Noah

The fair had closed its' last day in town, and at 3 a.m. the skeletal machines lay on the ground like sleeping dragons, their bright plumage subdued and cygnet wings laid low to Earth in a deathly slumber. Will o'the wisp lights in red and green flickered in the uneven distance that sloped away from Noah, pooling roundly like the small of her back before rising up again and running on. He came back here instead of the long walk home expecting some bustle, not realizing how late it was, hoping to fight off his doubts for another night. But in this diminished state the fair was worse even than dark and empty lanes. Half broken and littering neon judgment spread before him, Noah sucked in breath and the full measure descended on him. The air was cool but humid, it clung damply to him, and an unsettling breeze stirred the fairground trash.

They had spent the night in a field beneath a migration of smoky clouds, and made love under mist in the witness of chirping crickets. All week long had been a flirtation, brewed from the discontent of her with her husband and him with himself. Their innocent sympathy grew bolder and they had carefree fun together, the balm of companionship voicelessly growing closer, ignoring the warnings of building momentum and the inappropriateness of their intimacy. When there were shards of panic and jagged doubt the sounds of the calliope were enough of a distraction, and they lied to each other that there was nothing wrong.

Without words, hand in inevitable hand, on the last raucous night of bedlam, they went off together and the instant it was over they knew they had to confront now what they had maintained there was no cause to confront in the past. Noah didn't say anything and neither did she, but there was a tremble in her hand when he let it go and she ran in the direction of her uncertain home. "Who was lying to who?" he asked himself. Was he just an act of sabotage, or did she need him more than he was worth? It was a terrible and sudden vexation he was ordained to carry over the far ocean. A low rumble of thunder rolled over the bones of the fair, Noah thought of rough sea on the side of a ship.