Prologue: Maybe
"Simon? Simon! Where are you? Si… there you are, you naughty little boy."
"Mama, I am okay. Did you get worried?" asked, a small boy with dazzling grey eyes.
"Of course I did. Why were you hiding?"
"Papa had come. I got scared Mama. So I ran away with Tommy."
"Simon? Where are you, you good for nothing… ah, there you are. Hiding behind your mother eh?"
"No, please. Leave him alone. He is just a little boy," his mother begged.
"Shut up! Come here Simon. Papa won't hurt you. We'll go to the festival."
"Really Papa?"
"Don't do this… please…"
"Don't worry Mama; we'll get back from the festival soon."
"Simon…" shuddered his mother, as his father led him away and he turned around to smile at her.
"Riley? Riilleey! You are good for nothing, you know that right?"
"Stop it. You know nothing." Said Riley, his grey eyes tensed.
"Tried to run away from me? No-one runs away from me Riley. No-one runs away from Roba. Poor, poor Mama. You couldn't even protect your own family. What makes you think you can protect this fine, fine woman?"
"No, leave her alone… Noooo"
He woke up panting and looked at his surroundings. The room was dark and he was on the bed. He sensed someone lying next to him. It was a cold night outside but he was still sweating. He felt around the bedside table for his knife. He turned to the figure lying next to him.
She woke up with a start and held his hand. She switched on the bedside lamp.
"Simon, hey… Look at me. Hey! It's me. You're with me. Everything's ok. You're safe."
She slowly removed the knife from his hand and threw it on the ground.
"Look, it's me… Rosa."
Simon turned to look at her. Her brown hair was tousled, the mascara smudged and a sheet loosely wrapped around her.
"Was it the same dream? About your father?"
He nodded and turned to get out of the bed. She pulled him towards her.
"Don't," she said, her fingers tracing the scars on his chest. "Stay. With me."
She tightened her grip on him and he pulled back her hair tightly. Her lips parted in anticipation and he hesitated for a moment.
"It's me… just me."
He responded with a deep kiss. He removed the sheet and pressed himself against her. She ran her hands up his back and through his hair while he kissed her neck and shoulders. He pushed her down and got over her.
"I love you Simon."
"I love you too."
It was past midnight. He stood near the balcony, with a lit cigarette and the moon shining bright overhead. She rose from the bed silently, went up to him and wrapped her arms around him from the back.
"Why'd you wake up? Go back to sleep babe."
"No, I wanna be here. I want this moment to be frozen forever, just the two of us."
"I'm scared Rosa."
"Don't be. I'm right here. Everything will work out."
"I'm so sorry. You… you deserve so much more."
"I just want you. Nothing more."
"No Rose, I… what if I can't stop myself next time? What if you don't wake up next time? What if you're too late?"
"Shhh… It's gonna be okay. Things will be fine. You will be alright soon, won't you?"
He looked at her and then glanced up at the moon, his grey eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
"Hmmm… soon… maybe."
