THE ROAD

Stargazing

What do the moon and the stars depict? What do they tell you? I say they tell me that no matter how dark it is still there's the hope of light. They shine bright tearing that darkness apart. This morning I attended a funeral, I saw dull faces, sobbing hearts, and hatred for just one person. It was 8 pm and nobody felt like eating all were in their rooms with lack of sleep, just trying to accept what Just happened within hours. I was sitting in my garden stargazing and nostalgia lead my way, now I won't be able to see that pretty smile, the experience, that elegance, and aura, won't be able to eat the delicious cookies, won't be able to learn the lessons she used to teach.

'Don't feel like sleeping..?...' Ernouf came and stood in front of me and then asked, 'can I sit?'

'sure...'

'I am sorry for your loss.....' he said. I looked at him and nodded and then again looked at the sky.

'so..why you are here...you also don't feel like sleeping..?... and Bleidd?'

'Yeah..., Bleidd is asleep. He never sacrifices his beauty sleep...' he said giggling.

We sat there in silence, stargazing, and experiencing the breeze hitting our faces gently. It was peaceful and calm.  After a while, I asked him, 'Why you guys are here..? I mean you could have said no. See you don't know what fate holds..'

'You mean we can die...' He sniggered and then added, 'It's in our blood. We have been the followers, our whole life, our tribes, we live groups as happy families and then we have to show up when the time comes...we have been showing up and this time too..we are here.. (sighs)

but don't you think we are here for you... we are here to help protect humans..we have nothing to do with that book... It's because of a treaty signed centuries back.'

' Humans? those ill-mannered creatures.... they keep on fighting each other and die...they think they are masters of the earth and exploit it ..and then write slogans to protect it...'

'woohoo..... calm down girl.. you forgot that you too were a human before you recognized your true self...'

'I know that's why I said this...I mean..you sacrifice your life for humans...that's ...' I stopped and looked at him.. thinking he would give a valid reason but instead he asked me about the book by saying.., 'that book... are you sure It won't matter where it is?'

' yess...no matter they stole it..they know they can't open it..but they don't know...the book appears to the one who is wise by heart and mind..and they are nothing,  just greedy..the book will soon disappear and ..would appear when its time..'

'I see.....my dad told me about this...before leaving to help you, ancestors...he told us things and rest I don't know... and the last time I  saw him...' he said in despair.

I kept my hand on his shoulder out of concern and to caress him. Again silence spread for a while and then  I asked him about the treaty with humans..damn I don't know why I can't be quiet. But he then replied.

'My dad mentioned about a treaty with humans..earlier times when witches created vampires ..humans suffered..they knew our secret so they asked us to help..they said we would protect your secret, you protect our lives.  There was a village, so the treaty was signed between the wolf master and the owner of that village.....well...(sighs heavily) humans never leave any opportunity that causes them benefit...'

'So...where is that village? and.....that..'

Ernouf interrupted., 'stop...stop..so many questions you have... but the thing is we don't know...All we care about is the present..coz for tribes like us the nostalgia is missing with a kind of verso that has no poetry...and future is not defined... all we have is this moment..'

we both looked in the eyes and smiled and then looked back at the sky and said together, 'It's peaceful here..'

They also suffered a lot, perhaps because of humans, or be it valdsams, they were like us and suffered like us. So I didn't ask him any further. The moment felt like should stop here. I didn't want it to end, I didn't want to see what tomorrow holds. I wanted this all to be forgotten like a nightmare and see a new day which had happiness and no tensions. but you see, you have to face these tension, these problems for that happiness you want.

'so ..what else you do..rather than being witty and charming..' I laughed.

'You see... I knew it you are kinda attracted to me....'

'shut up..' I giggled

'Okay..sorry..(laughing)...I own a restaurant countryside in Russia..'

'wow...nice..  and what about Bleidd.. and your family...you are married..or what...'

'nope...I don't have a family...My parents are long gone..how? perhaps,  you know it...and neither m' married...My only family is Bleidd..my brother from another mother....'  he tittered.

' I am sorry..'

'It's fine....'

'Where did you meet him..?'

'well, as a werewolf I like hunting..so I went into woods once and we both had our eyes on the same deer.. so we both ran towards it and bumped into each other...so this was how we met ..in a bumping way... he was alone too like me...' he said laughing. He then paused and added, 'It's been 10 years we have been living together as best friends, as brothers.. he's my family..'

'that's lovely.....but wait you said 10 years..how old are you..?

'one-thirty, I guess, or two hundred years maybe. I don't  remember exactly.' He replied.

'what the...seriously...I thought you must be 20...I mean wow..' I was astonished

'Why...? you wanted to give us a moment!'

'what..no...but..no....I must say you look really young...' I hesitated.

'It's normal in our tribe... I mean mom once remarked ours was the tribe with the gift of never physically after 21 except for numbers.' tee-hee.

'You know this all, I never thought my fantasy world would ever come to reality. It's unexpectedly wonderful.'

'Then live it at your best.' He whispered giving me goosebumps.

We both laughed shyly and enjoyed the star seeing. We talked about things and kinds of stuff. I told him about Magnar and how was I before I discovered who I was. He told me that I am really small to cry on such matters, he further said I have a whole life and I would surely get a brilliant man, not a boy who knows nothing about what he's doing or what he wants. He told me about the true meaning of love, which is giving and not expecting anything in return. He said, 'life has a long way to go, do not try to understand it just live it, it has its own way to give, to take, to uplift you or throw you down. One moment it will give you the golds and the other moment you have to settle with the stones. Don't get depressed and don't ever compare your lives with the others, all are fighting their own battles in their own way. All you do is live the moment you get and most importantly believe'. 

He had amazing theories about life, he might have seen a lot and felt deeply. I really wished to talk more and stop time. By now it was 2 am and we realized we have been talking for hours although it felt like minutes. We decided to go into our rooms and sleep and let life take over tomorrow. Before heading towards my room, Ernouf stopped me and said, 'Eabha...you are an amazing girl... We all know you'll end it, end our sufferings..but the only thing you gotta do is believe..believing is the key.....just remember...call it out loud and you'll open your way.' He looked at me for a while and smiled and said, '...Good night..'

I smiled back and said, 'I am glad to meet you...Good night...'