The Showman

Bad news on the phone

"Guggi, it might be a joke. He's always joking around, you know him" Bono said on the phone almost in tears

Sun was standing next to him, without knowing what to do. She caressed his bare arm and looked at his painful expressions. It might be something bad, since Guggi's voice was cracking like he was crying she thought.

"How come? I saw him 2 days ago. He was ok. I would have noticed..." Bono was still talking and trying hard not to cry "I'll go and see you there. Are you sure of it? I don't want this to be a joke, cause this ain't a fucking joke, ok?" he ended and hanged up. He sat in the edge of the bed and stayed silent for some time. His eyes were lost. Those blue pearls were not the same anymore.

"What is it?" Sun asked confused and hiding her boobs behind Bono's shirt she picked from the floor

"It's Michael..." he said as a tear felt down his eyes. Sun put her bra and got on her knees in front of Bono, facing him

"You're scaring me, what happened?" She asked lifting his head and whipping his teardrop with her finger

"He's dead"

"What?!" She asked

"He was found hanged in his hotel room in Sydney. He's gone" Bono ended looking down and now tears were falling from his eyes, in silence and pain.

Sun said nothing. She didn't know what to say or do after hearing that. She knew they were close friends who shared a lot of time and memories together. Sun got up of her knees and hugged Bono tightly in silence. He let himself fall into her arms. His face was lying on her stomach; she could feel his tiny beard prickling her tummy as well of the wetness of his tears. He was so fragile, so hurt, so lost. He pushed Sun gently away and stood up. Bono looked at her for a while in silence with his sad eyes and caressed her face with his fingers.

"I need some time to think" He said while grabbing his pants and shirt

"Are you ok? I mean, I know you're not, but do you want me to go with you?" She asked tenderly and looking preoccupied

"I'm fine" He said while getting dressed

"Take this" she gave him the keys "Take your time. Don't scare me, ok? I don't want to see you lying drunk over the rocks, ok? Promise me you won't do anything stupid" She said grabbing his face with both her hands

"I won't" he said taking the keys and looking at her

"Promise me" She said again

"I promise"

Bono kiss her temple, caressed her face one more time and stare at her with empty eyes. She was on her underwear, but he didn't even feel attracted by her at this moment. He was not himself anymore.

Bono was getting the same feelings 3 years ago when he received a phone call from Chernobyl. He was scared that darkness would come back into his life, especially now, that he seemed had finally overcome it.

Bono walked around the park, up to the bench where he sat down 3 months ago. He stared at a pointless place and got lost into it. He couldn't hear people talking, the birds tweeting, the wind blowing; he didn't even enjoyed the beautiful sunset of a summer afternoon. Nothing was beautiful for him anymore.

Sun was looking at him from her window's bedroom. She was afraid of him, since she never got to manage situations like this. The phone rang again, and she picked it up

"Hola?" She said

"It's me, Guggi... Did he tell you?" Guggi asked with a cracked voice

"Yes he did. He's sitting in the park now. He wanted to be alone" She said