Burdish delicacies (II)

The butler announced our dinner was served. The table was nicely laid in a beautiful romantic corner of the terrace, beside a tree that looked a zillion years old, whose roots came out of the ground in a strange shape.

There were flowers and candles and the rack of lamb was in the middle of the table, perfectly roasted amid some tasty delicacies. Ed carved it.

- Help yourself, honey. –he said, offering me the tray-
- Mmmmm this is delicious, Ed. –I said, enjoying every single bite of the mouthwatering dish-
- Thanks. I’m glad you like it.

A small chamber orchestra formed by three dead souls played a sad waltz with their violins. Dripping sadness and aching strings made me feel pain and inconsolable sorrow. Two tiny tears appeared soon in my eyes and slowly rolled down my face. I tried to stop them… but it couldn’t be possible: my unstoppable tears kept falling.

It was an awesome night. I could see from the terrace the full moon reflected on the sea, lighting the way of a few clouds drifting by. I sipped from my glass of red wine, still whimpering. Ed stared at me and I showed a weak smile. He rushed beside me, alarmed, kneeled down and stroking my cheeks all wet with tears, asked tenderly:

- Poor little love, what is it you’re crying for? Tell me…
- No. –I said, shaking my head-

I couldn’t tell him I was really overwhelmed by his kindness and yet sad because I hadn’t heard from Bob for three long weeks.

- Perhaps you don’t like the food? Leave it then! I’ll make some other nice and tasty stuff for you.
- No. The food is great, Ed –I answered, pouting-
- Is it the music? Just tell me what you want to hear, honey, and this weepy ballad will stop at once.
- No. I like the music –I said, still pouting-
- Ok, sweet darling. I won’t insist. Everybody has the right to keep secrets. And it’s not a sin to have a good cry sometimes.

He held me sweetly into his arms and stroked my hair. I tried to gain control of my aching heart, but I couldn’t and cried like a baby, all lost in loneliness.

- You feel like when you were at school and the other kids wouldn't let you play with them, right? –he whispered with a low voice, kissing my forehead-.

I nodded. Yes, it was that pervasive feeling of not belonging. My grief was unbearable.

- Your Bob is on a business trip, Leni. Why he couldn’t even bother telling you… I don’t know. –he said, very upset-
- How do you know? –I asked-
- I just fucking know, baby. I know who he fucking is! –he said, raising his voice- Promise me you won’t let him hurt you again.
- How do you think I can do that?
- Next time you see him, tell him nicely to get stuffed. I'm sure he’ll get the message.

That made me giggle and I slowed down my sobbing. He realised I didn’t want to comment on the last things he said.

- Hey crybaby... wipe away those tears. –he said, smiling at me-. I can be a very moody old-fashioned guy, but I know how to make you laugh.

I smiled. Ed gestured to the dead souls and they started dancing and playing a lovely happy tune that cheered me up a bit. He took my hand and said:

- I used to ride a horse in my time, but now I have an Aston Martin and a Triumph motorcycle. I can give you a ride if you want.

Wow! Percy was right! He was probably the richest man in the South Sandwich Islands! And that ride sounded very promising.

He brushed my cheek with his right middle finger and said:

- And please, don’t think I just listen to baroque music and sad pavannes. Look at me. I came back to life as a post-punk. You know, Siouxie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Killing Joke, The Cure… I reckon it’s a bit outdatish, but that’s my favourite music.

Siouxie rang a bell, but not the others. There was a mini-generation gap between us.

- So you’re supposed to be a Generation X man! –I said-
- Actually, according to my age I should be a Disco Generation man, but I especially dislike cuffed bell bottoms, high-waisted pants and platform shoes. Enough about me… Let’s talk about you now. You seem to have grown up under the scary influence of Pokemon and Harry Potter –he laughed loudly-.
- Oh, no. I’m a little older than that. I grew up with Sesame Street and Pippi Longstockings. Those were my favourite TV programs when I was a kid. And Roadrunner too. I don’t know if you’re… familiar with them.

