Michael 2.0

Part 17

“You must go now,” Charlie said, her head still resting on Michael’s chest. The Sun was almost up, and she knew they were in great trouble.

“Must I really?” he asked. “I don’t want to go, I want to stay here forever.”

“Michael, they will be furious. Just go back and tell them you felt like going out, walking around. Don’t say where, if they ask, just say you don’t know the name of the place.”

She sat up, suddenly realizing how great the danger was; Michael had risked his own existence by running away, so he needed a perfectly innocent alibi, which wouldn’t be easy.

“Alright, Michael,” she said, thinking fast. “You must remember what I’ll say now. They will probably ask you to describe the place you went. Do you remember the picture I once showed you of a garden? Many flowers and plants?”

“Yes.”

“You will describe it. Say you just needed some time and space alone. Yes,” she handed him his clothes. “Tell them that. That might convince them.”

“Why is it so dangerous?” He asked as he got dressed.

“Because I am not allowed to see you, and you are not allowed to go out without telling them and without someone to escort you.”

“Well, why not?” he asked, irritated. “Am I their prisoner?”

“No, no, no,” Charlie rushed to say. “Michael, they only want the best for you.”

“Then they are failing miserably, because the best for me is you.”

Charlie approached him and kissed his lips again, touched by his tenderness. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he replied. “When will I see you again?”

She sighed. “Michael, I don’t know if we will ever see each other again. It’s too risky.”

“I don’t care about the risks!” he said. “Let’s run away together. Forget about the rest.”

For a minute, she felt very tempted to accept that offer; after all, they loved each other, and they were together against the world. But then, reality hit her, and she knew it would never work. Michael was not human; he required constant and proper maintenance. Not to mention it would be easy to track them, once they found out both went missing. No, that was not a chick movie or a love song.

“Michael, it’s impossible,” Charlie said sadly. “I’m sorry, my dear. We can’t run away. They would find us, and we would be in danger.”

Michael lost his words, as he realized Charlie was saying goodbye again to him. “Please, Charlotte, don’t let me live without you.”

“Where is the necklace?”

He took the piece off his pocket and showed her.

“Keep our happy memories forever with you,” she asked. “Keep me close to your heart.”

“Do you think I have a heart?” he asked, surprised.

“I know you do,” she touched his chest, where, if he was human, she would be able to feel his heartbeats. “A heart is not only an organ. It’s where love lives in us.”

“And you’ll be in my heart, no matter what they said,” he intoned, with a sad smile.

Charlie couldn’t hold the laugh. “You remember every song of ‘Tarzan’?”

“Every word of it.”

“Then remember this: I know we’re different but deep inside us, we’re not that different at all.”

He nodded, apparently finding great happiness in her words. “You are right. And believe me, Charlotte, this is not goodbye. We will meet again.”

“Go now, Michael,” she said, kissing him again. If he didn’t leave, she was afraid she’d not let him go.

“I love you,” he said. “Do not forget me.”