This is the short story I made in for my English 1st quarter project. It's entitled IRIS
N O T E
This short story is inspired by the song Iris sang by Goo Goo Dolls.
I’d give up forever to touch you
‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be
And I don’t want to go home right now
All I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
‘Cause sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t want to miss you tonight
I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
“If I have been my best that day, he would still be with me. I could still feel his tender touch, his sweet gentle lips landing on the soft red margins of my mouth, the heat from his body uniting with mine, and the warmth of love keeping us alive, but right now, all I could feel is cold…cold wind striking my face; and in a few seconds, my body will turn colder than this wind, colder than the breeze from that pale lake, and colder than the frozen ice outlying the Antarctic.”
I could still remember years ago, a raging car swept the busy streets of Amsterdam. The one behind the wheels is a poor troubled girl. I could clearly remember how teary her blue almond-shaped eyes were, that she hardly perceived a clear image beyond the windshield of her pure black Mercedes-Benz. Expectedly, an accident took place. The rampant car hit a man wearing plain white pants and a white coat.
His name is Gabriel. He is strikingly handsome and reserved in manner. You would quickly notice it by the way he walks. He is indeed angelic.
The mad driver of the Mercedes-Benz is a cardiologist. Her name is Hilary. She just graduated, and it’s her first week in the job. Friends and family say she’s a very intelligent girl. She even graduated summa cum laude from one of Amsterdam’s known universities and finished a high degree of study in the field of medicine.
Hilary was not with herself that day because her patient died in her first open-heart surgery. She was very sure she followed all the procedures in operating, and she operated very carefully from opening the chest to closing the wound. She really can’t comprehend where she went wrong or if she actually did wrong.
Hilary’s patient is a man. He is still young. It isn’t time for him to die yet for his wife and children need him. Because of this, Hilary did everything she could to keep him alive.
Unfortunately, even after several electric shocks, nothing happened. But Hilary didn’t stop. She held the very heart of her patient in her hands and did the pumping herself.
“You can’t die on me! Come on! Please! I’m not losing you! They’re not taking you!” Hilary exclaimed while carefully pumping the heart of the young man.
Hilary began to realize something about life and death. As she reminisced the moment she was fighting for her patient’s life, she started to think, “Who was I fighting with? It’s like there’s a force that’s actually taking away their lives…a force which no expert can explain…a force which no doctor, like me, can fight.”
That was how she hit innocent Gabriel on the road. Although badly hit, Gabriel refused to be brought to the hospital. However, this belle insisted. She held the hands of Gabriel and helped him stand, but Gabriel seemed all right. Unbelievably, he even stood easily and walked straight.
“I’m really fine. You don’t have to bother,” uttered Gabriel while raising his eyebrows to convince her.
Hilary was really worried, so she still insisted on bringing him to the nearest hospital, the hospital where she works.
In just a few minutes, they arrived in the hospital, and Hilary asked the nurses to send Gabriel to the emergency room. Upon arriving at the area, she immediately examined him, but he displayed no sign of injury or wound. Not even a scratch could be found! Hilary became very confused. She turned her attention to Gabriel and gave him a curious stare but instead of just a stare, she was struck by the beauty of Gabriel’s eyes.
“His bright green eyes perfectly match his scarlet lips and fair skin. His facial features are unique. His eyes are calm as if peace reigns in his heart, and he seems flawless even in his manner…I’ve never seen and admired such person before. He’s a perfect being. Not even a scratch of imperfection…not even a literal scratch? Oh, God! How did this happen?” Hilary confusingly asked herself when suddenly her mobile phone rang. She immediately excused herself from Gabriel and walked out of the emergency room.
Marc’s mother’s on the phone.
“My boy is being rushed to the hospital right now!”
“What?”
“The police called and said there had been an accident,” Mrs. Ames replied in an agonized voice.
“Oh my God! Where did they take him?” Hilary worriedly asked.
“I’m not sure where, but it’s near Keukenhof Flower Park. Please hurry and be there for him! We will follow soon.”
Marc is Hilary’s boyfriend. They have been going out for exactly seven years now. They are supposed to meet at their favorite dating place, Keukenhof Flower Park, to celebrate their seventh year together, but she forgot all these because of the car accident she was involved in.
