Tord Lawson.
Age 26.
A world-wide photographer.
Was born in Norway and moved to Britain to fulfill his work. It used to be part-time, but after he was hired by Gazelle (not a real company, mind you), it became his full-time job. It wasn't a terrible occupation. He had good pay, and he had passion in his work.
Ever since he was in college, he took part in digital and visual arts; taking the course on photography.
(I don't know how college works, forgive me)
With flying colors, he graduated and began his work. Soon, being known almost anywhere and everywhere.
His assigned destination was Paris, also known as "The City of Love."
From the plane ride alone, he already felt excited.
The sights, the city, the nature-
It held beauty. He was glad to be there.
It was his third day.
In his hand, he held the photos he took the previous two days from his sight-seeing. Of course, they were vibrant and held art. Plus, the locals were pretty kind.
Speaking of the locals, he had planned on taking a few shots of them in hopes that he could present their fashion. (Depending if the locals would agree)
He stood up from his bed and readied himself for the day.
Dressed in a red turtle-neck and a brown coat matched with black pants, grey shoes and a red beanie, He locked the door to his room before heading down.
As he reached the last step, he was greeted by the lady at the counter, who gave him a soft smile.
Don't fret, she's taken. And she's more than happy to be with her significant other.
"Good morning sir! Out for another day of sight-seeing?" She asked.
Tord nodded as a response before smiling back.
He didn't say a word.
Besides, what good are words when a smile says it all?
As soon as Tord walked out the doors, he breathed in the fresh air of the town he was staying in.
'Time to ask the locals.' He thought.
After a few minutes of walking, he spotted a couple standing beneath a tree. They seemed to be in their 60s. Everything in the scene felt so appealing and oddly captivating that he straight up walked towards them.
Not in a rude way, of course.
"Excuse me..." Tord started. "Would you mind if I took your photo? I promise I won't take long."
He held up his camera.
The couple looked at each other and smiled. "Of course."
He posed, fixed, and adjusted himself to find the lighting.
Meanwhile, the couple posed a few times, following what they were requested to do.
After their little photo shoot, Tord collected his belongings and showed them the shots he took.
As always, they were amazed.
"You're a very talented young man." The lady commented. Tord wasn't very well know in the area, surprisingly.
"You must be an expert at your work."
Tord rubbed his nape as he let out a soft laugh. "Not really, I just do what I love to do."
Suddenly, an idea popped into the man's head.
"Then I bet you'd love to stroll by the bridge near the square."
He didn't sound so French. He sounded more of a Brit.
Tord was intrigued. "Bridge? Nearby a square?"
The man nodded. "I'm Philip by the way, and this is my lovely wife, Rosé."
He extended his hand out for a shake which Tord accepted.
"If you walk straight ahead, and then turn left, from afar you'll see it. "le pont d'amour doré", is what it's called by the locals."
Tord listened on as Philip continued.
"It's a wide bridge that connects two cities. On it's railings, you'll find locks attached to it. The west side of the bridge contains two locks that connect to each other signifying the love of two people. On the east, locks that hang on their own mean that those souls are searching for someone. Their soulmate. Each single lock has it's own specific key. Rumor has it that if a certain key fits on a certain lock, two star-crossed lovers have found each other."
He smiled as he remembered his younger days.
"Which is where I found this lovely woman right here." He gestures to his wife, giving her a ginger kiss on the forehead. She giggles at the action.
"Oh shut up..." Her French accent more prominent.
"But it is true. Call it crazy or unusual, but I've experienced it's magic. Another thing about this bridge: when the sun sets on the west, because of the padlocks, it gives off the look of gold. It's a true beauty."
Tord's interest grew. Maybe he should see this "golden bridge."
"Then I better get going. Thank you." Tord turned around to walk away.
"Hold on, before you leave..." Tord stopped in his tracks to face Philip. "Have this." From behind his back, he pulled out a black string. Attached to it was a silver key, lined with red and and gold on each sides. He walked over to Tord and took his hand, placing the object on his palm and closing it.
