WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL: Episode 31 to 40 - Page 10 of 10

?WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL?

?EPISODE 40?

They were rich. Couldn’t they afford to turn on a light or
two? Was saving up a couple of dollars on electricity worth
risking their necks for?
The walls were covered with wallpaper. I felt a curve and
then smooth wood after. I thought I reached the first door.

I felt the cold steel knob against my fingertips.
Good! Two doors to go!
I took each step carefully. I was desperately hoping my
hands would feel the light switch soon.

All of a sudden, I bumped into something hard in front of
me. It was solid and still, as if it was just waiting for me to collide into it. I pressed my hands in front of me and I felt smooth, solid skin under my palms.

My heart pounded inside my ribcage and I thought I
forgot how to breathe. Even without looking, I knew what…
or rather, who I bumped into.
I stood still, unable to move, afraid to make a sound. I
felt him move in front of me.

He didn’t take a step back
though. Instead, I felt his hand entrap mine against his bare chest, holding me in place. Then, I felt his fingers graze my cheek, almost touching my scars.

Then his hand touched my
nape lightly. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
His touch was electric and my knees were slowly turning
to jelly, I was almost sure I wouldn’t be able to support my
own weight any minute.

In the dark… maybe Hunter would remember what it
was like between us. Maybe when he couldn’t see my face,
his touch would remember who I once was in his life.

I feel his breath against my cheek. It smelled fresh and
minty. I could almost feel his lips against my skin.

I felt him tug at the chain of my necklace. Gently, he
pulled it out from inside my robe. His fingers followed the
chain down towards the pendant. If he could touch it, I was
sure he would know… that I was still wearing his necklace.

The inscription was in Braille. He would know that he was
still in my heart. That he was still the one.

But before I could be sure that he touched the pendant,
I heard a door open behind us and a little light went through
the dark corridor.
“Alice?” I heard Denise call behind me.

A second later, light flooded through the hall as Denise
switched on the lights. I stared up at Hunter’s handsome
face. He was looking down at me, his expression was fathomless. He had taken a step back, his hands were on his
sides, no longer touching me.

“I told you to let me know the program the next time
you decide to bump into me,” he said in that arrogant tone
that I was starting to hate now.

I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. I
wanted to slap him but I know that would be dangerous to
his health. No matter how tough he wanted to look, he
wasn’t as invincible as he wanted to appear.

“Alice?” Denise called again. “I’m done. You can use the
bathroom now.”

I gave Hunter one last glare and then I turned on my
heel and headed towards Denise’s room. I closed the door behind me, steadying my pulse, not letting Denise suspect that something was up.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “Was he being rude?”

“No,” I replied, shaking my head. “I just bumped into
him. The corridor was dark, I couldn’t find the switch.”

“Hunter prefers the dark sometimes so he turns off all
the lights in the hall when he retreats to his room for the
night. He’s very efficient in the dark. It was as if he could
see. He could walk around the house in complete darkness
and he won’t fall down the stairs or bump into any furniture.

I think he got every corner of this house memorized at the
back of his mind. Sometimes, I wanted to rearrange the
furniture when he’s out late just so he would trip or bump
into something when he comes in.”

I smiled at that. Denise would try anything to annoy
Hunter. “When you’re blind, darkness will become your
friend, your only companion. You will learn to trust your
memory and your other senses.”
Denise nodded. “Sometimes I think you understand
Hunter better than I do. And you don’t even know him.”

I bit my lip. I thought I knew him better than anybody.
“I’m sorry, Alice,” she said. “I know you’re worrying for
me. But really… trust me on this. Arthur is wonderful.

Maybe someday… the four of us can double-date.”
“The four of us?”
She shrugged. “When you finally decide to throw Chaise
a bone and give him the date he deserved since the night
he rescued you.”