The Cruel Side of Hearts [COMPLETED]

Chapter 17: Stories

You know Sometimes you're in such a grey mood . Not that it's all bad, but it feels like all the emotions have gone somewhere, and where the rows of ancient books used to line the shelf there's just this thick layer of dust now.

Somehow I came back to Luces. I came out from across the cave at the diamond beaches , and arrived to Mira's apartment around midnight.

I was very uncomfortable when I woke her up by ringing the doorbell. Her voluminous curly hair was spreading out in all directions, and her silver eyes blinked sleepily.

"Hogan?" she asked, "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were dead! You've been missing for about a year and a half!"

" A year and a half?!"

"Yes!" You just left one night and no one heard of you since!"

"we need to talk" I said at the end.

"Well, come in then..." replied Mira with a surprise.

She sat me on the couch, then went into the kitchen and made us each a cup of tea.

"I have something to tell you" I said.

Mira looked at me questioningly.

"Just something? Hogan, you've been away for a year and a half, you need not tell me "something" , you ought to be writing a whole ass essay for me"

"You're right." I replied, smiling sheepishly

" well, go ahead."

"there's something living in my head" I started...

I told Mira most of it. I told her practically everything, about Ethel and how it all started. About It, about Roger, and about my existence in Omen. And told her about It's appearance. I told her about the nightmares that visited me at night, and how It felt as if I couldn't live without Ethel, Even though I knew that because I was with her I was pretty much like the undead. I told her how I wished I could forget it all... And how my selectively clear memory had become my greatest enemy.

She was silent for a few seconds, and then breathed out.

"You remember how I told you as soon as I got here about the people in our City..."

" yes"

" after hearing, and partially experiencing everything you've been through... It seems so...liberating"

I was so surprised I couldn't answer.

" At least you got a chance to make mistakes and figure out who you are. You leaned what you want and what you don't and how to react. I don't have that option. In our city, anything that isn't perfect goes in the trash that has soiled our beaches. Once upon a time, a long time ago, this city was also full of love..the free kinf. But the only love that is allowed is... "normal"... everything else is strictly prohibited. When people try to create a perfect love, the only thing they succeed in accomplishing is resentment. All love is perfect, and those who try to control it don't understand the very essence of love.

When I first came to your island... I didn't know how you would react. I didn't know if you would talk to me like the people who live... around here. There are too many rules in Luces about who to love and how to... What your roles are.

No one even knew I was flying away. No one knew that I know how to... The front of a "perfect girl" helps me blend in with the people of this town... Yeah. but unfortunately I'm not."

I sat there, stunned, unsure of what she meant.

"Wait until morning. I'll explain everything to you Then"

With these words she got up and turned off the light in the hallway, walking down the hall to her bedroom.

I stayed in the living room, pondering over her words. She was right, to me love had always been a symbol of Freedom. I had always thought that love would save me... but I never knew what from.

When I was little I was very fond of fairy tales. I loved to hear stories about princes and princesses who fell in love at first sight. I always imagined myself as some brave hero who would save the girl of his dreams. I had entire books at home, stories written down to the very last moments. I described my exploits in full fiery details. I always thought that if I wanted something, I was sure to get it. No matter how difficult the circumstances, at the end everything would be fine.

Fairy tales lie. They always show life in black and white. There's the hero, there's the Princess and there's the things you have to get out of the way to get your "happy ever after."

Never tells the story of people in the script themselves. No one ever tells about how the princess may not want to be saved, And that her prince perhaps isn't worthy of her love. No one ever tells about how those who are considered evil sometimes suffer more than everyone else. This Comfort that these fairy tales brought me now just reminds me that real life is a much more multifaceted subject.

In real life, the side characters themselves live a full and rich story, for they are the main characters of their own fates. No one is ever wholly perfect or fully corrupt. Everyone's soul is made up a unique combination of elements, which in my opinion,  is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, because we are made of so many unique pieces, at times it may feel that we are incomplete.

Without noticing how time passed, I slowly began to doze off. In my dream I dreamt of a million stars, and a joyful Roger who chased a ball around between them.