creature [h.s. au]

three

We went for coffee. A bit cliché I know. But there was a café right around the corner once you get past all of the branches and rubble. The café was small. But nonetheless it's personality met no set dimensions. The food was good, but the local chatter was even better. The conversations you couldn't help but overheard could be mind blowing at times. Too bad I have always been too shy to chime in. And I was never one good at conversations. I always avoided them at all costs, especially while around the people I liked the most.

But that day was different. That day I was with Harry. I wanted to get to know him better. In fact I wanted to get to know him better than any person he had ever been engaged in a conversation with. And I know it sounds crazy, but I still don't think it was that hard of a task to accomplish.

Where we were seated a silence grew around us. Harry's eyes were diverted outside of the wide window, his eyes on the bright sunflowers growing wild right below the window frame. And I cleared my throat.

"I wish I could go on a vacation somewhere," I said. "Somewhere far, far away from this town."

"I wish I could get out of this town too," he sighed, looking over at me. His eyes were somewhat golden, the reflection from the sunflowers against the glass tabletop hitting his eyes. "Everything here has become old to me. Nothing feels like it used to be, but even then it wasn't anything special. I can't even bare the sight of that abandoned school by the corner of Five and Main. I swear one day I'm just gonna grab a lighter and a half-empty jug of gasoline and burn it down myself. I swear there is some bad karma in this town and that deteriorating
building is the main root of it. This town gives me nightmares, but the worst part is that when I wake up they don't ever seem to leave."

"I could live here for the rest of my life," I shrugged. "I mean it's not something I plan to do, but I could. I just need a vacation for now is all. But unfortunately I don't see that happening."

"Where to?" He asked.

"The coast of Florida." I answered. "I'm not exactly sure where, though, since I don't really know that much about Florida. Or maybe possibly one of the little islands around it. But I think it would be cool. You've got the Golf of Mexico right there. Yeah, it would be pretty cool."

"Why don't you go?" He asked.

"No money." I answered.

"What about your parents?" He asked.

"They don't know." I answered. "And they wouldn't care."

"I'm sorry." He said.

"I can almost feel the Floridian heat." I said.

"I would take you but I don't have the money. Could you imagine? Just me and you. Being around somebody that I actually like and vice-versa. At least I think. And just the beach and the sound of crashing waves to keep us company."

"Life isn't fair." He sighed.

"I know."

"I wish I could take you there. I really do. But all I have are my words." He said.

"You're a writer?" I asked.

"More of a dreamer. But if you want to call me that, then sure. I'm a writer."

"What do you like to write?"

"Poems," he answered. "Tragedies. Anything with a twisted ending."

"Why?" I asked.

"It's all I know." He answered.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's okay."

"What's the favorite thing you have ever written."

And I watched as he smiled. And I swear even the sunflowers were jealous.

"It's only a sentence." He shrugged.

"I wanna hear it." I smiled back.

"But only recently did I realize that ones words meant no such extravagant cost, but their beauty alone could equal that of diamonds."

I took a few seconds to think it over. And then I shook my head. "It shouldn't be that way." I said.

"I know." He said.

"And I like to read Greek mythology. On occasion. Not always."

I smiled. "That's cool."

"I suppose," he shrugged.

"Tell me something," I said.

"What?" He asked.

"Mythological. Tell me something mythological."

"Okay," he said. "Like what?"

"Anything."

"Okay," he shrugged. And then he sat up, his hands folded. "There's this famous rumor many people interested in Greek Mythology believe. Apparently in the very beginning of time, when the first humans were created, they were made with two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two faces. And these humans ticked off Zeus. He was initially mad, actually utterly afraid of them. He feared their possible capacity of power, so being Zeus and all, he split them up into two separate beings. Each with one face, two arms, and two legs. Then to make things even more complicated he split them up, like not just physically but geologically. He made sure it was their life goal to find their other halves."

"Wow," I said. "Do you believe it?"

"No." He answered. And then he turned his head to the side. "Do you?"

"I don't know." I answered vaguely.

"You know it's complete bullshit right?" He said.

"Did you believe in it once?" I asked.

He nodded. "Once upon a time," And then he looked away. "Just once upon a time."

I nodded, "So you can never say no." I said.

Then I watched as his whole demeanor changed. He leaned back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest like one of those soft pretzels.

"How did you find me?" He asked. "At the bridge I never actually got around to asking you that question. So how?"

I shrugged. "I suppose great minds think alike."

And he raised an eyebrow, "Great?"

"Yeah great," I said. "Just once upon a time."