Clare walked on the sand, more like stomping it like a kid, toward the ocean. There were American’s
everywhere- men surfing, teenagers wearing bikinis and lots of fully breasted older woman, some even
wore thongs.
Clare rolled up her pants to the top of her carves and sat by the shore of the ocean.
“Your outburst and lack of appreciation are rather surprising if I must point out,” Nikolai said before he
sat next to him, she ignored his remark.
He tilted his head trying to catch her attention, but she just stared into the ocean, with tears nestling in
her eyes. He looked at her not saying anything. Finally turning to face him, his face was soft, “Stop
staring at me, there is a woman practically naked walking around, look at them.”
He handed her a burger, “I don’t want to stare at other women.”
She took it and opened the burger quickly. Clare was starving, even if she was angry, she was hungry.
While she ate, he slowly put his hand under her foot that was injured. She felt the heat surging through
her foot. He lowered his face, his voice soft, “Have I cured the pain.”
Her eyes locked in on his, while her teeth bit into the burger. She chewed slowly, and swallowed, it
tasted like sticky cardboard, she shook her head, “I’m afraid, my pain might not have a cure.”
The two of them sat there not saying a word to each other. Time passed, the waters hit her feet wetting
them. The sun blazed heavily on her head, making her hair hot. Sweat dripped under the t-shirt she
wore, but she didn’t care. A week ago she would have cared a lot, about silly stuff, that seemed so
important, but now it just made her feel shallow. Because now, nothing really mattered, there was no
purpose. Why didn’t her mother (Franchesca) just let her die?
Clare cried silently, the tears rolling down in silent depression. Not wanting him to see her so fragile, so
vulnerable, she got up and started running, but this time he ran after her. She paused further down,
putting her hands on her knees, out of breath, crying. Nikolai touched her back, she didn’t think he’d
follow her. Standing up straight facing her back to him, the water touching their feet. Away from the
crowd of people. He spun her around, his hands cupping her shoulders, and bared witness to her tears,
“What taunts your selfless heart, my love?” He asked as they lived in another century, in another world.
He touched her skin, silently wiping the tears falling on her cheek. The heat from his hands was so
unreal, mystified with his touch, like a dark calming overcoming her.
“I don’t know who I am,” She snuffled her confession, “I feel like I’m burning in this hell that has no
end.” She said wiping her tears, “I mean I have no one who I can trust, there are lies no matter where I
turn. I watched my mother die, protecting a daughter who was never hers. I see a brother I do not
recognize, with parents I don't remember, and you talk about me being loved. But why is it that I have
never felt more alone.”
Grabbing her by the waist, he turned around to see if they were being watched. Then fixated on her,
with a weary look, eventually, he smiled, “Hold on!”
She closed her eyes, feeling a sudden lightness, but evil lurking into her veins. She opened it again, to
the feel of a strong breeze, blowing at her back.
They stood on the top of a high building- the Eiffel Tower! Clare opened her eyes wider, lost in her own
vision, while the strong winds blew her hair back causing her to almost lose her balance. Nikolai
grabbed her by the hand, steadying her.
Clare amazed by the view, couldn’t believe her eyes, was it real, “Where are we?” she asked loudly.
“Paris, I feel it’s only suiting, since you are hell bound and all.”
She laughed, the tears melting away with the cool breeze. Shaking her head and lost for words, Nikolai
beckoned her to sit beside him. The sun setting, its last rays of red, teasing the ocean's sky with its
burning beauty, she said, “I have no words to describe it.”
“I can think of a few,” He responded.
She faced him, his eyes fixed on the sunset taking in the view of the ocean. Seeing his unchained
features clearly, the tips of light reflecting the darkness in his eyes, making them seem grey rather than
the dark green she knew them to be.
The lump on his throat, echoing distinctive features. She could almost hear his heart racing, pulsing.
He caught her eyes on his, but she didn’t flinch. She sat there hoping that this could last forever, bitter
and sweetness soaking up her body, the knots in her stomach racing in circles.
Nikolai said to her, raising his voice, “My eyes have seen all these wonders across the world, but it’s
never the same. Every dawn brings with it uniqueness like no other.”
She turned her face mesmerized by the view, birds flying so freely in the air as the darkness took over
the sky. Clare inhaled and closed her eyes, taking in the unaltered air.
Nikolai dazing at her face, speaking softly into her ear, “I have seen it you know,”
She tilted her head, her hair falling in her face, leaving one eye visible to him, “Seen what?”
“Hell.”
“Was it anything like mine?”
Piercing her viciously with his irises, as if rekindling an emotion of destruction “It is by far, much worse.”
Curious she asked, “So, how did you escape?”
He laughed, expectantly “I met an Angel actually, she spoke, and I laughed. When she cried, my heart
fell, and for that moment, I was free. We danced, and all that love I had whisked away so selflessly,
came back to me in that instant. But then she fell, and as a sleeping beauty awakened, she opened her
eyes, and I realized at that moment, that Angels don’t love demons.”
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