Here there are no good byes

5

The war was heating up. Things were happening at sea and air; Italians were, as they thought, really stupid, but the Germans were more competent; they could make a mess, and with a bit of help...and here, there was no Romina. I was exhausted.

Until...

One cold night in the summertime, I saw a fight. An unusual fight. At first, I thought it was one of those distractors I'd seen before. But something was different. Something was up. I got closer and closer, slowly. It was one person against two, with their knives and spikes. The lonely person lost, but barely. And then, they barely got away.

Was this the moment I've been waiting for? I followed the individual. We crossed the city at night, the lonely streets, wondering; it almost felt like a dance. But it wasn't. There was a passage outside the town, near the airport, but not near enough. The person didn't take it at first. They waited for hours. I couldn't get closer; it was dangerous, but I knew I was onto something.

I could almost sense it was her. And I could see she was hurt badly. But hell, what did I care? I could have taken her right there, but no. Where was she going? What was she doing? The hours passed, and the rising of the sun was also coming. I had a hideout nearby, but curiosity was killing me, literally.

Finally, she started walking through the passage, and so did I. I saw a house, as I had never seen one. Surrounded by trees and a creek; it could have been heaven, but there, the darkness was thick, disturbing.

As Romina, or what I thought was Romina, got near the door, it opened without her touching or doing anything. And a taller, dark figure came out. The person outside kneeled and bowed. This dark presence touched her shoulder, and they both entered the house.

I had to go, and quick. I was afraid; I hadn't been afraid for centuries. Or, at least, not like this. With little or no time to think, I went into my resting place.

------

I was walking Msida. Watching the sea, thinking about how to proceed. I could feel my anger, my impotence. My consequence. Who was that figure? Was that Romina? Who else lived there? Should I go again? I didn't want to feel that fear again. And it was dangerous. But what else could I do? I could leave. I could go to the new free world and forget about this. It would be easier. But it would also be like kicking my problems a little further away. And they would come back to bite me. Stronger, bigger, deadlier. I had to push forward.

As I walked, I hoped this beautiful place wouldn't be destroyed. I was going to help.

Through alleys and secret passages, I went back to that place again. This time, much earlier. And I waited. Why was war so important? So essential? So fundamental to these people? To us? To everything and everyone. I had never been in a time and place where there wasn't any war. My first war was at sea. Maybe that's what makes me hate it. It was the air that changed everything. We were superior, better, but the weather, Oh, the weather. That death made me who I am today. The enemy forgave me. More precisely, by an enemy. A man. I have never seen him again, but he turned me into this eternal being. With no explanation. No tutorial, no nothing. Just a curse and a gift, both in one. I remember my first day; the sun almost killed me. I was so fortunate. A lot of us die like that in ignorance. And go to the abyss alone and forgotten.

Finally, the shadow. It was her: Romina. No question. She looked stressed. My first thought of this was: I'm winning. Small battles, but winning them. She couldn't kill, she couldn't find me; they couldn't push forward. They, creatures of the dark, were in the night.

I followed with extra care. This time, the door opened with a knock, and instead of the creature of the night before, the priest came out.

The priest!