Upon hearing the awful news, Hilary became distressed, as if her day’s been cursed.
“My patient died, I almost killed an innocent man, and my fiancé is now being rushed to the hospital. Could there be anything worse than these?”
Without more ado, Hilary went back to the room where she left Gabriel, finding out that he’s already gone without a trace, but since her fiancé badly needs her, she stopped thinking of Gabriel first, hurriedly took the car keys from her handbag, and drove to the hospital nearest to the garden where they were supposed to meet.
Upon arriving at the hospital, a devastating news welcomed Hilary; Marc didn’t make it alive.
“He was accidentally shot by this criminal,” reported one policeman as he showed a picture of the criminal. “We’ve been chasing this criminal for weeks. He is a jail breaker and we still aren’t successful in nailing him down. Mr. Ames is just one of the three people who were shot. We’re very sorry.”
Hilary’s ears began closing as she heard more and more bad news. She couldn’t take more of those piercing news anymore. She fell on her knees and began weeping. Stabbing tears rushed out of her eyes.
“This day is indeed cursed.”
Hilary cried the whole night of the day Marc was killed. Her tears ran down like razor blades, but she kept on praying to God, asking for strength and guidance. Not only Hilary’s world changed in one night but also her personality. She became stronger and even braver for she knew that any moment, she could die, just like what happened to her fiancé, or she could have an encounter with the criminal who killed the only man in her life. Also, Hilary chose to close her heart. She couldn’t love any other guy but Marc, who made her feel very special. This would be permanent unless someone very similar to her beloved man would enter her life and bring back every smile she has lost.
Months passed. Hilary continued curing and saving people. She still made friends with men or other male co-surgeons, but no closer relationship was developed. The last time she cried was the night of Marc’s death.
Hilary’s sudden change is really unexpected. I have known her for being a cheerful maiden before, but for eleven months now, she hasn’t worn any smile on her face yet. I can’t tell whether her change is something good but definitely, I’m not happy seeing her that ruined. She needs a man who could actually protect her, someone who could take away the pain that she’s been hiding behind that mask of bravery.
One night, Hilary had an unusual dream; a man whose face can’t be seen is standing in front of Marc’s grave. Several nights passed, and she had the same dream about that mysterious man wearing a white coat, still standing in front of her fiancé’s grave under the brightly glowing full moon. Hilary never saw his face because he never faced her.
That dream kept on bugging Hilary as if reminding her that Marc’s first death anniversary will be in two days. At the same time, it will be their eighth anniversary, which of course, Hilary didn’t wish to celebrate.
One morning, Hilary woke up from the same dream. She sat herself and embraced the silk-covered pillow Marc gave her during their first anniversary. She suddenly felt tears rolling down her cheeks and finally decided to do something she never tried doing for almost a year.
“I thought I’d always be strong. I’m missing you and maybe it’s time I should face the truth; you’re gone, and you have a grave that I must visit.”
Hilary knew she should mourn for the death of Marc so as to let the sad feeling out of her. She has not cried hard enough yet, but finally, she will.
Before the day would end, Hilary set her alarm to 11:00 midnight, and then she instantly lay on her bed and hugged the silk-covered pillow till she fell asleep.
“Beep beep! Beep beep! Beep beep!”
After a few hours of sleep, the hour hand of Hilary’s alarm clock struck eleven, and beeped. As expected, then noise woke her up.
Hilary switched her side table lamp on, and sat herself. She slightly rubbed her eyes, sighed and looked right to see the bright full moon from her balcony. Hilary stretched her arms, yawned, and then finally stood up to eat a quick breakfast of coffee and oats. Afterward, she marched to the bathroom and took a cold shower.
With her brunette hair towel-dried, Hilary put on her clothes, grabbed her stuff, wore her high-heeled silver-white pair of shoes, and rode her Mercedes-Benz to the cemetery.
The cemetery is just a 30-minute drive from Hilary’s home. Upon arriving, Hilary neatly parked her car and opened the windows.She quietly sat on her leather car seat for a few seconds and took several deep breaths to convince herself. Finally, she stepped out of the car, and brought out her flashlight and jacket.
