Unromanticised love story

?????????????? ???? ????? Love was never blind, it should not even be a concern for the eyes in the fist place. It was not a defect nor illusion to those who can see. Love is overlooking the flaws and focusing on the delight drawn somewhere within it that even if the human optic nerve says something is hideous the brain will reckon it still; very very beautiful. Most pseud people call it nonsensical, being something that goes beyond the senses but somewhat sensational, a feeling that transcends from the haptics and pierces deep into the very essence of man as corporeal being; his soul. Besides reason it is what made us human. "T'was finespun... that remark" "Pardon?" I asked the anonymous voice from behind the bench of which I sat. "I mean which one? Love? It being humane and not blind?" I added and turned to see the girl wearing a quaint coat that covers almost the entirety of her legs. She turned to me and was met by those strange golden iris, the most beautiful eyes mine have ever lay upon. She looked at me blankly and spoke. "T'was sublime yet painful due to the unfortunate fact that I do not possess all three." Right after hearing those words the bell from a nearby Catholic church rang. I was still processing by the time I realised she lifted his cane and started stumbling away. "Can I accompany you miss?" I asked courteously, gently holding her arms "Can you? Walk me to the aisle?" Her unexpected humor made me burst a giggle. "Honestly I'm here for the mass as well" I replied. As we cross the street I thought it best to assist her back yet she suddenly groaned in agony. "Sorry sorry I didn't know you had a" "Just a fresh wound" she assured me, forcing a smile and continue walking, his eyes tearing up yet managed to reach the top of the rise of stair, entered the threshold and we sat on the last row, the ringing of the church's bell was consorted by the chimes from the sacristan's bell entering, preceding the priest making way towards the altar. The mass had began, everyone was attentive on the reading of the gospel, singing of psalm and the deliver of homily. I noticed the lady whom I came here with, her visage perspiring hands shivering, her eyes yielding tears again. I could tell her serious discomfort. "Are you alright?" I whispered towards her ear. "Never been since that event" was her puzzling reply. Strange How can a stranger I just met and barely knew wrings my heart so. Everyone stood up and I took the initiative and held her left hand she reluctantly gripped my hand as we sang the lord's prayer. She became more emotional I could hear her sobbing. What's wrong with her? "um where do you live ma'am? Please let me accompany you home" I offered, eager to help her somehow I may never have the chance to see her again. "Just help me go back to the same bench as before" I agreed and guided her there this time sensitive from touching her back. "I don't mean to be rude but are you sick?" I dared to ask and instantly regret it, she took her arm from clinging to my nape and help herself to sit. "ah you've noticed" she replied, patted the seat besides her and motioned me to have a sit. "Unfortunately I am" she added and fell silent, perhaps waiting for my next question which I was hesitant to ask. "Mine's beyond pathology and cure, it's more of a curse err a punishment." I would've attempted to ask more questions but I was starting to question her sanity. The bus arrived and I had no time to bid a proper goodbye. I left her sitting on a century old bench atleast that's what the someone said when I was 8 years old the first time mom brought me to Los Angeles. God I missed her. Upon arriving home I went directly to my room, opened the drawer and took out our photo album, her smile constant and bright as usual, most of the pictures were hers including the younger me like this one took 18 years ago, after the mass on the same parish in Los Angeles we were waiting for the bus when she took the picture, droplets of tears started to distort the image on the photograph I immediately dabbed it with a cloth luckily it did not erase us just the face of some random woman. I placed the photograph in my wallet. The next Sunday I got there a bit early for the mass I decided to wait on the bench and saw her, again the slightly deranged lady. She got there first and I caught her staring blankly into the sky, her look seems to travel way beyond the stratosphere looking directly at the sun that illuminates her iris, undeniably beautiful. Looking at them is like staring at the cosmo, with the depth of Pacific ocean... it feels like I'm drowning. "Are you just gonna stand there? Come sit" I was surprised when she spoke. Was she really blind? "How did you know it's me?" I asked "I don't, you're the first to approached without showing hint of disgust perhaps only doubts" she answered. I would've pointed out the same cloth she's wearing but got busy reminiscing it's familiarity. I knew I've seen it somewhere. Deafening silence overpowered us, we were just sitting there listening to the hustle of the vehicles and the people rushing to and fro. "Can I ask something? You do have a house right?" I dared to broke the silence. "I do err I did... in a home governed by patriarchal rule. One time my brothers stood up and demanded freedom and equality which compromised the order in the family, Michael he sided with Father like the majority of my brothers, they fought... t'was a fierce fight" she began. "What