Unibook: Roses and Thorns – Just for Them

I feel the impact of your gesture, and my body trembles with the intensity of your reaction. Frustration and despair radiate from you, palpable in the air between us, charged with an emotion I cannot fully define.

Your reaction halts me in my tracks, the action I was taking dissipating into the anxiety that now consumes me as well. I stand still for a moment, my eyes fixed on yours, attempting to comprehend the thoughts swirling within your mind.

The touch of your grip on my shoulders still resonates, but this does not prevent me from meeting your gaze, a blend of understanding and pain in my eyes. I know what you are enduring. I comprehend the difficulty of accepting all this at once, and perhaps, at some point, I too anticipated this reaction from you.

You extend your arm towards me, attempting to reach out... My fleeting silhouette evades you. It's not that I reject your touch or feel repulsed by your affection; it's just that my fear of encountering more unscrupulous enemies, who would exploit our vulnerable moment for their twisted delight, is overwhelming.

Nonetheless, I sense the impact of your gesture, my body trembling with the intensity of your reaction. The frustration and despair you convey are tangible. The air between us grows thick with emotion, an emotion I struggle to identify fully. Your reaction stops me in my tracks, the action I was taking dissipating into the anxiety that now consumes me as well.

I stand still for a moment, my eyes locked on yours, trying to understand the thoughts within your mind. Then, yielding to the moment, I draw closer to you.

I cannot resist your touch... The memory of your grip on my shoulders still resonates in my trembling flesh, allowing you this moment amidst such tension makes me feel vulnerable. I've faced countless enemies with spectacular strikes and evasive maneuvers, but the mere mention of you by my side in this state reduces me to a frightened rabbit attempting to act like a fierce and cunning wolf to protect you from these reckless coyotes.

But this doesn't stop me from meeting your gaze, my eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and pain. I know what you're going through. I understand how challenging it must be to process all this at once, and perhaps, at some point, I too expected this reaction from you.

"I... understand," I finally say, my voice soft. "The pain, the anger, the confusion. I know it's not easy. But you need to listen. I don't want you to feel like you have to go through all this alone, not now, not ever. What you're experiencing is more complex than you imagine, more than you or I can control alone."

I take a deep breath, searching for words to calm you, while also striving to maintain my own composure. I'm not as good as I'd like to be, nor as strong as others believe me to be. They don't suspect that I harbor more fear than most; I simply don't dwell on it and keep moving forward... As any survivor would do, having known you as I have.

"I'll tell you everything, but you need to listen. I know you don't want to hear about what happened between us, about what we were... But it's part of the truth. It's the key to everything. And you... you need to know."

I approach you, feeling the tension in the air, your suspicious gaze. With a gentle gesture, I try to convince you that perhaps a kiss might ease the tension, offer a little comfort in this confusing moment. When my lips finally touch yours, you react instantly, it seems to me that you want to bite me.

With a sharp movement, you push me back, and your words cut through the air like a cry of frustration:

"Stop. This is not a moment for tenderness. You say you'll tell me everything, but what you do is just deceive me. Stop the lies and deceptions because I see that the true victim here is me. So I insist, with all my honesty, woman... I just want the truth."

I stand still, incredulous at your reaction, yet simultaneously understanding the pain and despair behind it. Your fury is palpable, and your emotions of fear are genuine. My eyes fill with tears, and one falls silently. I try not to look away, knowing that, however difficult, the truth must be spoken.

"My dear..." I begin, my voice faltering, my feelings retreating, triggering an alarm and erecting a barrier that I know... once crossed, there's no turning back. "I have nothing more to say to you."

Then, like a dark shroud extending as far as my eyes can see, silence descends upon us. The cold night stretches like a heavy cloak, smothering everything in oppressive silence. The air carries the damp scent of earth, mingled with a subtle metallic odor, a lingering reminder of this place's violent past.

A solitary moon hangs in the sky, its pale light seeping through the gaps in the poorly finished room, casting an eerie glow on the tense faces of the two characters. Each spoken word echoes, confined to our minds, as if the scene around us is listening to this confrontation laden with hurt and tension.

When the dialogue ends, the silence becomes suffocating. The absence of words offers no relief, only an echoing void anticipatory of what's to come.

I sense your regret in your voice as you embrace me, your words mingling with a profound desire to leave, to escape the unfolding events. The tension begins to dissipate, and you, burdened by your emotions, seek solace in these gestures, assuring me that you would never refuse my help, never push away what I can offer.

You want to leave, to bring this ordeal to an end, and despite the lingering doubts, I gently press my lips to yours in agreement.

The dim light guides our steps. The air remains heavy, the building reeking of abandonment. The sound of our footsteps echoes off the walls of this eerie place. And then, suddenly, we reach the exit.

A new space opens before us, revealing a cave with its entrance facing the beach. But what's truly disorienting is finding ourselves in a place so distant from everything we know. How did this happen?

The night drapes itself like a somber shroud, the trees swaying gently to the harsh wind, their shadows casting ominous shapes on the irregular ground. The air carries the damp smell of earth, intertwined with a faint metallic scent, a lingering reminder of this place's violent history.

We stand still, both of us at a loss for thoughts. The horizon appears distant, as if we've been transported to an entirely foreign realm. The sea before us remains calm, yet the darkness and enigma surrounding us fail to clarify the situation.

A solitary moon illuminates the scene, its pale rays piercing through the foliage, casting an eerie glow on our tense faces. Every word uttered is labored, as if concealing a falsehood behind them.

"How... how did we get here?" The question slips out involuntarily, my eyes searching yours for any hint of an answer, some explanation for this increasingly bizarre scenario.

A distant sound, perhaps the snapping of twigs or the rustling of an animal, pierces the silence, a subtle reminder that we are not truly alone, even in our perceived isolation.