Ephemeral (3)

- “Really nice view, huh?”

He wasn’t wrong. A dim moonlight watched over the two teenagers as they lazily lay on the wet grass.

- “It’s very pretty.” Maria agreed.

- “Right? Look at all these stars. Did you know we were made of them?”

In the horizon, Maria could make out the distant fire from the camp they had snuck away from. She knew they had to get back before the teachers noticed their absence, but one does not turn away from an audience granted by the heavens. Thousands upon thousands of tiny celestial white dots demanded her attention, and she happily gave it to them.

It turns out, the boy lying next to her also needed her attention.

- “You know; this reminds me a lot of this Nietzsche book I read.” He added.

She turned on her side to look at him. She knew he was full of shit. There was no way in hell this guy had ever been within a kilometre radius of a book. But, he had a warm smile and cute eyes, so she humoured him.

- “Go on.”

- “Well, he is a very interesting guy. He had this idea that the universe is a closed circle, destined to die and be reborn again and again. And that goes for us too, right? Like, essentially, we’re going to relive every moment we’ve ever had in infinity. Isn’t that wild?”

I see. He is going to hit me with the “we should seize every moment” bullshit and make a move on me, isn’t he?

- “Didn’t he go insane though? You shouldn’t listen to the ramblings of crazy people” She teased him with a grin.

As expected, that seemed to completely throw off his well-rehearsed pick up line. Unsure of himself, he cleared his throat and looked away.

- “You really don’t feel it?” He finally muttered under his breath.

She tilted her head in confusion.

“Feel what?” She asked.

The moonlight gave him an almost ethereal look, bathing his hair in silver. And then, his milky blue eyes finally turned to meet hers:

- “How many times have you lived this moment?

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 Maria slowly snapped out of her reverie, feeling lightheaded.

It was a funny thing - An old memory, long forgotten, suddenly popping into your head with uncanny vividity. She hadn’t thought of the young boy in years. She wondered briefly where life had taken him, then remembered where she was.

Holy shit. Did I fall asleep?

Panicking, Maria checked on her phone, but It was already long dead. How long had she been out here?

She managed to get back up, her sore muscles screaming in protest, and ran back to the house. In the living room, the old man was sitting on his wheelchair, looking silently out the window.

 - “Mr. Edwards?” She asked hesitantly as she stepped inside the living room.

- “Oh. Hello there.” He replied without turning around.

She approached him cautiously. How did he get himself in the chair? Did Claire somehow get here when Maria was sleeping?

No. I would have seen her car outside. This is weird.

- “Are you feeling okay? Do you want me to heat up some food?”

- “I’m quite all right, dear. Thank you. But perhaps I could ask you for a kindness, if you’re feeling up to it.”

He turned his wheelchair around, facing her. He had a melancholic expression on his tired eyes. Maria felt a cold dread creep up her spine.

- “I… of course, Mr. Edwards. “

- “Well, you see, I couldn’t help but notice that you were taking a nap out there.  A very natural thing, of course, and yet I’m not too sure it falls within your duties. May I guess that your employer wouldn’t take too kindly to that? It is an unfortunate situation. And yet, as you have surely noticed, I am very old. My memory is not what it used be, and my moments of lucidity are as scarce as the hairs above my head. In exchange for one of your cigarettes, I could, perhaps, be persuaded that this wasn’t one of those lucid moments?”

What?

And then, just like flipping a switch, his muscles twitched and he let out a long, loud laugh.

- “Oh, I do apologize, young lady. I wish you could see the horrified look on your face at this moment. No, really, I am only messing with you. Cigarettes has never been a vice I partook in, even in my youth. Mine was cocaine.”

Then again, a very loud aristocratic laugh, followed promptly by a fit of coughing.

What the fuck is going on?

- “Forgive me, young lady,” he continued after a moment. “I never meant to distress you. Please, relax. I have no intention of telling on you. I understand that your friend is fashionably late, and that you should be out there doing young people things at this time, which does not include listening to a deranged old man.”

Maria rubbed her eyes

- “I’m… going to get some coffee. Do you need anything, Mr. Edwards?” She finally blurted out

- “It’s Viktor.” He replied with a smile. “Please go ahead. I would love a cup as well. Perhaps when you’ve freshened up, you could come back for a chat?”

She nodded quickly, then ran away from the living room.