Story of James and Franklin.
A fine young man came into the clinic one day, worn out, curls in a massive tangle and a pair of dull eyes that told me that he was done crying and that he only wanted to be alone. This man went by Franklin Carraway. He carried himself with threadbare dignity until he fell onto the sofa with his legs kicked up high. I went towards him and sat down next to him on a wooden chair.
"Mr Carraway," I noted, "How may I help you tonight?" He glanced away, holding his breath. We both turned towards the fantastic streaks of lightning outside before fully absorbing the claps of thunder that came soon after.
He continued to sigh after that, resting his head on his palm. I had nothing to go off of except the tear residues still lingering in his eyes.
"Something terrible has happened," said Franklin after a long moment of silence. I nodded, politely gesturing him to enlighten me. He sniffled and straightened his back to look at me. Under normal circumstances, his tan skin and dark green eyes would glow under sunlight; he would've been an angel. Franklin must've seen my pity for he began to cry heavily.
"I lost someone dear to me, Doctor!" Franklin cried desperately with tears streaming down his red cheeks. "I have nothing left!" He wept even harder.
"Why would you say that?" I inquired.
"I'm done for," Franklin said pitifully as he glanced to his shoes, drenched with cold rainwater mixed with dirt. I shook my head and reached for the crown of his head, pressing it carefully.
I couldn't help myself but say, "Mr Carraway, you're jumping to conclusions again. Now, explain yourself: why do you come in feeling helpless and hopeless, as if the world had decided to turn against everything you stand for?" I meant nothing in particular by the last remark but Franklin looked up with faint hope. He seemed relieved, I suppose he thought that I could understand his story.
"Doctor Aaron, the man I have been coming to for years - my confidant - I am going to tell you something strange. Please listen to me, at least try to, for my thoughts and feelings are scattered now. I trust you. Will you believe me, Doctor?" Franklin pleaded. He forced a smile, a vaguely charming smile that showed his sincerity. "I want you to understand. I think you will. I want to tell you."
From then on, I insist that we called each other by our first names and he obliged. We got some warm tea and looked at each other in silence as the rain lightened up. Occasionally, it would stop for a few moments before continuing. Nevertheless, the sky was still dark and only faint glimmers of moonlight sparkled off the raindrops. The wind howled through the gaps of the windows, chilling us both to the bone. We settled down comfortably into our seats and with a few candles lit up for a calming atmosphere, he began to talk.
Before I relay this story, I would like to tell you some "warnings" of sorts. The society that Franklin quite often associated himself in had deep roots in the mythological or the "Unknown Entities". There, unicorns did exist but not in the sense most are aware of. They are typically seen to be beautiful people who can turn into a unicorn when in grave danger. The object of Franklin's affections or the person who was "dear" to him is no exception. I knew as I've seen him a couple of times.
His name is James Blake, a pragmatic, dry and light-hearted individual. He had shoulder-length silver hair that would have looked like a pale lilac in this space. His soft and gentle hair framed his sharp jawline and features. The most beautiful sight of this young man was his side profile. His slender nose would move downwards gracefully to his pale lips. Franklin was particularly fond of this sight. Those two had somewhat similar styles of dressing (for your curiosity, I am often called sloppy by the couple because of this) where they possess a certain grace and elegance as they carried on with life.
I realise now that I'm tantalising you too much, my apologies, I'll get back to the point. The privileged society Franklin associated himself with is aptly called the "UEC" or the Unicorn Extermination Council. That's a rather convenient coincidence, isn't it? Franklin served to find unicorns that may be hiding in the city and then report it to the UEC accordingly.
Surprisingly, it was on this job that he met James. At first glance, I am most definitely sure Franklin knew that James is a unicorn. I'm getting ahead again. Come, let me tell you about their first meeting. This is when we hear from Franklin directly.
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