Blank Stare

The First Founder

Ah ! How lonely it is today !

For the first time in her life, Sophia found loneliness to be something amusing rather than saddening. It was a sort of revelation for her and the way she came to this conclusion is somewhat MATURE so she kept thinking if it was because of her age or not. After all, she just turned 23 today and thinking like a mature person right from the very day is what someone would call an indication. Sophia looked at her chest and let out a deep sigh. This is the only part of her that is holding her back to become a fully matured woman. Sophia went back to train of her previous thought.

Loneliness can be interpreted as relief from distraction. As she is sitting right now, all alone on a random park bench , waiting ; she can suddenly feel how good it is to be relieved from any sort of distraction. She can think very clearly without being biased, observe nature carefully and more importantly reflect upon her life from an outsider's perspective. To her, Sophia is right now a random person whom she has been watching since the day she first began to thought rationally. To her, Sophia is someone who she admires, someone whom she gets along with very well, someone ... whom she is ... bound to protect. Sophia laughed a little. She seems like a guardian deity from some random fable tales. 

" Can I sit here ? " A boy asked from beside.

Sophia was about to jump from her seat. A tall black boy about her age or so has suddenly appeared beside her. He was wearing a red robe kind of like what the Muslims wear so Sophia assumed that the boy was a Muslim. He was looking very shy and was looking at the ground while talking so Sophia didn't get the usual sense of fear she might have gotten from a Black Muscular guy like him. However, she could sense a kind of unnatural aura around him. Something so immense , something so powerful. And astonishingly enough he seemed very familiar. 

"Yes, of course," Sophia told the boy as she moved to the left. the boy sat beside her. However, he maintained his distance.

The boy took out a rugged old book from his bag and started reading it quietly. The curious and sparkling eye  of his told her that what he was reading was definitely interesting and maybe fiction but the size of the book told her otherwise. Sophia became curious and asked,

"What are you reading ?"

The boy replied while gazing at the book, " Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory."

"Limorty... what ?" 

The boy showed the cover of the book to her, " Le' Morte D'arthur. Or simply The death of Arthur. King Arthur to be precise."

" That Arthur who commanded over the round of 12 knights? What were their names again, Lancelot, Galahad and sorts.'

"Yes, that Arthur. " the boy smiled. " Well, it's a legend not actual history but still I like it. Although I am not even halfway through the first volume." His eyes were sparkling.

" It's the first volume? The book starts with the death of the protagonist? " Sophia was kind of surprised. Then she realized she was asking too many questions. " Sorry, maybe I am bothering you. You can continue reading."

" No not at all. " the boy was as polite as he could be. " I like talking with people about this stuff actually. " His eyes told her that he was telling the truth. But he was still gazing at the book.

" Well, the name of the death of Arthur was given to this book mainly to its theme. The story is of betrayal, a story where he died at the hand of his most loyal knight who conspired with Arthur's wife and sister for the throne. Not only that he was cast away by his father King Uther before his birth as he was the son of a p********e and was kind of put to death. So you see, the theme is mainly ... the tragedy of the king ... the death of the king." he sounded kinda sad as he finished his sentence. 

" So you are into tragic stories? Stories that make you weep? " Sophia laughed a little.

" Well, not like that." the boy smiled back. " I am into stories where the protagonist is kind of one-man army. Where the protagonist is kind of a king, standing atop all alone ... standing even though he is stabbed in the back by his beloved; standing with his pride and honor. and King Arthur is a perfect candidate for that."

" Quite a nerdy fanboy, aren't you? " Sophia chuckled. " By the way, my name is Sophia ."

The boy closed the book and looked at the ground. " Nice to meet you, Sophia. I am Solomon El Sayed. Well, it's actually Sulaiman Al Sayid but not many can pronounce it like that."

" Sulaiman Al Sayid. " Sophia pronounced in the actual Arabic " May I ask you a question?

" yes? " the boy replied softly.

" Why are you gazing at the ground? Are you feeling uncomfortable around me? "

"No, no,... not at all " the boy was stammering. " It's actually my people's custom. To keep our gaze low before women outside of the family. " he sounded apologetic. " I am sorry if I have offended you."

" It's fine. " Sophia assured him. " But wouldn't it better if you didn't seat beside me? then you wouldn't have to go through that hassle. Maybe standing beside that tree " she pointed out a large tree nearby. " or something like that while waiting or doing what you were doing."

"Well actually I did," the boy was really getting uncomfortable. " I literally stood there right beside that tree for almost an hour ." he sighed. " And all the time you were sitting alone on the bench doing nothing. " He laughed " sorry I don't mean anything offensive by that."

" No, no it's okay." She paused a little. " I wonder what I was waiting for all the time ." she started to think a little.

"What do you mean by what were you waiting for? " the boy was getting confused. " Weren't you like waiting for someone or something like that?? Don't tell me that you have amnesia or something"  the boy tried to laugh it off.

There was a sudden pause in the air. the girl was thinking hard to find out what she was waiting for or what she was doing in this place. And the boy wasn't sure if he should be confused at this matter or considerate that she might have an amnesia issue and was forgetful of stuff. Whatever it is he thought he must talk it out with her. The girl may get in serious trouble. He decided to at least help her get home safely.

A sudden impossible thought crossed his mind.

Though he was dumbstruck by the thought of it but he knew it was too good to be true.This is absurd  He thought.  Still there was a slight chance that it may be true. And he couldn't waste it.

Slowly he began to ask ." Are you having a feeling that somehow you popped in this place not remembering what you were doing here before, yet having a glimpse of what truly happened and wondering how did you end up here and ... how did you end up being younger in the process.

Sophia looked stunned. 

What the f**k are you talking about ?