Starlight

The night was chill, after a warm day, there was no one around the alleys of that tiny Mediterranean town. The sea washed on the shore, making the anchored boats rock softly. All the lights were out and a thousand million stars twinkled on the clear skies. There was no moon, but no one needed it either. The smell of jasmine and gardenia floated throughout, entwined with the sea breeze. If you listened carefully you could hear the soft breathing of the townfolk, deep in their sleep. 

No one was awake to see Aegle get out of her house, stark naked, and walk the streets reflecting the light of the stars. Her long silver hair brushed against her tights cascading down her back and over her breasts. She had lived there since before the town was build, yet no one had ever seen her. She stopped by a gardenia plant and picked a flower, she smelled it and put it behind her ear white against her silver hair and tan skin. She continued her walk towards the sea catching glimpses of some dreams, she liked children's more, they were more wild, less restrained. It was a sad thing when children grew, they would lose the power of imagination, of wonder. 

In the town's square there was a wishing well and the coins whispered the wishes back to her. Aegle was surprised by how many were "I wish they will love me back", humans were strange creatures, they would rather confide their love to a well than to the person they loved. Underneath all the wishes there was something stronger, however, it was the water calling to her. She descended the stepped alleys into the beach. The sea smiled at her, the sea breeze kissed her skin and played with her hair. She walked slowly into the water and merged with it, two independent beings acting like one. Aegle didn't create ripples or splashes, she became one with the sea. She twisted and rolled under the waves with the current. She swam for hours with only the stars and the sea creatures as witnesses, as it had to be. Before the sunrise she parted from the sea, from her lover. Her hair was dry as she broke out of the water, and her step was so light there were no footprints on the sand. When the sun came up Aegle was back in her house and the only proof of her night excursion was a gardenia that had washed on the shore.