MOVING GROUND

by Adrian Briedis-Macovei


„Why don’t you say something?” A charming being appeared in front of his eyes, on the balcony. Her hair aroma sounded as enchanting as flamenco guitar tunes in the hands of the playful wind. „I don’t understand you...” Her voice was full of despair, but sadness was already spreading in her greenish, naughty eyes.
„I would give everything to understand what is happening in your head...” She wiped some little tears that carressed her reddish cheeks. In the bright morning sun they even started to shine.
As she didn’t receive the answer she looked over the balcony trying to rise her interest in what was happening below. After a moment their looks met yet again. She even smiled at him with somewhat laborious expression, nevertheless smile was as charming as usually. He wanted to give himself only to her, surrender completely to her lips, touch her velvety skin that smelled like chocolate soaked in the milk calling him to hold her and never let go, embrace her tightly in his arms and feel every moment on this side of the sun. He wanted to look in her eyes and confess – shut off his mind and set free his heart that was ravaging and tried to jump out of his chest. Still something didn’t allow him to speak. He kept silent turning eyes over the railings of the balcony and looking indifferently at daily silhouettes as they were running up and down in this monotone anthill. Without stopping. He wasn’t interested where they were going.
„You want it to end like this” She softly sliped her fragile fingers through her dark hair, which covered her cheeks. They already became red from invisible springs of tears.
He looked at her and wanted to say something but maintained silent yet again. Something kept his mouth shut and he didn’t make a sound. He was standing in front of his charming muse like a dry pole and stared at her foolishly like a teenager on his first date. He was hardly holding himself together so he wouldn’t fall down on his knees and ask her to forgive him about everything. Forgive him that they met and all went so far. His heart was raging madly and tried to jump out through the mouth to tell at least one word, but he stubbornly stood on ground and was quiet.
„Do you have another girl?” She looked at him with her green lights, that were growing red and tired of waiting.
He opened his lips but couldn’t tell anything, just miserable moan went out.
„Allright!” Anger unwrapped in her voice that soon poured out of her eyes. „Good! I understand... You have another woman! Well, if you are not manly enough to tell me that, then hell with you, let her have such a toothpick!”
She started crying before she ran out of the balcony. Now he realized what he has done and just wanted to open his mouth to say something when powerful sound of the closing doors covered his voice. He fell gloomy, but strangely enough he wanted to get such an outcome. But if she returned now he would tell her all the truth. The whole naked truth! He couldn’t calm down and started to go mad... Door noise hitting the wall sounded again and his goddess stood once more near him on the balcony.
„Laura... I have to tell you...” His voice broke when he felt her little palm on his lips. The orchestra of pigeons flying to the sky accompanied it scared by the slap. Their eyes encountered for the last time. The goddesses captivating eyes couldn’t conceal crystal pieces rolling from their repository anymore. The noise of closing doors sounded in his ears.
Only after some time he collected his thoughts and rushed after his beloved. He took the door knob with his trembling hands and tried to open it but without luck. In fury he kicked the door and rapidly calmed himself down although his heart started to rage even more. As he pushed the door wide open, in his slippers he rushed to the elevator that was already occupied, and the other one as a bad luck would have it, didn’t operate. He wiped sweat from his forehead and rushed to the stairs. From time to time he slipped and slided even lower. Stairway seemed to be washed and with the slippers one could make a weak display of figure skating. Good thing that his strong, sunburned arms could hold his body above the slippery steps of the stairs, otherwise his run would end even without starting.
With a big bang he broke through the outside door but at the last minute he managed to catch the doorknob and held himself above the wet floor. He saw his beloved entering a yellow cab. With power he kicked the door open and rushed to the street yelling madly:
„Laura...! Laura...! Laura...” But it was too late... His dream has just disappeared after the first turn to the left. Screaming was useless because he was attracting attention from many unfamiliar and unwanted silhouettes. They were especially undesirable because he was wearing only underpants with smily bear faces and sliding slippers in the shape of bunnies. The present of his dreamgirl...


Fragment from my yet unpublished spy-thriller: IN THE SHADOW OF TODAY