"Keep it. Whichever lock this key fits in, it may belong to your significant other. Good luck. Enjoy the view." Philip gave him a warm smile.
Tord looked up at him, his eyes wide. He smiled back. "I will."
And he walked away with the key hanging around his neck.
.
.
.
"Wow." Tord stated in awe.
Just as Philip had said, the bridge on both sides, were lined with different locks. On the west, you could see couples locking padlocks together; happily throwing the keys away into the water.
On the east stood people who had their own padlocks each, locking it on to the railings in hopes to find "the one."
It was a true beauty.
How much more if the sun were to set?
Tord strolled around the bridge, enjoying the fresh air that the current in of the waters brought. He looked out into the ocean, the looked back at the locks and the people.
"Time to begin."
Tord began to snap photos of joined padlocks, locks that hung on their own, keys, and people on the bridge. He did enjoy his time. He did enjoy the beauty.
Leaning on to the railings and looking out, he sighed.
He reached into his pocket, feeling the object inside. It was the key. The key that was given to him earlier.
He took it out and studied it's features. Twisting and turning it slowly in his hand.
'Maybe I should try it...' Tord thought to himself.
He began with the farthest padlock. Looking at the key in his hand, he inserted it into the hole and twisted.
Nothing.
"Alright. Not that one..." Tord mumbled as he pulled out and moved on to the next.
"Maybe you...?" Same process.
Nothing.
"Okay..." He looked on at the rest; a long line of locks lay ahead reaching the distance. He had a lot of work to go through. So he went onto the next key.
He twisted.
Nothing.
"Let's try another one..."
Insert,
Twist,
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert,
Twist,
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert,
Twist,
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert,
Twist,
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert.
Twist.
Nothing.
Repeat.
.Insert.
Twist.
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert.
Twist.
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert.
Twist.
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert.
Twist.
Nothing.
Repeat.
Insert,
Twist,
Nothing-
"Ughhhhh-!" Tord groaned. Time sure does fly fast because the sun had begun to set in the distance. He looked at his current place only to find himself not even halfway of the bridge.
"This doesn't fit any of these! Damn, that's a lot of locks." He grumbled. He inhaled deeply before letting it out in exhaustion.
He spent most of the day trying to find his soulmate only to end in failure.
The rumor will remain a rumor.
It was simply a coincidence when people found each other.
"The sun is setting. I should probably get some photos of this."
"Help! Hey-! Anyone!"
A voice called out.
Who could that be?
Tord looked around for the owner of the voice, with the mindset of someone in trouble until he spotted a boy not far from him on the other side.
His outfit consisted of a blue, closed buttoned cardigan with a grey long sleeve underneath. Paired with black jeans and checkered vans. A blue scarf wrapped around his neck.
"Hey you!" He called out. Tord looked side to side, then behind, the back at the boy, raising his eyebrow and pointing a finger at himself.
"Yes you! Please, I kinda need your help..." His voice trailed off.
Tord shrugged and walked over to him.
"What seems to be the problem?"
"Ah, yes- umm..." The boy gestured to a lock on the rail. "I can't get this thing off... I put it on the wrong side of the bridge haha..." He laughed nervously.
Tord examined the padlock. It was silver. A blue ribbon wrapped around it, decorated with a black and white lining on the edges.
He stood up and straight and tried to pull it off.
Nothing happened.
"Have you asked anyone else for help?" Tord looked at the other male.
"I have! It's just that, no one except you is willing to help me."
"Well, I don't know what to do with this..." Tord said as he bent down and held the padlock, examining it. Tord hit it a couple of times, even twisted the bar, but it didn't budge.
The boy beside him began to have a meltdown.
"Hhhhhhh- how are we gonna take it out?"
Unconsciously, Tord searched through his pockets until he felt something.
Right, the key. He had a key.