The raging wind welcomed Hilary with a chilling slap on the face and arms. Since she couldn’t stand the cold wind, she quickly put on her jacket and switched on her flashlight. In just a few minutes, she found her way to Marc’s grave. To her surprise, she found herself in her own dream.
A man wearing a white coat was standing in front of Marc’s grave with his back facing Hilary. Hilary looked up to the moon and saw that it’s full with its light violently striking her gloomy face. Again, she felt the freezing wind embracing her whole body, and it gave her the goosebumps when she realized it is Marc who’s standing in front of her.
“Is this real? Or is this just another dream?”
Hilary shook her head, and when she was about to speak, the man faced her. To her amazement, the man wasn’t Marc but Gabriel. It was only during that moment, she realized that Gabriel and Marc are so much alike.
“Maybe that’s the reason why I felt something very special for him.”
Once again, Hilary’s heart beat so fast.
“Hello, beautiful damsel!” uttered Gabriel in a deep adorable tone.
“Oh, hi! You’re Gabriel right?” Hilary shyly asked.
“I’m glad you still remember me. Would you come with me?” Gabriel asked with a smile.
“What am I doing? Am I not supposed to visit my dead fiancé and not flirt with someone else, also in front of his grave? Did you mean this to happen? Marc, if you’re there… if you could hear me, please…answer me. I beg you.”
“Are you alright Hilary?” Gabriel gently asked, while reaching out his hands to Hilary’s.
“I’m sorry but…wait, why are you here? How do you know Marc? Are you two related...and…why do you know my name?” Hilary confusingly posed.
“Whoa!” Gabriel timidly chuckled. “You have so many questions. You better take a walk with me, and that will be the time I’ll answer your questions,” Gabriel promised while giving her a wink and a smile she could trust.
Hilary decided to trust Gabriel. Besides, he didn’t look like he could do any harm, and he was so friendly and accommodating.
“Marc, I know you’re with me. My heart is at ease when I’m with this guy although he’s a stranger to me. Maybe that’s because I strongly feel that you live in him.”
“I actually don’t know Marc that well but I know he’s a very good person, and I can feel how much you love him. Don’t be afraid. You can trust me,” Gabriel said.
When Hilary and Gabriel were walking down the stone stairs, the heel of Hilary’s right shoe got stuck in a crack on the stair, and she tripped, lost her balance, broke her right ankle and almost fell, but Gabriel alertly grab hold of her arms and caught her.
“Ouch!” Hilary yelled in pain.
“Slowly there! I’m sorry I brought you here. I’m really sorry—”
“Oh no, don’t be sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have worn this pair of shoes. How careless am I!” Hilary just laughed at what happened.
“Look at you. You’re smiling.” Gabriel said as he romantically looked at Hilary’s shiny blue eyes.
The sun is about to rise, and the setting was so poetic; the flowers around swayed, the birds sang, and the sun appeared to be peeping from the horizon. God’s painting of yellow, red, blue, and violet stunningly colored the sky.
It’s as if time stopped when Hilary’s eyes found its way to Gabriel’s. They were romantically staring at each other.
“He is really an angel. And I think I already like him.”
The poetic moment was interrupted when bird droppings landed on Gabriel’s white coat.
“Well, well, well…thank you guys!” Gabriel shouted to the flock of birds that flew above them with his head lifted up.
Hilary, who could no longer keep herself reserved, burst out laughing, “Ha ha ha!”
Gabriel comfortably laughed with her too.
“You see, you’re pretty when you smile that way, but don’t laugh too loud like the way you did a while ago,” Gabriel remarked.
“Come with me! I know a very beautiful place,” Hilary radiantly proposed. She quickly stood but fell again.
“Ouch! I think I broke my ankle.”
“You careless belle,” Gabriel teased, “I might as well carry you to your car…and I won’t take no for an answer, unless you want me to leave you there, sitting pretty but with a poor broken ankle.”
“Who says I don’t want to be carried?” Hilary exclaimed with a funny exaggerating expression.
Gabriel bent down and let Hilary ride his back. He carried her up to the car which is a 25-minute walk away.
“His body is well-built, just like Marc’s, and he is sexy…Wait, what am I thinking?” Hilary giggled.
