The Priest's Well by Alexi Sara

Author:Alexi, Sara [Alexi, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Oneiro
Published: 2015-05-30T07:00:00+00:00

‘I could not overcome my urges. Once outside, other than the place I must not go, I could find nowhere to sit to write. So I thought to return my journal to its hiding place. The sun’s heat was intense even under the olive trees, so the walk to replace my book could not be a quick one. My limbs felt like I was walking through warm honey, so lazy are my reactions at this time of year, when it is so hot. After returning my diary to its safe place, I stood and stretched. I must straighten out these days after I bend down. My old limbs are stiffening by the day. But in stretching them out, I did the very thing I promised not to do. Once my eyes had landed on the open window in the cottage I could not look away. Within a minute, she was there. I stepped back behind the tree and, God forgive me, I watched again!

‘She followed the same routine. The shower turned on, she slowly disrobed, brushed her hair, wound it in a knot on top of her head, and stepped under the cascading water. Her movements so lithe, so graceful. She has no idea of her beauty. It is rare to see the hair off her face, but a more stunning countenance is impossible to imagine. The scar on her forehead was not invisible from the distance I was at, but it was not a desire for a clearer view of that which drew me closer. Running like an animal from behind one tree to the next, creeping up on her like a thief, I wanted to see the water run over her skin, every detail of her femininity. I was so close that if I had whispered her name, she might have heard me but for the sound of the water. The wet made her skin shine. Her eyes with those dark lashes closed against the stream of the shower. She sighed as the water cooled her and my hand went under my cassock. I am not sure how long I was like that.

‘That was when it happened.

‘From around the side of the big house, around the well, Maria came seeking me out.

‘She saw. She saw everything and with one look, she condemned me as strongly as I condemned myself.

‘My hand dropped from its hidden place but I could go nowhere. For all the world, I did not want to go towards Maria, to hear the words that accompanied that look. Besides, if I moved, Nefeli would have seen me, so I remained like a rabbit in torchlight. Fixed, not looking at Nefeli but at Maria instead, who, after her denouncing stare, turned on her heel and marched away. I remained hiding behind that tree, now forcing myself to look at the ground until the sound of running water stopped and I felt sure Nefeli had towelled, dressed, and left the small room.

‘I ran to the back door of

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