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<< What is this? >> he asks me once we reach our destination.
<<Isn' t it obvious? >> i respond.
I walk into the playground, facing joyful kids playing happily and carefree, because no one can hurt their innocence and purity. All around, parents look at them full of love and affection, leaving the problems away, since each smile of their viscus, can erase them all at once. I stare with awe and conjure up the moments I came here with my father and sometimes even with my mom.
<<Why did we come here? >> he asks me, looking around with displeasure, since he reasonably expected me to bring him to a different place.
But I remain silent. I proceed to the backround and head to the bench in which we sat with my dad back then. My eyes pin to a specific point. The point I was sitting when Matt first saw me. I remember that moment and smile while welling up. Of course I know very well that i can' t remember that since i was still a baby. However, Matt had conveyed this picture in my mind and since then whenever i disowned my feelings, I brought in my mind this remembrance, and let his face remaining in my thoughts for hours. We have experienced many things together. Too many i would say. We first met several times, since he decided to erase my memory, but our real first meeting was here. When i was a baby and he a mental wreck vampire. I feel despair in the thought of if Irina didn' t abandon him, if Matt hadn' t come to this town to forget about her, if he hadn' t enter into this playground, if my eyes hadn' t met his, then he wouldn' t have transferred these three drops of blood inside me and I wouldn' t have become a vampire. I wouldn' t have met him and my life would be normal, without the pain of an unfulfilled love. I wonder if I was able to turn back the clock and control my destiny, what could I do? But i would never know. I stare for some time engrossed until i suddenly see him. He appears in front of me. He' s standing there, right at the same point where we first met, while his eyes dance with mine. I blink for a moment to see if he's fake, an hologram, a product of my imagination, but he remains there, looking at me with sparkling eyes, full of meaning ...
<< Hey! Eve to earth! Where have you been gone? >> i hear Bruno say and post and turned my eyes fall on it.
<<Huh? >> i ask, as if I haven' t understood a word of what he had just said.
<< Why were you zone out? >> he asks. Without giving him an answer, I turn my head to look at Matt. However, he has disappeared.
I lost him again. Every time I' m about to find him, I lose him again. I can' t take anymore! I' m about to lose my mind. His absence is about to drive me crazy.
<< You saw him too, didn' t you? Did you see him? He was standing right there, right? >> i ask him, awaiting a reply. He comes and sits next to me, leaning towards me and gently stroking my cheek.
<<Little girl ... There is no one there. >> he tells me looking at me compassionately.
<< But how? I saw him. It' s not possible! I swear i saw. >> i yell, no longer being able hold back my tears, that now are soaking with bitterness his jacket.
Bruno pulls me closer to him, throwing me in his arms, allowing me to burst our into tears for a long time while many parents are staring at me fondly. Nevertheless, i don' t skim over. I stay for a while in Bruno' s arms to the point that I'm sure, he starts wondering, how couldn' t my tears get dried. I feel my eyes swollen and my mouth dry, dehydrated. I lift my head and my honey eyes meet Bruno' s.
<<Are you feeling better now? >> he asks me.
<< Can you go get me some water? >> i plead him, ignoring his question.
<< I' ll be back in two seonds. >> he mumble and kisses me gently on the forehead. He gets up to leave, walking to the exit with normal human steps so noone would notice his incredible speed.
Although the people has slowly begun to leave, since it has started getting dark and mothers are afraid of staying at night with their children in a playground. Since the junkies, thieves, murderers and rapists go there every night. I get up from the bench and walk a little, head towards the other edge of the park. Once I arrive, I remain there for a while and let the light breeze cool me and pull my hair gently in the opposite direction, forcing them flapping like waves that washed up onto the beach. The sun is hiding, and now the sky is adorned by the moon along with the stars. I'm starting to stare, noting that it resembles a round face, with drawn eyes and mouth. I have the impression that my face is reflected in it and I notice the sadness that i have conveyed it .
<< Hi! >> i hear a childish girlish voice from behind me.
I turn and face a four year old angel looking at me scared. Ι eye her up and down, noting that he looks like me in her age. She has also tawny shoulder lenght curly hair. Her cheek bones are tender with dimples. It seems like it was made of sugar. But when her gaze intersected with mine, I notice that she doesn' t look like the girls of her age. Her eyes- her gorgeous emerald eyes- don' t have the glow, the joy and innocence they should have. She looks quite mature. As if she has expirienced things people in my own age hasn' t even approached. But at the same time, I sense that she feels pain, sorrow and despair. I bend on my knees to be in the same height as her and the looking directly in those light emerald eyes.
