After that, I just wanted to go home, so before anyone noticed I took my clothes from the room, changed and silently walked to the reception. It was a good fortune that the secretary in charge that night was tired and distracted with her mobile; I asked how much was for the treatment, paid and took a taxi.
As the car was moving I focused on the red lights from the streets, they turned into those eyes. A discomfort travelled through my body and closed my eyes in hope of not bringing up those memories, but it was futile, I couldn't stop replaying that scene.
One thing that bothered me the most was the fact that I had the feeling of knowing Adelard, but as it was my headache started and, I felt a pulse for trying to remember, I sighed and gave up for now, anyway.
As the taxi stopped about 3 miles from my house, I got out and walked the rest of the way. My head was a mess and the cool air from the early morning cleared a little of the fog that consumed my mind.
While walking some cats approached me, petting them to say hello, I smiled content that at least someone was happy to see me. I got to my house, a 2 story with a small front yard full of wildflowers, (as I didn't tend to it). It was quite simple, although the neighbours never care what I did or where I go.
Opening the door, for the first time, I was tranquil, here I can get relaxed. I walked through the living room throwing my handbag on the sofa. I entered the kitchen and took water from the fridge, (chilled is always the best!). Going up the stairs, I went to my room and changed into my favourite pyjamas and slept like a log. Aside from a few nightmares here and there but nothing like other times, I guess I was more tired than I thought.
Waking up at noon I find myself cooking some toast and tea, I don't particularly prefer coffee; grabbing some apricot jam from the fridge I sit on the old table. I notice as every morning that it looks out of place in the modest kitchen, sort of pale bluish colour that has a few unpainted parts, but the legs are carved in wonderful shapes of flowers and butterflies. It stands out.
Spreading the jam on the toast, I muse about the Adelard guy. I didn't get a good look on his face as it was pretty dark, but his arms looked strong while the body was lithe. Like a snake, that is hiding his true strength before striking and suffocating before you could scream.
"Agh...That is an unnecessary thought, why am I even thinking that?"
'The speed that he showed was striking but as it was dark, and I was just woken up from a medicated state, maybe what I saw was not really like that' My reasoning was getting more and more unreliable.
"Aaah...My food is spoiled just from that; I'd better paint to distract myself." I put the leftover food on a lunch box, storing it away for tonight as I don't eat lunch, only breakfast and dinner. I remember that I have to call my working place, luckily is the weekend so no pressure.
I got my tea and left for my study, a large, spacious room cloaked in fabric so that the paint does not dirty the floor or walls. I have my blank canvas in one corner, all different sizes from small ones like a laptop to long ones like a bed; on the other corner were my finished products, but I never liked them, so they had a big black cloth to hide them.
A big window looked out to the forest behind the house. It has managed to make my worries disappear when I look at it to feel inspired, not that I paint scenery, but it is a pleasure to watch the leaves dance and fall or the birds posing in one branch to sing.
"What am I going to paint today?...hmm well, something will come out as I go."
First, prepare the colours and brushes, then the water for cleaning with some towels and last choosing the size of the canvas; a large one will do as it is a 30 x 40 so plenty of space to let my imagination guide me.
I start by sketching with a pencil and the forms start to come from the moon, butterflies, and a face not very detailed as I will let the colours give more personality to each figure, I just wish it is not a disfigured-nightmarish face like the one in my other pictures.
The only faces that I paint are ghostly and macabre, never real portraits or tolerable, I don't know why I do such a thing, that's why they all end up as cast-offs to never see the light of day ever again. I'm sure that a horror house will love something like those but some are so unspeakable hair-raising that they could give a heart attack to anyone who is not prepared, mentally and spiritually.
As the colour touches the blank space, they start to give life to the shapes, now the moon is clear with light in a starless night, next the butterflies are so vibrant and colourful that they seem to come out to go over the window to play.
"I trust that this will come more stunning than I guessed, now the difficult part...this portrait is human or not, I'm not sure, but I can hope"
I pick a delicate brush for finer details and go to multiple colours without really seeing them, so my mind is not in control but only my inspiration moves my body to guide me, to make a unique piece.
Is nearly like a dance, hearing invisible music in the air, feeling a warm breeze in my hair and a cold touch in my hands. I guess this is the only moment in my entire life that I'm alive, truly alive; without the burden of society, nightmares or loneliness, this is the true peace that no one can ever even begin to imagine how it feels.
"Fuu...it's done, I'm so nervous...come on Czarina, open your eyes!" I open them slowly. The light blinds me for a moment or two but when I get the full picture.
"Aah!" I gasp.
"This is...how is this possible?!"
In front of me is an alluring handsome guy, Adelard, I know it, but I don't understand how I could paint him with so much detail if I didn't even get to see his face clearly.
His appearance is nearly androgynous if it weren't for his pronounced jawline but the rest was so gorgeous. The lips were full and of a light pink that contrasted brightly with the skin like porcelain, a nose that looked like it was carved from a Greek statue, hair that floated in the moon kissed shade that made the most expensive silk look like rubbish.
The most amazing part was the bewitching eyes, just like I remember they are red, however, they have this heavenly and stunning radiance, like rubies that drank blood and the Sun is hiding inside them, but a gleam full of sadness and sorrow; pain and fatigue, hide in those gems, so impenetrable and out of reach like a cold star, that even if you were looking you wouldn't notice it unless you search for it.
Only one sentence I could speak after watching for a while.
"Who are you?"
The wind took my whisper and never answered.