Inspired by: Dream Girl

Opening my eyes I looked towards the setting sun. The world, tinted orange, seemed so dismal and tiresome when I looked around and couldn’t find her. I sat there long after the sun had disappeared, the lights in the streets and in the shops behind the bench where I sat switched on one by one. I then tilted my head upwards and gazed at the stars since the sun had already left me. The promenade bustled with enthusiasm; most of the visitors were couples, yet the buzz of their excitement failed to reach my ears.

After a while, the stars began to disappear slowly but surely. Dark clouds crowded the sky and the wind was still; the calm before the storm. I anticipated what was about to happen and I quickly ran for shelter. The masses within the walkway however, did not foresee the storm and were drenched within a few minutes. I laughed to myself at the misfortune of the happy couples in front of me. The man in front of me noticed and angrily questioned me as to why I was laughing. I told him that I found it funny that only those with their other half were the ones that were caught in the storm and that if they had been alone they would have noticed the clouds. A look of anger spread across the man’s face and he took a swing at me with his gigantic fists. I ducked easily and punched him into the rain; the man fell flat on his face. I walked out beside him and said that if we were to continue, he would not be able to send his poor girlfriend home. I offered him a hand; he slapped it out of the way and quickly got up. I sighed and told him that he had made an unwise choice.

He then came at me with the fury of a beast and I fell to the ground from his punch. Sitting on top of me, he raised his fist to the sky and just as it was about to land on my face, I grabbed and twisted it. Still twisting his arm, I got up and wiped the rain off of my face. The man was kneeling on the ground, writhing in pain; I looked down on him and advised him to be a little more coolheaded in the future. With that said I took a step back and kneed him in the face. He fell to the ground, nose bleeding and unconscious. His girlfriend ran out into the rain to be beside him, I noticed that the punch he had landed left a cut across my forehead. The rain stung as it crashed against the wound. I thought to myself that if it wasn’t for the rain, I would’ve gone a lot easier on him.

The rain brought bittersweet memories with it, and in the ambivalence of feelings I would often be put into a bad mood. It was raining just like today when I first met her, her long flowing hair and mesmerising smile, in that coffee shop. With one glance, I was shot through the heart with one of the blind archer’s infamous arrows. She was caught in the rain and came into the shop to seek refuge from it. Her graceful step and captivating eyes, twinkling, had me staring without me realising it. She sat at the table across from me and ordered a cup of coffee while she waited for the rain to recede. She looked at her wristwatch and saw me observing her. She smiled such a smile that it made me comprehend the true meaning of the word ‘beautiful’. Embarrassed, I quickly started reading my newspaper.

Afraid to look up and be caught once again in the charm’s ensnarement, I didn’t dare to lift my eyes from the newspaper. The store seemed quieter, like when a noise that you’ve grown accustomed to suddenly stops; I looked out the window and noticed that the rain had finally come to an end. I stole a glance at the table in front of me and perceived that the enchantress that had once sat there was now gone. I sighed at the thought of never again seeing her magnificence and beauty. Disheartened, I left the shop and headed to work. At work that day, I suffered the worst day that someone could possibly have short of a natural disaster happening to them.

Although I had the worst of days, I was content by just bearing witness to her beauty. I longed to see her again; I sat at that café, everyday, for the rest of the week. The week then turned into a month and the month then turned into months. I waited at the same coffee shop, at the same table, waiting for the same person. One day, she finally came into the store, and a sense of euphoria once again overwhelmed me. I sat there, captivated by her presence. By the time I had come to my senses, she was already leaving the store. I rushed to the door to talk to her. In my hurry, I tripped on a chair that was left jutting out by one the customers. Stumbling across the room, I dashed out the door and tried to locate my goddess. I saw her walking along the sidewalk and I called out to her. Alas, my cries were not destined to be heard by her ears; sore and frustrated I returned to the shop to retrieve my bag. That was the last time I saw her.

I snapped back to the present just in time to save myself from falling down a manhole. Walking in the rain, I reminisced in frustration at my own stupidity. If I hadn’t been so busy looking at her, I could have talked to her instead. The cut that I received from my fight had clotted but it still throbbed in the rain. I walked aimlessly around town, rain battering my head and back, trying to figure out a way to behold her majesty once again. Suddenly, I could no longer feel the cold pounding of the rain. I looked up to discover an aqua-blue umbrella shielding me from the weather.

I looked towards the handle and saw the daintiest of hands that I had ever seen. Following the white, slender arms, I saw a strong, lean neck. Above that, smiling at me was the face that I had spent many nights dreaming of. Her lips were full and had the gentlest shades of pink. She had a small mole, a few centimetres away from her nose, on her left cheek. Her eyes had an effect on me so deep that it can’t be explained in words. If I had to try, I would say that the beauty of her eyes made everything else seem grey and dull. Looking into them was like looking at a thousand sunsets and sunrises in an instant. I stood there, lost in their snare of splendour, until she spoke.

