Ink of Tears

Elara was a writer who lived in a quaint village surrounded by hills. She painted her stories with words and had an imagination that was so vivid that people loved her work. However, her heart was filled with sorrow that no amount of words she wrote could heal.

Lucas was Elara’s husband who had been her anchor and muse all through their lives. Their kind of love is what poets write about; it is pure, unwavering and eternal. They met under very rare circumstances just like two souls destined to be found amidst life’s chaos from what appeared to be mere coincidences. It seemed like the universe conspired for them to meet from the moment they saw each other.

He said very little but showed how much he cared through small actions such as leaving her favorite tea next to her writing desk every morning or reading out her stories giving life to characters in them for instance; “Your words are magic” he would reply while beaming with joy for he saw himself as the one with a gift that would always leave him proud while enabling his wife to write beautiful pieces for the world.”

But life, in its unpredictable way, was quite the opposite of kind. Lucas got diagnosed with an incurable disease which cursed their days with shadowy darkness. Elara had to be strong; she had to become the pillar upon which Lucas was always supported by her. She put down stories based on hope and bravery trying to turn her fears into precious things yet reality weighed so much on her soul.

The more Lucas’ health worsened, the smaller their world became. Instead of spontaneous escapades as before and late night talks now they frequented hospitals or shared silence I call it. Elara didn’t write anymore because every story had been buried under her grief and her pen went dry.

One evening when the sun was going down casting shadows of amber and pink colors across the sky Lucas asked Elara to sit beside him at their favorite place near the window. He held her hand like an infant would do before going out into fresh air on springtime eve with ruffling leaves around them. “Elara,” he said quietly not loud but full of affection, “there is one thing I need you to accomplish for me.”

The memory overwhelmed Elara with waves of wetness at the sight of her ex-lover drifting away from her. “Anything…” she said, but her voice was falling short of its receptor.

Lucas’ eyes found their way to hers:”I'm begging for it. You must promise me that even when you feel like it’s impossible, you will keep on writing. Write about us—the love we had shared and where that force resides within you.” He further requested, “Even if there is no more ‘me’ tomorrow, remember this; allow your stories to continue living on.”

She had no answer; only signs and symptoms of an overwhelming moment, like a tide going up or down on some ocean shore. So, she nodded and tears fell from her cheeks down on him as she sought to keep note of each line, every wound before he was lost to her forever.

Not long ago, Elara took out her journal for that night while Lucas was sleeping next to her with thin and laborious breath. It was the one that Lucas had given her on their first anniversary. She opened a fresh page in it and began writing as she shook with fear over what might happen if anyone read it out loud. Vivid descriptions of love, life together and knowing it has come to an end filled her pages. However, other notes emphasized Lucas’ resilience shows and promise he made to her including —never stop writing, keep living despite current situation.

Later on, Lucas died peacefully at dawn leaving Elara behind in a world same without him. Grief was too much; there was an empty space which could swallow her whole whenever she thought about him. Yet from within the sadness came forth Lucas’ parting message – that however painful things get make sure that for me you continue writing.

It wasn’t simple. Sometimes Elara couldn’t even stand picking up a pen but sometimes the weight of grief was nauseatingly heavy. Gradually though writing resumed. Stories fit for him were transformed into tales of love loss longing but most of all determination to survive in difficult times.

Her tales struck a deep cord with her readers, who were able to identify with them and find comfort in them. Writing became the door for Elara to another world where she could honor Lucas’ spirit and love that they once had together. Thus she found a healing process that appeared unrealizable at first.

In time Elar emerged renowned as the writer who would make cry even the toughest person; this was due to her books powerful enough to testimony love and endurance tale. To her amazement it dawned on him that all this time Lucas had opened up one last gift to him - to teach him about strength despite an inconsolable longing.

Elara’s life was filled with glimmers of hope, like pieces of sunshine shining through dark clouds. She recognized that although grief never completely leaves you when someone close passes away, there is still a way to move ahead with your life in search for more meaning and hope amidst sadness..

In writing each story, Elara paid tribute to the man that had faith in her even when she did not believe in herself. Her texts changed lives and they cured souls, reminding those who read them that love is the strongest narrative one can tell.

The loss might hurt us badly but we have strength to recover and make sense of what happened. The love is timeless and the tales we tell ourselves can always heal us as well as others.

Thank you for taking the time to read this story. I hope it touched your heart and reminded you of the resilience we all carry within. If you found solace or strength in these words, I invite you to explore my other stories. Together, we can find light even in the darkest of moments.