Ana was constantly challenged by her friends to take courage and approach the girl who was leaning against the door of that bar. Yes, it was more than eight years ago that Ana gave in to the provocations of her friends, and went out after that tall, bone-thin, and white as wool woman; she proposed to her that they should run away, and even insisted strongly on the fact. Of course, she was refused.
... And so he spent the years, looking for that woman even under the stones; his friends constantly told him «Be careful, he who seeks finds» but that only fueled his will to succumb to such a charming woman, to the idea that she was the last thing his eyes would see. She was 17 years old when she was seduced for the first time, even though she did not know or understand how the world worked, much less love.
At 25 he still remembers her, but has largely given up hope of ever seeing her again. There is a knock on the door of his hotel room; his legs hardly respond, the drugs and alcohol have done much of their work for the day. She shouts at the door, «WHAT DO YOU WANT?» and gets a sweet «Do you remember me?» as an answer, only that ringing voice managed to make her legs feel alive once again, even though her nose was no longer more than a set of automated motors that have already lost all sensibility. He gets up, lights a cigarette and adjusts his clothes as he makes his way to the door with sweaty hands:
- Aren't you glad to see me?
- I'm happier than my face says, what do you need?
- I came to see you, they told me it was your turn. - He smiles radiantly at Ana, and waits for a response on her face.
- ... Have I called you yet? I thought it was still early. Come in.
Ana begins to cry silently, turns to her and whispers for a hug.
-Was it necessary for you to take my mother away like that? She didn't even intend to meet you! She hated you, was it some kind of revenge on me for looking for you for so many years? Neither she nor my brothers were to blame! I hope you are here to apologize to me, you know it wasn't my fault that I idealized you this way!
- No, it's not any kind of revenge. You know I only obey.
- Do what you have to do, but I still have two cigars - He pauses and lights one - I'm not going to lift a finger out of this room until I finish them.
- That's okay. I don't mind spending time with you after all, but I'm measured in my time. What do you want to talk to me about?
-Do you remember when I met you? I was very young. It was easy to be charmed by you. Besides, I was constantly being urged to beg you for mercy for my soul that never managed to sleep.
-I know. It was easy for me to get attached to you, your eyes used to be the most sincere I had ever seen, and I admit that I was tempted to take you with me from the very first moment. It's really a shame to enjoy your company just for work purposes," she crossed her long, pale legs, settled back in her seat and said to Ana, "I hate to break it to you, but I have to go. Will it be too much trouble for you if you save the last cigarette for another time?
-I don't... I understand. Let's do this quickly, despite all our encounters, it still scares me; I still don't think this is pas..." she was interrupted by his delicate hand.
He approached Ana carefully and delicately, placed a hand on her cheek and brought her face close. The moment their lips brushed, Ana felt a shiver run through her entire system, and it all started once again from the beginning... «Her parents calling her name, countless arguments with her sister, the tryouts for her first soccer team, the bad eating habits and her weight loss, her look in the mirror always disapproving, the day her father left home without saying goodbye.... The laughter of all the babies she ever knew, the love of the pets she had, the first crossing of words between siblings, the first hug she received from her mother, the terror and uncertainty of September 19, her first story, her first sincere smile» a warm tear runs down her cheek and a smile is drawn on her face, while her temperature is dropping to 16º. “Thank you” Ana says to him, and his accomplice, he lets himself be swept away by her.
Today they called me on the phone, they told me: «Ana is dead. It seems that they finally found each other, after looking for her so many times.»
Photographers: PJ Wang
Part-time writer, occasional dreamer.
It never happens in the same place twice.
“Chan vaen edan Kote”