“Hey, what’s funny?”
“Nothing. Come on, hurry up. You’re like a turtle.” Hilary kid Gabriel.
They arrived at the parking area at around 5am. Since Hilary broke her ankle, she can’t drive, so Gabriel did the driving. Hilary just gave him the directions.
“Where are we going by the way?”
“Stop asking. Just drive…Oh hey, tell me something about you.”
“Nothing’s interesting about me,” Gabriel answered while looking for some cool CDs in Hilary’s car, “Hey, let’s play this!”
“Okay! Let’s rock!”
Gabriel played a CD of common Amsterdam rock music. He and Hilary enjoyed the short ride, and they sang joyfully for more than 30 minutes until they arrived at their destination. The sight of such a captivating colossal garden amused Gabriel.
Hilary brought Gabriel to Keukenhof Flower Park. It’s the garden where she and Marc were supposed to celebrate their seventh anniversary. It’s also the largest flower park in the world, and the most beautiful flower garden in the Netherlands.
As soon as Gabriel neatly parked the Mercedes-Benz, he quickly got off the car, and like a typical gentleman, he opened the car door on Hilary’s side and helped her out. Given that Hilary couldn’t walk, Gabriel had to carry her again.
“We’re finally here! I bet it’s the most beautiful paradise you’ve ever seen, isn’t it?” Hilary vigorously asked.
“It’s indeed a paradise, but still, you’re my paradise.” Gabriel thought.
“Hey, why aren’t you answering me? See, I told you it’s a very good place! Right? Right?” she kept on asking while kicking on Gabriel’s back.
“You know, you’re like a child,” Gabriel kid her, “Are you serious with that question? You’re even more stunning than this place!”
Hilary blushed and gave him a flattered smile. “Stop it…You’re telling me I’m beautiful for like every hour!” she shyly exclaimed.
“That’s because you’re really a gorgeous maiden. Trust me. Just keep on smiling.”
For the rest of the day, Gabriel and Hilary spent their time chatting, and kidding each other. Hilary’s never been this happy. She didn’t bother acting like a child in front of Gabriel because in front of Gabriel, she’s a flawless innocent young lady. She could even laugh very loud without considering her poise. In fact, she’s never been this comfortable in front of a guy.
Marc never saw this side of Hilary. Only Gabriel has made Hilary this joyful and made her feel very beautiful.
“I’m finally in love…” Hilary wrote on her journal.
Because of too much glee, Hilary forgot to get Gabriel’s contact number. After the very romantic night, where the rain poured so hard while they were standing under the light of a street post and kissed, Gabriel just disappeared.
“Yes, we kissed.” Hilary stated to Morris.
After that day with Gabriel, Hilary learned a lot about life and death. She started visiting the home for the aged and found out that Marc’s grandfather, Morris, had been there for almost a year.
Morris has Alzheimer’s disease. He also has frequent heart attacks. Hilary made it a habit to visit Morris every week to tell him never-ending stories about Gabriel. She also brought fruits for Morris and sometimes, accompanied him to watch baseball games.
Although Morris always forgets her stories, Hilary never got tired of telling them over and over again. She also knew that Marc and his grandfather are happy for her for being able to find true happiness even though it was just in one day.
Hilary never stopped thinking of Gabriel and the night they kissed. She never stopped thinking that someday Gabriel would come back…that someday Gabriel will tell her she is loved.
Hilary’s months grew more and more depressing. Little by little, the hope of seeing Gabriel again slowly faded. Her once lively face turned paler than ever till one day, she received a letter.
The letter was from God, and it said, “Meet him there.”
Hilary was very puzzled. She thought she’s already crazy for thinking she actually received such letter from “the” God, but it’s real. She’s not dreaming. The letter is real, and the puzzle behind the message, she has to solve.
Six years and a half passed.
While drinking coffee in an old coffee shop, Hilary read the news and noticed an article about Keukenhof Flower Park being a park for lovers. She quickly remembered the message.
“Maybe the message meant that…that… I should meet him at that garden!”
Hilary’s face suddenly lit up. The hope of seeing Gabriel again, after six years of hopelessness, returned.
“But when’s the right time?”
