The boy got out of his bed and hugged her, “I was right to stop waiting.” he said under his breath. She hugged him back, uttering something under her breath as well, “My sweet prince…” Afterwards, Damian started teaching her his numerous recipes, the ways in which he relaxes and told her the innumerable stories that he has thought of for his experience did not extend much past the front door of his house. Days much like the one I described passed, but the trees did not remain green forever and autumn soon came. The boy knew what that meant, it meant that he had to return to the city and start the next school year in an apartment along with his parents, in the suburbs of that city. He did not wish to leave Alice, nor did she want him to leave, and so, as the Abyss heard of his coming leave, it thought of something. It thought that it must have him forever, it would not be complete without him, it would not be whole without him, it would be exactly as it had been before him, it would return to the rest of the abyss and become once again one with the emptiness. But what could it do to drag him with it into the dark essence from where he would never escape, into that darkness where he would not feel sorry for what he left behind for the emptiness would engulf his mortal essence and encase it into a box of complacency? “May we go and look at the beautiful stars in the sky before you leave? I would dearly want to see them with you.” said Alice.
Damian nodded and they waited for the night. After the Sun had set, the boy grabbed her stony hand and they went outside, searching for an appropriate place of rest and a place from where they may gaze at the shiny gems in the sky. Past the hills, past the naked trees in the brown forests, they eventually stopped near a river that seemed to steam and boil for Alice had been shivering since they left the house. However, the Abyss had lied to the boy for the dark essence out of which it was made could not feel heat or cold. Why did it lie? For the boiling river was the only way through which it could be one with him, it was the only way through which it could erase his mortal body and drag its essence into it, into the abyss. Damian and Alice laid on the grass near the river and looked up at the stars that formed different symbols, the chilling wind was blowing like never before and a feeling of peace and serenity came with that cold wind and engulfed both of them. Alice pointed at one of the star symbols that resembled a heart, “It is said that if two people find themselves below a heart made out of stars, they will fall forever in love and become newlyweds before they know of it.” she stated, turning her gaze towards Damian. The boy turned his gaze towards her and they began to stare into each other’s eyes longfully. His hand then grasped hers and they started to feel each other’s fiery pulse.
The Abyss couldn’t be happier and it thought of every adventure that they could have on this world, of every smile that they would share and of every second that would pass for Damian would be immortal just like it, and bound by the abyss, just like it…As those words resonated within its essence, the thought of being with him distorted more and more and the truth came to light. It knew that such a relationship would not work for he is a mortal and it is an immortal concept. To tie him to its realm without his agreement would be cruel and not an action of mutual love. It knew this beforehand, but it did not want to think of it, it did not want to think of a world without him, it did not want to think of a window without its sweet prince. The Sun was over the hills and Alice, no, the Abyss knew what that meant, it meant that it was all over. The Abyss, however, had already decided how it would proceed and looked for one last time at its crying prince. Damian was crying for he knew that he would not be seeing Alice for a long time. Had he known the truth, this tale would have been different. Alas, he knew not that the Abyss was the one with which he fell in love, he knew not that the Abyss had been staring back at him through his window all of this time, nor did he know what the Abyss had decided to do. The Sun rose higher and higher, it was almost over the hills. The Abyss gazed into the hot river before them and at the menacing Sun. They got on their feet and hugged for more than a minute, “I will miss you.” he said with rivers of tears running down his cheeks. “I will miss you too.” Alice comfortingly responded. They broke the hug and were about to head back when the Abyss made its move. It intentionally tripped on a rock and fell into the boiling river, releasing the stone form into which it was encased, allowing itself not to be erased from existence by the river but by the Sun that had risen way above those hills. The dark essence faded as quickly as it fell and Damian was left screaming, crying and clawing his face as he blamed himself that Alice died.
