The Painful Memories | Carmen Sandiego

The painful memories #2

Author's note:

The above story was meant to be a one-shot only, but a few people suggested that I must develop the story of Carmen and Gray. So here is the second and last chapter of "The painful memories".

★★★

You smell her hair; pleasant and familiar at the same time. You press woman's arms tighter to your body, you close your eyes.

"I'm not leaving this time, I promise".

Carmen's fingers tighten on your T-shirt, making you breathe your whole self for the first time in many years. You're aware again that you are the happiest person and that you cannot really accept it.

That's why you can't forget about all the times you hurt your friend. VILE's academy, train from Portier to Paris, loss of memory ... fear of oblivion.

Then in Sydney you can see it, touch it, but your foggy mind unfortunately doesn't remember your story. You're confused, because you want to understand the behavior of the scarlet thief, but she eludes you. You're at the end of consciousness; you want to form empty memories in your head and put them together. You're trying to. You scream. You wake up at night. But despite these experiences, you still cannot vent your idealized desires. You drown in idealistic beliefs and lose the illusion of happiness.

You want to be next to her, you want to be only for her, but you cannot cross a certain line that you establish at the beginning of the relationship. You have to maintain any feeling, because you have no right to judge it by your own incomprehensible emotions.

You agree to a new beginning, to change your life, but you are afraid. And even though Carmen confirms your question, she kisses you on the cheek, and her silvery eyes are truth and fall, you hide in your complex fears.

For a brief moment, you forget about the time in the coffee shop, when you can't yet tell the lie from the truth. But that's where you see the red that surrounds you. You give a glance, you hand out a small piece of paper with the address of your favorite coffee shop, hoping to meet her again; it's only anomaly. But she doesn't come to the meeting, you're sad and disappointed. You are waiting. You hit your fist on the table, holding a cup of black coffee in your hand. You're thinking too hard to stop. You finally walk away with a pain in your face.

However, when a few weeks after this incident you again see a woman in the opera; her red coat and a sincere smile, you are surprised. With delicate fingers, she touches your shoulders, saying that she is waiting for you outside. Then the distinctive garment disappears outside the door, and you stand stunned and confused. You leave the building and look for familiar eyes. You find a girl who looks at you carelessly.

"Wait a second," you hear a soft whisper that makes you go back to the hospital room. You open tired eyelids and memories fade away. Carmen lowers your arms, a faint smile gives you hope, you embrace your world, but it is too far away anyway. "I'll be back".

Before you answer, the woman leaves. You think about all the situations when she too leaves you speechless. However, you have no regrets; the scarlet thief is a lonely bird, she has freedom in her blood. Nobody can stop her. So you sit impatiently on the bed, hiding your cool hands under the covers. You feel a complicated urge to follow in her footsteps. Five minutes is forever for you.

"I keep my word."

The first thing you see are two paper cups held by a friend. The pleasant aroma of coffee spreads throughout the room. This time a smile appears on your face. She comes closer to you, handing you a hot drink possibly from a nearby vending machine.

"Thank you," you say, under the impression that Carmen's gesture is not just a friendly promise, but something more, "but you didn't have to," you explain.