Light in Our Eyes

The world is an interesting place. The earth and its creatures and their continued evolution is stunning. The resilience and strength that they exhibit is highly profound and intriguing. It should be no surprise that life has sustained and grown for so many years when the living beings inhabiting it seem so driven and lively, always wanting to progress. However, there is a place which has proven quite the opposite. A place that is told by teenagers at sleepovers. A cold and eerie town called Boufall.

This town saw no sunrise or sunset. A dim moonlight was barely visible in the fog. Boufall was extremely cold. It would snow quite often and at random times. The people there wore long fur coats to cope with it. There was no dreams or desire, it was a sleepy town. The difference between day and night couldn’t be felt in the sky or air. There was never a change in light and barely any change in temperature.

People there were, to match the vibe of the town, sleepy. At times no one would be out on the streets. It was like a ghost town with cold roads, yellow street lights glowing next to few important buildings and old rusty apartments that were all painted in black.

There was no meaning to actions. It felt performative. Everyone behaved the same way.

But one day, everything changed.

Talin was a school teacher in the town. Just in his early 20s, Talin had made quite a name for himself. He was their beloved teacher and very popular among the children. Talin was returning from the school after a long day of teaching and went straight to the coffee shop.

On his way out of the coffee shop he bumped into a man and spilled the entire coffee on him, spoiling his winter coat. But when he met the man’s eyes, he didn’t see anger or sadness, just a smile. Like he was happy to bump into him.

“I’m so sorry.” Talin apologized and tried to fix the spill on his coat with a tissue.

“It’s all right.” The man said, taking Talin’s hand and gently pushing it away. Talin gave him an awkward laugh but the man was calm. “My name is Franklin.” He informed Talin.

Talin introduced himself to him, informing about the building where he stayed and offered to give his coat to Franklin when he noticed his teeth chattering.

“That’s a kind offer but I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow.” Franklin walked past him and into the coffee shop. Talin noticed Franklin’s hand slightly quivering.

All Talin could think of that day was the sweet exchange between him and Franklin. There was something about him that piqued Talin’s interest.

***

The next day, like promised, Franklin met Talin at his house. It was the weekend so Talin was home. Franklin appeared full of life. He was a jolly man that spoke a lot of the future. They shared the same ambitions and drive.

“I believe that we are destined for something bigger, all of us.” He told Talin.

“It’s been a while since I’ve felt that way.” Talin admitted. Then he held Franklin’s hand and looked him in the eyes. There was a spark in him. He got a glimpse of sunlight and bright sky. “But when I ran into you yesterday, I felt that again. Like there’s something more. Hopeful, I guess is the right word.” Talin expressed.

Franklin gave him a warm smile while they stared into each other’s eyes, holding hands. For Talin, he felt a strong urge to build a bright future for the both of them. He felt the need to do something beyond the quiet town’s monotony.

Both the men discussed at length about their plans for the future. And they both grew happier and livelier by the second. Talin pulled Franklin into a hug. He couldn’t remember the last time he had hugged someone. They embraced each other for what felt like hours and basked in the warmth.

Holding each other’s hands, they both decided to walk out with this new found spirit and hope.

When they walked out, they were met with uncomfortable glances from all the people of Boufall. Some started following them. Talin’s grip tightened around Franklin’s arm. The people grew tensed as both the men walked towards the lake. The lake is the only way for folk to leave the town.

Suddenly a woman’s voice loudly echoed. She called their name, making them look in her direction. It was the mayor. She calmly but very strictly explained how important it was for the townspeople to stay as part of the community.

“We helped you. We all helped each other. So you’ll always be a part of this.” She told them.

“You can’t make us stay here. We want to build a future together. A bright and happy one. Away from this stagnation.” Talin replied, holding onto Franklin’s hand.

“You don’t even know if that’s possible. You have a comfortable life here.” She snickered.

Talin met Franklin’s gaze and once again saw sunlight and a happy life. “There’s a world out there filled with light and warmth. I want to go there.” He said.

The situation quickly turned uncomfortable as the people in the town started surrounding them. The mayor smirked. “I’ll see how you get there.” She said. Franklin immediately dragged Talin as they both dashed towards the lake while the townspeople ran after them.

They ran for a long time and despite getting tired, their passion gave them enough energy to keep running.

There was a bright golden boat at the lake shining under the dull moonlight. They had failed to realized that it was the evening as the chaos unfolded. They both rowed the boat immediately, getting away from land as quickly as they could. Some folks tried to swim to them but gave up when they realized the men were too strong-willed to stay back.

Talin started to fall asleep from exhaustion. Franklin took his hand and kissed him gently as they both closed their eyes.

When Talin woke up, he struggled to open his eyes. There was bright light. He could feel the warmth. He took off his coat and blinked his eyes open. The golden boat was now docked at the land.

Talin couldn’t stop smiling. The sky was visible and blue. There was a gentle breeze as the leaves of the big trees slightly swayed in the wind. Franklin was sat in front of him smiling at him. He could hear voices approaching them. There were people who ran to them to help them get out of the boat. They gave them some water and hugged both of them as if welcoming them to their new home.

The people here were different. They seemed kind and happy. They had a mark of flower on their wrist. Suddenly, Talin looked at Franklin, almost like it was an inner knowing. Franklin pushed back the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the mark of the flower.

There was an affirmation, that Talin felt since the beginning. That Franklin was different. And that his visit had a purpose. He was specifically there for him. Talin hugged Franklin with gratitude and love as they both walked under the sunlight and love.

Boufall is a myth. A placed that is a matter of great discussions among teenagers. They say only two people managed to escape the town ever. The very first person to leave went back to rescue someone that he felt was very special.

Talin and Franklin built their happily ever after. They did everything they wanted to do and became a symbol of love, hope and passion.