Hilary had faith. She kept on looking for signs...signs that would help her solve the puzzle.
One night, Hilary prayed to God and asked for wisdom and His guidance before sleeping. Amazingly, once again, the dream that’s been bugging her years ago came back. Every night, she had visions of Gabriel, standing in a tower. Although it wasn’t clear in her dreams that the man standing in the tower is Gabriel, she just believed.
Six months passed and Hilary followed the same routine of visiting Marc’s grave during midnight where the world is peaceful. She would sit beside his grave and tell stories.
“Hey…I…I don’t know what to say…I’m looking forward to seeing him again, you know. You understand me right?” Hilary tried talking to Marc, “Do you remember the time you proposed to me? I hope he would propose to me…in the same place…in the same...tower! Oh my God! He’s in that tower!”
Hilary already solved the puzzle. She hurriedly got into her car and drove. Tears of joy came running down her rosy cheeks. Her heart was filled with great hopes.
Hilary hastily got off the car the moment she arrived, and she ran to the tower as fast as she could with immense anticipation.
“I knew you’re here!” Hilary jumped on Gabriel with tears and punched him repeatedly with force on the chest.
Gabriel wrapped his arms around Hilary. He embraced her very tightly and whispered, “Hush now…I will no longer leave.”
“Why did you do this to me! Why didn’t you show up for years! I kept on waiting for you every year in his grave! How dare you make me look so stupid for loving you so much!” Hilary cried and continued punching harder.“Yes! Now you know! I love you! I always loved you!” Hilary kept crying.
Gabriel just continued embracing her till she finally got tired of punching.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just that there are things I can’t explain to you, things that you won’t understand…but everything’s all right now. I’m no longer leaving you.”
Half an hour passed before Hilary finally calmed down.
“I have lots of questions. Why don’t you answer them?”
“We’ll talk about them when we get to your home. Come on, I’ll carry you. I know you’re tired.”
Gabriel assisted Hilary in standing up. Afterwards, he carried her like a child on his arms, and then drove her home. Hilary was very tired that’s why she quickly fell half asleep in the backseat of the car.
“Hey…Can I ask you a favor Hilary? Could we just forget everything that happened? I can’t answer your questions now, and I don’t know when I can answer them. You know, everybody’s got something which they have to leave behind.”
It’s already past 2 o’clock midnight. Gabriel didn’t notice Hilary’s already asleep.
“Oh, that’s why she’s not answering me.”
When Gabriel arrived at Hilary’s home, he looked for the house keys in Hilary’s purse and suddenly saw the mysterious letter Hilary’s been keeping. He folded it and slid it in the pocket of his pants then continued looking for the keys.
Gabriel carried Hilary to her room and wrapped her with a soft blanket. Afterwards, he locked the entrance door of the house and turned off the lights. Gabriel sat on the sofa to the right of Hilary’s bed and watched her sleep.
“There’s no use looking back, my paradise. What’s important now is that we're going to be together now. The greatest gift Father gave me was the day that I found you and from that day on, you’re the one I thought about each day. That’s why I always loved you.” Gabriel whispered without knowing Hilary’s been hearing him all the time.
Beginning the next day, Hilary and Gabriel began going out. Gabriel promised not to leave her under two conditions: He is not to explain anything about his life prior that night in the tower, and he is not to answer any questions regarding his sudden disappearance.
Hilary, although bothered, respected Gabriel’s decision and privacy.
“I just hope the thing he’s hiding will be for my own good.”
Seven years passed.
One summer, Gabriel and Hilary went on vacation. They went to Italy, where Hilary’s parents lived. After introducing Gabriel to her parents, Hilary brought him to a place where he could have a bird’s eye view of the whole city.
“The wind here blows like the one from the tower in Keukenhof…Do you think the wind is alive?” Gabriel curiously asked Hilary.
“Me? Maybe!”
“For me, the wind is alive. Everything God created has something special in it. The wind, although you couldn’t see it, you could feel it… Come here.” Gabriel extended his arm for Hilary to grab it, and then he let Hilary stand on the high rock he is standing on.
“I want to prove to you that the wind is alive, and whispers.”
Gabriel held Hilary’s hand and stretched it out as if they were flying.