His white hair grew longer and his red eyes whitened once more, this time with blindness. The scars that he had done to himself remained and more soon followed as his pain grew more than he could bear. His state worsened and, eventually, he could no longer participate in social acts. He became mute, deaf, blind and unresponsive, isolated within his mind. His parents cried and cried, but they did not realize what he went through, nor did they ever discover as his story died with him. Damian spent the rest of his life with his parents, then, after their deaths, at a mental hospital, being kept alive in his vegetative state. That house in which so many delightful memories happened faded from knowledge and was eaten alive by the nature around it. The Abyss returned later, its form having regenerated from darkness itself. However, its memories of its once sweet prince were no more and it continued its conceptual immortal existence, walking on the edge between light and dark, searching for someone that it could love and that would love it. One day, it stumbled upon a mental hospital and, as it looked inside one of the bedchambers, it saw an old man with long white hair and a big white beard sitting on a chair and staring blindly into the Abyss with his white eyes. The old man did not speak, he did not move, and, yet, the Abyss felt that he looked familiar, it felt the loving presence that he was emanating towards it. The Abyss formed into the shape of an elderly woman and went inside through the open window. It approached the old man and took his hand. Even in that state, the once sweet prince smiled and followed its every move with his eyes. The Abyss instinctually smiled back without realizing why it did such a thing and took his mortal essence with a gentle pull of his hand, the old man willingly giving in to the silent proposal. The aged body became lifeless and they ventured forth within the darkness of the night, holding hands until the rest of existence without knowing why they desire to hold each other close.
“The End.” says the old man in pink pajamas with a relaxed breath.
The little girl gulps the last chocolate cookie and the remaining hot milk, “Is that it?”
“Yes, my dear, that is it. The story has ended and you better go to bed, it is quite late.”
“But I want to stay up more! Dad, can’t you tell me another story? One with a happier ending?”
The old man closes the thick brown book and places it next to his armchair, “No, my dear. I will tell you another story tomorrow. You shall now go to sleep for I have a meeting planned with some of your brothers.”
The little girl gets up and puts on her best impression of puppy eyes, “Can’t I stay at the meeting too, please?”
The old man pats
her head and she goes to sleep in an instant as if a spell has been cast, “My
dear Avrodytea, you will someday understand why I do not wish to involve you in
these family matters. But, for now, you must wait and be content with these
little stories of mine.”
The Poem:
Damian was a boy,
Who lived in a big house,
He didn't have a toy
And always wore a pink blouse.
What he needed was a friend,
Someone that would care for him,
Damian that pal would defend,
Showing up on a whim.
So he searched far and wide,
Turning the world over,
From one side to the other side,
Finding the four-leaf clover.
Days would pass
Until Damian stumbled upon his comrade,
But here it is, at last,
Making him quite glad.
The other half of his friendship,
Found inside a rock,
Discovered on a mountain top,
Kept inside a sock.
Returning to his room,
His friend became that stone,
Settled near a broom,
Thought of never again being alone.
Damian used a marker for its face,
Put freckles for the chase,
Gave it the name Alice,
And, before bed, gave her a kiss.
Fun ensued,
Nothing lewd,
Each night was the same,
Such a funny game.
However, the holiday was at an end,
After which, Damian to the city would be sent,
As such, Alice suggested for them to go
Glance at the stars from down below.
Strolling past the forest
To find a place of rest,
They stopped somewhere near a river
Because, there, Alice wouldn't shiver.
Lying on the grass,
Watching stars as moments pass,
The wind comes and goes
And through the air awe flows.
The stars align,
Or that's what they perceive,
A heart made of stars as a sign,
Hard to believe.
They turn their heads,
Simultaneously,
Just like newlyweds,
Staring longfully.
An act of love
Or an act of desire,
They hold hands
With their pulse kindled like a fire.
Albeit they could
Lay there forever,
Exploring the world they would
Whilst smiling brighter than ever.
Still, he had to move on,
The suburbs awaited,
Damian teared up at the dawn,
Had it all been fated?
But something occurred
And not even I know why,
Alice tripped on a rock,
Into the river she fell during his cry.
Damian, to prevent it he tried,
To no avail,
Alice drowned and died,
To save her he did fail.
Years later, this boy's trauma
Hasn't left his thoughts at all,
The question of what if he saved her
On poor Damian has taken its toll.
Concept Art:
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