The Bridge of Sighs

"Mais, Grandmere... Pourquoi? Why can't I go to the bridge now?" I remember whining. My grandmother had sighed and said, "You know why, Alice. I've told you the story before." I shook my head defiantly and told her to tell me the story again.

When I was young, I loved my grandmother's stories. Even then, I was enthralled by the eerie, macabre stories where the heroes and heroins in the stories die because of love. I was enchanted by the dark and foreboding background of the stories and I begged my grandmother for them every night before bed.

My grandmother had then smiled at me, relieved that I had decided not to be difficult and pulled me onto her lap. She cleared her throat as usual and began telling the tale. "Now, there was once a young lady who was very much in love with this young man called Demetri. However, another boy, Aidan was also in love with Valerie.

"When they got engaged, Aidan was mad with rage. He swore revenge for his unrequited love and eventually came up with a simple but destructive plan. He sent anonymous letters to Demetri claiming that Valerie was having an affair with the local goldsmith." Here, my grandmother would stop and explain what 'affair' means.

"At first, Demetri disregarded them and did not mention the letters to his fiancee. But one day, Valerie had went to the goldsmith's and had him make a beautiful golden bell with Demetri's name carved on it. Demetri, who was passing by jumped to the wrong conclusions and was furious with her for betraying his trust. He followed her to the bridge where they first met and confronted her. Frightened of her suddenly livid Demetri, she took a few steps backwards and fell headlong into the river.

"Demetri jumped in to rescue her but it was too late. She was already dead. He loosened her tightly clenched hand and was overcame with remorse when he read the inscription on the golden bell. Demetri never remarried."

"And that is why you are not to go to the bridge after dark, macherie. Valerie still haunts the river and they say she would pull little girls into the dark water and watch them drown and sigh with vindictive pleasure. "

I solemnly promised my grandmother that I would never go to the river at night and let her kiss my forehead. That night, when I was half-asleep, I heard the wind beckoning me to the river and I shivered. "Come, Alice..." the wind whispered, "come to me..."