Songs-piration Saturday: Come to My Window

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Image by Teagan via Night Cafe
Image by Teagan via Night Cafe

Blessings of the solstice, to everyone here.  Although it barely feels like autumn at my home, in the hemisphere where I live, it is now officially winter.  I’ve always felt a particular magic during a solstice, or an equinox.  However, the winter solstice feels singularly strong.  Natures magic in the uniqueness of each snowflake, the sharp fractals of an ice crystal.  The moan of the wind, the hoot of an owl, or the call of a wolf…  Yes… magic.

This is another song-spiration post.  It is not a Christmasy short story at all.  However, it has that beyond natural vibe of the winter solstice.  You may have read it last year.  Forgive me for another rerun.  I’ll post the lyrics that inspired me at the end of the post.

Come to My Window

“Just to reach you…” Carmilla murmured to someone who was not there, her head tilted back as she stared intently at the window, impossibly high above.  “If I could just hear the sound of your breath… But here I stand inside my hell.”

Tightening her grip on the hand she held, Carmilla otherwise barely acknowledged the presence beside her.  Her companion made no move, uttered no sound.

Her heartache was the only thing she had left.  Every person had gone.  Each thing that once held hope and meaning was destroyed.  In the absence of all else, the emotional pain was all that remained.  The ache became precious to her.  It meant that at least something had once been there.

“After the moon rises, he told me, come to my window.  He told me to come inside and wait — that he would be there soon.  But as you see, there was no way for me to reach that window.  The place is built into the side of the cliff,” Carmilla softly said.

Her companion moved, but she did not let go of Carmilla’s hand.

firaangella1 at Pixabay
firaangella1 at Pixabay

“He doesn’t know how far I would go, to ease my heartache,” she spoke hoarsely.  “He tricked me into a promise that no one could keep.  Perhaps that means I am not bound by my vow.  Yet I cannot sleep.”

“But I know.  I also know the preciousness that ache,” Dabria stated beside her.  “I could give you rest. I could let you sleep within the blackness that has seeped into your chest.

Carmilla turned to the angel who held her hand.  If she had been as beautiful as Dabria, then he would have come to her, rather than playing her for a fool, telling her to come to him, yet leaving her endlessly waiting below a window that could never be reached.

Carmilla looked steadily into Dabria’s eyes, in a silent acquiescence.  Holding the angel’s gaze she continued.

“He never knew how far I would go,” Carmilla went on.  “How much I would give… Or how much I could take. Just to reach him.”

“But I knew,” Dabria murmured.

In the darkness nearby, bushes rustled.  Carmella’s wide eyes went to the angel in surprise.

“Naturally there had to be a secret entrance,” Dabria replied to the unasked question, and a few moments later a light could be seen in the solitary high window.

“I’ve forsaken all the rest.  Just to reach you,” Carmilla spoke again to the window.

Dabria sighed.  As she took a step away from Carmilla there was a soft sound, like silk brushing against silk.

“So be it, then,” was Dabria’s barely audible acknowledgement.

“That sigh spoke of resignation,” Carmilla turned toward Dabria and said.  “What do you know about this love anyway?”

“As an angel of death, I know about love that ends badly,” Dabria stated evenly.

Then, with a whoosh, her silken wings unfurled.  The angel swept into the sky and was gone.

Carmilla’s eyes gleamed in the night.  Abruptly she was overwhelmed with a new unquenchable thirst.  With an irritated, clucking sound she sucked at her teeth.  A coppery tang filled her mouth, and she realized she had pricked her tongue.

Briefly, confusion whirled within her mind.  It was soon replaced by confidence and sudden knowledge.

Bright gaze fixed upon the light in the window, Carmilla levitated.  She rose far, far above the ground until she was even with the window.  By the light of the moon, she crawled inside.

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The end

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When I considered character names for this story I researched “What was the name of the first female vampire?”  To my surprise, I found the book “Carmilla” and the titular character was remarkably similar to my character, based on the summary. While I have not read this book, it inspired the character name Carmilla. 

Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is available free at Project Gutenberg.

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Lyrics

Come to my windowCrawl inside, wait by the light of the moonCome to my windowI'll be home soon

I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breathAnd I would stand inside my hell and hold the hand of deathYou don't know how far I'd go to ease this precious acheAnd you don't know how much I'd give or how much I can takeJust to reach youJust to reach youOh, to reach you, oh

Come to my windowCrawl inside, wait by the light of the moonCome to my windowI'll be home soon

Keeping my eyes open, I cannot afford to sleepGiving away promises I know that I can't keepNothing fills the blackness that has seeped into my chestI need you in my blood, I am forsaking all the restJust to reach youJust to reach youOh, to reach you, oh

Come to my windowCrawl inside, wait by the light of the moonCome to my windowI'll be home soon

I don't care what they thinkI don't care what they sayWhat do they know about this loveAnyway?

Come, come to my windowI'll be home, I'll be home, I'll be homeI'm coming home

Come to my window, ohCrawl inside, wait by the light of the moonCome to my windowI'll be home soonI'll be home, I'll be home, I'm coming home

Come to my window, ohCrawl inside, wait by the light of the moonCome to my windowI'll be home soonI'll be home, I'll be home, I'll be home
Songwriter: Melissa Etheridge

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Whatever the season or the weather may be where you are I wish you a happy solstice and a new season filled with all good things.  Hugs.

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This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. 

Copyright © 2024 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene. 

Rowboat photo Copyright © Dan Antion

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or used with permission, or from free sources.

46 thoughts on “Songs-piration Saturday: Come to My Window”

  2. Teagan – this is the third time around for me. Your short stories are brilliant – profound and invite me into a world of imagination. Thank you!! I love to come to your space, your window. There is always a warm welcome and beautiful story. Sending many hugs on the wing along with my gratitude.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry. I hope there wasn’t something confusing, and that I haven’t missed one of your comments.
      Anyway, heartfelt thanks for your kind and supportive words. This door is always open to you, my friend. Yuletide hugs winging back to you. Merry Christmas. ❤

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      Reply

  5. That worked out beautifully, Teagan, rewrite or whatever.!

    Excellent songspiration, thank you!

    Okay.. gotta run! No heat in the house and it’s -18C outside. (darn furnace cacked! )

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    Reply

      1. Thanks, Teagan. It’s a normal day for us. My husband said he can’t even watch football on normal channels today. All the football games are on Netflix! Merry Christmas to you and the girls. ❤️

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  10. Neat that you mentioned the “Carmilla” novel after your story, as I thought of that novel when I saw your character’s name. I read that novel several years ago, and I remember being impressed that Le Fanu chose a woman to be a vampire — even before “Dracula” was published. And your story has quite a transformation for Carmilla. She’s really going to surprise the guy who didn’t expect her to levitate to the window 🌝

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    1. Haha, indeed she will. Thanks for your feedback, Dave. Last year one or two people mentioned that they had read the novel, but I still have not heard of it anywhere else. (eye roll) And a year later I still haven’t gotten around to reading it.
      I have to say it again — I very much enjoyed your post today. Hugs.

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  12. Happy Solstice, Teagan!

    This is a great story. I feel her passion and her desire. I remember the story, but I still held on until the end. Like re-watching a favorite movie whose ending you know by heart.

    We will welcome winter with a dip into single-digits, but that’s OK. ‘Tis the season. Wishing you all the best during the holidays and as the sun adds light to the sky and we look toward spring.

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  13. I do remember it. And I remember I must try to read Carmilla as well, but I haven’t managed yet. Beautiful song, beautiful post, and beautiful story, Teagan. Have a lovely Christmas. Big hugs to you, and Velma and Daphne. ♥

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