Cold Encounter

Almost faceless; almost invisible, the man strode the wet cobblestones with firm decisive steps. He lifted the collar of his coat up to his cheeks, barely showing his eyes and nose. Although initially worried about his anonymity, he soon found out the winter wind and the relentless drizzle were excuses enough to go unnoticed through the scarcely illuminated alleys.

He did not meet but quite a few people on his way and they were all more bothered at running away from the cold rain than looking at strangers walking down the streets.

The time and weather conditions could not be more appropriate. He obviously would prefer the reddish colourful autumn, his favourite season, but the grey dull winter was perfect for his task… his mission…

He mumbled almost emotionless.

‘Strange modern times… so fed up of these empty touchy people. No wonder why…’

He realised no one would ever know the reason he was there, at that moment and felt almost relieved.

That was the address. He knew the place. He had gone through the plan an infinite number of times, until it was thoroughly memorized. It should be flawless by then. The time was right. Soon it would be over.

He stopped in front of the entrance and typed the code at the gate. The tiny red light switched on. He turned to the camera to have his face scanned. He heard a click and pushed the gate open. The cold rain fell hard upon him while he walked on his firm pace to the building.

***

- I was looking for you.

- I was waiting for you.

He did not smile.

She looked out of the window. Her thoughts were very far away. For a moment it seemed she did not know where she was, nor the epoch she was living anymore. She just wished everything was over by then. She would give her life for one single kiss and embrace… a warm touch of bodies… whatever felt warm in the midst of that horrible winter…

- Everything is so lost…

- Not everything, but most of the things…

She turned around. His eyes were set on her face.

- When?

- In a few minutes.

- Will you come back here, after this is all over?

- Probably. A man’s job is never complete...

She pretended to smile, but her face did not help much. That sadness was so evident and solid, one could almost touch it.

- A cold and rainy day… to crown it with a sordid detail…

- I tried my best.

She looked at him with a despising expression. His face was handsome. One could never guess the intent behind those icy blue eyes. She shivered.

The rain stopped suddenly.

- A gift.

She looked surprised. In her mind there were lots of conflicting thoughts, memories, lost feelings, anguish… but not anger. Not anymore.

She felt light. She wished she had had a last chance; a last moment of love and pleasure…

If she only knew before… she would have lived…

- It’s late.

His eyes were inviting, in a different way. She felt she had no more time. She recalled an old song.

…”What I would give to be lost in your embrace”…* 

He smiled as if reading her thoughts. She smiled back.

- I know. It doesn’t make any sense.

- No. It doesn’t.

He paused. She felt tears rolling down her face.

- I’m ready.

- Then it’s time for the phone call.

- That’s an unusual way of doing it.

She dialled a three-number code. There was a click on the other side of the line.

“You dialled Emergency”...

- I had an accident. I’m dying…  

“What kind of accident? Madam? Madam?”...

She hung up and smiled. Peacefully. Nothing mattered anymore.

His face was handsome. Masculine. Perfect. She lifted her both hands to be held in his.

- It’s time. Let’s just do it…

***

(*Fallen: Benjamin Arthur Mckee / Daniel Coulter Reynolds / Daniel Wayne Sermon)

The Ginger Fox (Part 1)

- What is it that you see?

- They seem like eyes, gleaming in the dark.

- Maybe a cat.

- Or a fox…

- Let’s get closer.

- Oh. It’s a fox. I love foxes.

- You’re crazy. Who’d love foxes? They’re scary.

- Well, I do. They’re cute.

- Yeah, right.

I don’t like being chased. I don’t think that fox likes it either. The poor animal was busy on its hunting and trying to catch its prey and we were chasing it, out of sheer curiosity, disturbing the natural order of things.  It was our obligation to feed the poor animal, after all.

I went inside and grabbed a piece of meat from the fridge and threw it to the bush where the canid was hidden and waited. Not too long afterwards, I heard the characteristic snap and the movement of the foliage. It had probably gotten the compensation gift I offered.

I smiled, feeling kind of relieved.

- Let’s get back inside. He’ll be ok now.

***

I walked down the staircase to the hall of the building, as I used to do most of the times, every day. Working on the second floor was a good reason to avoid using the lifts and an excuse to exercise my legs.

