Prelude

Dear Brian,

I saw your eyes today. A stranger had stolen them. He wore them boldly, brazenly flaunting your unique stare. I was tying Frank’s leash to a rust covered street lamp when a piece of blackened paint attached itself to my glove. I shook my hand away, accidentally brushing against the shoulder of this man’s coat. He looked down at his arm and back at me. There they were: your bright blue eyes etched into an unfamiliar face glazed with indifference. In that instant, time folded. I was twenty five again. The noise of horns and brakes squealing were quieted, replaced by the sound of guitar and drums. My face no longer felt the drizzle of rain drops but sweat from the humid air of a hot June night. The crowd of young professionals rushing to their morning destinations transformed into a boisterous group of concert goers moving restlessly in the confines of a dilapidated bar. This was the backdrop to the moment when I first locked eyes with you.

I shook my head and blinked forcefully, bringing myself back to the present. If this man before me was truly you, he’d immediately say “Lucy, rebooting.” And I’d smile because even before you really knew me, you understood the expressions of my face like you painted it.

I opened my mouth to say something to the man in front of me: a greeting, a question, an apology, a scream, anything - when I realized it wasn’t you. It couldn’t be you. As quickly as it took for me to snatch my hand away from his shoulder, the man with your stare hurriedly walked away, eager to escape the rain along with the hundreds of nameless strangers surrounding me. And now here I sit, on an uncomfortable stool in a crowded coffee shop scribbling in my sketchpad a letter: a letter to you.

It feels like forever since I sent you a letter; minutes, hours, weeks, months, whatever increments of time make up an eternity. Your letters always made it to my doorstep. Mine stayed buried under my pillow next to your red bandana. I knew by the time I mailed it to an address, you’d be gone: onto the next city, conquering the next stage. I gave them to you whenever we saw each other, gripping my stack of envelopes tightly in my hand as my arms wrapped around your shoulders, my body slack, held tight in your familiar hug. You’d call me at night while you were away, thanking me for every word. You told me they were the only thing that helped you sleep.

It’s two A.M. where you are. I imagine you’re wide awake in a hotel bed somewhere or slouching in the seat of your van, your head resting against the window, taking shots of whiskey out of a dented water bottle with the label scraped off.  It’s eight A.M. here and I’m sipping bitter coffee from a porcelain mug stained with my red lipstick, staring out of a rainy bow window and hoping the sun breaks through the clouds before my long walk to work.  So much has changed since we first met, but one bittersweet fact remains: our lives have always been, and will forever be, so very different.

Four years have passed since the night we first saw one another; that first rainy night spent lying on our backs, staring at the ceiling of your van. The memory of that night often steals me away from my present, kidnapping me into our fairytale again and again. I remember how you kissed me, black hair curly and falling down into your eyes. I remember how you promised that you’d see me again, and again, and again. I remember how you broke up each ‘again’ with a hurried kiss before you ran back to your band. You held true to your promise. And my life was never the same.

Reviews

[Clarisse Nanoit]

One small critique: "As quickly as it took for me to snatch my hand away from his shoulder..." The wording doesn't work. I'd say, "As quickly as I could snatch my hand away from his shoulder..." Just something I think would sound less awkward. Otherwise, I am intrigued. I plan to move on to chapter one now. You definitely have a talent for detail and description. I like this!
KH

[Joan*Eckhart]

This was very well written, eloquent and sparked my interest with it's relatable subject matter. I look forward to the first chapter.

[CreativeStroke]

This was an excellent start to your story. I was immediately intrigued and I am so glad I stumbled upon this work. Your way with words is beautiful and I plan on reading some more!

[KurKota]

This is a very good piece of work ! I found that it drew me into your story, easily. It was very believable in what could/does happen in many lifes, yet you wrote of it in a manner that is unique in the way you describe moments within the events. I particularly like the way to conveyed the episoe of the letters..... his reached your doorstep...his under your pillow! Very descriptive in the frustration and unbalance in the exchange ! Very nice over all ! You definitely have writing talent !

[Ethale Captor]

Beautifully written, this is excellent.