“Close your eyes and feel the wind.”
The wind blew very hard that Gabriel and Hilary felt like they were already flying. It whispered softly like angels chanting praise to God.
“When I die, I want to be the wind…so that you could still feel me although I’m already gone.”
“Stop saying that! That’s stupid! You’re not going to die. We’re going to live long, and we’re going to be very old and very happy because we’ll have lots and lots of children.”
“Will you marry me?” Gabriel suddenly asked.
Hilary was shocked by the sudden question.
“What?”
“I know you heard me,” Gabriel knelt down and kissed Hilary’s hands while bringing out an engagement ring, “Will you marry me, Miss Hilary Holmes?”
Hilary was struck by Gabriel’s proposal. She didn’t know how to answer, but for sure, she did know the answer.
“Yes, I will!” Hilary exclaimed and jumped on Gabriel, giving him her tightest hug. Gabriel laid his hands on Hilary’s cheeks and they stared romantically at each other. Bit by bit, Gabriel’s face drew closer to Hilary’s till they kissed. The moment was very passionate till drops of water fell on Hilary’s cheeks, and then on her nose, and then on Gabriel’s shoulders, and then they realized it was the rain. Hilary suddenly bit Gabriel’s lips and ran.
They were like kids, chasing each other under the rain, but the rain grew harsher. They stopped playing and sheltered themselves under a big tree while waiting for the rain to stop.
“The wind is blowing stronger, and the rain drops are bigger now, Gabriel. I think we better go home.”
“Yeah, I think it’s a storm. Come on, put on my coat, and let’s run to our car at the count of three.”
“One…Two…Three!” Hilary and Gabriel shouted together.
Gabriel drove the car while both of them were soaked in the rain, freezing and wet. Hilary’s already running a fever because she was still wearing her wet clothes while Gabriel’s under the same condition.
“I’m freezing…” Hilary spoke in a very soft and lousy tone.
“Don’t worry. I’m driving as fast as I can.” Gabriel remarked when suddenly gigantic rocks fell from the valley and hit the car. In an attempt to save his girl and himself, he stirred the wheel to the right, but the car ragingly fell straight to a river.
Since Gabriel didn’t know how to swim, Hilary, although sick, alertly did what she had to do. Hilary opened the car door and greeted the river water that rushed in. She swam to the other side of the car in an attempt to rescue her future husband.
Hilary’s beginning to lose her breath. She quickly weakened, but due to extreme love, she forced her body which made her able to get Gabriel out of the river. Unfortunately, Gabriel wasn’t breathing anymore. He unconsciously drank a lot of water and lost a lot of blood because of the hard blows of the rocks on his side of the car.
Hilary dragged Gabriel to the far side of the river and cried for help, “Help! Help! Somebody! Help us! Help!” Hilary hopelessly cried for help while trying to pump out the water from Gabriel’s lungs. She checked his pulse and knew he’s still alive, so she kept on pumping.
Hilary’s a very tough girl. She won’t let anything happen to her man this time.
“I already lost someone before. I can’t afford to lose you now.”
Hilary repeatedly gave Gabriel mouth to mouth resuscitations, but nothing happened. She checked his pulse again but…
“God! Give him back to me!” Hilary desperately cried and hugged Gabriel very tight. “Damn it! Why…Why! Why now, Father! Why now, Gabriel! Come back to me!” she hopelessly sobbed. “Come on, you! You can’t die on me! You can’t die on me! You can’t die on me, Gabriel!” Hilary howled louder and louder, while madly beating Gabriel on his chest. “You lied to me! Liar! Liar! You didn’t keep your promise…Gabriel! Don’t’ leave me…Gabriel…please! Wake up my baby! Wake up! Wake up!” Hilary screamed. “Help! Somebody help us! Somebody, I need help!” Hilary cried in her loudest voice and gave Gabriel extremely hard punches on the chest when suddenly she heard him coughing.
Gabriel was already dead, but because Hilary didn’t leave him, she was able to fight the force that permanently takes people’s lives. The very strong blows on Gabriel’s chest forced the water out of his body, and that’s the reason why he and Hilary were able to come home alive.
