Even how absurd it might sound, but I wanted everyone to know about the fact that I survived a bullet 30 minutes ago. But people were too busy in their evening chores to think about anything else. I entered the small door of the cheap basement pub, that I discovered on the way back to my apartment an year ago. It was a funny incident though. I lost the bet on a football match, and I owed Lucas a drink. So, I was taking him to my favorite beer place when we got mugged few streets away from there. Lucas tried to fight back, and he was knocked out by one of the large African Guy. I handed them my wallet without saying a single word, and literally dragged Lucas out of the blind street. I hated violence- all sorts of it. Even if I had the chance of hit one of them, I would have handed them my wallet and walked away. People would think of this as Cowardice, but trust me; it was a wise approach always. Lucas and I entered the first crowded place we could find as we were too 'shocked' to return back to our apartment. We had nothing left in our pockets, so we decided to sit there quietly in the corner till anyone noticed us. There was a person, named Louis Walton, he sent us complementary drinks. Before leaving the pub, he smiled and said that I owed him a drink some other day. But I had not seen him around after that day.
I stared at the wooden board of the "Royal Glass" as I entered through the door. The walls were a mixture of brownish-orange hues that glowed golden in the lights hanging from the rafters. The interior had a warm glow, a feeling of comfortable warmth that made me forget my worries for a while. I used to come here every single Saturday that was the time of the week when the pub had the largest Crowd. It made me disappear, even for a while but I felt good. Though it was nothing different from my normal life; I was invisible for the world for the rest of the week too.
I placed my Beer on the corner table and sat. I took out Juliet's diary from my coat pocket and placed it next to the glass too. I was interested in this stuff, but that was not the reason I carried this diary around all the time like an idiot. The problem was that it created a burden on my head like an unfinished piece of work. So, I wanted to read it and get rid of that feeling. This was one of the reasons why I didn't like reading books, as I had to finish them at every cost before starting any other work.
I opened the diary and started reading it,
May 17th, 1789
I never liked horse riding much after Lillian died, when I was 9. She was chestnut brown with a white Crescent on her head. Mother loved her too much, so did I. Lillian trusted us, but she never let papa come close to her. We went for horse riding twice a week, even after Mama died. But everything changed when she fell ill. May be, she missed Mother too much. She died leaving me all alone.
(I miss you, Mama. I seriously do)
But today, Abigail took me out in the meadows. Papa wasn't home, so she brought me out. She asked me to close my eyes, and when I opened them. I saw Lillian - same chestnut brown horse but without the crescent. She said that she brought her Nephew's horse for me, for today though. I ran towards him. (It wasn't Lillian, it was a HIM)
When we cantered through the meadows, I felt the most wonderful feeling- freedom.
It was said that riding the horse was like riding the sky. It felt so true. The horse started galloping faster and faster, and I felt a strange adrenaline rush. I was losing control. My left foot was stuck in the stirrups, and I couldn't even dismount. I was sure that I would break my neck and die today. I closed my eyes, and I heard a loud shout of Abigail.
"DISMOUNT THE HORSE"
(I had no idea why she was thinking that I never thought of dismounting.)
I closed my eyes tightly, and I heard the galloping of a horse behind me. In no time, I felt the big hands of someone around my waist. That person was so close to me that I felt his heart beating against my back. His hands shifted from my waist to the reins, and he pulled them hard. I locked my arms tightly around him and closed my eyes again. The horse stopped.
He helped me dismount. I had never seen him around before. He had brown eyes, and brown hair. When he smiled, his left side dimple became prominent.
"Are you alright, Juliet?"
"How do you know my name?"
Abigail came running towards me, and took me away. She was so scared, that she asked me to promise her to keep this all a secret.
But it was the best time of my life. I never got the opportunity to ask his name. I just knew that he was not a noble, but he still knew my name.
Lots of love,
Juliet.
I looked up, and saw a black haired girl staring at me through the crowd. She winked at me, and I moved my eyes away.
This Juliet was about 16, an year and a half younger than me, but she seemed too innocent for her age. She talked about her mother and father like a little child. I could bet that this century's 11 year old would talk a lot more mature than her. I recalled the last time I rode a horse. It was an year ago. I loved horses, and I was an awesome Rider. I used to go for horse riding in my childhood with my parents too. I couldn't forget the feeling, when my horse ran through the meadows. I felt Powerful, and strong. I felt in control of my life, like I could turn to any side with a mere pull of the reins.
I turned the page of the diary and started reading again.
MAY 18th, 1789
I can't believe it, but that boy I saw yesterday came to my house. I was so scared, and so was Abigail. But he met Papa, and asked for the job at the stable. We had three horses, two black and a brown. And the other servant was too old to handle the horses now. Papa gave him the job, and he was even allowed to stay in the shed.
When Papa was gone, he waved at me. I don't know what is wrong with him. He's too cute to hurt me, though. At night, I saw him sitting outside the shed when I went to the balcony. He was watching me, again with that cute smile.
Abigail told me to stay away from him. I would because I don't want Papa to hurt him like Jacob.
I turned the page quickly, and started reading. But before I could read even a single word, I heard someone moving towards my table. The red skirt three inches above the knee approaching me slowly, I looked up. She was the same black haired girl who was staring at me earlier. My eyes moved down along the golden pendant that dipped into the depths of her 'little cliffs.'
"Can I sit here?"
I wanted to say a No, as I had to finish reading the diary but I couldn't.
"Yes, Sure"
Diary wasn't going anywhere. I could read it whenever I wanted, right! But this chic, she would vanish away with a NO.
"Hi, I'm Eloise"
"I'm Marcus" I offered my hand. I felt her soft hand slipping in mine.
"I'm new here, I shifted yesterday from Chicago"
I nodded my head 'like an absolute idiot'.
"Welcome to the neighborhood, Eloise. It's a pleasure meeting a beautiful woman like you"
She smiled," I'm Eloise WALTON. My father wanted me to give you something"
"Your father?"
"He met you an year ago His name is Louis Walton"
I recalled the bald man who sent me the drinks.
"How did you know that I would be here?"
"I followed you from your apartment. My father had told me your address, and description. You were fitting both, so I assumed that you were Marcus"
"Your father didn't know my address"
"He does. He knows a lot about you and your family, Marcus Alexander Breton"
She handed me a small card, on which a telephone number and a name of a place was written.
"What's this?" I asked her.
"Come at the exact time and date. And come alone"
She got up and walked away, making me stare at her back blankly.
I slipped the diary in my pocket and started walking home too.
I just realized that when somebody wants to stay invisible, the whole world will run after you with a Flash light over your head. Now, I was about to get caught in some other unknown problem soon.
And Juliet's story remained unfinished again.