen as they passed the lights from the harbour houses, dotted around the base of the hills. They continued across the sky, their hums filling the once silent night with a tender repose. She felt a sense of sorrow as she realised the whales were beginning their departure. Her eyes followed them as they drifted across the sky before they faded into the night. Leaving just as peacefully as they had arrived. And the girl, now left with sombre skin and umber coloured eyes, still curls and a motionless dress, reflected on the whale bones lying in front of her and wondered. “What if?”