A man alone
is a night alone
is a poem alone
a man alone
is alone
alone
A Man Alone - Shalom Freedman
Something's terribly wrong, I thought as I watched Dimitri become more and more upset throughout the entire phone conversation. He spoke in Russian the entire time. I couldn't follow what he was saying for two reasons. One, he had yet to teach me any Russian. Two, he was speaking so fast I doubted I could have followed him if he were speaking English. I could guess who he might have been talking to though. Really, it had to be a member of his family, probably his mother or one of his sisters.
"Dimitri?" I asked uncertainly as he hung up.
I didn't like what I was seeing as I looked at him. He was white as a ghost and his hand were balled into tight fists. They had been trembling as he was on the phone. I couldn't help but think that something happened to Yeva. For an old lady, she had been as vibrant as — well — me. Still, thinking it could be his mom, one of his sisters, or their children was inconceivable to me. Somehow, anyone other than Yeva seemed far to horrible to consider, though I knew I was probably being unreasonable and even callous. Still, Yeva was ancient and well no one lived forever. The others still had so much more to live through and experience. Besides, I always saw Yeva as an invincible force and still did. Even if she was terribly ill, I could actually believe she would still be dragging people for miles carrying boxes and boxes of bricks.
I brushed aside my morbid musings as I realized Dimitri hadn't answered me. I also realized that he had stepped away from me. He was almost a yard away with his back toward me. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore an old forgotten pang of abandonment. I know it was absurd but this simple gesture took me back to after Lissa brought him back from his being Strigoi. It was a mild reminder of the period where he had wanted nothing to do with me. I realized that I was just being stupid, but I also could tell he was in some sort of turmoil. I closed the distance between us and grabbed his arm lightly. He nearly jumped out of his skin, making me jump slightly in shock. It was rare to catch him off guard like that. I had never been able to before.
"What happened?" I asked once he looked at me.
"Viktoria's sick," he said, his accent coming out a little thicker with his concern for his sister. "They don't know what's wrong with her and she's just getting worse. My mother wants me to come home."
That last sentence and the way he said it made my blood run cold and freeze. He had gone back to looking blankly out ahead of him. I just stood, watching him helplessly. I didn't know what to do. I had grown up on my own more or less. I was just now forming a relationship with my mother. I just recently met my father. Lissa was really the closest thing to a sibling I had, and I couldn't bare to think of her in Viktoria's shoes.
"I'm going to have to talk to Christian," he said. "Get some days off."
"He and Lissa won't mind us going to see your sister," I said without much real thought.
"You don't need to come, Rose," he said. "It'll just be a few days."
"I'm not asking, Dimitri," I said. "I'm telling. There's no way I'm letting you go there alone, especially if Viktoria's as bad off as you're making it sound."
"She'll be fine."
The words were simple, but it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. I shook my head and turned to go back to the Banquet Hall. I didn't really know how long I was outside, and wasn't sure if anyone was even still in there. If Lissa and I were still bonded, I would have been able to find her easily. As it was, I was somewhat going blind and thus had to start where I had left. I was just barely to the door when I felt Dimitri's hand close over my arm. I slowly turned to look at him and found him staring at me with determination. He really didn't want me to go with. I could see that.
"Why is it so important for you to come with me and do not say it's to be there for me," he said.
"I want to see them," I said simply. "And I don't want you to have to deal with this alone."
"I won't be alone, Roza," he whispered softly. "I'm going to see my family."
I just shook my head. That wasn't entirely what I meant. She knew his family would be there for him. The problem was that they were likely to be just as worried as Dimitri. Heck, she saw firsthand how much they valued their family when he told them about Dimitri. They all needed someone there without all the memories. Granted, I wasn't the most positive person in the world, but I wanted to help.
"Why is it so bad if I come?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"I never said it was bad. I just don't think it's necessary for you to come. Lissa needs you here."
I pursed my lips before replying. "That's not up to you. That's up to Lissa, and if she thinks she can survive a few days without me hanging over her shoulder."
As Dimitri opened his mouth to protest, I spun away and out of his reach. I had one clear mission in my head. I had to find Lissa. Well make that two things. I had to find Lissa and avoid any and all physical contact with my boyfriend.
I hope you enjoyed this short chapter. Sorry it took so long. Oh and in case you're wondering. All the poems I find will be mostly from . It's a site that basically archives poets, poetry, and even song lyrics.