Deadpan Thoughts

It stood tall, proud..slanting to one side.. Gleaming in the street lights…

… The bright orange rims stood out against the liquid black and chrome..

The bike roared to life. She slipped on the helmet, fastening it.. His silhouette stood out against the dim moonlight.

He rode it round, she climbed on… Inquisitive eyes bore down from the roof above, a man curiously observed the pair:

“Hold on tight, and don’t move” – The night roared to life, a slight skid on the road, as the bike took off in noisy flight, gravel flying..

The first right turn brought them to the main road, an oncoming car beaming them into the limelight.

Her collar firm, upright against her neck, long tresses tucked firmly into the black shirt. Helmet met shirt, shirt met bike seat, and they melded into one. She shifted a little to get comfortable, holding tight as instructed.

The night flew them by – Stars became streaking comets, the winds whispers became shrieks – chills caressing away the warmth from earlier.. They flew, past all the things worth caring about.

The bike slowed, he turned back and smiled at her… She smiled back, basking in the glory of being there with him – taking odd risks … hmm. Isn’t that what life was about?

Off again, kick starting into the darkness. Glowing bulbs acting like milestones – “for there are miles to go before I sleep”. Her shirt flew in the wind, back exposed. She tried to grab it and tuck it under, but he yelled.. “DONT MOVE, HOLD ON!”.

So she clung to him, both bent low over the handlebars, sluicing through the tidal gusts of wind, avoiding the dust. As they slowed, she quickly tucked it under her, and they sped off.

… They reached the darkened plot, She got off unsteadily. Looked at him. Searched his eyes.

She had reached.

Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

The silvery pale beams illuminated the orbs she probed for answers. She thought of all her questions unanswered, of the things he did… how he was so aloof, and sometimes so connected…

.. She thought of the things he did, and then the things he didn’t say.

OF the things he deliberately left out – places he went…places he was going. She asked but he never answered – thinking that she had forgotten – but it was really the opposite.

She looked for the truth in the lies. Or was it lies in the truth? She was bewildered, searching beneath the surface, trying to ease the prickling 6th sense that told her something was so wrong, despite his warm aura, despite the safe vibes.

Something wasn’t right. Something wasn’t there.

She was aching to know – yet she hoped she never found out.

She was scared. Scared of the dark. Scared of the void.

Scared of the reality being exactly what she feared and her heart told her it was.

She sank down on the stone steps – darkness surrounded her, and the cars whizzed by outside – the music started playing…

********************************

She was walking down the stairs of the stone building she so loved, and thoughts of the other night flitted through her mind. His face appeared, and she smiled. Bittersweet memories.

Descending the last three steps, she heard a familiar roar.. Rushed outside, heart racing, thinking.. “Is it..? It can’t be… Is it him? oh please let it be him… No, dont be silly, you’re over reacting” -

- and as she burst out on the main road – there he was. Sitting tall and proud on that bike. Waiting. Looking at her expectantly, eyes intently looking at her as if to tell her to hop on. She looked at him, and cast her eyes down for a second.

Slowly she looked up, shook her head no. And with sadness in her eyes, she sat in the car. Darkness came again. The door slammed shut…of the car. She wondered if it was also closing on her heart.