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'You must be kidding me!'
'Please, Robert, help me. She had a seizure and passed out. Still didn't wake up!; Eske held Nona's unconscious body at the front door of their apartment. Robert was still waking up, holding an empty cup of coffee. He looked at her with concern as he asked: 'What happened?'
'I think she is one of us, but different.'; explained Eske stepping inside the flat and going towards his room where he laid Nona. He took off her shoes to set her more comfortable and said quietly: 'Robert, I don't know what is wrong with her.'
Robert clicked his tongue: 'Sure, but try to explain to me calmly because you look like a cat drenched in water.'.
'I went to the campus to wait for her. I wanted to ask her on a date like I told you, and, and... and it happened like the campus was no longer the campus.'; Eske tried to explain.
Robert placed his hand over Eske's shoulder: 'Try again.'
Eske sat on his bed next to Nona's unconscious body: 'I think she can summon time events. She breathed out some black dust, particles, whatever you want to name it, and it became a whole scene. It looked like the execution of a woman in mid-1700. I don't know. Not great at History. And it vanished with her having a seizure.'
'You are telling me she summoned a historical event? In the campus, that nobody else noticed? Because I think I could see it from here.' Robert was right. From the living room window, they could peek at the whole courtyard of the university. It would be impossible to miss the bursting fire, and the rejoiced raging mob.
'I don't know, Robert, I'm explaining what I saw. It disappeared as it appeared and returned to her like she swallowed time.'
Robert came closer to Nona and opened her mouth. There was no trace of any black residue. 'I can't see anything. After that, she had seizures?'
'Still didn't wake up,'; confirmed Eske.
'I never heard of a time traveller who could summon time events.'; Robert looked at the girl. 'Let her rest. Maybe later, she can explain whatever is going on herself. I have to go now. Are you staying?’
'Yeah, I'll stay. Don't want to leave her alone.’
Nona was sleeping peacefully. The first thing Eske did after Robert closed the door behind him was to place his hands on her cheeks and kiss her forehead tenderly. Then he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close against himself. Eske couldn't shake the feeling that she was in danger but could not calculate where the danger resided.
She didn't move all morning. There were moments Eske had to check if she was breathing by placing his hand in front of her mouth and even checking her pulse. Besides that, he barely moved.
Eske stayed there until Nona slowly opened her eyes. She was looking into his face with her black eyes. They looked different, as if braziers were lit up in the middle of the void. A tear ran down Eske's cheek.
'Why you're crying?'; Nona asked sleepily.
Eske shook his head: 'No, I am not crying.';
She swiped one of his tears with her finger and showed it to him: 'You are crying.'
He shrugged, chuckling: 'Yes, I guess I am.'
Nona smiled and rested her head on his chest. 'Don't cry'.
Hearing those words coming out of her lips, his heart ached: 'I have no fucking clue why.'; he chuckled. 'Are you feeling better? You scared the hell out of me.'; he slowly stood up from the bed and asked: 'Are you hungry? I can make you breakfast or, better, lunch.'; he said, checking his wrist.
'I can't eat.'
'You can't eat?'
'Everything tastes like the jelly part of a ripe tomato drowned in vinegar and liquorice.'; she explained while shaking her head. 'I don't remember the last time I eat something that I don't end up throwing up.'
Eske stared at her for a second and said: 'That sounds disgusting.'
'I know.'; Nona laughed softly. 'But I can drink coffee. Coffee is bitter no matter when.'
'Coffee it is.'; Eske sighed and walked away.
He reappeared a couple of minutes after with two mugs of coffee and a plate of dry biscuits. 'Maybe if you drown the biscuits in the coffee, it will taste less tomato-ish.'
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'Thanks.'; she said, taking one biscuit, drowning it in her mug, and biting it carefully. 'Where's your friend?'; Nona asked.
'Robert? He has left already. He probably had some patients to check.'
'Oh, he is a doctor?'; Nona asked.
Eske shrugged his shoulders: 'That's what we call them.'
'And you are a time traveller?'; Nona asked, trying to sound casual about it. 'I heard you talking to him.'
'Yes.'; Eske answered. 'We met three years ago. This is my first trip, I think.'; Eske sipped his coffee and finally asked: 'You don't remember me don't you?'
