Tea Leaves and Diamond Bracelets

Nibung

Match Eighteen: Nibung:

Alfred sat on his bed replaying the images in his head. It didn't make sense to him. He had gotten used to the visions of the high school boy starving himself and looking each step closer to death. But who was the girl trying to help him?

He couldn't see the boy's face.

Alfred looked up when his phone rang.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Alfred?" a small voice asked on the phone. His heart jumped in his chest.

"Florence?" he asked. "Florence, what's the matter?"

"Nothing's wrong," she said. "I just missed you." The American man looked just as confused.

"What for?" he asked.

"I'm just really lonely," she said. Alfred narrowed his eyes. Something about those words triggered something familiar in his brain. Where had he heard them before? Was it the girl from his visions?

"Uh... sure," Alfred said. "I'll be right over. Where's Lydia?"

"She's went out shopping," Florence said. "She went into the city today."

"I see," he said. He looked out his front window. "You know what? It's a nice day today. Why don't we just sit outside on the porch and enjoy it?"

"Okay," Florence said.

"Great! I'll be over shortly," Alfred said. He couldn't believe this was happening. Why was she calling him over? Usually, he pops up over at their house. Plus, Lydia wasn't home either. The American man didn't know what to make of it. He didn't dwell on it too much either. Alfred was right out the door after hanging up the phone.

Florence sat on the porch, waiting. The sun caressed her pale skin. She looked half-asleep. Nature around her acted like a lullaby.

"Florence! Florence!" someone shouted. The tree spirit slowly opened her eyes. Alfred stood in front of her, smiling.

"Yo," he said.

"Oh, hi," she said.

"How have you been?" Alfred asked.

"A little tired," Florence said. The American man walked up to the porch and sat down on the bench next to her.

"Actually, I have to ask you something," he said.

"What is it?" Florence asked.

"Have you had weird visions before?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Alfred tried to picture how he put his next thought into words without sounding confusing. Florence looked smart enough to understand.

"It's kind of hard to explain," he began. "I keep seeing myself in a high school in the 90's or something. Only... it feels real. Do you know what I mean?"

"I think so," she said. "Why would you be seeing something like that?"

"I don't know. That's not even the crazy part."

"Oh?"

The American man shifted into place. "I keep seeing this teenage boy in this high school. He's looks so sullen and skinny." He felt always his own ribs.

"I could see his ribcage," Alfred said. "It creeps me out to see it in my head. That's not even the weirdest thing." He looked in the eye.

"This boy had my face," the American man said. Florence tilted her head.

"Do you think it's a past life?" she asked.

"What?" Alfred asked. Florence put her hand on his.

"You might be seeing visions of a past life," she explained. He gave her a strange look.

"But I don't believe in that sort of thing," the American man said.

"It doesn't matter," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"Even if you don't believe in anything, you will start to see visions," the tree spirit said. "Sometimes, the supernatural are drawn to the non-believers."

"Why is that?" Alfred asked.

"Who knows?" Florence asked. The way she talked reminded him of that girl in his visions. Even that smile looked like her. Alfred's eyes traced every feature on her face. Should I say something?

"Hey Florence," he spoke up.

"What?" she asked. Alfred shifted his shoulders up and down as he tried to put his words together.

"I think I might have seen you in this past life," he said.

"Me?" she asked.

"It's going to sound crazy, but you might have been that boy's friend at one point," Alfred said. "You were always there for him. But..."

"But?" Florence asked. The rest of words were stuck in America's mouth. Where was he going with this? Even this didn't make any sense in his head. The American man didn't know how to stop either. He words just plowed out without a single clear thought.

"I might have hurt you in a past life," he said. "I don't remember how. But before he died, you were crying." Alfred could see her face again. She lady underneath him, naked and crying. The boy in his visions didn't mean to hurt her. She didn't deserve to be dragged down because of his suffering. Alfred grabbed her by the hands.

"Can you ever forgive him or me for hurting you like that?" he asked. It just sounded so weird to say this to Florence. What if she wasn't the girl in the visions at all? But if she was, could it be the reason that he was attracted to her in the first place?

Florence took hold of his hands.

"Yes, I forgive you," she said. Alfred's heart did little flips in his chest. Without much thought, he rushed forward and kissed him on the lips. This just happened. This just happened and he didn't want to stop it. This time, Florence kissed back.

Little did they know that they would adding more to the downfall of the world in the waste land.