It was dark,as usual. It was darker than when you close your eyes. It was even darker than the inside of a train tunnel,the kind that seems to go on forever when your sitting in a train.
For a moment she saw. Just as on that day,on that train. She had chosen to look up from the book she was reading,at the precise moment he walked into the cabin. He smiled at her. And his eyes took hold of her soul. She almost went back to reading.But she couldn’t… she loved him too much. Something snapped. Trains,don’t think about trains. Back to the pitch black. She could feel it groping her twirling it’s long fingers around her neck,she could feel it seeping in thorough her nostrils. Suffocation was inevitable. Suddenly,somewhere a door opened. Light and fear rushed in, it had been so long,it made her blind. But it was only for a second. She was lying on her back staring up at the glaring sun.it was both warm and friendly. As her eyes adjusted to it,she could see him,lying next to her. His eyes were closed but she knew exactly what they looked like;they were electric blue and they always…always seemed to dance. The wind played with his soft sandy hair. It tempted her to join in,to tease him out of his moment of autumn bliss. But she loved him too much.
It began to shake and crumble into pieces…someone was trying to wake her up. She didn’t want to. She wanted to stay in the sun,feeling it’s warmth,for as long as possible. Maybe forever.
“Cathy please wake up! It’s me”
The voice made her resurface. It woke up her soul as it made its way through her ears into her heart.
As she opened her eyes she could barely see the outline of his face. He held a candle in his soft hands. He is the bringer of light,be it the candle or those electric eyes. She could see them;dancing with both fiery passion and deep sorrow.
He set down the candle and handed her a parcel. She barely looked at it. It was not the hope of food that had kept her alive for the past two days. It was the hope of seeing him. She set it aside and held her hand out.
Then she saw it. The room was light blue and it smelled of freshly brewed coffee. She was sitting on the sofa staring at her hand,she still couldn’t believe it. A sun ray bounced off the silver band on her finger tempting her to feel it’s pattern. She was afraid to disturb it moment of love. It was too early and she loved him too much.
Before she could say or do anything she felt his arms around her. His urgency snapped her back to the dark present. Hugging her tight. Weeks of starvation and lack of fresh air had made her shrink and shrivel into her bones. Yet he hugged her. Her clothes were torn and she was covered in her own filth. Yet he hugged her. She had a yellow star painted on her door and he had a swasthika. Yet he hugged her. His eyes were electric blue and her’s were Jewish brown. Yet he hugged her. And she hugged him back with all her might. For he was the bringer of light and…she loved him too much.
Somewhere a siren began its wailing. She looked up from the ground. She had been counting the number of steps. These might be the last she ever takes. A cool breeze tugged at her loose grey shapeless garment. It’s surprising how nature tends to toy with its creations. The breeze was freedom that was stolen from her…from them. That memory was the only thing that came into her mind as she walked into the large shed. That last hug. It gave her both the reason and the courage to walk out of that dark hole of a basement,while he was away. But it was so long ago,she has already accepted her fate then. So she chose to change his. She had to walk away, for she knew what would happen to him if they find out. If they find out they would take away his brightness. They would destroy his light. She had to leave…because she loved him too much.
A Sri Lankan Wordsmith 