Great Dane ✶ Original Fiction

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" SEM NOME "
17 september 1996

𝔗he sound of the clock's hands striking twelve caused Moses to look outside. The sky turned from its daytime attire into a dark cloak that cast itself over buildings. He could see the river. The water looked exceptionally beautiful that night; it ran like a diamond tear through the face of the sleeping city.

An unsettling gloom and quietude lingered in the small area of the bathroom. The ambience always felt cold and there was a patch of deep green mold dispersing from a damp corner on the ceiling.

He closed the tap and one of his soaked hands reached into his pocket to fish out his cigarette box. He lit one of the smokes and watched with pink, teary eyes as the ashes spiralled like an assembly of ballerinas into the off-white sink.

Moses took another draw and listened to 'Quarto de Hotel' reverberating from a saxophone in flat 23. The calming decibels blended with the interminable argument between a couple in flat 25.

He stared into the reflection of the tall, scarily slim man before him. he was almost unrecognisable and when he smiled - an action that always ended up looking like a grimace - it seemed as though he was meeting a new person.

But Moses had seen this pathetic image before: no shirt, almost as white as the sink before him.

This is what he looked like when he was caught in a trap.

" RUE, THE GIRLFRIEND "
17 september 1996

"Hey, Moses, are you okay in there?"

The sound of his girlfriend calling him from their bedroom snapped Moses out of his stupor.

After swiftly putting out his cigarette and wiping his eyes, he took one last glance at the man in the mirror and walked out of the bathroom, towards her.

"Why are you still awake?" he asked her, seeing her sitting upright on their shared mattress.

Rue gestured towards the paper and pencil in front of her. "I'm trying to get inspiration."

"Oh."

"Yep and as you can see, there's nothing. Just white." she sighed, annoyed. Iman believed the colour symbolised new beginnings. She theorised it was literally the blank paper waiting to be drawn upon. Many people think white is boring, but it's supposed to open the way for creation.

Moses laughed. "No, I guess not. Maybe you should try to get some sleep. It's past midnight, Picasso."

"Ha ha, smartass." she joked before placing the paper and pencil away.

Rue had a beautiful mind as well as face. She used its contents to make the plainest canvas into something extraordinary. She told him she would fly somewhere far away from home one day, like Milan or Oslo, and become the next big artist.

He was sure he loved her. She was the only person who could make him feel like a normal human with normal human feelings.

She never judged him when he shared his disturbing thoughts with her and she never looked concerned or frightened when the murderous look in his eyes showed itself. The devil dwelled in Moses but she only saw wonder and beauty and true perfection.

She got up and walked towards Moses. She gave him a smile that felt like a kiss and laid her hands on his bare chest. Rue looked into his eyes. "You're okay." she whispered soothingly, holding him her embrace.

"I am now." Moses replied.

"When you're with me, Moses, you'll always be ok. I'm the only person you need. I'm the only person you'll ever need."

"I know."

"You'll never leave me, will you?" She grasped on to him tighter before she shuffled back underneath the covers. Her beautiful eyelids slowly dropped over her beautiful eyes as the sleep engulfed her.