The small bottle, tilted to one side, was funny. There was no one in front of this display stand and no lovely scents. I took the tester bottle from the first shelf and waved it gently, trying to stir up the gold glitter glued to the bottom. The orange liquid inside was soft and warm, and I wanted to smell its aroma. I lifted the cuff of my shirt and I sprayed my wrist. The fluid felt gentle and smooth on my palm and fingers, warming me. Like magic, fireworks - wonderful and attractive – exploded around me, and strange sensations, colorful lights appeared before my eyes. The scent of ambergris, a bed of roses wafted up to my nose and a hint of lemon stung me, choking me. I felt my cheeks catching fire and my heart started thumping. A joyous laughter rung in my head. My pupils widened, and my irises narrowed as my nose greedily inhaled this desired flavor. The hunter was back, but where was his prey? Alma had moved away and I saw Vera on my left, still looking at bottles, still trying new scents.
Hmm...
"Ha! Ha! Ha!"
The sound of a child laughing reached my ears. I heard cries of joy and the sound of running, while Alma continued to scrutinize the labels, her back turned. Without thinking, I looked to the source of the noise. I felt an approaching dizzying. It felt like the beats of a tambourine being repeated at a fast rate as the child's feet continued to come forward.
"Wait for me!" cried a little girl.
An air stream without...
"You just have to hurry! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Let's go! The last one there is a wimp! Na-na-na-na-ne-re!" chanted the boy who kept on running.
While the group of customers who were in the middle of the store quickly got out of the way of the children, the first boy made a small step to the right to ensure that the way was clear. The man, who had turned his back to me, made a face at that moment and slipped away to the left. He quickly threw his head back, his long hair covering half of his face as he was propelled forward and stopped. His coat was dull black, inflated by the air flow from the ceiling fan, transforming it into a grotesque balloon. The boy, who was coming at the same time, veered to the right to avoid him. The other kids, who were having fun by chasing the boy, had managed to shake up half of the customers in their path, and they were heading directly toward him now. The first boy tried to change course when he saw the huge showcase from which the man had walked quickly away from, clearing the way. But the other three, who followed him closely, forced him to the display where Alma was standing.
"Oh, no!" The words broke out in my head as if they belonged to someone else.
I sprang and placed myself between the petrified girl and the high stand of perfumes. The customers blinked when I swerved between them. The outline of my body was blurred by the velocity with which I moved around, and a light stream of air brushed their faces. I had barely time to catch Alma by the waist, with my left arm, moving even too hastily to be as soft as I would have liked. I succeeded - with skill - to clutch her against my chest and push the kids in the middle of the crowd, where they would be safe. With the same movement I turned my back to the huge stand full of glass shelves which began to fall, the bottles smashing with a deafening sound. When I heard the horrible crackling over her head, I nearly froze. During the hundredth of a second between the moment when I pulled her lightweight silhouette out of danger and when I crushed her into my arms to protect her, I suddenly became aware of her frail body. Within seconds, the display rack was gone! Fragments of glass were scattered everywhere, pools of perfume trickled in rivulets.
My first fear - having lost her - was the strongest. While the screams of witnesses rang out all around us, I cast down my eyes to examine her face to see if she was conscious. My eyes locked on her wide open gray eyes, frozen by the shock.
"How are you?" I asked her in a state of panic.
"Okay," she replied automatically but with a startled voice.
The pleasure that I felt at the sound of her voice was so intense that it was almost painful. She shuddered and tried to get away, but I was not ready to release her. I felt myself strangely in her confidence. At least I felt better, now that she was in my arms.
She struggled and I shook her gently, whispering: "Wait, there's more!" I heard a little squeak and with a final bang, the highest shelf crashed to the ground, half at our feet, the other half on my back. "It's over," I said, opening my arms to let her escape.
I was panicked at the thought of having hurt her while trying to protect her. Fearing her proximity yet well aware of the warmth of her supple body pressed against my own - even through the double barrier of our clothes, I could feel her heat. She stretched her back, looked down to safely place her feet on the ground, then turned towards me while I stood there stunned, to contemplate.
"But...," her voice was lost and her eyelids fluttered.
I was overwhelmed. I had finally met her, but in a very unusual manner and I knew that I was not ready for more. I looked at the crowd around us, with frightened faces and eyes bugged out like bullets. To have her so close to me... Was I ready?
