As promised here is the next chapter
Enjoy!
Chapter 88
Deep green eyes framed by long dark lashes. A straight long nose, an angular manly jaw covered in soft looking red-ish fuzz, centering in soft pinkish pillowy lips, a long and muscular neck, shoulders rounded and tick, long frame covered in old dirty rags. The once white shirt is open almost to his nipples; I could see the smattering of chest hair matching his beautiful mop on the top of his head and that sharp jaw line. The dark gray with pinstriped vest that he wears does not match his black trousers, long chains and strings grace his right thigh, they match the two dangling from his neck. I can see a back cord with a small ring with a red stone, and beside it a silver shinny skull. His right wrist is covered in a thick leather cuff with some scrolling and an image I can't make out. When he moves closer to me his large feet encased in black muddy boots shuffle making noise in the otherwise quiet room and leaving a faint trail.
His lovely smile was a quiet hello and at that moment I notice his youth.
I greed back and gesture behind me towards the different pieces of art hanging on the walls, I spoke quietly as if we where in a sacred place, as if we wore to breathed to loudly it would disturb the atmosphere.
As always I go through the motions with every potential customer, but this time it felt different there was a warmed that I could feel, an eagerness in him, a glow we could call it.
Every so often I glanced back gauging his expressions and interpreting his interest in all or some of the paintings, his face moves in towards one of the larger ones examining the detail of the wood frames. I remember being startled when the pieces came in, the tall albino man that brought them was quite adamant to have them displayed in there original frames, his face a mask of distrust as my two assistants unloaded them from his truck, the red head woman that accompanied him sneered towards the open back door where I stood, her face seamed like a mark of evil, the kind you see on the Mexican curious stores depicting devils or angels, witches or maidens.
Once inside with all the canvases uncovered I saw what he meant about them fitting perfectly with the artist's subject. After evaluating each and everyone of them he saw my interest in them and shared that the artist had done more, new ones he said, after selling 4 to a eccentric collector I called back Ivan Sartell and asked him to bring the new ones for a showing I'd be doing in a few weeks. Two days later Ivan was calling me to make an appointment to deliver the rest of the new pieces. In them where sculptures, and sketches, full canvases and slabs of polished rock with carvings of small and large images, all in all 15 pieces, in some you could tell it was the same person, it looked like it was chronologically someone's life the eyes always the same, but in some there was maturity the jaw in some was sharpened in others the torso seamed less child-like. All were beautiful and haunting.
As we where coming to the last canvases that hung on the walls the long hall gave way to the back part of the exhibit. The show had been a success and most of the large images and carvings had been purchased, that only left several sculptures, busts and the largest rock slabs where the figure was fully dresses and at the time that it'd seen it for the first time I hadn't taken the time to really exàmen it, it just seamed beautiful and very life-like but now that I saw it as I turned the corner it startled me because of the resemblance with this young gipsy man that walked behind me, it was uncanny the resemblance even the accuracy of his clothing, as if the artist had had him pose.
I turned to him and smiled. "These are the new ones" I whispered to him to come closer to the entrance of the large showroom.
As he was about to come closer he stopped and looked towards the front entrance.
"Thank you but I must go" he seamed disappointed. "May I come again?" He asked hopeful. He turned then and walked towards the entrance hurriedly. I followed him as if I'd been chain to his body feeling the pull strongly and unendingly
Words came out of my mouth as if someone was dictating them. "Would you like to meet the artist?"
"Tomorrow. Maybe?" I felt strange as if I was a marionette moved by an unseen force.
Offering this young man information I didn't yet posses.
"Yes" his voice quivered with excitement, his face lighting up from within.
I stepped closer towards the door as he vacated my building; I followed his form dazed, still feeling that strong pull towards him. As he ran towards a dark figure at the end of the road he turned back and smiled, his body almost glowing in the darkening afternoon, had it been that long since I first open the gallery this morning? He turned to look towards the figure that awaited him and as he came close to him a blue-ish glow light the figure, as if the young man was energy and the figure a bulb, they walked away together in that iridescent glow illuminating there descent.
That night I had terrible dreams. Tall shadows and fire pits, rhythmic guitar music accompanied by loud lamenting voices. Spinning figures and swirling colors, a shadow following me through a maze of small aluminum buildings. As I came to a small wood building with wheels I held out my hands for help but instead I felt the swift of a rush of air behind me, and instead of turning to protect myself I froze, an older woman with a menacing sneer approached me. "He is ours. You had your chance, he will not leave with you, now go… Go back and tell them you failed, he is alive and well, loved and cared for. We are his family now, no one will hurt him, you know our powers, you know I've been here way too long, and I've done so to protect him, to protect them, he was meant to be part of this… NOW GO!" Her face a mask of anger and fright, she knew well not to doubt my powers, I held my hands towards her and her eyes open wider. She took the small framed photograph near her and held it to her breast as an amulet.
A deep light washed over her and her eyes closed, the light ascended and her body dropped suddenly to the chair, slumping a little, the photo still held tightly to her chest.
I felt the dread of it all, they won't let him go, he was too precious to them, but I must fulfill my mission or else there will be no rest for me.
I feel the heat against me and as I turn I come face to face with deep green eyes, his face contorts into anger, pain, fear and confusion, my hand stretches out to touch his light, there's a small spark that flashes between us, and I see his face turn to nothingness, a pile of dirt at my feet.
I drop in pain, and I feel the light hitting me, it burns me, I feel weak and sluggish. I hear there voices and then I see the dirt transform again into the beautiful boy I'd seen at my gallery, I feel disoriented and move quickly out of this place.
As I walk back to my apartment building, I try to figure out how I got there, and where it was, it seams that it's almost to the outskirts of town, I can hear the music and the voices, the applause, and I'm curious but scared to go back. I walk faster in the dark deserted streets. When I'm safely inside my walls I drop to the floor, tears fill my eyes, my hands grip my hair.
"What is happening to me?" I whisper.
"You have done your duty. We will now take over" A deep rumbling voice startles me. And I feel the air leave my lungs, the pressure in my chest is too much, I claw at my clothes, and fight for air, but it's no use, there's none to be had.
My eyes start to water and I fell like I'm going to explode, my finger nails scratch at my trout as if this will help get the air inside.
I crawl to my knees to the middle of the room, my head is dizzy and I can't feel my legs, my hands keep gripping my neck, I touch my mouth, trying to dislodge what ever is covering my windpipe. But there's nothing there.
I lay down on the cold marble floor and the last thing I see is the beautiful self portrait of the haunting artist that interest the lovely gypsy boy.
I'm half way through the next chapter and will be posted next weekend.
Until then Thanks for reading and reviewing!