Chapter Three
I don’t know how long I sat there staring at the blank, white page, watching the cursor blink on and off waiting for words to fill the empty space. The tour was finally over after three tedious weeks and my mind was exhausted, too exhausted to think. I needed sugar; chocolate! I began to crave it… I needed it now.
I shut my laptop, got up and stretched. My legs were stiff from sitting and I realised as I began to walk, that I had a cramp in my thigh. I limped over to the kitchen counter where I last set my purse down, grabbed it and hopped towards the door, I reached for my jacket, took it off the hook and put it on; I was excited to get out.
I inhaled the air as it lightly brushed my face; the freedom of being on my own always smelt sweet. I hobbled down the stone steps, my cramp mistaking my thigh muscle for a chew toy, and looked west at my baby blue Volkswagen Bug, I had bought second hand from Steph’s cousin Coraline. It was in really good condition, since she only owned it for a year and drove it when she got bored of her BMW. I felt really bad for it though, I hadn’t used it in almost two months; it’s not my fault that there’s a grocery store, pharmacy and bakery only a couple streets away. Maybe I’ll take it for the hour long drive into the city next weekend; I’ll make a shopping trip out of it. I need to update my closet anyway.
Oxfordgreeted me with a soft neigh as I continued down the narrow road. It had been five months since I had last seen him. The caretaker took him away in a red trolley when winter began, another reason for my agitation during the wretched frost, I smiled wholeheartedly at my white stallion and it zealously shook its head and continued walking along with me, stopping only to nibble at something that caught his attention in the grass, then look my way and continue trotting. He was such a peculiar horse, I knew he could jump that fence if he wanted, but I guess he was happy and I agreed; why would you leave such a magnificent place. He walked with me till the end of the fence as he always did, then softly neighed goodbye and turned going about his business. I giggled to myself and shook my head; such a strange horse.
By the time I walked onto the cobbled street my cramp had subsided. The cool air felt exhilarating on my face. The sun beamed down and awoke the dead being inside me. I felt more human than zombie now that I was among people, but the craving for a dark, rich brownie, gnawed at my stomach, and I quickened my pace to Roma’s bakery.
I turned on to the familiar street and walked swiftly to the end where the bakery stood. I came here so often that I think I could make it to my house and back blindfolded. I pulled open the glass door and entered the air conditioned dessert paradise. The smell of fresh baked confections enticed my senses and I felt a little dazed. The first thing that caught my eye was the satin smooth dark icing that covered a triple layer, German chocolate cake that was sitting on the counter. My mouth filled with saliva as I was tempted, but I reluctantly resisted and stuck to what I came for.
“Hey Peter, one brownie please,” I said to the tall, scrawny boy behind the counter who looked as exhausted as I felt. His black hair was always slicked down, combed neatly to the left side, but today it was in disarray as if he just got out of bed and the deep purple stains beneath his eyes suggested he was involved in a fight the night before.
“Coming right up,” he replied with a croaky Italian accent. He wasn’t cheery today as he usually was, and although I was curious to know what happened to him, I empathised towards his emotion and didn’t convey small talk. He placed the decadent treat into a little white paper bag and handed it to me with a faint smile. “That’ll be four fifty.” I placed a five dollar bill on the glass counter, flashed a half-hearted smile and said keep the change. He grabbed the money off the counter, keeping his head down. I realised he wasn’t going to say anything more, so I turned and walked out the front door with my favourite desert, which I couldn’t wait to devour with a hot cup of tea.
As I turned left back up the street, I was fighting with my wallet which didn’t seem to want to return to my overly clustered purse. What could I possibly have in here? As I searched, I found three lip-glosses that I never used, a pack of wet-ones – no dry-ones, two nail files, the Diary of Anne Frank, no idea how that got in there and… ouch! Something solid crashed into me. I stumbled back but was caught by a warm hand that pulled me forward, and I regained my balance. I looked up to see my movie prince’s green eyes staring back at me. I studied his face, thinking this has to be a mirage. My mouth went dry when I saw his lips move. He was saying something, but it wasn’t clear, his voice sounded distorted as though my ears were submerged in water. Then, his face became rapidly blurry before me, and my knees went weak, everything turned dark.
