"Nara - E.S Posthumus"

"All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream." - Edgar Allan Poe

Cairgo Egypt 1926

Beni from the market and turned towards a side ally before emptying his pockets. It had been a good day so far. All ready he pick pocketed seven people as he pushed through the large crowds and grabbed their money. Standing there he counted the money and grinned. Enough for a round at the pub. Stuffing it in his back pocket, Beni fixed his hat and walked down the cobble stoned street. It was a dreadful hit day and his head was killing him. Crossing over the way, he entered the pub and felt it a million degrees cooler then outside. Letting his eyes adjust to the dim light he walked over the creaking floorboards and sat at the bar. Digging out the greasy crumbled up bills, he laid them down flat and ordered himself a round of drinks. Tonight he felt successful. Another day of being a sneaky con artist and getting away with it all. Toasting himself, he thought back when he was a simple slave for the French. Now these days were over…now he was his own man

Feeling the liquor burn down his throat, he began to slowly relax.

Just then a woman sat beside him. Beni glanced over and saw she was very beautiful. Tall, with a slim body. She was dressed in a black dress with what looked to be cowboy looks. Her hair was dark and fell around her shoulders. Slowly sitting up on the stool, she clutched what looked like a cane and looked straight ahead. Her eyes having a lost flicking light in them.

"Water please…"

She slid a few coins over the surface of the bar before Beni got a better chance to look her up and down. She was young, maybe a teenager or mid twenties. Flawless skin, and her accent sounded different…

"Amsterdam, Holland Netherlands to be exact."

Beni looked around and saw she must have been speaking to him. Cleaning his throat he looked over.

"What?"

She woman turned towards him, her eyes not looking straight at him, but more of dazed and fixed on his shoulder.

"You were wondering about my accent, that's where I'm from."

Beni seemed a little stunned to even speak, did she read his mind. Giving a light nervous laugh, Beni returned to finishing his drink.

"Hungarian?"

Beni looked over.

"Yes…how did you know?"

"Your accent, it's a thing of mine…I can tell right away, it's my gift."

Beni smiled before offering his hand.

"Beni Gabor."

The woman turned around again and offered her hand, but completely missing Beni's.

"Lady…Lady Famke."

"Your name is Lady?"

Beni felt somewhat amused as the woman softly smiled, her hand still holding off at thin air. Right away Beni saw her gaze and knew she was blind.

"Yeah…seems as though my parents wanted everyone to know how they raised their daughter in the old country."

Beni laughed and shook her hand for a second. Right away Lady stared off at him, Beni felt strange. Should he be talking with her? Was he being rude? Could she really not see him? He had known a few blind people on the streets growing up, older men who had lost their eyesight ever since birth. Looking at her wide brown eyes, he felt what a shame it must be to really not see. How terrifying the world would be in complete darkness. How much harder life with be without his sight. Feeling chills go down his spine, he watched as Lady laughed.

"What is it?"

"I'm blind…I'm sorry, it scares some people away…if you feel uncomfortable I understand."

Beni right away felt awful for thinking those thoughts.

"No, I mean…well yeah I noticed."

Lady smiled before feeling around for her water glass and slowly sipping it. Just then the bartender took the coins off the bar.

"This isn't enough…"

Beni glanced at the bartender holding three coins in his hand, right away Beni knew he was trying to cheat her.

"No, it's plenty…"

Beni spoke, shooting a look at the bartender. Right away color filled his face before he turned around.

"Oh, my mistake."

Lady waved her hand.

"It's okay, keep the change."

The bartender lowered his eyes before Beni shot him another look. For some strange reason he was outraged to see this man try to cheat such a beautiful woman. Right away the bartender mumbles something about sweeping the front and left them. Lady softly smiled before glazing at him again.

"Thanks, that happens a lot…hard to survive this way when your alone."

"What are you doing in Egypt?"

"My family died just a year ago, I had lived my entire life with them until a friend of my father's offered me a job here…it was a great travel but I needed the money."

"Doing what?"

"My father's friend owns a ranch on the outside of the city, he was close with my family and offered that I could live there if I minded the horses."

"Oh?"

Lady nodded.

"It isn't much, but it keeps me alive, I miss home but the people I'm with treat me well."

"What are you doing in the city?"

"My father's friend took me in this morning, he's buying at the market and I told him I needed to go in and rest, I'm not used to the sun just yet."

Beni glanced at the doorway that lead to the street.

"Is he coming soon?"

"Soon, I'm just waiting…usually I can mind myself…but the city is so crowed and I don't know it that well."

"Did your father's friend lead you here?"

"Yes, I was getting weak in the sun, I just needed to rest."

"Feeling better?"

"Much…"

Lady smiled and Beni got a strange feeling over his body. His heart raced and butterflies began tossing in his stomach. He had never seen such a beautiful woman before in his life. Taking deep breaths, he smiled at her.