about you? Whose side were you on?" I questioned pretending to buy her story. "Thought I was doing the good thing, being neutral. I temporarily left home before the fight began with a plan to go back after they've resolved it. Father, he disowned the impudent sons due to pride they abandoned home and deeply hurt, father made sure they won't be returning. All those who stepped out the door won't be able to enter the house...me including" "Why that's ridiculous, you did not took part in any of it" I vociferated, getting carried away I've noticed the horde of people entering the church they may ran out of seat in the back, I took her hand and we went inside. "Were you familiar of the author of the Divine comedy? She said the darkest corners in hell are reserved for those who maintain neutrality in the midst of moral crisis" she continued as we sat on the vacant seat. The gospel sounded more clear, vividly visualizing it's imagery it's like I could feel the joy, sorrow and torment of the subject, the psalm was solemn so was the choir; euphonious like seraph's singing, the message and the homily really touches my heart. Each time we meet and go to church together it's different than going alone or with other company. Both of us becoming sentimental, our grips tighten each time we sang Our Father and gradually she's becoming more and more how should I put it... normal, from the appearance of youth striven in a serious ailment and hopelessness into someone tolerable to look at. She was not good looking, not the face you'll be proud to bring in get-togethers and parties, nor the face I would love glancing and tell myself I'm very lucky to have her even so I became the happiest person whenever I'm with her and a lot happier when we're at church. Oh is this serendipity? "Will you be coming next Sunday?" She asked with a hopeful tone and gleamed, the first genuine smile I've saw from her. "Why yes... btw about your brothers those who had a fight with your dad" I spoke, as I watch the bus slowing down before the stop "How many were they?" "Sixty- six thousand six hundred" was her response. I was not surprise, typical... why do she always talk about such absurd things while wearing a serious face? I boarded the bus and took my seat. Was she delusional? Of course she was but most of the time she's the most sane man I know. But regardless it never occured to me that she'd be lying. Tommorow will be mom's anniversary, the thought of it makes me misses her more. I reached for my wallet and took out our photo, stared at her for some time, mouth open as if calling someone's attention, but I was already looking at the camera. Shoot! I forgot about the woman sitting with us looking somewhere distant someone that seems to be in her early twenties wearing a coat and alas the cloth was familiar I can't believe what I'm seeing, it's all coming back... Those golden eyes of her staring at the tip of of the cross of the church and the old structure of it made me ask it's age. I took out my phone and searched for the history of the church, it was said to be constructed during the 1900's but the said history was said to be way back in 1700's or perhaps earlier; a crowd of people witness the fall of what they thought first was a shooting star entering the atmosphere and landed from a distance, nobody died due to the impact tho the sorrounding was said to be glowing. The ground where the being landed had a permanent mark and sometime during the second world war the j**s captured the locals and brought them to the area and opened fire at them until they ran out of bullets despite of their accuracy no one got hurt, most noticed the ground glowing then reinforcements came and seized the enemy. Hence they built the church above it and believed the place was being sanctified by a presence of a celestial being. The article also includes photographs during the construction of the church and at the edge was an image of a woman wearing a coat and looking up the sky, I looked for more and she always end up at the edge of random photos from the said year until recent rehabilitations wherein they've placed wooden bench besides the streets and planted a tree beside it, there was a slllhoutte sitting and still looking up. I turned off my phone, my thoughts were in mayhem perhaps I'm the one being delusional obsessing over what seems to be a historical woman, that's when I noticed I'm way passed my stop. I immediately called the driver to stop. I stepped down and started to walk along the dim road thinking she and the mysterious girl from century ago were the same person. I have a lot of questions to ask her the next time we'll meet and was bound to get to know her more starting with her name. The night was becoming deep and the streetlights were flickering. I'm walking while drowning in the surge of my thoughts when two silhoutte of strangers appeared in front of me. "It's already dark kid shouldn't you be at home?" One of them spoke. "Actually I am... I uh was just entering the house" I said out of nervousness and pretended to enter other's house, I opened the gate thank God it's open "You gentlemen go on ahead" I stumbled my words and forced a smile. "Why don't you go inside so we'll know you're safe and sound" they replied which made my heart race I reluctantly walk towards the balcony, they were still there. I panicked that I accidentally pushed the door open. As far as I know the owner had already moved and the place was vacant. I sighed out of relief