The Man Who Had Loved Her

                                                            The Man Who Loved Her
    He was an invisible man, noticed by few and cared for by none. Madly and desperately, he traveled the seven seas and beyond oblivion to find her, to save himself from love’s horrible ache. He felt the crushing of his own lungs, the tearing of his withered skin, and the bleeding of his barren veins. He cried, night after night of his wretched life, until his tears ran dry and sobbing became meaningless. All became meaningless.
    Feeling already one with the dead, the man staggered into a cemetery of rotting trees and wilting flowers. Every breath he took as he roamed through the crumbling rows of graves reminded him of his torn heart. With trembling legs, he collapsed in front of a strangely familiar statue. He had traveled the world far and wide, seen all matter of beauty, but he had not found her. Furious and half insane, he cursed god.
    “How dare you make a fool of me? How dare you laugh at my misery and torment my soul? You sick twisted immortal, tell me this; is there such a thing as love and happiness?”
    The man heard no answer and screamed into the dirt. He stopped when he heard the faint ruffling of feathers. He looked up, expecting to see an angel that would smite him where he laid. Instead, he gazed upon a raven that had just perched itself on the shoulder of the statue.
    “Shoo, you monstrous creature. Haven’t I suffered enough?” the man croaked, even though the raven didn’t have its naturally menacing look about it. Infact, the raven’s posture and eyes were almost sad. In a swift movement, the bird gracefully landed beside the dirt covered misery the man had become and pecked at the base of the grave. The man read the carved letters that were dulled by time.

                                                          Emilia Gardner
                                                              1831-1857
                                                Loving daughter and loyal friend.
                                  Let god embrace our angel in heaven with open arms.

    The name sounded familiar to the man as he looked tentatively up at the statue. He was afraid to look, afraid that he would see-
    Her.
    The woman he had never met, but knew well from the countless dreams of his that she had haunted. The woman he had been searching for, that was so close to his heart that she had been the only thing that had kept it beating. Now, his weak heart couldn’t take the happiness and joy that overcame him from seeing her at last. The raven watched as the man died with a smile on his face.
    The raven hopped closer to the man and peered at him through violet eyes. She rested her head against his neck and listened. Nothing. A single tear ran down her beak and she crowed quiet sobs. Finally, Emilia pecked his cheek and flew away, having said goodbye to the man from her dreams. The man who had loved her.