"We must call 911, I believe," I said to shorten this impossible situation.
I lowered my glance, but I could not resist the temptation. Again, my eyes met her deep gray eyes. She stood and stared. Did she think of me as I thought of her? It was natural, if she did. Her lips moved. But I could not hear a whisper. Attractive red blooms tinted her cheeks when she gazed at my shirt, my costume. What was she looking for? I did not know. The emotions could be read on her face as if they were written in capital letters on her forehead: surprise, curiosity and enchantment...? And also embarrassment when I discovered her trying to spy on me at length. Moreover, although her impressions were very clear in her eyes, her lips parted, but I could not hear anything except the frantic bustle of people around us. No words came out. I suddenly felt uneasy. Yet I was never interested by the impression that I left, it didn't matter as long as people didn't know who I really was. Was there something wrong with me?
The sirens announcing the arrival of firefighters filled my head. She clapped her hands over the ears and her eyelids narrowed briefly.
Weird, it shouldn't have bothered her. The sound is normal for others.
Determined to bear the noise, she took her hands from her ears and opened her eyes wide.
"You are injured," she said, distraught, "Oh—"
Her hand touched my back. It was more like a caress and her fingers went exploring, going into the torn shirt to my skin - where the broken glass had left deep cuts.
Out of nowhere, Vera appeared. She grabbed her by the arm and shook her, crying: "You're okay? Huh?"
"Oh, Vera! Stop shaking me like that! You're giving me a headache. Calm down, dammit! " She broke away from her friend and turned towards me... and I saw the most astonishing smile I'd ever seen in my life envelop me. Her eyes, so expressive, sent me a message that her lips were not yet ready to pronounce - at least it was not what I was hoping to hear. "I thank you, for protecting me."
I could not find the words to say. I was frozen. I looked at her. I opened my mouth...
The firefighters came and placed me on a stretcher. I knew that I was not really hurt, but I did not object. Part of me wanted to leave out of fear, while another part wanted to stay out of curiosity.
"Who is this young man with the black hair?" I heard Vera ask her.
She was looking at me from the corner of her eye, but she quickly turned her head when she saw that I still stared. I had hoped hearing her voice would help me feel better, but it made it worse.
"I don't know. I don't even know his name."
"Really?"
"Let me go, Vera! I do not feel very well."
"Do you want to come with us?" said one of the firefighters.
"No, thank you. It will—," she said, rubbing her forehead and pressing it with her fingers.
"I would like you to come with us. You know, the police will ask you a hundred questions. If you come with us, they will have to wait," he said, looking at her with admiration.
Oh, no!
I listened to their conversation and I crossed my fingers. I was hoping she would say refuse.
"Yes, I think you're right. That sounds more reasonable."
Of course!
The word came to my lips, but I did not let it out. At that time, two police officers were advancing towards them, with notebooks in hand.
"The girl is with us," said the firefighter with a smile.
"We have some questions for her. It won't be long," said one of them, rubbing the few hairs he called a mustache.
Oh! Good luck, you fool!
I felt a strange impulse that I did not understand right away. It had something to do with evil and insignificant exchanges between the three men, of which she was unaware. I felt a strong desire to interfere with them, to protect Alma again. This time from the unspoken.
What a strange feeling!
I tried to discern the motivations behind this impulse. I examined the girl again.
"Yes, yes! You always say that, Leon." The fireman said while laughing.
Alma looked at all three of them and did not seem to understand. She looked at me and her eyes fell. I was lying on the stretcher. There was a slight crease between her eyes. She seemed to not be conscious of it. I turned my head to hide my smile. Maybe it was just a protective instinct deeply buried. The strong protecting the weak, something like that. This girl seemed fragile. Her alabaster skin was so translucent that it was hard to believe that it was a reliable defense against external aggressions. I could see the rhythmic pulsing of her blood in her veins through that skin. It was incredibly frustrating!
I was already in the emergency vehicle, and waiting for it to take the road to the hospital. Too late! I closed my eyes. The smell of blood was in my nostrils and I remembered that I was thirsty. I was lying down and she was very near. I wanted to laugh with anger!
"Let's go?" said the fireman, interrupting the course of my thoughts. I was watching them. "I have saved your life," he said.
While looking at me, she replied "No! Not you! Him!"
And she pointed to me with her chin.
I turned away with relief. There might be hope. Who knows, one day?