Gambler Needs Some Advice and Morale Support (It's Over?)

Her eyes slowly reopen, sensitive to the light after being closed for what felt like the longest kiss of her life. Her fingers came up to touch her lips, checking if they were wet. They weren’t – but they felt like they were still wet. Her cheeks became flushed and she felt her entire face becoming hot from embarrassment.

“G-gambler… I… I had a feeling you felt this way… but I was scared…”
“Scared of me?”
“Scared… of falling in love…”

There was silence. Not an awkward silence, but a silence that released and fulfilled her at the same time. He was speaking to her without saying a word – his eyes recited love poems, the strong hands on her declared vows of love, the scent of his cologne whispered teasing flirtations.

“I know you were afraid, but you don’t have to be – not anymore.”
†˜Do you promise? Can I really be unafraid? Will you stay by me? Can you even stay by me?”

There was a pause, and they both knew what was coming.

“ I know… I know what you do – why you are always out so late at night, why you have bruises on your arms, why you try so hard when you don’t have too.”
“I do have to… this city, these people… they need me…”

His gaze wondered pass her. Behind them, two men in black suits were slowly getting out of a car, their eyes fixed on the couple.

“I know it isn’t fair to ask you this but… but will you wait for me? I’ll be back for you. Just wait for me, just a little longer.”
She nodded, tears starting to form in her eyes, slowly treading across her face and down towards her chin – running down … down… down… but then stopped by a hand, just before they dripped away toward the ground.

“Don’t cry – I’ll be alright.”
“Promise me.”
“I’ll come back for you”
“You have to promise…”

He turned his eyes away… she looked for an answer in his expression, or more like – she admitted - for the answer she wanted to hear. She could see what it was he was trying to tell her, but she couldn’t accept it – he wasn’t going to make her a promise. Maybe if she fought against him, maybe if she could just reach him, maybe if she could convince him that he would be able to keep the promise – that had to be it. Maybe he was just scared he wouldn’t be able to keep the promise. She had to change his mind, she knew she could change his mind – but it was too late. Time was up. The two men in black suits were only a couple of feet away.

Their presence was invading, like two filthy animals that had wandered onto sacred ground – their sacred ground.

“I’m sorry. I have to –“
“I know… Go ahead, I’ll be fine…”
The hands on her waist slipped away, like two giant suspension cables being snapped, she felt all her strength disappear. She collapsed. Rocks on the ground dug into her knees, and her senses were dulling. Her eye sight must have been fading – no it wasn’t her… it was the world… yes that was it. She wasn’t losing her eyesight - the world was losing its color. Everything was bland, everything was tasteless. The entirety of the world, everything she knew and loved only the day before, had melded into one giant, gray, stagnant blob.

The men in suits started to talk – she didn’t listen, it was just sounds not words. She didn’t watch the fight, but out of the corner of her eyes she saw the man who only moments ago stole her lips start to flow and ebb around his attackers. His movements were powerful but it was a controlled power. His body was under his complete command – every moment was intentional, every act deliberate and effective. He had mastered and perfected every inch of himself, and this made her mind drift towards thoughts of – well to embarrassing thoughts… to fantastic thoughts.

Sound of gunfire rang out, and soon the motorcycle they rode together during their day’s excursion was racing down the main street. A car with two men in black suits chased after it.

It all passed so quickly, yet so slowly. Bringing herself back to her feet, she looked at the small box that contained her Christmas gift. She had held onto it the entire time. Her finger slid into a slit in the paper where she could rip off the Christmas paper wrapping that enveloped it.

For a second she paused.

“No, I don’t think I’ll open it. I can wait.

Yeah… I’ll wait…”