I couldn’t decide whether to change this piece into a standard short story format or not, so this is The Maiden in its original form.
Enjoy the fountain~
The Maiden
The sculptor severed the marble
The angels they'd seen were no longer divine enough
We were forced apart, the marble violently chipped and fractured
Your arms were left empty
My hands caress the air
We were made to fill the other’s palms
My head perfectly pieced to a curve of the neck
My lips parted in a kiss or call to you, my love
I look like I'm dancing with a ghost
I don't know where you are now
As I stand atop this fountain
Little girls toss coins at my feet
Whispering their mothers’ stories
They say Aphrodite hated me, but my name never passed her lips
To them, I was once a maiden, so in love that I was blind to the goddess’ ploy
It’s said we were sailing,
Then she stole my lover before shoving me into the wintry sea
Today, a young woman comes alone
She pulls up the hem of her dress and looks around before scaling the stones
I remember her,
Because she never mumbles those stories
My surface has worn down and small fissures are lined with years of dust and pollen
She brandishes a cloth from her bag and she gently rubs my fingertips and cheek
The marble there shines like a pearl
I want to speak but I cannot
My hands are now clean and my eyes sparkle in the warm sun
She looks around once more, fearing a witness to her deeds
Her hand cautiously moves towards mine before gently holding it
I feel like I'm going to crumble into dust, but I stay intact
Her fingers curl over mine and I feel her thumb trace my lips
My love?
She smiles
My love has returned to me