Due to the accident, Hilary’s parents didn’t approve of Gabriel and their daughter’s marriage. They thought of Gabriel as a very irresponsible man and ordered him to stay out of their daughter’s life.
No matter how much Hilary and Gabriel loved each other, still they are always being separated by challenges. Hilary’s mother ordered her to stay in Italy with them until she finally finds a man she deserves. Her father accompanied Gabriel to the airport and gave him money in exchange of going back to Amsterdam and never messing with their daughter’s life again although Gabriel, a very kind and loving man, meant no harm to Hilary.
“Maybe, I’m just not the right man for Hilary. I’ve been very careless to the extent that I almost killed her. Before she even ends up dead with me, I’m going to leave for good. Besides, parents know what’s best for their child, and I respect Mr. and Mrs. Holmes’ decision.”
Gabriel didn’t accept the money being given to him and flew back to Amsterdam, but he promised himself one thing, that he would always love Hilary for the rest of his life.
Two years after Gabriel got back to Amsterdam, an abrupt war in the country summoned him being a male citizen of the country. The government of Netherlands forced all men to be sent to war, and that was it.
While Gabriel is on the other side of the globe, fighting men with armors, doing his best to survive in the desserts, Hilary is drinking a glass of wine in a well-known Italian restaurant with a renowned Italian politician which her parents arranged for her to marry. Hilary is about to marry a guy she doesn’t even know well, and worse, she doesn’t love, while she has no bit of an idea that the only man in her life is out there, struggling in a war.
One day, Hilary read the news. It said on the headline, “Italy’s triumphant in the war!” As Hilary read further, she learned that Italy defeated Netherlands, the country she always loved, in their war. Upon hearing the news that all male citizens from Netherlands were sent to war, Hilary was even more devastated.
She quickly had her flight tickets to Amsterdam arranged without telling her parents. She left Italy the day of her fixed marriage and fled to Amsterdam to look for her only love.
After the war, all men were sent home to their families and not long after that, Gabriel heard from the news that the future first lady of Italy, Miss Hilary Holmes, didn’t show up in her marriage with Luistro Monfuerte, Italy’s sixth President.
Gabriel quickly had his men look for Hilary and report to him any information regarding where she temporarily stays.
After the day he was sent back to Amsterdam by Hilary’s father, Gabriel did everything he could to be the best man for Hilary. He worked very hard and became a rich international businessman, only finding out that after he’s been to war, Hilary’s engaged to Luistro Monfuerte, the man who declared war with Netherlands.
One morning, Hilary anonymously received a letter saying, “Meet me there.” Right away, Hilary knew what the letter meant so she drove to Keukenhof Flower Park at night. Hilary got to her destination around 12 midnight, and as soon as she got off her car, she immediately saw Gabriel standing in front of the lake. All of a sudden, Hilary felt her heart beat so fast, like drums in a festival, like thunder from the storm, and like the heart of a princess who has at last found her long lost love. Before she could even walk to Gabriel, he turned his back to face her and walked towards her with a smile.
“It’s been a long time huh?” Gabriel asked.
Hilary’s confused about why Gabriel still seemed fine. “Maybe he’s just really a mysterious man,” she thought. “Yes…Yes…It’s been a long time. How are you?” Hilary asked when she surprisingly noticed a marriage ring on Gabriel’s hand. Because of this, Hilary felt bad, but she kept it to herself.
“Why do you keep on smiling?” she added.
“Well, I’m happy to see you again.” Gabriel answered, but no one spoke next. For a few seconds, there was loud silence in the air, but Gabriel broke the ice. “Do you know I love the smell of lilacs? Lilacs are my favorite flowers because I enjoy the scent of these flowers when the wind blows from the tower. They’re just below the tower…Do you still remember that tower? I always climb there with my daughter.”
Hilary’s eyes were already teary, and she didn’t want Gabriel to see them, so she directed her face to the right and stared at the lake instead.
“Why haven’t you married?” Gabriel interrupted.
“Me? I…” Hilary wasn’t able to answer. Dead air filled the place.
“Look at the lake to your left…it reminds me of the accident.” Gabriel said to break the ice again while pointing at the plain grass.
