The third Planet

10. Tim

Tim's POV

I saw her collapse on the floor as the guard hit her. I couldn't do anything.

I closed my eyes. In front of me there was still this little girl, grabbing my hand, who'd like me to sway her around the fire. She chose me. The joy in her eyes shone like the sun itself. I remembered the flowers in her soft hair later on that evening and how she told stories and stories about many strange things.

I liked her when my eyes fell on her the first time. She was beautiful and more human than I ever saw somebody else. And yet she wasn't. She was beyond all these profanities and human things. As if she was flying over all this stuff.

She was standing next to these other three people. All seemed as if they didn't fit in. As if they were from a different earth.

"Stand up, Tim" she said. Her voice sweet and understanding.

The ropes were removed from my wrists and I fell to the ground. It cooled the heat of my body.
Nothing can harm you now, I repeated in my head.

"Tim, do it now" she demanded. It sounded like a slight chuckling. As if she like torturing others. Probably she really did.

Guards helped me up and supported me. We weren't enemies. They weren't against me and I wasn't against them. Just against our so-called "queen". She wasn't my queen, she'd never be.

She signaled me to come closer. I limped nearer. "You know it wasn't your fault, do you?"

I have no answer. Neither was it my fault, nor Claire's. It was only hers.

"Tss... You like Claire, don't you? It's obvious. Actually she's the only one who doesn't notice. If you think, she'll ever see you as more as a friend, then I have to disappoint you. As your friend, it's my job to tell you the truth."

"As long as I can stay by her side, I don't care" I hissed back.

Damn, Claire was wonderful. How could somebody not like her? I'd be loyal to her, other than Ana was. I remember how Claire screamed that Ana promised her something... I remembered how she said something of the other planet... Which other planet?

"Some day it won't be enough anymore, not even for you. Get out of my eyes.".

The guards walked me out the hall and into the hospital wing.

The alcohol burned on my open and sore skin but I knew that it would help later on. The white blanket was red from the blood. I stopped bleeding an hour ago and now I just had to sit and rest. I gave me four hours till I left. There were other things that I had to finish.

I hesitated in front of her white door. The guards looked suspicious but didn't try to hold me back.
Ana was right... I didn't know if I had the courage to tell her but I knew I loved her. I'd never hurt her.

I layed my hand on the door handle. My muscles stiffened under my shirt and I started to get nervous. My shirt should cover up the open skin, does it? I washed my blood away, did I forget anything? I tried to calm down with tapping the easy rhythm of my first evening with Claire. It help.

I pushed the handle down and entered the room.

The windows were open as much as possible. The small balcony revealed flowers and two chairs which weren't visible while the doors were closed. Claire sat at a table, semi-relaxed and with a pencil in her hand. Her blue dress fit to her surrounding. Paper was spread over the ground. In addition the bed was a mess and the breakfast only half eaten.

It was noon.

She didn't turn around. I wasn't even sure if she heard me coming in.  So I walked over to her, placing my hand lightly on her shoulder. She jerked up and stared at me in shock.