XXIV

The dinner was delightful, I have no recollection of something as spectacular as this dinner, 'I should come more often' was the thought that clouded my mind. But, for now it does not really matter anymore. I still have the piece of paper in my pocket, is folded in four. My belly hurts a little bit, is tight against my pants. I decided to let myself go and unbutton the old trousers, suddenly my phone rang, it was my mother. She asked me if I wanted to visit her the next day. 'We can do it right now' I reply. I could hear her smile over the phone.

It has been years since the last time we gather together, last time we were sitting on a park, and I told her she was an annoying human being. I did not mean that, I was just frustrated because I had a dreadful day that day. I really love my mother, sometimes I am just a jerk.

I drove as fast as I could to get there, I have to say that I passed some red lights, I did not care, probably the intervention of some cops could make this day way better, then I thought in those six words and a number in that piece of paper. With that in mind, I wanted to enjoy this day at its fullest. When I got into my mother house she was wearing and old coat to cover her pajamas, I felt bad, she was already sleeping, but it was now or never. I hugged her, so tight, so tender. I thought for a second that I was three years old again. I looked at her into her eyes, I wanted to cry but that will drive her crazy and she will start asking a lot of question, I do not want to waste time. I asked for her forgiveness, she did not understand what I was saying, as any other mother on the planet she feels that she has nothing to forgive, that endless mother love, something that we still cannot understand, verily to be told I suppose to understand it, I am a mother of two, but let's face the truth. I am the worst mother ever.

I abandoned my children long ago, one with my parents and the other one with her father. Mom asked me if I wanted to see my kid, I agreed to that. entering the house all those memories came back to me. My childhood, the pranks with my friends, my disobedience that at some point headed me to my first child. I walk fast towards my first-born, she was there, sleeping, utterly ignorant of my presence. I cried and my mother asked me for the reason. "He is alive and probably after me." I replied. "But he died five years ago." she added. I explained to her that I did not have enough time, I gave her the paper, she was shocked. I told her that was not his handwriting, it was someone else's. I took the paper and without saying anything else I left home. I did not want to ride my car anymore; the mere idea scare the hell out of me. Walking down the streets I started calling those who I consider important to me, I wanted so desperate to find help. "He is alive and hunting me." was the sentence rumbling in my head, over an over again, it could not be, I saw the picture of his corpse, the medical file. Later back then, I knew the hospital lost his body, but even if he is alive. Why now? He had all the time, all these years to approach me. I could not help but wonder. "If this because I am free and successful now? Is his revenge?"

Nobody answered the phone, my beg for mercy and help was useless. I started to panic with the idea of him staring at me walking alone in the middle of the night, I threw my phone away and I ran back home, at this moment I did not care if someone could rape me or kill me, whatsoever, any possible fatal destiny could be better than falling into his hand, his non-death hands.

After a couple of blocks I realized how stupid this whole matter was, people never came back from the death, if his lifeless miserable body was stole from the hospital where he died, he probably deserve it, he was an evil man and destiny was not done with him, I regret tossing my phone away, did not matter, I have the money to get a new one and I was near home, I could get a new device and with my job, recover that money in less than a day. I was finally putting myself together and it was at that moment that I saw it, the most beautiful black owl I could ever imagine. Its feathers were so dark that it seemed that it carried the night with it wherever it went, and its blue eyes, so blue that they resembled flashing lightning embedded in them. It was beautiful beyond words and not at all subtle nocturnal darkness of its anatomy.

The bird was staring at me, so deeply, so intense, it felt like it was scanning my soul and judging me, I did not like that.

As soon as I get home, I turned on the lights, pink a purple light enlightened my flat, the white walls make the place look bigger, I love my life style and I am pretty sure it would be impossible to get all I have now next to him, a body-size mirror reminded me who I was, a sexy woman on the peak of his sexiness, an incredible body, blue steel eyes, long, curly blonde hair, every man's dream. "Fuck you, miserable liar" I yelled. "I hope you burn in hell"

I took off my jacket, a long white jacket with furry decoration on the hood. I notice how noisy my heels could be when I walk, I did not care for my neighbors. I walk to my study and turn on my computer. <> was written all over the white walls of my study. I ran and tried to get my landline to call the police, it was death. I grabbed the paper again <> that was previously delivered to me by a stranger in a party that I had... oh my God, the party was twenty-four hours ago.

I went out of the flat, I did my best to run but one of the heels just broke off, I took of the shoes and started to run barefooted, I was so scared that I did not feel any pain, my mind was telling me not to use the elevator, so I used the emergency stairs, when I went down two floors, I notice another big graffiti on the walls. <>

I am sure now, is not him; maybe one of his crazy friends who already insulted me in the past, but what the hell means one of the four?

It was almost two in the morning, the street and park in front of my building was empty, not even a single soul. The owl was there. It flew away and I am quite sure I am crazy or just hallucinating but the bird just vanish on a thin air.

I kept running but my body was getting tired, I felt on my knees, and I started to cry. I wanted to yell his name but, suddenly I realized. I do not remember his name anymore. I heard footsteps approaching me. Too scared to look back I was. Some heavy boots, I man, a woman. Not sure, but it was the only person besides me, and it was walking toward me. "I am sorry" I heard me saying "If I turned him, nothing would change if you kill me."

The person behind me touched my pate as letting me know that he or she understood what I was saying, but even though. My fate was sealed.

Swiftly I opened my eyes and the only thing I could see was the fathomless darkness of the night, I took a deep breath while my lips were trembling.

The last thing I heard was the barrel of a gun.