Hello again. Well I've decided to continue with the story it takes a more positive spin but still dark. Enjoy.
Part II: The Trip
Staring up at another castle surrounded by forests Matt felt the cold breeze blow through his hair. He always use to like castles and anything to do with the mid-ages, but there was a splinter in his mind, that constantly needed thought. That splinter was Mimi. She had been stuck in his mind throughout the whole flight to Germany, and on the fourth day she was still stuck in his mind. He turned and walked up the slope leading to the castle. As he walked up he saw a couple holding hands and another kissing. He turned away in pain. Once he reached the castle he took a tour then walked up to the top of the castle. Overlooking the city of Reatta, thoughts began to swirl in his mind, and began to suffocate the moment. He closed his eyes. The splinter was digging deeper into his mind, controlling his mind to think of only her. 'No I can't' he thought. Then Matt did something that he hardly ever did. Give a problem up. 'God, if you can hear me please listen, I love Mimi, I really do, but I can't enjoy my vacation when she is causing so much pain and problem in my mind. Please take this burden off me for at least the vacation.' The splinter softened, the pain weakened. Matt opened his eyes and looked back over the city, it seemed more beautiful now than before. He left the castle unaware that another subconscious thought was becoming a splinter that he would have to figure out for himself.
As he was walking to dinner the splinter finally formed for he recognized the thought. Did he really truly love her? He sat down to a dinner of schwinebraten and spatzel and brewed over the new splinter. Then a girl at the bar caught his eye. She looked the type that knew what life was all about. You know one of those people that just glow in dim places? 'She might help me' Matt thought. He got up from his table and walked toward the bar. "Hey, can I ask you a question?" Matt asked the girl. "If you buy a drink." She replied. "Ok" Matt said sitting on the stool. She gave him a half liter. "So what you want to know?" Matt took a sip and glanced up at her. "This might sound childish or silly but how do you know when you are truly in love?" "That isn't a silly question, I think all of us ask it once in our life." She turned around and grabbed a glass and began to clean it with a rag. "But you didn't answer my question," Matt said. She looked at him. "Well sugar, what I think is you know you're in love when you always want to be with that person, I mean really be with a person like 24-7." "That's all you think?" Matt asked in return. "That's all I think." She turned and walked down the bar and helped another patron. Matt sat at the bar staring at the cases of liquors and wine, slowly sipping his drink. Thought's began to flow a little clearer, but he thought that it was just the alcohol getting to him. He left the tab on the bar next to his stein and walked out the restaurant.
On the way back to his hotel he noticed a large chess set near the docks. 'hell need a game to calm my mind.' He thought. He strolled over to the large board as an older fellow came toward it in the opposite direction. "Want to play a game?" the man asked. "Sure," replied. The man was a worthy opponent but halfway through Matt had the urge to ask the same question, and he did. The man looked at him. "Son you know you're in love when every time you see that special someone your heart does a double beat and it becomes harder to breathe. But- But once you're an item as we called it those feelings don't stop, they continue, but with the double beat comes joy." The man looked at the board. "oh yeah, checkmate." Matt looked at the board, he was right. "Well good game, and thanks for the answer." Matt said. The man just nodded and walked away.
There was a light fog rolling over the lake. He turned and walked back to his guesthouse. The words and advice he had received burned in his mind. But as it burned it began to burn the splinter. For in the fire he realized that he did. He did love her. He began to think of her again, but reminded himself that God was in control of this one. After walking down a couple of blocks he looked up at his guesthouse. Then he saw something that made his heart have a double beat. The name on the façade of the house, it was Mitmio. In the darkness of the evening it looked as it was spelled Mimio, which had Mimi's name in it. Matt stopped walking and looked up at it. Once more his mind was deciphering this message. Was he meant to see that sign and think it spelled Mimi? Or was is just a small flicker of the flame of hope still inside his heart?