A Girl's Evening Walk

She strode through the center of the promenade, the same path she took every night. She walked swiftly through the brightly lit trees and cheerful carolers as if none existed. Once in a while a child beaming at her- which they always did- caught her attention and she smiled back in a likewise manner. Her eyes saw everything, gave nothing away.

Every night, Andrew waited on his bench for his momentary vision of her. He had no idea who she was, only that he needed to see her, night after night. He dubbed her Scarlett, due to the long red pea coat she wore, which blended in with the carolers' costumes. Other than the coat, he never remembered her well after his thirty seconds of watching her stride past him, into the throng of shoppers and entertainers. Something about her - a thing he could not define- stayed with him, called to him.

A fortnight into December he saw that she carried a book tucked under her left arm. A soft, golden light emanated from the book. Each time she passed him during December's third week he focused more on the glowing book than on her.

The compulsion to watch her nightly walk distressed him, along with the growing obsession regarding her book. He sat on his bench another cold December night, disquieted, until curiosity overrode his innate shyness.

Scarlett appeared as usual; Andrew rose, quick and clumsy. He tried to smile at her, say hello, but she did not see his smile and his throat refused to cooperate. She was passing him by, his chance leaving, unnoticed. He stumbled in his attempt to join her. He jostled her arm, knocking the book from her grasp, his hand jerky; moving of its own violation.

She gasped, her face pale, shocked. She moaned and reached for the book, which slipped through her fingers, and fell onto the cobbled walkway. The world around them grew silent, Christmas carols and holiday chatter inexplicably muted.

“My dreams...” She whispered. Her amber eyes spilled tears.

He tore his eyes from her distressed visage to the multicolored mist rising from the open pages of her notebook. Images of unicorns, bloody battles, entwined bodies, and glowing cities enveloped Scarlett and the book. The strange mist cleared in seconds, taking the the girl and her book, leaving sound of caroler's grating on Andrew's ears.