and close the door, locked it from the inside and tried to calm myself. I was busy catching my breath that I didn't notice the warm room strangely lit by candles, perhaps hundred of them scattered across the the living room, slowly I faced the strange altar, inverted cross and a symbol drawn at the center. The air suddenly becomes cool I got chills running down my spine, my heart started to race again... The door flung open I feel so tensed I could just scream. There enters people dressed in long clothes, with face covered by hoods, they've got an overwhelming number, walking towards me making me retreat into the very center of the room. I was so scared, all I could do was pray, I kept my eyes shut and prayed the Apostles Creed I could hear their footsteps drawing near but was overpowered by a loud and deafeaning sound of thunder then the place was illuminated, so bright I could sense it even with my eyes close I partially opened it but it's too bright. After a few moments I felt weightless... My body elevating from the floor, still with my eyes closed I could feel the breeze soothing to my skin, everything was quiet and I felt secured and comfortable than ever. All I can hear was flapping of wings, huge I could tell. I slightly opened them and saw a blinding light, while looking at it longer there appears a different shade of color; two round and golden light, almond shaped and seems to be smiling. I felt my body touch the soft cushion I heard a sonic boom departing my location. I opened my eyes and found myself at my bed in my room. I immediately ran towards the window overlooking the house where I've been. There was a loud sound of breaking bulbs and glasses; leaving all the glass windows broken and a bombardment of light that resembles a mushroom explosion. Of all the events I have ever witness in my lifetime it was the most incredible. Having such strange experience and God delivering me from doom by what I believed with all my heart was an angel. I prayed the entire mysteries of the holy rosary that night and lie down to sleep I wanted to see him tommorow I've got a lot of things to say including everything that had happened tonight. The next day I went to our meeting place early in the morning. Odd, she wasn't there or atleast not yet. I waited for her for hours till noon passed still not there. Until sunset, even after I boarded the train I was staring at the bench. Of course I haven't thought of it, she's got a life too. I decided to go back the next Sunday, she did not come, everyday I came by on my way to work and see if she'd be there. I never saw her again, but the longer she's gone the more my feelings intensified. The absence of that stranger was as painful as the absence of a loved one. Our mere companionship developed into serendipity. Why is fate so cruel? I did not demand for romantic love story, I've never experience nor thought about kissing, cuddling, dating nor do I regret not having it. What I feel transcends into felicity, those coarse palm each time it touches mine I feel like he's directly touching my soul and what's even sad was I never got a chance to tell her. I cried myself to sleep. I felt something soft stroking the strands of my hair, I opened my eyes and was terrified from seeing a glowing figure in front of me. "Forgive me for not coming, I came to say goodbye" I burst in tears that made my vision even more dipper and buried my face into may palm "So it was you... It's really you" I cried "There is and absolute law forbidding us fallen angels to return, I've been trying for eons. I outlived prehistory, civilization until the modernization of the world trying to repent for my mistake but not really doing anything to reconcile with God. And yet that was an another mistake of mine, standing watch just like what I did during the start of insurgency in heaven. Only when I met you for the second time did I was able to enter his temple and found hope. I never wanted to join the dark side I just wanted to rejoin him and be in his grace that's why I'll be leaving to reconcile with him but I promise to go back to you... I LOVE YOU" Those were her final words and out of nowhere he yielded a pair of wings and zaps upward passing through the ceiling. The church's bell rang joyfully waking me up. I've dreamed of it again. Years have passed and I'm slowly losing the little memory I got of her. I'm starting to think those were all just a dream. She never came back I'm not even sure if she really had existed. I fixed the bed and prepared for the mass, I've been on the seminary for five years. The thought of us having mutual love for God is enough for me to think we were actually in love. Despite not seeing her again I was never disappointed. Since then I have always felt secure and loved. I never found myself on the brink of danger again. "I guess that's the end of our peculiar story tho unconventional and unromantic I can say it's pure and real. Call father Carl I'm afraid it's time" Fr. Benjamin spoke weakly, his life in his final years had been supported by medical equipments, oxygen, dextrose attached and a heart monitor with curves that is now gradually flattening. After the rite he let out sigh, he was looking at something on the ceiling, ??'? ???? ???? ℎ? ????? ??? ??, ?ℎ? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??? ?ℎ? ??? ??????? ?ℎ????, ?????? ℎ? ????? ???? ℎis ????????? ????? ℎ? ????? ??? ????? ?? ?ℎ??? ????? "You've been here all these time? Waiting for me?" ???