2097
by
Dania Tamendarova (copyright 1997 All Rights Reserved)
The Sun was going down. Slowly, it folded its rays, immersing itself into the deep palm of
the Ocean. Scarlet foam of clouds quietly floated through a darkening sky. And the first
star, speechless and transparent, opened its face toward the quiet world beneath it.
"It is so, " she stopped.
"Still."
"Yes," her eyes closed, "so still."
Two lone sea gulls flew towards the shining rocks of the cliff. They sat there motionless, enjoying the soft embrace of summer-night breezes.
He touched her hand.
"Soon," her voice trembled.
"No, the Sun is not down yet."
"The Sun," she repeated, "I used to be afraid of it. I still am."
"It is different here."
"But it brings death."
"Don't," he leaned closer, watching her hair full of the wind, smelling the bewitching aroma of grass and flowers. He could feel the silky strands on his cheek. Her hair was deep black.
"I wish I could somehow keep it."
"What?"
"The colors. You've never told me how dark and light the Ocean is."
He smiled, "I didn't know."
"And the sand ... it is so... look," her hand delved into the warm golden dots and came back holding something white and smooth,
"What is it?"
"A shell."
"Oh, yes... a shell," she looked at it, seeing mysterious spirals left by the life once lived inside. Her face darkened, "I wish just for once I could feel the water."
He stood up, "Come on."
"But... "
"We can at least try."
The waves quietly whispered something, turning into one another, creating white clouds of marine foam at the end_and disappearing. It was like holding the wind between your fingers.
Suddenly it became dark.
She cried, "It's over?"
"No, it is the night."
"That means... "
"Several more minutes."
"I don't want to go."
"I love you."
She turned around. For the first time he could see her face closely, without the protection shield. He could touch it, feeling her skin with his.
"They'll hear you... "
"I don't care."
She smiled, the lips so close that he could feel the warmth of her breath. And then,
"Your eyes are just like the Ocean."
A loud crashing sound swept the silence of the endlessness. The sky, the ocean, the beach, the wind disappeared drowning in the white walls of the small Room of Images. Slowly, without looking at each other they started to put on the protection suits.
"What now," her voice empty of feeling.
"The committee will decide."
"What will they do to you?"
"The mines need new workers. . ."
For a second she stopped, "It is too close to the surface."
"They will provide some extra protection."
Her white lips were still.
"And you?"
She turned away...
The helmets were on. They stepped up to the door. Slowly it opened, exposing the bright
light of the inner corridor. He looked back. She didn't move. Suddenly he saw an
unbuttoned hole in her helmet. He rushed toward her, desperately, as if trying to protect
her behind his body.
She looked at him, "Just like the Ocean," and smiled.
The year was 2097...
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