When apricots will forget - FINISHED -

Confidences

When we first met, he used to tease me about the bewitching smell of apricots that kept him awake. After several lifetimes spent with my freedom as my only partner, he was the one I loved.

Looking at the apricot trees in the distance, Ezik let out a long sigh. He couldn't help it. He had spent the whole week convincing himself not to come back, and yet, as the days passed, he found new reasons to see Kirke again. He couldn't just be offended because she had kissed him, he understood that she must be lonely. How could he not be intrigued by this magic? It was only natural that he should want to know more.

Curry took the lead and dashed towards the cabin. Ezik walked closer. He saw a human form at the gate, seemingly talking to Kirke. At this distance, he could not make out anything but the long brown hair, from which he deduced that it must be a woman. She was wearing trousers, which stood out next to Kirke's long dress with petticoats. Their figures were distant from each other. The two women seemed to be exchanging words but did not seem to be friends. Perhaps they didn't even know each other.

Before he could get close enough, the stranger disappeared across the clearing.

By the time he reached the gate, Kirke had gone back to lying on the bench and seemed to be absorbing the light. She sat down as Curry, beside her, gently nudged her hand with the tip of his muzzle. Ezik waved and she came over, beaming.

"I wondered if you were ever coming back. I'm glad to see you again."

"I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner," Ezik apologised quickly. "How are you doing?"

"Much better, now that you're here."

I suspected she was lonely, the young man thought, but yet it is her decision to stay here.

"Tell me, Kirke, I saw you talking with a woman, is she a friend of yours?"

Kirke's smile disappeared for a moment and she seemed to be annoyed by the question. But the impression disappeared immediately and Kirke replied in a cheerful voice.

"Oh no, it's just one of the girls from the village next door. She comes to take me some apricots now and then and sometimes lends me a book or two."

This explained the distance he had noted between the two women. But then if Kirke had contact with the outside world, why didn't she go out?

"Why don't you come out of the garden?" he asked her, "I understand that you would give up your memories of this place, but wouldn't it be worth it to have a real life, outside of this little field? What kind of memory is so important that you would want to stay here?"

Kirke seemed to have waited for this question. Perhaps she had met strangers before Ezik and they had come to the same conclusion as he had. Kirke's eyes darkened and for a moment it seemed as if she could not see him. She bit her lower lip and seemed to hesitate to answer. Ezik couldn't help but find the situation theatrical and immediately blamed himself for reducing the pain Kirke was feeling to a mere game.

"This is where my daughter, Aradia, was born."

Ezik understood the kind of memories implied by this answer. He said nothing. Kirke told him her story:

"I hid here so that my pregnancy would not be discovered. The man I loved could not marry me and we thought we could hide here for a while until Aradia was born. When he came out first, I discovered what this garden was all about. I saw the father of my child not remembering that I had given birth. He did not believe me when I told him that it was his daughter. He was convinced that I had fooled him and left me here. Since then, I don't dare go out."

"I'm sorry," Ezik replied stupidly.

"I tried to keep my daughter close to me, but she couldn't stand being locked up here. One morning, when she was 15, she disappeared. When I got up, she was already gone. I don't know how she survived outside the garden, all her memories were linked to this place! Now it's just me and my memories. If I got out of here, I would forget Aradia."

Ezik did not know how to react. He tried to take Kirke's hand over the fence, but an invisible force seemed to prevent him. Kirke saw him and said:

"You can't link the outside and the inside without full consent."

Part of the young woman's story was strange to Ezik. If the garden really did freeze people in time, how could she have given birth? And how could her daughter have grown up, when Kirke had obviously never aged? It doesn't add up.

"Would you mind coming in with me for a few moments?"

Ezik was interrupted in his thoughts and, not wishing to hurt the young woman further, prepared to open the portal. As he did last time, the moment he put his hand on the latch, Kirke replied in a different, much lighter tone:

"That was wonderful. Thank you." She added at his confused look, "You forgot, didn't you?"

"I've just come out again, haven't I?" Ezik replied, understanding what had happened. Kirke nodded.

"Let me tell you then, Kirke continued. We talked about my past. It felt good to cry a little and you were so kind to me. Then we had a good laugh and exchanged happier moments from our past. You are really very caring towards me. I am not used to being so well looked after anymore. If I ever have to take courage and get out of this place, I hope I can do it with the help of someone like you. I hope you will come back."

"Ah... Well, you're welcome... I guess."

Although he was beginning to understand how the garden worked, Ezik was still confused. It's time for me to go for the day, he thought.

He whistled to his dog at his feet and took two steps towards the forest, then stopped:

"Kirke, did anything... special happen today when I was in the garden?"

Kirke smiled at him and Ezik thought for a moment he saw a disturbing glint in her eyes, "I don't know if it was special, but you were the first to kiss me this time."