LOVE KNOWS NO EMOTION: By Jim Wisneski

THE WORST OF LOVE  CONTESTANT

Her face was cold.  Again.  It was always cold. 

Cold since he found out about the other guy in her life.  The truth was, no matter how painful it was to accept, the other guy was better for her.  He could provide more, he could accomplish more, he could give her more, but one thing the other guy couldn’t do better was love her.

Nobody loved Scarlet like Drake did.

“Why is your face cold?” he asked her.

She blinked.

“Please, just talk to me,” Drake said reaching out to grab her hand.

Scarlet didn’t return the gesture.

“Do you love him?”

Scarlet lowered her eyes.  She always did this when she was guilty. 

“You know, it’s kind of funny how you would get mad at me for never bringing flowers or getting out of work early to come see you.  Then the one day I do. . .”

“Please, stop,” Scarlet said.  “Please.  There’s nothing I can say to make this right.”

“Just tell me you don’t love him.  Tell me you love me.  Tell me you want to be with me forever.  Tell me.”

Scarlet was quiet again.

Drake leaned forward and hugged Scarlet.  He nuzzled his nose against her cold cheek.

“Please,” he whispered in her ear, “please just tell me.  We don’t have much time.”

“That’s your fault, not mine.”

“Love knows no emotion.  It never has and never will.  Don’t you get that?”

“I love him Drake, I do.  He’s good for me.”

“And me?”

“I love you too.  But you’re not good for me.”

Scarlet looked away.  She never made eye contact.  That was how Drake knew she was telling the truth.  She could stare him down and lie but an ounce of truth comes out and she looks away.

“He’s not so good now, is he?” Drake said with a smile.

“That’s not fair,” Scarlet said. 

She was beginning to sob. 

“I didn’t mean to kill him.  You know that, don’t you?”

Scarlet shook her head.

Drake dropped to his knees.

“If I just knew before hand, that’s all.  I saw a man on top of you.  I didn’t know what was happening.  I thought he was hurting you.  Then I. . . I. . just please. . .”

“It’s okay,” Scarlet said with a smile.  “We don’t have much time.”

Drake knew he only had a minute or so before Scarlet would have to leave.

“Just please,” he begged, “please, just kiss me.”

“Drake, I can’t,” Scarlet replied.

“Please.”

“Love knows no emotion, huh?” Scarlet asked looking away.

“None.  I’m crazy.  For you.  Please.  Just one kiss.”

Scarlet looked at Drake and he leaned in.  Even her lips were cold.  He held her face in his hands and kiss her.  He wished to go back and not mess things up.  He wished he could be with her in bed again, where it was warm.

“I love you,” he whispered into her mouth between kisses.

“I love you too,” Scarlet said.

There was a loud knock at the metal door.  It echoed through the small room.

“Hey, knock it off!” a guard yelled.  The guard turned around and laughed with another guard.  “He’s licking the wall again!”

Drake froze.  He looked behind him and then straightened his shoulders. 

Drake reached out and grabbed with one hand the rotting set of eyeballs he had placed on the window sill in his cell.  He was scared because the odor and mush of the eyes meant Scarlet was almost completely gone forever.  He wanted more time with her. . . he needed to know she had forgiven him and loved him.  He kissed the gooey eyes and whispered, “love knows no emotion” one more time before hiding them under his pillow.

©2009 Jim Wisneski
 
Jim Wisneski lives in Pennsylvania where he thinks, writes, and thinks.  Follow him and his many ongoing writing, poetry, and music projects through his blog at www.WritersnWriters.blogspot.com.

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