I began to dream. I felt soft fingers tapping lightly on my cheek then, he reappeared, surrounded by a golden glow. The blood in my veins ran hot as his jade eyes fixated on me again. He smiled showing his perfectly straight, white teeth. I was transfixed. I immediately blushed and looked down. Then I felt warm fingers light on my chin as he raised my head to look into his eyes. He gently stroked my cheek with the back of his index finger and my body went numb and I closed my eyes.
“Mmmm,” I moaned and my body temperature elevated. His soft voice then echoed in my head, clear as if his lips were near my ear.
“Hello, please wake up,” he said. “Open your eyes. Please open your eyes.” The sweet sound was spellbinding, the closest I ever felt to Adam. His touch was always like a gentle breeze on my skin, but now I could actually feel the heat from his fingers as he touched me. Why on earth would I want to wake up from this ecstasy?
I kept my eyes closed despite his pleads; I didn’t want this dream to end, and lose this luxurious warmth that was slowly spreading through me.
I felt happy, it was a happiness I never knew I could feel, the type of happiness that only existed at the end of the movie, when the guy finally falls for the girl and they live happily ever after.
“Open your eyes Iris. Please trust me,” his voice sounded different now, still smooth but more like a whisper, the way it always sounded when I dreamt him. My mind was disoriented. I opened my eyes and his adorably handsome face was still there, but an intense bright light pierced my iris’s and I closed them again. I sighed and I felt his finger continue to gently sweep my cheek. I lifted my hand to join his, but his touch disappeared. I reached for him, but felt nothing.
“Adam!” I called but no sound came out. It was like my volume was on mute.
“Open your eyes, you need to wake up,” said his voice again. But this time it wasn’t an echo it was real as though he was standing next to me. My hands searched for him, but again there was nothing to hold on to. Confusion and anger eradicated my happiness. I yearned for the comfort of his face. I begged him to return, but my cries were lost in deep silence.
“Wake up. I don’t want you here anymore,” the whisper of an echo hissed throughout subconscious. His voice was far, too far for me to find.
“No,” I retorted in my muted voice. But there he didn’t respond. He was gone. The darkness was diminishing. I screamed don’t go but there was nothing, my voice was choked. Only quiet and fading black existed in this newly turned nightmare.
I shut my laptop, got up and stretched. My legs were stiff from sitting and I realised as I began to walk, that I had a cramp in my thigh. I limped over to the kitchen counter where I last set my purse down, grabbed it and hopped towards the door, I reached for my jacket, took it off the hook and put it on; I was excited to get out.
I inhaled the air as it lightly brushed my face; the freedom of being on my own always smelt sweet. I hobbled down the stone steps, my cramp mistaking my thigh muscle for a chew toy, and looked west at my baby blue Volkswagen Bug, I had bought second hand from Steph’s cousin Coraline. It was in really good condition, since she only owned it for a year and drove it when she got bored of her BMW. I felt really bad for it though, I hadn’t used it in almost two months; it’s not my fault that there’s a grocery store, pharmacy and bakery only a couple streets away. Maybe I’ll take it for the hour long drive into the city next weekend; I’ll make a shopping trip out of it. I need to update my closet anyway.
Oxfordgreeted me with a soft neigh as I continued down the narrow road. It had been five months since I had last seen him. The caretaker took him away in a red trolley when winter began, another reason for my agitation during the wretched frost, I smiled wholeheartedly at my white stallion and it zealously shook its head and continued walking along with me, stopping only to nibble at something that caught his attention in the grass, then look my way and continue trotting. He was such a peculiar horse, I knew he could jump that fence if he wanted, but I guess he was happy and I agreed; why would you leave such a magnificent place. He walked with me till the end of the fence as he always did, then softly neighed goodbye and turned going about his business. I giggled to myself and shook my head; such a strange horse.
By the time I walked onto the cobbled street my cramp had subsided. The cool air felt exhilarating on my face. The sun beamed down and awoke the dead being inside me. I felt more human than zombie now that I was among people, but the craving for a dark, rich brownie, gnawed at my stomach, and I quickened my pace to Roma’s bakery.
