Through Your Eyes Page 18
But as I started my movements, I realised it wasn't long, for those dastardly sisters to be starting their poisonous song.
31.
And then I moved to her flat, how about that.
And she looked at him and me in double, and I realised instantly, that we were in trouble.
This Sam had seen the big man, so she realised he needed a hand.
I watched as she lifted him out of the room, straight into the alleyway with a boom!
I remembered the first time, at the beginning of my story. I had a hard landing and saw stars and eyes in all their glory.
I laughed and smiled at life’s great irony. I had realised it was my own shadow I had seen despite my lack of sobriety.
I spoke to her, smiling at her in turn.
"I have been listening to your rhyme for a very long time."
She turned her head like she had just returned from the dead.
"And you answered me with your thoughts so fast. It's nice to finally talk to you at long last."
Her words so vibrant, yet at the same time, she was silent.
And when she smiled at me with her good grace, at the same time she did not move her face.
I now understood on our first meeting, why this lady had spoken without greeting.
When I met her first, I said -inscrutable! When actually the evidence was irrefutable!
I asked her, "How long have you been wandering, how long have you been maundering?"
She said, "Just the last few moments or maybe forever. I really have no idea whatsoever!"
I asked, "Do you know who you are, your name, a sign or clue?"
"I am Abby or Abs or perhaps Gemma will do," she replied.
The door flew open without a knock, a familiar face appearing in the dock.
His mouth was twisted into a sneer, a lurching leer from ear to ear.
He was clearly late for our pre-planned race, lumbering in at his own sweet pace.
He grinned at me, so I gave him a dangerous smile. He gave me a puzzled look, as I vented my bile.
I moved up to him, and he swung his mighty fist at me. I stared at him, as his blows bore down on my knee.
I placed my hand on his head, pressing him down. He started shaking, and his glee turned to a frown.
Blow by blow struck my body. I laughed at him, like this was all a hobby.
He stood looking at me, bemused of mind, knowing that I would have to leave him behind.
With nothing left, except his eyes, and his disgusting carcass engorged with flies.
He said to me, "Who, are, you, in, wait, in, this, flat?"
I said, "I am the nightmare that lives in your hat!
Now let me be completely precise, give me back my precious device."
I took the object of his desire, and placed it on the floor with great ire.
I lifted my foot over it and above, and crashed it down with all my love.
I then put his pork pie on the ground, kicking it under until it could not be found.
For one last time, he bared his toothy grin, and I removed them one by one, with my shin.
I told him it was time to finally end, this tyranny and hate, which was his friend.
He tugged and struggled and again raised his arm, and I closed his eyes for him, so he could never more harm.
I turned to the beautiful woman and said, "We have one or two more things left to do, but may I ask you out on a date, just me and you?"
She smiled now and said, "What a lovely idea, you're really a dear!"
I said, "I know a very pleasant pub near here, you may recognise it as it serves good beer."
"Don't worry about him on the bed; I'll get rid of him when he's dead."
She said, "I know exactly the one you're thinking about, it's the one I remember, I have no doubt."
Then she took my arm like she was an old mate, and we went out into the night on a proper date.
32.
And we walked down the sweeping staircase of the music hall, and I ordered us some drinks.
A beer for me, and gin and tonic for thee.
"No," she said, "Still water, with no ice instead."
Then she spoke to me with great verve, in order that we might observe.
"Wait, wait a few minutes, we have to stay, and make the very best of this day."
We went back up the stairs, having a drink on the balcony for a dare.
She pointed out the original Sam at the bar, and I then realised, what I should have known right from the start.
It had been irritating me for quite a while, but I had been playing along with my guile.
Wherever she had come from was having some effect on me, those sisters of mercy had started their melody.
I had waited for a little time, but they had got me singing in their rhyme.
I thought maybe now, this tune was from she, but tragically, they were singing with yours truly.
And then the previous events unfolded, but it was me sat on my own, waiting for a friend who had never shown.
She asked me if she should now go, to warn this Sam, of who might show.
I told her it was time to put an end to the cycle, to put a stop to the impending debacle.
And as my former self left the drunken lair, we waited a beat, and stepped down the stair.
We sat at our table, and my lady asked me a little unstable, "Pardo?"
I said, "Yes, I don't need that now, I really don't quite know how!"
She looked at me again and said, "Pardo?" This time she was pleading, she showed me her hands and wrists, all bleeding.
I understood what she was saying, she was asking for my help and for saving.
What ghastly half world had she entered through the Professor's lack of wisdom?
What bargain had he made to secure her freedom?
We were then interrupted as a man sat down at our table, He was a friend, a colleague, but a little unstable.
"Hi, Sammy, drinking with all your friends again I see," said he.
"Hello, Dr Kleinmann, good to see you again, you're late! It's very good to see you, it's really great."
I smiled at him and gave him my palm. He smiled back and shook me by the arm.
He looked at me curiously and said, "Sorry, I met someone at work and we got talking. He's got some great ideas about some of our research."
"And where is this friend of yours, is he there at the front door?"
My lady then nudged me from afar, her green eyes darting over the bar.
He said, "He's over there getting a round in! Is he a good guy or what?"
And the man who was his friend said, "Hello!" looking glum. He was apologising profusely, for having hijacked my chum.
This man then offered his hand to me, making his introductions with glee.
"Hi my name is Chris; it’s great to finally meet you."
"Hello my name is Sam; I hear you're looking for guns for hire. I think you and I will get on like a house on fire."
He said, "Dr Kleinmann here tells me you have a great future in front of you. Perhaps you and I could share some ideas?"
