Odalisque Paradise
Charles rushed past the man, and into the hall. Upon exiting the room he immediately bent double and vomited. He was still in the throws of being passionately sick when the hem of a skirt came into view.
“Not what you expected?” a familiar voice asked kindly.
Charles looked up to see the lady who had given him the golden key gazing at him. He shook his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He felt disgusting and embarrassed as he stood before the beautiful lady.
“It’s not a good idea to stay in the corridor,” the lady said gently. “Things happen here too.”
Charles paused to consider what she was saying. Could it be that she was actually warning him about the place? If so, why hadn’t she warned him before? Her eyes told him nothing, and her lips did not move. She extended a handkerchief to him, and obligingly he wiped away the mess of the decomposing ladies and the mess of his own sick.
“What’s wrong with this place?” Charles finally asked mournfully.
The woman bit her lip as if to stop her mouth from saying more. There was a sound at one of the other doors, and her eyes snapped toward it showing the first sign of fear he had seen in someone other than himself. Charles held out his hand, he felt connected to the lady, she had been kind to him, and he was sure she was not supposed to be.
“Come away with me, we’ll go home. I don’t live too far.”
The woman gazed at Charles for a long time, as if contemplating the possibility of leaving. Finally she looked away and shook her head. “It is better if you don’t leave right now.”
“I don’t want to stay here.” Charles said putting all the anxiety of his soul into the words.
The lady might have said more, but the door at the far end of the hall began to creak open. She withdrew from the folds of her skirt a glittering vial and turned to Charles “Go.”
The word spoken softly held more command than many words do that are yelled. Charles took heed and started away. As he moved he thought about what she had said. It was better if he didn’t leave right away, so where was he to go? By instinct he trusted her, she had been kind and generous. Still, he desperately wanted to leave.
“Not what you expected?” a familiar voice asked kindly.
Charles looked up to see the lady who had given him the golden key gazing at him. He shook his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He felt disgusting and embarrassed as he stood before the beautiful lady.
“It’s not a good idea to stay in the corridor,” the lady said gently. “Things happen here too.”
Charles paused to consider what she was saying. Could it be that she was actually warning him about the place? If so, why hadn’t she warned him before? Her eyes told him nothing, and her lips did not move. She extended a handkerchief to him, and obligingly he wiped away the mess of the decomposing ladies and the mess of his own sick.
“What’s wrong with this place?” Charles finally asked mournfully.
The woman bit her lip as if to stop her mouth from saying more. There was a sound at one of the other doors, and her eyes snapped toward it showing the first sign of fear he had seen in someone other than himself. Charles held out his hand, he felt connected to the lady, she had been kind to him, and he was sure she was not supposed to be.
“Come away with me, we’ll go home. I don’t live too far.”
The woman gazed at Charles for a long time, as if contemplating the possibility of leaving. Finally she looked away and shook her head. “It is better if you don’t leave right now.”
“I don’t want to stay here.” Charles said putting all the anxiety of his soul into the words.
The lady might have said more, but the door at the far end of the hall began to creak open. She withdrew from the folds of her skirt a glittering vial and turned to Charles “Go.”
The word spoken softly held more command than many words do that are yelled. Charles took heed and started away. As he moved he thought about what she had said. It was better if he didn’t leave right away, so where was he to go? By instinct he trusted her, she had been kind and generous. Still, he desperately wanted to leave.
- ID: 57251
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