Hilary was already looking at the lake, and she knew it wasn’t on her left. She swiftly looked at Gabriel and saw he was pointing the wrong direction. Suddenly, Hilary was shocked by a thought.She nervously waved her hand in front of Gabriel’s eyes and found out that Gabriel has been pretending that he’s not blind. Hilary burst out crying but didn’t create a sound.
Gabriel still loves Hilary. He knows it would hurt her to find out that he’s already blind.
The truth is Gabriel was shot in the war. He almost died, but because the government of Netherlands found out he is one of the richest men in the country, the officials sent him home to be cured. Since Gabriel had a lot of money, he was operated by many distinguished surgeons in the country, but unfortunately, his eyesight could no longer be brought back.
Gabriel’s a smart man. He quickly noticed Hilary was crying, and he started to realize that Hilary has already found out he is blind. He turned his back and said, “Sorry, I still have a meeting to go to. Maybe I’ll see you next time.” Gabriel hurriedly walked, but he tripped on a stone he wasn’t able to see and fell on the grass.
Hilary cried harder now, she pitied Gabriel so much and hugged him.
“I’m sorry. I did my best. I practiced all day,” Gabriel explained. “Darn it! Why do I always forget my left and right! I’m really sorry you had to find out. I–I’m sorry I’m not a good actor. I’m sorry,” he added and then quickly stood up to leave.
Hilary tried to stop him but Gabriel insisted on leaving.
Since that day, Hilary led a life far from Gabriel. She went back to Italy, stayed in a peaceful province, far from her parents who no longer heard of her, and married a simple and kind Italian after three years. Four years after that, Hilary received a package which contained a letter.
I actually made that letter before I knew I was going to die.
I listened as she read the letter, “I am Gabriel, a son of God. Before when I was still in the heavens, I was an angel, your guardian angel. I would hide behind the clouds and from that far; I would watch you live your life contentedly.
“The day Marc was killed, I knew that was going to happen, so I went down to earth for the purpose of saving him, but unfortunately when you were driving, you encountered me. Yes, that’s me, but that’s just my human image, and that’s why I wasn’t hurt at all. Because of that accident, I wasn’t able to save the only man in your life, the greatest gift in your life.
“From that day on, I would go down to earth everyday to visit what humans call “grave”. I did that to pay respect to Marc, and a year after that routine, you found me again.”
“The night we kissed was the night I knew I wanted to be with you. Still I was an angel. Thus, I didn’t feel anything. I had no idea how a kiss felt, but you know what, from that very night, I already dreamed of kissing you for real.
“I was ready to give up my eternal life as an angel just to be with you, to touch you, to feel you, to kiss you, and to show you how much I love you.
“God gave us, angels, the gift of will. Like humans, we have the liberty to choose, and together with that liberty is the privilege to become humans.
“After a year again, God granted me my wish to fully become human, and just like any human, I face challenges and threats to my life which is no longer eternal, and unfortunately, just like Marc, the same criminal killed me.
“If you open the package, there you would find an urn. Don’t feel sad because that’s not me. That’s just my body. I’m still with you…and you can still feel me because the wind blowing right now, that’s me, and my love for you will forever be alive as long as the wind doesn’t stop blowing on the surface of this very beautiful planet.
“My last wish is that you spread the ashes in the urn on the lake in our favorite park.
“Your angel, Gabriel”
This is my story. After the only girl in my life received my last letter, she went back to Amsterdam with her family and spread the ashes of my human body on the lake in Keukenhof.
On the night after that, Hilary tried to kill herself by jumping from the tower, but I was there for a purpose.
In Hilary’s mind, she thought, “If I have been my best that day, he would still be with me. I could still feel his tender touch, his sweet gentle lips landing on the red soft margins of my mouth, the heat from his body uniting with mine, and the warmth of love keeping us alive, but right now, all I could feel is cold…cold wind striking my face; and in a few seconds, my body will turn colder than this wind, colder than the breeze from that pale lake, and colder than the frozen ice outlying the Antarctic. In a few seconds, my guts will spill on Earth and my blood will satisfy its thirst.”
my prof suggested that I remove something in the ending... so I did. Now it's actually open-ended. Guess what happened, if she died or survived, or if she did survive, how?
adult pool, up to 8ft
