Falling for His Human Mate

The acquaintance

It was the 12th of February; spring was here so our college was off for the spring holidays. I was not afraid of going into the forest again. I’d go and enjoy myself back on my favorite spot where I’d let my legs fall from the cliff, inhale some fresh air, write some interesting things popping up one after another. Of course, I’ll be back before sunset because I’m still haunted by the previous events but I’m feeling rather confident as if that one walk with him has uplifted me from the ground up high into the sky. Lying to mama and papa has just become a normal thing for me but I’m sure they will understand. Asking permission for Mia’s home, I went off and rushed into the forest. It was a bright sunny day. The wind was blowing, sunlight was hitting hard wherever it could find space across the forest.

I started hiking through the crippled pathway, touched the leaves, saw a lot of caterpillars creeping on the ground and along the branches. After an enjoyable hike, I reached my destination, that beautiful scenic spot but today it was somehow more beauteous. The stone where I sat the other day, had a blue butterfly with black stripes on it. I thought it would fly away but when I got closed I found out that it was dead. I picked it up and keenly observe it for some time. I placed it in my diary, pasted it later, and started writing. Just before sunset, I got up and rushed to get back on time.

The next day, when I got there, the stone was having two butterflies both of red color on it. I was surprised yet amazed, thinking how the butterflies are falling on the stone, why not somewhere else or is there anyone who is putting them there. I blocked my thoughts, picked up the butterflies, and put them in the diary in a row. Days passed by and each day, the stone was only getting filled with the butterflies. It was like someone was putting them there on purpose. By then I had some dozens of butterflies pasted on my diary. On the last holiday, I went just a little more excited than before to find out how many butterflies I’m going to get today. I reached the top of the forest and after getting on the spot, I found nothing on the stone. It was empty. I felt isolated like someone has stopped attending to me. But then calmed me, started writing again, and reached back home before sunset.

 The holidays were over and I have not felt this excited before going to college. Of course, I was tempted to see him again. I waited all day long and looked around the whole day but I could not see him. He didn’t come.

“Maybe he is sick or in trouble, don’t you think so?”

“Hey silly, why are you even bothering to think about him, I mean he just walked you home, you guys didn’t intimate or something, why are you getting him on your nerves, he’ll be alright, don’t stress yourself okay” Mia responded carelessly

The whole day passed by and I was not feeling good about anything. I skipped my dinner and lied to my parents that I was not feeling well. Sitting beside the window, seeing through the forest, hoping my eyes to catch anything interesting but it was a lonely night. The only magnificence that could exist at that moment was the full moon. It was just as big as it could and throwing off its dazzling light on the empty streets of the Crystal valley. 

The following day was yet another day of boredom; I couldn’t get a sight of him. I attended all classes in a bizarre state and went off to my home. At night, something struck my head and I decided to go into the forest. Nothing was making any sense; my life has just gone messy. I needed to get myself out of that chaotic situation otherwise my nights would have been sleepless like the previous ones. I put on my jeans and hoodie, grabbed a torchlight, put a knife in my pocket and jumped off the window, and got down through the pipe. Then I started walking into the forest. The whole setup of the forest was reminding me of all the horror movies where people are attacked by some creature or vampires into the dark and bloodstains, such thoughts were getting over my mind. I tried to block my thoughts and rushed to get to the spot as fast as I can.

The place was not welcoming as my spot was already occupied by some stranger today. I tried to take a closer look but my foot slipped, got on a branch, and made a cracking sound. The stranger turned, I got scared and got back but when my name was recalled, the situation got upturned.

“Mariane, is it you?”

I got closer where I could see the person who was expecting me somehow.

“Mark?”

It was him. He came there too. Was he attending to the place before me or he was just chasing me? But if he was chasing me then he would have not expected me there at that time. Then what he was doing there?

“Yes it’s me, come and join me,” he asked in a friendly tone

I would not have wanted anything else at that time than to sit with him at my favorite place and talk to him, know him.

“So, what are you doing here exactly?” Mark asked with a wide grin

“I, I live down there just across the forest, umm and I use to come here, guess it’s my favorite spot, I feel good coming here and writing”

“Oh so you write, that’s new. I haven’t seen anyone around writing lately. Maybe people are too busy meddling with others’ lives so they don’t bother to cater themselves with such hobbies”

 I couldn’t respond to him; I was busy listening to him. He was too good at talking. I could listen to him all night long. But I was not sure if he felt the same if he wanted to talk to me if he liked me or not. Maybe I was just a stranger to him till then.

“You haven’t been to college for some days” Mariane inquired

“Yes I was umm busy, handling certain things” Mark replied awkwardly

“Why, you were stalking me?” Mark asked with a daze in his eyes

“Umm no, I mean I was not” Mariane murmured

It felt like, I have lost my words. I couldn’t even see him into his alluring eyes.

“Did you like them?” He asked

“Liked what?”

He smiled. He smiled while looking constantly into my eyes.

“It was you. You placed those butterflies here didn’t you?”

He kept on smiling and then asked again

“Did you like them?”

“I loved them, they were beautiful. I have been in love with butterflies since my childhood. In fact, I have been keeping me in my diary”

He smiled again. I was not feeling anything or maybe the feelings got too much for me to feel anything at all.

“Can you see the horizon?” Mark asked

“Yes I can”

“You know what lies beyond it beyond the horizons?

“What lies there?” I asked with affection

“Stillness is what lies there. You just acquire the art of comfort and peace when you learn to listen to the stillness, the silence”

I was gazing at him like he was a magnificent star and I was restricted to focus on him, only him. He was explaining things to me while looking at the sky. I could absorb the whole moment into myself if I could.

“You know people close their eyes to unlock their locked imaginations and fantasies but I, I prefer to imagine things with my eyes wide opened. I just get a better vision of things in this way. I can see things better. They make sense to me. I create them while looking at the realities of life, looking at life itself”

“I haven’t seen you with anyone like maybe friends or any girlfriend. I don’t know I just feel awkward about it” Mariane asked

“I prefer loneliness; at the end maybe it’s only you who will not deceive you, I think you are your biggest companion and enemy at the same time. But I have managed to make peace with myself and I enjoy it. What about you Mariane, are you having friends or a boyfriend?”

“No, I mean yes I have a friend Mia back at college but I’m new here so I’m not keeping any close friends. I too have preferred to restrict myself on interactions. I fear to lose I guess”

“And how do you define fear?” Mark asked softly

“Fear is to lose your precious things or people I guess”

“I fear if I will be able to meet myself” Mark responded

“What do you mean?” Mariane asked

“Contributing so much thoughtfulness to your creation that someday you manage to meet your Creator” Mark replied smiling at me

“You must be a philosopher” Mariane uttered impressively

Mark laughed hysterically and then gasped.

“You should be heading back to your home now, don’t you?” Mark asked

“Yes I should” Mariane got up and started taking her steps

“And when are you planning to join me again Mariane?”

“Do you want me to join you?” Mariane asked surprisingly

“I would love to” Mark replied with a smile

“Let me walk you home” Mark added

They started walking down the forest.