2024 Story Collection

The Hero Named Ghost and His Soulmate IV

Once they got to the top of the stairs, Marc made an excuse about needing to use the bathroom and wondered off as promised. He couldn't help but glance back at the two lovebirds as he rounded the corner. They were smiling and laughing. Good for you Simon, he thought.

As he entered the gallery, he was instantly reminded of the classrooms from his school in his home world. So full of color, creativity and emotion.

Art was one of the mandatory subjects in school. It was one of the most respected careers of his people, but few were good enough to go far with it. When he came to this world, he'd realized that the opportunity to have any form of success as an artist was much more accessible.

It was so much easier to share creativity here, to share ideas and thoughts. It was one thing that made him fall in love with this world. This small gallery was a great example of it.

The gallery was filled with everything from paintings to dioramas to sculptures. One wall was filled with sketches-portraits of strangers. In the center of the room was a large abstract sculpture that looked like dolphins jumping from the water from one side and like two lovers on the other. On the opposite wall was what looked like a topographical map of the United States, but the height off the wall, instead of showing elevation, instead showed the number of soulmates in each area.

As he went through, he noticed a theme of love and soulmates. It made sense. Valentine's day was just around the corner.

He continued down a hallway that had some busts and stone sculptures between the doors on either side. He went into the first room on his left.

In the room was an exhibit filled with thousands of origami cranes suspended from the ceiling in every color you could imagine. When you looked at it from different corners of the room, you would see a different portrait, in the order that the artist fell in love with. The final corner showed a self portrait of the artist, smiling wide.

He went into the next room. It was similar to the last in that it had colorful things handing from the ceiling, only this time, it was glass. There was a large window across from the doorway. The morning light hit the glass in such a way that when you stood across the room, it showed a wall of color on the apposing wall in the shape of a heart.

He enters the next room, hoping to see something different, new, or more interesting. The moment he entered the room, he stopped.

The room was filled with paintings, all with hidden messages written in his language. He stood there in shock for a good 5 minutes before finally daring to take a step closer to the one of the paintings.

How is this possible?

The painting was so large it almost filled the wall. It was a sunflower made up of geometric shapes weaving through lines that read: I love you already. How can I love someone I've never met?

He felt his heart pounding in his chest. He unconsciously touched the soulmate mark on his arm as he walked up to the next one.

It was a silhouette of the city skyline, colorful and vibrant shapes against the stark white background. It read: Will the day we meet be one we celebrate or one we mourn?

He felt like he was reading the journal of his soulmate, while at the same time reading a letter from them. His heart was racing as he read the last painting in the room.

Who are you? It was a simple silhouette, one he recognized. It was him, it was Ghost.

The last wall was empty.

He ran out to find Jessie and ask her about the artist when he bumped into someone. They fall to the ground. He turns around to apologize when he sees her. She was the woman from the window. His eyes widen. His heart beat double-time.

"I'm sorry," he says breathlessly. "I was in a hurry, not looking where I was going."

She chuckles, and it reminds him of the chimes he carved as a child from the special amber from his world.

"Don't worry about it," she says, her voice deep and soothing.

He offers her a hand up. She takes it with the same smile she'd given him this morning.

"Thank you," she says as she reaches down to pick up a large canvas she likely dropped earlier.

"Are you one of the artist here?" he couldn't help but ask, enamored by her.

"I am," she says with a wide grin. "This is my work." She turns the canvas around so he can look at it, and as he does, his heart stops. The whole world stops for a moment around him.

The painting is a self portrait, made of geometric shapes on a line that follows the curves of her face. It reads: Are you a night owl like me?"

He glances up at her face for only a split second. The world begins to spin again.

"I am," he says. "I hardly sleep." He doesn't look up at her as he speaks, but out of the corner of his eye he watches her reaction. It seems at first she doesn't understand until she looks back at the painting. He looks up at her face then, her eyes widen, her mouth going wide. "It's never really come naturally to me-"

"What are you talking about?" she asks breathlessly.

"Your artwork is beautiful," he says, avoiding her question. "Where did you learn that language?"

"Show me your arm," she demands suddenly, pulling up her sleeve.

He glances down, trying to be nonchalant, but can't help but stare at the blooming sunflowers on her forearm.

"Show me," she demands again.

"Shouldn't you ask my name first before-" he jokes as he pulls up his sleeve to reveal the matching set of sunflowers on his own forearm.

"You're-" she stutters.

"Lets get that painting hung up," he says, gently taking the painting from her. "We have a lot to talk about, soulmate." He winks.

To be continued...

March 2, 2024