And then I sat and thought about things. Of dreams and reality, and whether I should pinch my skins.
Was he really here, and therefore was she?
Was I really awake, or was it a dream?
I moved across in my chair, pushing both my hands through my hair.
"I am not sure that would be a great idea, Chris, you're not exactly someone I would ever miss!"
"Why do you say that, you don't even know what I have got to offer?"
Then they stared at my arms, at my stars and eyes. This friend Chris muttered something, whilst checking my size.
"You see, Chris, this is the eye that allows me to see, and this is the star that gets me from A to B."
I looked at my girl and she prodded, so I pumped his hand, until his face had nodded.
I decided to take him to a place in the peaks, where there was a cottage with a roof, awash
with leaks.
I showed him a place on top of a Tor, and then showed him a lab, until he asked for more.
I showed him the future, created by his will.
And then I took him, and showed him, and threw him off Lose Hill.
***
She said to me, "Is there anything else you need to do, time is now getting on for you?"
I said, "There is a sisterhood with whom my friend once bargained, a deal or a plan, a tryst that was not honoured.
I had promised my friend I would say hi, as long as they didn't mind me dropping by."
"Can I come with you; to follow and see, please, give me a clue, and let me come with thee!"
I said, "No, this time you must stay and wait, and hope that theirs is not too terrible a fate."
So I left you my dear, in search of these particular creators of fear.
In the hope that I could unpick the glue, and unravel what my friend had tried to do.
So that you could once more, smile and see and drink and soar.
33.
Respite.
I stand before them, gazing into their silhouettes and shadows.
They cackle and laugh, and then continue their eerie songs.
I remove my shirt, my trousers and shoes, and then warn them of what they have to lose.
And through their blindness they can still perceive, my skin and the patterns, the power did leave.
And the singing stops.
And to my relief, so do the rhymes.
And I can now speak in my own voice.
'You bargained with me once, but I am now returning that favour. I offer you only one chance, to release your hold, and set her free.'
The singing has stopped, but they still laugh.
And then I use my best and favourite movie one liner ever.
'I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse.'
So I offer them something new.
I offer them a glimpse from their blindness.
It is a look through my eyes, a view into other worlds, into mine.
And the laughing stops and they accept my deal.
And when they look through my eyes.
The laughs turn to screams.
And I then use my second favourite one liner ever, which is immediately lost on them.
'If you could see, what I have seen, with your eyes.'
And they see what I can see, and they see all of the pain.
The feelings of all of those around us, who have suffered in history.
And from that day onwards, they are burdened with that very pain.
They had sought to inflict on others, and finally must endure for me.
'Have it your way, take her with thee', they scream, 'and never come back, from this day to eternity.'
34.
We sit at the table, in the pub with the sweeping staircase.
She looks at me with her glinting, probing, deep green eyes, and everything is going perfectly. She smiles and she looks, and now she sees. And I ask her what she would like from the bar.
She says, "What are you having, gorgeous?"
I say, "You'll have to wait and see."
She replies, "Then make mine a G and T."
"With ice." she adds with a smile.
I order her the drink and the bartender looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"What's your poison?" he asks of me.
I ponder with a blink and wonder and think. To be poisoned, by someone or by your own arm? And there can only be one answer.
"Oh, for me?
I'll have water,
Still,
No ice."
And as I smile, I realise that it is not me that sits at her table anymore. And this is his answer and not mine. For it is Sam, yes the real Sam, looking at her. And not me, for I stand and watch.
He has returned to this place, and chanced his arm, and finally got to talk to this beautiful girl.
So this is where it really began. And this is what was supposed to have happened in the first place. A chance meeting, a drink and a date. A beautiful, feisty woman and a geeky, nervous man. Talking, laughing and listening.
They talk of Bombay sapphire and a meal from France.
And then dance under the moonlit sky.
So as I start moving away from them, I finally understand.
That I can still see her.
Through your eyes.
Acknowledgements.
I have no training or experience in writing, yet have been a voracious reader all my life.
This all came about after waking up with an idea one wet Sunday morning in August 2014. I urge anyone who has even the slightest desire for writing to go for it, one paragraph at a time and one chapter at a time. Before you know it, you may have something!
My grateful and sincere thanks need to be given to all my friends who provided me with invaluable insight during the writing process. In particular, Vicky and Chris, who read the early chapters as they were nervously written, and gave me much valued confidence!
I would also like to thank Amrit, Sara and Rachael for helping with the read through. Also, my very special thanks to Jennie for her eagle eyed and forensic approach to the proof reading!
This has not been an easy process, as I have had to balance it with my busy job working for the NHS in London and Hertfordshire. However, it has been astonishingly worthwhile and satisfying; genuinely something I never thought I would ever be able to do after so many false starts in the past. It has also made my long train journey to work quicker, fun and way more productive!
Finally to my family, Katy and my two young children, for being so patient and allowing me to disappear both physically and mentally when I was in the full throes of writing. My wife, Katy, who painstakingly went through all my scribbles from beginning to end, I couldn't have done it without you!
It's all been so enjoyable, that before this book was finalised and published, I had written a second and started on a third.
Just like London buses, but this one took me 45 years to get on...
On a more serious note, success in both writing and healthcare is achieved by providing a good quality product. The only way to determine quality is by using an appropriate measure. If you have enjoyed this book (or perhaps, you haven’t?) please spend two minutes of your time writing a review and giving me some feedback. It is the only way a first time writer can learn and move forward!
BB December 2014
Table of Contents
Through Your Eyes
1
2
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.