<< Hey, sweetie! >> I say, with a voice as soft as possible. << Is something wrong? Where are your parents? >>
<<Thy' re not here. They' re gone. >> she responds and lowers her little face, hesitating to look me in the eyes.
<< And with whom are you here? >> ii ask.
<< Can you take me with you? >> she pleads, avoiding my question.
<< Tell me fist, sweetie. Are you lost? Do you want to tell me your name? And then we' ll go find your parents or maybe a relative of yours. >>
<< I want you to take me to my brother! >>
<< Okay, but tell me first your name. >> i encourage her.
<< Esmeralda. >> she responds.
<<And your last name, darling? >> i add, but just when she opens her mouth to reply, she takes a look behind my shoulder. From her gaze i understand that something is frightening her.
She start sobbing. She runs away, trying to escape from what has scared her so much. I watch her running and cry out for her to turn back, but she doesn' t obey. She continues runing, exiting the playground and disappearing into the darkness. I want to chase her, catch up with her, but before i could react, she is already gone. I gaze for some time at that direction. I see her getting lost in the fog and wonder how come this sweet little face to be so scared and sad. I wonder how could someone hurt her this way and to leave her alone, scared in a city full of dangers and who knows ... thirsty vampires. And the worst part is that I did the same. Didn' t i let her go of my arms, without any attempt to stop her, or did i even keep away the picture, face, object or anything that made her so terrified? The remorses flood me.
Surprisingly, I feel a warm breath on the back of my neck and a sound tickling my ear, deciphering the word << Eva ... Eva ... >> and again << Eva ... Eva ... >>. The scene recalls to mind the days, that Matt was running so fast that he looks like air touching the back of my neck. Coming back to reality and try to recognize the familiar voice whispering in my ear. I turn abruptly to face the person, but he isn' t there. I research with my gaze the area around me lest he has hidden himself. But again he' s nowhere. I walk straight ahead, wanting to go out, to go find Bruno, who is unbelievably late. Especially if you consider that if he wanted, he could have come within seconds without anyone be aware of him. I cry out of surprise, realizing that the guy who suddenly appears in front of me, before i could blink, is the vampire who i' d met in the super market. The Spaniard, who had mentioned Matt' s name and then disappeared, without looking back, without leaving a trace, something that it will prove that he was actually there, that it wasn' t a product of my imagination. Although right now i find it difficult to discern what is truth and what it's not. Given the situation, my temperament is disturbed. It is very strange to see him in front of me, but I'm not afraid at all. On the contrary, I believe that this will be my last chance to learn more about Matt. Therefore, i go closer to him.
<< Who are you? >> i ask him.
<< You' re hasty suger! We have a lot of time until you know who I am and what I want? >>
<<That' s the only thing i' m interested in. If you don' t explain that there is no reason for me to be here. >> i state turn around and go to move away.
At that moment, he grasps my arm to stop me, so hard, that I feel it numb and bruised. His hand remains on my arm until blood stops fueling it and i' m not feeling it at all. I have the feeling that he has amputate me. I lift my head and throw him a sinister look, indicating the with that he just did, he won my resentment and dislike.
<< You would not look at me like that. You're too small to look at me like that. >> he commands and presses his forehead against mine.
His eyes look enraged, and my own fearful. My neck is bent, creating a big curve when he pushes me forcefully with his forehead.
<<I will look at you however way i want. >> i state. << And now let my go, because I want to leave. >> i add, but he doesn' t obey. He grabs my hand again and throws me to the ground effortlessly.
My head crash with force against a tree and my eyes begin closing and i' m not able to control it.
I try to get up despite how weak i feel in order to stabilize my body against the tree. At that moment, I feel pain in my head. I touch it with my hand, realizing that there is something wet on it. I directly i download my hand so as to be in my field of vision and face the crimson blood in my fingers. I get more worked up and look with much more loathing at this vampire.
<< Don' t worry about rhe wound. It' ll be healed. >> he tells me. << As for the blood on your fingers .... i can fix this. >> he adds and approaches me with incredible speed, taking my hand into his. His blue eyes are crossed with mine when he puts my fingers in his mouth, and licks them. I shudder disgusted and attemp to step away, but he won' t let me.
<< See? You're ready. >> he mocks me.
<< When Bruno arrive, you'll regret of what you' re doing. >> i warn him, while I wipe my fingers on my clothes.
