Love and Prophesies

A long time ago, there was a young boy lying peacefully in his blankets, dreaming. Only at the time, the boy didn't realize the dream was a nightmare. For in this dream there appeared a queer looking man, he was in a robe and walked barefoot. He had an old looking face, and a piercing glare with ominous eyes. He had in his hand a book that seemed to have a cross on it, a man of God, he claimed to be. "Do you know who I am?" The man spoke, to which the boy made no response. "I am a servant of God" he continued, "I felt a strange spirit roaming around, and felt I had to visit it". "What is it that makes me so strange?" The boy finally spoke. "Because I pity you, I shall whisper to you a prophecy. Listen carefully, dear boy, you shall come to grow, and you shall start to suspect that you are cursed, for you shan't find love, you shall suspect that perhaps it is your face, that it is too repulsive, but that won't be the truth. I look at you know, and I know you have a pretty face. Love, dear child, was just not included in your name. There will come a time, though, you will love, and you shall be loved, but the sun will darken, and you shall fall on your knees."

With that the man disappeared, I woke, switched on the kettle and made myself tea. I went on with my day as usual, and certainly, I did not think much of the dream. Hell, I did not think of it at all. A dream, that was all it was, a silly little dream, they can be wild you know, dreams.

A few years later, I found myself wandering through the streets at nightfall, it had befallen upon me, that this life can be a terror, especially if you are all alone, forever hidden in a dark corner unseen by mortal eyes. You begin to suspect your soul is deformed, that perhaps it is tainted, you begin truly to believe that your existence was not needed, that you won't ever find love, you begin to believe that you truly, truly, don't deserve love. Such were the thoughts that enclosed my mind, dawn till dusk.

After what seemed like a mere minute, I found myself standing in front of my doorstep, still and blue, confused, oh how time flies, when one's mind is polluted by demons. I felt as though I was standing right before my rib cages, only the was no heart inside. I was aware that I had reached home, yet it did not at all feel like home. I felt I was a stranger, belonging nowhere in this world.

I reluctantly stretched out my hand to the door knob, the sight I saw stepping inside the door was that of death, everything was grey, although it wasn't something that surprised me much, for I was getting used to it. I threw myself on the couch, and lit a cigarette, and suddenly my soul felt heavy, so heavy. For a picture had forced itself into my brain. I recalled, on that weary night, the dream I had many years back, I recalled the old man as though he were standing right before my eyes, starring deep into my soul, while the cigarette burned slowly and ashes falling upon the couch. In a split of a second, I regained my consciousness and quickly, in almost what one may call a panic, I quickly attended to the ashes on the couch and prevented it catching fire. This night was a long one, I thought to myself. Yet also such a revelation.

The following morning was longer still, for I hadn't a wink of sleep. I kept thinking of that absurd dream, absurd, that's the thing, it was an absurd dream, a foolish dream, yet is it really absurd, if I'm starting to consider it the truth? I then called a friend of mine, Amelia, requesting that we should meet at the local pub. I briefed her what I wished to talk to her about, and knowing her, with her curious and beautiful mind, she agreed on the spot. If teleportation was real she would've appeared before me in not more than a second.

Later on during the day I travelled to the pub, it was a walkable distance from where I lived so that was great, saved me a great deal of petrol. I walked through the door, my eye wandered on all the tables searching for her. It was almost as though I was lost, I'm always seeming as though I'm lost. It's a special power I possess. I then saw her by the far end table sitting alone, her dark her somehow sparkled even though she was in the shadows of the pub, I drew nearer, with her presence becoming more and more clear with each step. You could always feel her energy, it was amazing, it invites you in, almost as though a spell you can't help but fall under its control. In that moment a thought suddenly came into my mind, she is a dear friend to me, and if anybody were to hurt her, I'd without a thought lose my mind, and my hands would be full of blood, and I'd go to hell, because I'd with all my will, refuse to repent nor ask for forgiveness.

"Dear Amelia, how are you this afternoon? I do apologise for my keeping you waiting."

I greeted her as I pulled a chair to take a seat, while maintaining eye contact.

"Hahaha, Daniel, everybody knows you, you're never on time! Besides, the atmosphere in here today is quite lovely don't you think? So I didn't mind waiting."

"Still, though, I apologise."

"Anyways, we are here now, and fine wine awaits to touch our lips. Do enlighten my brain, what is this about a prophecy?" She uttered, with an air of curiosity. She's forever eager to learn new things, especially those concerned with the celestial, the divine.

I began to tell her everything, absolutely everything from the dream I had when I was only 7 year old, I told her of my pathetic life, how I've never tasted love ever before. I see it from a distance, like a star far above, I reach out my hand to grab it, yet I grab into space, no hand reaches out to come into contact with mine. I know love exists, indeed I do. For I know I felt it before, perhaps once or twice before. The only issue is, it was never reciprocated, it was always unrequited, and it was a pain. That is why the old man in my dream pitied me, I pity myself, well, I pitied myself, not anymore. It seemed to me, while explaining to Amelia, that all along I had unconsciously developed a believe, that I will never experience pure love that goes both sides, I had started to believe that my soul was incomplete, and with that, I don't deserve love. I seemed to me that for a long time then, I always expected negative things to take place, and when they did although I become sad a bit, I was never surprised. For I had Foreseen it happen the moment I came across the woman I got attracted to. When you spend too much time in the darkness, you know, you begin to be comfortable in it, and your vision improves as well. Stepping into the sun then would burn your eyes off.