He chuckled to himself.

- Babe, I was here long before you were born. I watch TV. And I also have a Mac, an iPod touch and impressive songlists downloaded from iTunes. Sorry to disappoint you: I’m not a caveman, but rather a modern grumpy bastard –he laughed very loudly-. Of course I know Pippi… whatever, Sesame Street and Roadrunner.

I blushed and looked down. He pinched my chin between his fingers, lifted my face to look at him and kissed me sweetly.

- In the eighteenth century the main amusements of the Burdish population were Shakesperian theatre and music houses. Haendel and Purcell were my favorites. And, of course, the national entertainment was making children! –he roared with laughter-.

Hm. So he was not sexless. He stared at me, his red eyes glowing intensely.

- Yes, believe it or not people already shagged three hundred years ago. -he said-
- Oh I never doubted they did. Otherwise, the human race would have disappeared long time ago.
- Right. But nowadays we have nuclear fusion, stem cells, information technologies, and so many other techy stuffs. Life is a bit more complicated.
- I see. So you’re updated.

All of a sudden, he seemed to have a brilliant idea and said:

- Leni… let me show you my pool of blood. –he said, reaching out to hold my hand-.

I thought it was the end. I assumed he would be biting my neck on the spot; leaving two tiny bloody holes; gaining mental control over me; sucking my sweet blood entirely; making me feel dizzy; my skin going from pale to vampiric anemic; the perfect finale would be throwing me into that pool of blood he mentioned, where he probably pushed all the victims of his atrocities, condemning them to wander like hopeless drifters through all eternity.

I was about to panic, covering my eyes with my hands, expecting the worst and hoping it wouldn’t hurt too much, when he said:

- Why are you closing your eyes? This is probably the most amazing sight you’ve ever seen!

I opened my eyes and saw a big round pond full to the brim of… dark red rubies shining intensely under the light of the moon. That was what he called… his pool of blood.

The red shine was bewitching. I couldn’t stop watching. He kneeled down and took one of the precious stones with the shape of a heart, exactly the size of my hand.

- This is for you. It’s my dearest drop of blood. Please, make me happy and take it. –he said, putting the red stone on the palm of my hand-. It’s more than just a jewel. If you keep it by your side, it will predict your future.
- Ed… -I said-
- I know what you’re going to tell me. You don’t want to know about your future. Make me happy and keep it, baby.

The red ruby heart glowed on my hand. I was becoming a little bit paranoid. What if the red thingy had a GPS hidden inside so that he could trace me at any time? He was a Hell minion commanded to keep watch on me!

- I suppose I can’t say no. –I said, giving up-
- That's right.

I put the ruby on the table. He held my right hand, pressed my hips to him and we danced. The salty scented sea breeze blew on our faces and the smell of the summer flowers enfolded us.

He gently caressed my flowing red evening dress; stroke my back and let his hands run casually to my bottom, quickly withdrawing them back to my hips again. As I turned under his arm, he arranged that his fingertips would brush my decolletee for a split second. Then, he held me in his arms and we danced cheek to cheek, his voice whispering words of love in my ear.

I struggled with myself to decide what would be better: to protest weakly or just to let myself go.

- Don’t say anything now. Take the ruby. My black winged horse will take you home. –he said, covering my face with sweet butterfly kisses-. Sleep tight baby Leni, and meet me in your dreams.

And he vanished into a dark whirlpool, leaving me dancing with myself. I heard the horse hoofs. The announced black pegassus was galloping behind the trees and stopped by the light of a moonbeam.

I gently caressed its flowing mane, rode it and flew up in the sky, over Ed’s mansion and gardens, over the sea and the fields of the island and over the city, stopping by my flat.

I crawled through my bedroom window and waved goodbye to the sweet black pegassus that flew its way back to the mansion.

Then I sat on the bed, put the ruby on the palm of my right hand and watched it flutter strongly. It was beating just like a real heart.





"Bring me to life" (Evanescence)