<<But I' m not doing anything, suger. Also, i don' t thing you believe that that kid can stop me for anything I intend to do. >>
<< And what are you going to do to me? >>
<<To you nothing, at least for now. Depending on my mood, i will determine your end. You see, you're too beautiful to hurt you. I would prefer to enjoy you in other ways. >>
<< And then who are you going to hurt? >> i ask him anxiously, wanting to figure out what he's implying.
<< Come on, sugar ... don' t play dumb with me? I' m talking about Matteo. >>
<< Can i least know the reason? >> i ask him, when i recover to extract more information.
<<No. At least, not yet. Besides, I didn' t come here to inform you on who I am and what I want. As I stated before Eva, I came here for you to help me. >> he tells me.
<< To help you with what? >> i lift my eyebrow.
<< Matteo is gone. I can' t find him anywhere. And believe me, I've looked everywhere. >> he responds. I let my breath be released from relief. She' s probably with Zora. For the first time, I am happy instead jealous.
But what if he comes down here every Sunday to meet me? This is very dangerous and I have no way to stop and warn him.
<< And what do you want from me? >> i ask him, although I already know the answer.
<< What do you think? To tell me where he is. >>
<< I do not know. >> i declare and shrug my shoulders indifferently.
He approaches me and scoop me from my shoulder without any difficulty. It's like his lifting a feather.
<<Your last chance. >> he warns angryly. << Where is Matteo? >>
<<I told you, I don' t know. >> i repeat and he throws me forcelly on the other side of the playground, while i crash with a hard wall. I feel my bones crushed, but in a strange way, generally I'm fine. I raise my eyes and see him standing over me.
<< You sure, you' re not gonna tell me? >>
<< I don' t know. >>
<< You don' t know? >> he asks me, slapping me, until my cheeks feel numb while simultaneously kicking me. Surprisingly, unwittingly, tears begin to run from my eyes.
<<I' m telling you the truth. I don' t know. I haven' t talk to him since forever. I don' t know where it is. >> i explain and barely hear my heartbreaking voice.
<<Okay. >> He stops hitting me and straightens his body. << Let's say I believe you. Let' s say! >> he highlights. << What can you do to bring him to me? >>
<< I can' t do anything. Please let me go, I beg you. >> i plead him weeping, giving up. My only desire is to leave, to go home, lie down in my warm bed and recover.
<< And yet, you can. Even only with your presence you can. I know very well that he can' t stand long away from you. Sooner or later he will return. He won' t be able to resist. I know him well. >>
<< Who are you? >> i ask again, in my effort to understand how does he know all this.
<< Fernando. Just so you know how to call me. You don' t need to know anything more. >>
<< But it' s true. You' re not going to win anything from me. Matt wont turn. He has promised. >> i announce, really believing what I' m saying.
<< Really? Do you think that if his only love is in danger, he will stay with crossed arms instead of running to save her? Even if it would cause him an imminent death, Eva, he will come. Face it already! >>
<<In danger? >> i cry out when I see him looking at me with this calm gruesome look that scares me even more than his angry one.
I gather all the strength I have left, stand up and do what I know best, when I am confronted in these dangerous situations. I run! I exit the playground and turn in a corner, while still running as fast as I can, even if it hurts so much that if it wasn' t the case i could barely move. The adrenaline, however, contributes to my endurance. The night has now spread throughout the area, and there is no sign of living soul in less than three kilometers. I feel him next to me, as I turn to another corner to trick him so i would be able to escape. Of course, i don't think it's working since their senses are too developed. This, however, isn' t disheartening me to make me retreat. I want to fight even if that signals the death of me. I pass several narrow streets and alleys that I don't know. Tears soak my cheeks. I look around me in order to the area around me. I really want to stop, but I hear his laughter behind me and I can' t surrender. Therefore, I continue crying, running, being scared and hurt for some time.
Of course no one is listening. There are houses around, but no one hears my voice, or just those who actual listen are indifferent and bored to help. Suddenly, he grabs my arm. He comes in front of me and I crash against his body. Reluctantly i fall in his arms, so easily that i fret due to my weakness, since even now I don' t want to surrender. I start hitting him with hard punches to the chest and lamenting, until my knees bend and i plummet to his feet, continuing the dramatic scene.
<< Eve! Don' t be afraid. It's me. >> i hear his voice and lift my head, facing the beautiful face of Bruno. << Calm down, little girl. Everything it' s okay now. You're safe. >> he comforts me, when his blue eyes intersect with my teary ones. He catches me bymy shoulders and brings me to my height. He wraps his arms around me and I whisper in his ear, sinking in my own tears.
<< Why did you leave me alone? >>
***
Who do you think Fernado is? What about Eve' s feeling for Bruno? Please comment and vote.
xx kardasakia