The Scent of Yours

The moment I arrived to Crete I felt my heart beating again . Every emotion came back to me and I was on the verge of passing out. Happiness, anxiousness, fear, relief , vulnerability I felt everything at once .
It was like I was borbanded with different kind of feelings at the same time .

How would she react seeing me?

What if I scared her?

Would she run away at the sight of me ?

I headed to the park next to the labyrinth. The park from where wind blew to my direction and I caught her scent . Where she went every morning with my sister and spent her time gossiping about people of our town . Giggling or singing , saying stories about our Gods or talking about their problems . They spent there their morning and kept me company .

As I approached the park I felt it . That odor , that sweet , hypnotizing odor tickling my nostrils , enchanting me with its perfection and pureness.

Walking closer to get a better view I saw a small framed girl around 17 sitting on a bench under the olive tree crying , hiding behind her hands. My heart ached at the sight and I walked nearer to see what caused her sobs .

"Hey" I called out to get her attention

She looked up at the sound of my voice pausing her whimpering for a second to see who interfered her private moment.

The moment she laid eyes on me she jumped in her seat and a shriek left her mouth. Her puffy red eyes widened in horror and her hands flew up in front of her silently telling me to back off .

I swallowed the hurt this small gesture caused to me and lowered my head . Of course she would be scared of me . What was I expecting?
For her to see me and jump into my embrace?
Who was I kidding.

At the end of the day I would be in underworld , with only her image in my mind .

She was gorgeous.
Beautiful big green eyes , a straight small cute nose and heart shaped pink lips .
Her brown wavy hair that reached the middle of her back was blown by the wind to one side and made her even more desirable .

My dreams made her no justice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you "
I gently said , my voice low in whisper . I reached out to her slowly not to startle her, praying she would see I had good intentions.

"Ahh back off Minotaurus! I don't want to die yet !"
She exclaimed, her forest green eyes still wide in fright .

So she knew who I was !
She heard of me .
I didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad. Did she ask about me ? Did she gossip about me with her other friends?

"I don't want to hurt you"
I assured her , saying as softly as possible.

"What are you doing here ? You were killed! Did someone from underworld sent you here to get me ?"
She cried out .

"No! Noone is after you. You are safe . I'm not here to hurt you"
I explained again but she looked at me suspisioucly , still hesitating.

"What do you want from me ?"
She demanded to know still a little afraid .

" I just have to tell you that I love you. I love you more than anything. You can't imagine how much you helped me through these years. Your sweet scent kept me hostile in the image of yours . Every time I heard you talk or laugh I forgot about my miserable life and lived like I was the luckiest creature in this world . You were my happiness, you were the reason my heart bit , you are my hope ! Even when I was killed my mind was calling for you . You are my sanity."
I admitted to her with my hand on my heart , looking her in the eyes studying every part of her.

" But you are a monster "
She whispered so low I barely heard it. I wish I never heard it though. I wish I misunderstood her .

It felt like someone stabbed me in the chest , right on the heart once again. This time , though , it was more painful and it was killing me.

I was a monster

I knew I was

I didn't notice it was raining and my face became wet, that colourless liquid running down my face . I didn't notice that my voice was taken again and the only thing that left my lips were whimpers . I didn't notice my heart stopped beating and my lungs tighten.

Was that it?

Was I being taken down already?

Didn't I have time till the end of the day?

"You are crying"
Elpida stated . She looked at me confused and took a step back sitting back on the bench.

At first I didn't understand what she meant but then I realized. I was indeed crying. Was that what crying felt like ? An unpleasant feeling like you are drowning in a pool you creat yourself.

I sat on the ground hidding myself behind my hands in embarrassment. What was wrong with me ? Why wasn't it stopping?

" I love you Elpida, I loved you since I can remember myself . And I need you. You keep me sane and composed. Give me a chance and I will do anything and everything for you to prove my love to you . I will make you happy and cherish you ."
I cried as the pain in my heart didn't reduce.

She stood up from the bench and came closer to me lowering herself on the grass next to me . She brought her hands to my face and wiped the wetness with her thumbs.

The moment her skin touched mine I could breath again . That moment I could smell her delicious scent right off of her .

So close

I closed my eyes and inhaled her as much as I could, trying to make it last forever.

Her eyes held mine and she was trying to see through them . To have a look at my soul . I didn't blink . That moment was priceless, I didn't want to miss her slightest move . I was living in my fantasies and dreams.
Her lips were inches away from mine and her breathing sped up.

And then everything fell apart.

I was so close but I was weak against the agreement with Gods.
In a heartbeat I was drugged down once again but this time it was late night. My soul with all my feelings and emotions flew out of me and I collapsed on the too familiar moistured ground .

•••

When I got back my consciousness I went through the same things I did the last time . The only difference was I had my brother to help me .

I walked to the wall I broke the last time . I didn't know how long I was there , how long since I last saw my Elpida, since I felt her skin on mine. Maybe a few days , weeks or months according to the dates in the world above .

I stretched out my hand and started searching for the small red flower I left behind . I removed some stones I had put and when I saw it there I let out a sigh of relief . It was still there , still blooming. How was it possible?

Its red petals were opened already and it was looking at me as if it wanted to tell me something. Even though I lost every drop of hope I ever had for my Elpida to love me back , looking at this flower I thought that there was nothing impossible in the world.

Whatever would happen couldn't make me stop loving her. However long I would be there I wouldn't stop thinking of her . Nothing could stop me believing in my dreams and miracles.

Lost in my own thoughts I didn't realize a presence behind me.
That reminded me of the same situation with my brother .
I turned, this time calmer , to see who was there .

The moment i saw who was standing behind me , it was like I felt shock because my eyes widened and my mouth fell open .

There standing in all her glory was my flower. But why couldn't I smell that enchanting odor of hers? What was she doing in the underworld ?

" I came here to be with you Minotaurus , I love you too "

As a Greek saying says
' Elpida (=hope) is the last one who dies'