'If I say I don't remember you, I would be lying. My concept of time and how time flows is different from yours.'
'Say it again?'
'People conceive memories by past, present and future. They cannot remember the future since they didn't collect any memories yet. Right?'
'Euh..., yes, right.'
'I have all the memories, past, present and future, but sometimes I'm not at the right time-place of the when inside my head. I might have already met you, but now, I'm in a time-place that I haven't. Maybe next time we meet, I will remember more than you remember me. It is hard to explain. Sometimes, I rather tell people I don't remember. Or I forgot. It's easier.'
'So you would have a memory of when we first kissed.'
'We kissed?'
'Not yet.'; Eske smirked. Stealing a cookie from the plate and giving it a bite: 'Oh, those are awful!'
'They taste better with coffee.'; Nona giggled.
Eske smiled back: 'Well, let me give you another reason to smile.'; He reached forward and touched Nona's cheek. 'You are drop-dead gorgeous. I love your numbers.'
Nona felt her heart beat faster, and her breath quickened. 'You are so strange. I never meet someone like you.'
'Me neither.'; Eske replied, leaning closer to her. ‘I heard once someone telling me I was unique. That there was nothing like me!’; he looked at her for any reaction if she would recognise her own words. But nothing. He didn’t care. She was here.
The moment lasted forever and then melted into nothingness in seconds. Before Eske knew it, the moment seemed frozen in time and space. But he had seen everything, Nona's face turning red, her lips parting slightly. His heart was beating fast enough to break through his rib cage. But their lips never met.
The hairs on Nona's arm stood up. The air became silent, and slow black particles would exhale from between her lips. Her eyes widened, staring at Eske with wonder.
It wasn't just his imagination, he thought, watching Nona's expression change before his very eyes. She blinked once and looked down. Slowly, she turned towards the window next to the door: 'Has anything happened?'
'Not yet.'; Eske whispered. 'But I hear it.';
'What do you mean?'; Nona asked. 'Is something happening?'
Eske nodded with a grin and said, 'There is a little something. Wait for it.'
'I can't hear anything.'; Nona frowned.
'Listen.'; Eske said, placing a finger over her lips.
Her gaze fell upon the window. Suddenly, Nona gasped. A small breeze blew outside, blowing curtains aside. The wind picked up speed and started swirling around the room, and the first piano note could be heard. Then the second, third and finally, the voice.
> Love of my life you've hurt me, You've broken my heart and now you leave me
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'What's this?'; Nona asked.
'A love song.'; Eske said in awe, retaining every detail.
Nona glanced at him with curiosity.
'I never heard it.', he told her. 'Do you know what it is?'
Nona shook her head.
Eske gave her a questioning look. 'You like it?'; he asked.
She nodded. 'Yes.'; she answered with a soft sigh. 'This is beautiful.'; she added. 'I've always wondered how it is.';
Eske looked at her with wide-open eyes. 'Really? You never have?'
Nona shook her head: 'Never. I don't think I would forget that.'; she repeated. 'Who sings these songs?'; she asked, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Eske shrugged his shoulders. 'I don't know.';
Nona took a sip of coffee. 'Didn't you ever sing for anyone?'; she asked.
Eske shook his head again: 'Not yet.'
'Then maybe you should start singing to me.'; she suggested, jesting.
'I'll try.'; Eske agreed. 'Can't promise that I won't mess up, though. So this is our song now?'; he asked.
'Why not? Every great love story has an even greater song.'; Nona replied, still thinking they were just joking around. But he wasn't.
Eske grinned. 'I like that.'; he said.
'You are weird.'; Nona stated, smiling. 'I like that.'
'I feel the same way about you.'; Eske admitted.
Nona's lips curved upwards. 'Good.'; she said.
Eske leaned to Nona's ear and whispered: 'I really want to kiss you.';
Nona blushed. 'I'd like that.'; she said. But the song had to reach the last note, and a dusty breeze of shadow caressed Nona's lips. And she fell unconscious again in his arms.
'I can wait.'; Eske mumbled, brushing her hair out of her face: 'I can definitely wait.'
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