He took it out, inserted it into the hole, and twisted.
Click
The boy gasped, then sighed in relief. "Thank goodness! I thought it'd never come off! Took me forever..." He thanked Tord.
"I couldn't have done it without you."
Tord chuckled. "It's alright. I'm glad I could help. Say, what's a gal like you doing in these parts?"
The boy blinked.
"Gal? Pardon?"
"Ah- gUy- sOrry, I thought you were female-!"
He laughed. "Don't worry, I get it. The name's Tom." He smiled at him.
"Tord." Tord smiled back.
"To answer your question, I had this padlock ever since I was younger." He opened his palm to reveal the object.
"Each one of the locals is given a key or a lock when they reach the age of twelve. At first, I never knew what to do with it, until my parents told me. So, I thought... After a long while, why not give it a try? And see if I could find my soulmate." Tom paused.
"I left it on the bridge a few days ago. I mean, I wasn't expecting it to happen soon though. Only know have I realized that it was on the wrong side- so I asked for people's help but I was ignored. Til you came along and saved the day."
"Haha... Yeah, I was there..." Tord laughed.
Tom laughed as well. "You?"
"Well, I came to simply enjoy the sight. Enjoy the view. But then, I remembered this key I was given earlier in the day, so I tried it. But damn, it doesn't seem to fit any lock! I'm starting to believe the rumor isn't true." Tord groaned.
Tom shrugged and smiled. "Can't blame ya. You're not a local here. I don't believe in it either."
Tord looked at him. "But, you're a local, aren't you?"
Tom nodded. "Yeah, well, I guess I just... Decided to stop believing after..."
"... After...?"
"Don't mind it. Besides, have you tried it on every padlock?" Tom quickly changed the subject which worked in his favor.
Tord shook his head. "I got tired. Not even half way! There are like... A thousand of these."
"Eh, more like 7,143... But hey, who's counting?" Tom giggled.
Tord's mouth fell open. "S-seven thousand?!"
"Yep." Tom replied, popping the 'p'. "You're not even halfway."
"Exactly! Which is why I gave up... I'm too tired to even continue on..."
"Oh... Maybe you should take a short rest, watch the sunset. Look." Tom pointed out.
Tord looked to whatever direction it was and was met with a beautiful canvass of vibrant colors. Sky was painted in pink, orange, and blue. The clouds being slightly gray due to the lighting.
Speaking of which, the bridge had turned to "gold."
Rosé was right.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Tom sighed.
"Yeah... Yeah it is." Tord gazed on before taking out his camera and snapping a few photos. Troy breathtaking.
Tom hummed. "I could write poems and stories about this."
Tord out his camera away. "You're an Author?"
"More like a journalist." Tom replied. "Not a full time one, but... It's like a side hobby. Once I graduate, I might take it as a job."
Tord placed a finger over his mouth.
"You're still in college, huh?" He said.
Tom nodded. "I'm guessing you're an international photographer? Your accent sounds foreign."
"Yeah... I was born in Norway..."
"Figured."
"You know, my company is looking for journalists like you. Maybe once you graduate, you could apply?" He suggested.
Tom looked at Tord before looking back at the view. "Have you even read them?"
"Nah. I'd rather read you-"
"Pardon?"
"I-I mean, I'd love to read one made by you..."
Tom smiled. "Sure. Maybe one day."
The sun was halfway. The day slowly fading.
"We should part ways." Tom said.
Tord, for some reason, felt bothered by that statement, but nonetheless agreed. "Yeah. I should get going."
They bid each other goodbye.
"Farewell Tord, good luck trying to find your soulmate! Keep trying!" Tom exclaimed as he waved.
"Hahaha, Can't promise you that! Because it seems like this key won't fit in any of these other than yours..."
There was a long silence between the two.
"Wait-"
There's gonna be a part 2. And it's gonna be in Tom's POV.
I hope this can make up for the time I've been gone.
French Tom originally belongs to patchipikatrash I think