I turned on to the familiar street and walked swiftly to the end where the bakery stood. I came here so often that I think I could make it to my house and back blindfolded. I pulled open the glass door and entered the air conditioned dessert paradise. The smell of fresh baked confections enticed my senses and I felt a little dazed. The first thing that caught my eye was the satin smooth dark icing that covered a triple layer, German chocolate cake that was sitting on the counter. My mouth filled with saliva as I was tempted, but I reluctantly resisted and stuck to what I came for.
“Hey Peter, one brownie please,” I said to the tall, scrawny boy behind the counter who looked as exhausted as I felt. His black hair was always slicked down, combed neatly to the left side, but today it was in disarray as if he just got out of bed and the deep purple stains beneath his eyes suggested he was involved in a fight the night before.
“Coming right up,” he replied with a croaky Italian accent. He wasn’t cheery today as he usually was, and although I was curious to know what happened to him, I empathised towards his emotion and didn’t convey small talk. He placed the decadent treat into a little white paper bag and handed it to me with a faint smile. “That’ll be four fifty.” I placed a five dollar bill on the glass counter, flashed a half-hearted smile and said keep the change. He grabbed the money off the counter, keeping his head down. I realised he wasn’t going to say anything more, so I turned and walked out the front door with my favourite desert, which I couldn’t wait to devour with a hot cup of tea.
As I turned left back up the street, I was fighting with my wallet which didn’t seem to want to return to my overly clustered purse. What could I possibly have in here? As I searched, I found three lip-glosses that I never used, a pack of wet-ones – no dry-ones, two nail files, the Diary of Anne Frank, no idea how that got in there and… ouch! Something solid crashed into me. I stumbled back but was caught by a warm hand that pulled me forward, and I regained my balance. I looked up to see my movie prince’s green eyes staring back at me. I studied his face, thinking this has to be a mirage. My mouth went dry when I saw his lips move. He was saying something, but it wasn’t clear, his voice sounded distorted as though my ears were submerged in water. Then, his face became rapidly blurry before me, and my knees went weak, everything turned dark.
I began to dream. I felt soft fingers tapping lightly on my cheek then, he reappeared, surrounded by a golden glow. The blood in my veins ran hot as his jade eyes fixated on me again. He smiled showing his perfectly straight, white teeth. I was transfixed. I immediately blushed and looked down. Then I felt warm fingers light on my chin as he raised my head to look into his eyes. He gently stroked my cheek with the back of his index finger and my body went numb and I closed my eyes.
“Mmmm,” I moaned and my body temperature elevated. His soft voice then echoed in my head, clear as if his lips were near my ear.
“Hello, please wake up,” he said. “Open your eyes. Please open your eyes.” The sweet sound was spellbinding, the closest I ever felt to Adam. His touch was always like a gentle breeze on my skin, but now I could actually feel the heat from his fingers as he touched me. Why on earth would I want to wake up from this ecstasy?
I kept my eyes closed despite his pleads; I didn’t want this dream to end, and lose this luxurious warmth that was slowly spreading through me.
I felt happy, it was a happiness I never knew I could feel, the type of happiness that only existed at the end of the movie, when the guy finally falls for the girl and they live happily ever after.
“Open your eyes Iris. Please trust me,” his voice sounded different now, still smooth but more like a whisper, the way it always sounded when I dreamt him. My mind was disoriented. I opened my eyes and his adorably handsome face was still there, but an intense bright light pierced my iris’s and I closed them again. I sighed and I felt his finger continue to gently sweep my cheek. I lifted my hand to join his, but his touch disappeared. I reached for him, but felt nothing.
“Adam!” I called but no sound came out. It was like my volume was on mute.
“Open your eyes, you need to wake up,” said his voice again. But this time it wasn’t an echo it was real as though he was standing next to me. My hands searched for him, but again there was nothing to hold on to. Confusion and anger eradicated my happiness. I yearned for the comfort of his face. I begged him to return, but my cries were lost in deep silence.
“Wake up. I don’t want you here anymore,” the whisper of an echo hissed throughout subconscious. His voice was far, too far for me to find.
“No,” I retorted in my muted voice. But there he didn’t respond. He was gone. The darkness was diminishing. I screamed don’t go but there was nothing, my voice was choked. Only quiet and fading black existed in this newly turned nightmare.