Her voice was melodiously soft and melted your troubles away almost as if you had fallen into a warm childhood memory. Shaking my hand, she introduced herself and asked if we had met before. Her touch was warm and comforting. She invaded every sense and filled them with a feeling of ecstasy. The mere sight of her was bewildering, her aroma was intoxicating, her voice enchanting and the feel of her hand was enough to send a man over the edge. Coming to my senses, I told her that we met once in the coffee shop and introduced myself.

She then saw the blood on my forehead and enquired as to what happened. Not able to tell her the truth, I told her that I had tripped in the rain and did not even notice that I was bleeding. She said that it looked pretty serious and asked if I would be alright. I nodded and thanked her for being so kind. She blushed and offered to send me home, seeing as I did not have an umbrella in such a heavy downpour.

We walked side by side while I listened to her talk about herself and where she was from. Lost in the melody of her voice the entire world seemed unimportant and mundane. When she talked, she had the cutest way of pushing her hair back at the end of every sentence. I listened with content while showing her the way to my house. The rain soon stopped but she still walked with me. When we got to the street where my house was located, I asked her if we could meet again sometime or if there was any way that I could contact her.

She told me that she worked in a museum, not far from the place where we first met, and that I should come and visit her there sometime. I happily agreed and told her that I would come as soon as I had the chance. She then continued to say that they had a very special attraction in the museum that month; one of the largest diamonds in the world was on display. I bade her farewell and giddily went up to my apartment. I dreamt of her that night and she was also the first thing that came to my mind when I woke up the next morning.

I walked up the museum steps, dressed in my best looking clothes, and looked for my Juliet. She stood there amongst the crowd, conspicuous in terms of beauty, waving at me. I drew near her and struggled to keep hold of my senses. We then entered the museum; she showed me her favourite displays and told me all about them. We soon reached a room that was packed with people which was apparently the showroom for the world renowned gem that was being housed within this very museum.

We passed through the room without stopping to see the precious stone. We then came to a room full of marble figures that were embodiments of Greek gods and goddesses. I looked around the room and although I was in the presence of the so-called perfect, divine beings that littered the room, the most beautiful face belonged to the one that was accompanying me. The marble beauty of the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, paled in comparison to her radiance.

Once we had seen all the museum had to offer, we walked together until the sun grew heavy and started to sink into the horizon. We then watched the sunset, sitting on the same bench as I had the day before, the orange world that once seemed so dreary filled me with a sense of comfort when I looked to my side and saw her expression of awe at the fiery eye descending into the sea.

After sitting there for awhile, I offered to send her home. She approved of the idea and we headed back. Reaching her home, she asked whether I would like to come up to her apartment. I declined, saying that I wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin the day. She walked up the steps and entered her building. I then decided to grab a bite to eat in the diner across the street.

Sitting in the diner, waiting for my meal, I looked up to her apartment building. I noticed a flickering light in the second floor window and I was seized by an ominous feeling. I ran out into the street and looked up at the window. It was bigger now, a fire ravaged within the structure; I fumbled my cell phone out of my pocket and called the fire department. The window of the room beside the one where the flame originated burst into the street and I saw her crying for help. Not able to wait for the firemen, I ran back into the diner and got ready to face the burning building. I told the waitress to get me a bucket of water and I asked which of the customers had a motorcycle helmet and who owned the van that was parked outside.

With the cooperation of the people in the diner, I wore the helmet and I soaked myself with the water. I ran back outside and charged into the burning building. I ran straight up the stairs and into the room where I had seen my love. She was lying on the floor. I jumped across a wall of fire and reached her side. Taking her into my arms, I looked out the shattered window. Taking a running start, I jumped out the empty window frame. Luckily, the owner of the van that was parked outside the diner was kind enough to move it under the window which helped a lot in breaking my fall. I jumped down from the roof of the van and gave her to the paramedics that had just arrived to the scene of the fire.

They told me that she had third degree burns and that it was very serious. She was carried into the ambulance and was transported to the hospital. I was there beside her the whole time. Sitting in the ambulance, I stared out the window and looked at the column of smoke rising from the building that was set ablaze. The people in the street all gawked at the bright beacon of danger and talked amongst themselves. They were catching a glimpse of an infinitesimal crack in the flat surface of everyday life and it filled them with an innocent awe.

A week passed since that fateful night and I spent every day in the hospital by her side. On the seventh day, she finally opened her beautiful eyes and she asked me what happened. Tears rolling down my cheeks, I told her what had happened that night and that she suffered from severe burns. She raised her hand to her face and as her fingertips touched her cheek, tears welled up in her eyes. Burying her face in her hands, she cried. I assured her that she was just as beautiful as the day I met her and that this scar couldn’t waver my love for her. I stood and caressed her gently in my arms as she drowned her sorrows in my chest. In the midst of her weeping, I heard her whisper “Thank you.”