He had been surrounded by darkness many times. Both physically and metaphorically. There had always been a way out, the closet door had been opened, his brother’s execution had been stayed. Looking around him, all he saw was a never-ending night, the soft sounds of the sea cresting on the shore let him know that the water was close by, but even that he was unable to see. The darkness was much too thick, too all encompassing. 

The last few months had taken their toll, lives had been lost and ruined because of him. Maybe this was his penance, his purgatory. A darkness he would be unable to shed, unable to claw his way through. 

He heard her before he felt the soft, silken brush of her skin against his as she joined him on the sand. “Have you been out here all night?” It was a simple question, and the soft caress of her hand on his shoulder let him know that she was concerned. 

“Yes”, simple questions call for simple answers. Silence followed and he felt the pull of the night once again. The simple reprieve from his thoughts that she had brought, fading. 

“You know Michael, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you just need to know where to look.” Squeezing his shoulder, she rose, turned and walked back to the house they had called home for the past month. He glanced, confused in her direction then a soft smile tugged at his lips. 

Behind the house a line of light pink and orange was emerging. The sun peaking through the night, saying hello to the day once again. Maybe the darkness would always follow him, but at least he knew that eventually darkness ends, the night falls away and light, daylight comes once again.