"What do you do?"

Beni smiled before looking at his empty glass.

"I used to serve the French before I was retired from the force…"

Beni knew this was a lie, he had ran out nearly three years ago.

"I know work odd jobs around the city, doing what I can."

Beni knew the real truth. He had been living on the streets stealing ever since. Sleeping with whores and filth, getting into drunken fights, and scamming people out of their money.

"You have a very interesting sounding voice, it's relaxing…"

Beni smiled.

"Thanks…"

Just then an older man with graying hair walked in the doorway, his arms full.

"Lady?"

Beni looked in the direction before Lady held onto her cane and began sliding off the stool. The man walked over, helping her to her feet.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, much better…"

Beni then looked before facing the man.

"Excuse me, my name is Beni and I happened to overhear you own a ranch on the outside of town?"

"Yes, the Eastern hills…"

"A horse ranch?"

"Yes."

"I used to work around there, if it's all right with Lady, could I walk her back?"

The man gave an uneasy look towards Lady before she nodded.

"That sounds lovely…"

"Lady are you sure, he's a stranger…"

"I'll be fine Paul, thank you."

The man looked Beni up and down before nodding.

"If your not back by dark…"

"Paul…"

"All right, please take good care of her."

"I will…"

The man then turned around and walked out. Lady held onto her cane before Beni stood up.

"Can I take you somewhere?"

Lady stared off into space before laughing.

"I thought you were taking me home?"

Beni smiled.

"It would be my surprise."

Lady laughed before reaching out and taking his hand. Beni was caught off guard by this but liked the feel of it. Bringing her in closer, he lead her out the door.

"Come on…"

Lady walked with him as he helped her down the steps. Walking together in the crowded streets, Beni never felt so excited before in his entire life. Holding this woman's hand made him feel better. Taking her around a few buildings he then stopped.

Looking past the tents, he saw his friend Jordon.

"Jordon!"

Jordon ran the animal shows downtown and scammed people out of ticket prices. Looking over he smiled and waved at Beni. Both were poker buddies now.

"I was wondering if I could show my friend Summer?"

"Summer?"

Lady asked herself confused before Jordon nodded and waved them over. Walking together, Lady held onto Beni's hand as he walked with her through the hay scattered grounds.

"Where are we?"

She asked in a somewhat scared and excited voice. Smiling, Beni lead her into the tent.

"You'll see, come on."

Standing together in the tent, Beni helped her raise her arm out.

"Put your arm out like this…yeah that's right."

Lady did so, looking off and smiling.

"What is it?"

Just then it brushed past her through the open bars of the cage. Lady looked suspired and jumped back a little laughing. Beni couldn't help but laugh along with her, his arms going around her waist. Jordon watched amused.

"What is it?"

"Feel again…"

Beni helped her arm out as it brushed by.

Lady laughed slowly petting it, the most amazed and wondered look in her lost eyes.

"It's summer, our tiger."

"Tiger!"

"She's just a baby, don't worry…"

Lady laughed, reaching out and petting it through the bars.

"She's so soft…"

Petting, Lady laughed, kneeling by the cage. Beni watched meanwhile, feeling the oddest feeling of overwhelming happiness.

An hour later, the two of them walked down the dirt road to the ranch. The sun still shinning bright in the sky.

Lady held onto Beni's arm as he walked her.

"That was amazing Beni, thank you."

Beni smiled.

"Thought that might make you feel better."

"Are you always so kind to strangers?"

"Only the beautiful ones."

Lady blushed before they stopped by the fence.

"When can I see you again?"

Lady laughed.

"Umm, how about tomorrow…I'll be in the stables."

Beni looked at her. Beautiful strands of dark hair blowing past her shoulders. Beni held onto her hand and couldn't believe he was feeling like this.

"Were you born blind?"

Lady smiled before shaking her head.

"I lost my eyesight when I was a baby, I can only remember a few things…really a blur."

Beni smiled before Lady leaned over and kissed his scruffy cheek. Beni smiled as she stood back.

"What do you look like?"

Her slim fingers began dancing across his face, slowly feeling his jawbone and up to his short dark hair.

"Nothing, just a simple nothing."

"I wouldn't say that…"

"I'm a man of the desert, really…you're the real beauty I see."

Lady blushed again.

"There's something different about you, and it's not your voice…what is it Beni, what makes you different then the others."

Beni felt his heart race as he looked into her lost eyes.

"I have blue eyes, nobody I know has blue eyes from the desert…their very rare."

"Blue…"

Her fingertips danced across his face before she smiled.

Leaning in and kissing him again on the cheek, she turned using her cane and walked down the path that lead to the ranch. Beni watched her, never feeling so happy before in his life. Running back, he went to the small hotel room he was renting out and threw himself on the bed. Staring up at the ceiling, he smiled.

"Lady…"

He softly said to himself.