As I opened the door and stepped outside I noticed there was a man standing at the bus stop nearby. He was busy with his phone and did not look at me straight away. He was in his mid-thirties, at least. His shaved face, pale skin and ginger hair called my attention, so I looked at him for a longer while. He probably noticed I was staring at him, so he lifted his eyes and looked at me.

His deep green eyes pierced my stare like two sharp arrows. I felt a pinch in my stomach, but I could not look away. He smiled lightly, as if he was used to cause that type of reaction, in a land where most of the people were dark haired. 

I tried to smile, but was unsuccessful. He, on the other hand, found it funny and smiled again. The bus stopped and he hopped in. To my surprise, as the vehicle moved away, he looked out of the window, as if to be certain I was still there. I was… staring at him in absolute awe and smiling foolishly.

***

I decided I had to check if he was always there to catch the bus at the same time. When I could I would go downstairs at the approximately the same time just to be sure he was there. For a long time I did the same and I never happened to see him again. I was so disappointed.

With time, I forgot almost all about it and went back to my normal life. It was an illusion; a sweet ginger illusion and I had to get over it as soon as I could… sadly…

***

- Why did you do that?

- Because I wanted to know more about the one who was always looking at me with such interest.

- You’re funny.

- Maybe I am. I don’t think you regretted my actions.

- Of course not. On the contrary.

- “I walk alone”…

- I know. I thought I was being stalked.

- Well, in a way, you were.

- You’re right. I should have called the Police. There were so many policemen around, anyway…

I looked at him. He was just waiting for my reaction. Then he burst into laughter.

I wanted to punch him, but he just held my wrists and pulled me into his arms, in a tight embrace and, when I was not fighting anymore, he smiled and kissed me… a long and zealous kiss which stopped me from doing anything but kissing him back with a passion I knew I had for a long time already, probably since the day I first saw him standing at the bus station, pretending he was busy with his cell phone, when he was really watching me staring at him.

I thought to myself: ‘was it really I who seduced him, or was it the other way around?’

- You’re so obvious, my dear. I knew what you wanted from the first time I saw you staring at me.

‘How could he know what I was thinking about?’

- I am obvious. I cannot pretend I don’t want you, when you’re the only one in my mind all the time.

- How sweet.

He smiled. It just came to my mind the recollection of when and why I fell for him. That smile was a killer then. It’s a killer still, after all this time.

***

The 600 bus just stopped in front of the building. For some strange unexplainable reason I had the impetus of jumping on, before any idea did really come to my mind. He was still at the door and did not look back. I was so close to him I could smell his perfume.

He sat on the back seat. I looked around, pretending not to see where he was, trying to find a place where I could watch the back of the bus. I wanted him to know I was there, but I did not want him to think I was there because of him, so I pretended not to notice where he was. I saw when he stood up close to the main station downtown.

‘Easy’, I thought.  A busy station would not be suspicious, as most of the people were also standing up to leave the bus at the same place. He came closer and got ready to leave. I stood up. He looked back and our eyes met.

In fact, our eyes locked.  I could not look away and he was staring at me, as serious as he could be. He was right. I should have known better. I was stalking him and he knew it. The bus stopped and he left. I followed, but was ashamed and stopped on the sidewalk, staring at my feet. I wanted to die.

Decided to stop that nonsense, I looked around, just to go the opposite direction, in case he was still observing me. When I turned around and started walking down to São Bento, as he was looking to the other side, I felt my chest hurt in sorrow. I was a fool.  A few steps further down the street, feeling like the worst person on Earth, someone bumped my arm, when walking down the same direction as if in a hurry. I did not pay attention to who it was. I was feeling so sad, I had tears in my eyes.

- Are you stalking me?

- Uh?

And now this. So embarrassing. What do I say?

- Uh. No. Why would I?

- You’ve been following me.

I could not look at his face, but I would not lie, either.

- I’m sorry.

- For?

I looked up at his face. He was staring at me again and he was still serious. I wanted to disappear. He moved one step further toward me. I thought he was going to punch me right there in front of all the people. I raised my head and waited.

- What are you sorry for, after all?

- For causing you the sensation of being stalked.

- You don’t seem to be the dangerous type of stalker.

- Oh. Thank you very much. That’s so very kind of you.

Sarcasm goes a long way.

- Can I compensate this awkward situation with a coffee? A coffee can mend so many things… I’m really sorry.

His bright green eyes were seriously fixed on mine. I froze.

***