"And you, do you believe the prophecy to be truth?" Spoke Amelia, after a brief moment from my finishing explaining to her.

"I'm not much of a believer of such things, I believe there should be a higher power, yet I do not think that is God. Well perhaps it is God, but he does nothing to give us aid in our suffering, because he gave us free will. Amelia dear, I'm not sure if the prophecy is real or not, but I do know love never touched my soul. And if it is real, then I am determined to change it."

"You say you wish to defy faith?"

"Indeed I do"

"Well then, I shall help you, Daniel, I shall help you find love."

And then suddenly, as I was about to open my mouth and utter the words thank you, I found myself covered in red white.

"Dear lord please forgive me oh my God. Are you alright?" A panicking voice said to me, while trying to wipe off the wine from my shirt."

"It's alright it's alright, don't worry about it." I said to the lady, trying to calm her down. Besides, I always thought there was something poetic in one having been covered by wine, but of course, this was a thought I couldn't say at that moment.

"Hello Sierra," said Amelia, letting out a small laugh. "How are you?"

"Amelia is that you! Ahh pardon me my disturbing your date. Besides the embarrassment I feel now, I'm doing quite alright. How are you?"

"Oh this is not a date, I'm merely catching up with a dear friend of mine. He is quite the interesting one I tell you." Said Amelia.

"Well, then, allow me to leave you to it, my apologies, again, um-"

"Daniel, it's Daniel. Perhaps, you'd be willing to go out with me sometime? For coffee, perhaps?" I asked with a bit of nervousness.

"I am very fond of coffee, how does tomorrow evening sound? I fear right now it's getting late and my mind is weary, just take a look what I've done to your good shirt. Here, take my number, I shall see you tomorrow evening."

And with that, the lady took leave, and I was left once more with Amelia, and of course, my shirt that wrecks of wine.

"I suspect she is fond of you" said Amelia letting out a small giggle.

"I fear you have read too much into it, let us just wait until tomorrow evening, then we can proceed to confirm matters. How do you know each other?"

"She's a friend of mine."

"Indeed? How is it I don't know of her?"

"Well, she doesn't live here, she visits her brother this side sometimes but doesn't stay long, I'm certain she'll leave soon."

"Is that so? Well, I should say, she's quite beautiful."

"Hahaha, of course. Well then, allow me to take my leave, Daniel, and certainly you need to wash all the wine off of you, but do let me know how the date goes alright."

By the time we left the pub it was 19:35. I got home, smoked a bit, tried to remove Sierra's imagine from my mind so I could sleep. To no avail. So I spent most of my night awake.

The next morning I called Sierra, and we agreed to meet at the same pub at 20:00.

As the day went on my mind was set on one thing, if God is real, he has no business controlling how my life goes, I shall defy him, I shall alter this absurd prophecy. Of course, this wasn't only about me and this goal of mine, for I did, genuinely feel attracted to Sierra.

When the sun was just about to disappear from the horizon, I quickly took a bath, put on my favourite perfume, and made sure I looked nice, yet not too nice. I then made my way to the pub, this time I went with my car, because who knows, if all goes well she might need a ride hope, and for her I would travel half way across the world and back.

"Dear Lord, I'm so sorry I'm late, you- you look really beautiful." I apologised and paid a compliment when I got to the table she was sitting at. And indeed, she looked ravishing, her natural skin glowed so beautifully, her eyes carried galaxies in them, she was in a green dress and wearing a few jewelleries, looking at her was looking at heaven on earth. Everything in her was just so gentle, her energy, her spirit, I felt for a moment I was somewhere out of this world, my own personal paradise.

"I had begun to fear you had a change of heart. I am glad you came, Daniel, How are you are you well?"

From there on we spoke for hours getting to know each other. I thought to myself, an angel is sitting before me, and we are communicating. I felt with passing second, falling more and more in love with her. I felt my soul yearning for her, a desire so intense it seemed out of this world, burning brightly and with force like the stars above. She had a beautiful mind, and her demons, too, yet I felt our demons were destined to find each other, and find peace.

I gave her a lift home afterwards, we left the pub at around 12:30 am. My hearth was content. The following morning Amelia came to my place, apparently she had spoken to Sierra.

"She really is fond of you, you know?" She said to me. "Well, I suppose the prophecy was false after all, or you succeeded in breaking it."

And indeed I thought to myself, at long last, I have found love. I love, and I am loved back. Nothing could be more beautiful than this.

The rest of the day went on peacefully, my mind was consumed by the thought of Sierra, I felt I was completely free of sin, that her mere thought made my soul pure. I couldn't think of our next meeting, for I was to meet up with her later that day as well.

A few hours before meeting Sierra I got a call from Amelia.

"My dear friend, how are you doing?" I asked with an air of excitement.

"Daniel, it's Sierra," she said, with a heavy and quavering voice.

"What is it?" I asked, dreading to learn the answer.

"She was involved in an accident, and sadly, Daniel, she passed away."

That very moment, I felt a heavy burden weigh my soul down. I felt as hopeless as a man who had lost everything, but his breath. And a sudden memory befell upon me, I recalled my dream, and what the old man said, that I will love, and I shall be loved, but the sun will darken, and I shall fall down on my knees.

From that moment it became clear to me, and I understood. Love was indeed, not something written in my name.