A piece of soul

          A new moon watches over people tonight. Everything seems enchanted under the moonlight, maybe it’s not appearance but rather magic revealing itself in the dark hours or just fate running its natural course.

           Somewhere far away in a forgotten kingdom, on a narrow street, at the death of night, two people met for the first time. A thunder breaks the silence as their destinies crash into each other. A girl with eyes brighter than a full moon and a boy whose eyes can be barely seen, their light hanging on a thread. They both have places to be, issues to solve but time seems to stop the moment they look each other in the eyes. Curiosity got the better of her so the girl speaks first:

           “Do you have everything you have ever wished for?”

           The boy watches her for a few seconds contemplating the damage a seemingly innocent exchange could do.

           “There is always something more to wish for.” He says, the shadow of a smile playing on his lips. “Do you have anything at all?”

           “I do, something more important than anything: an unscathed soul.” She answers proudly.

           He takes in the dusty old cape that surrounds her shoulders and hides most of her body, the leather gloves tightened with black ribbon at her wrists, and her barely useable shoes.

           “And how is that going for you?” He asks.

           “Amazing.” The girl lies more for herself than the stranger in front of her.

           “Good for you!” The boy laughs. “When things aren’t so great anymore or when you are tired of this way of life” he says looking her up and down “come find me and I’ll show you what a soul, well almost an entire soul, could get you in this world.” 

           Her captured interest, thoughts of people waiting for her forgotten and a wish to prove the importance of a soul are stronger than rationality. “How about now?” she asks.

           “Let’s go.” He says as he turns his back to her with a smile on his face.

The boy heads home in the fading darkness closely followed by a curious girl.

After a long walk the two find themselves at the enormous gates of a palace.

“This is where you live?” The girl asks.

“Yes.” The boy says with a hint of sadness in his voice.

The gates open to reveal the astonishing beauty of the place someone called home. They follow a short path to the palace. The garden surrounding it was filled with all kinds of flowers that gave the air an intoxicating sweetness. After climbing too many marble stairs they finally reached the entrance made of two golden doors decorated with laurel leaves.  The inside was even more extravagant than the outside. A water fountain sat in the middle of the room surrounded by three more marble staircases. They enter what seems to be a music room, it contains every instrument invented but the most important is a breathtaking piano made of crystal. The girl slowly runs her fingers over its keys hesitant to touch such an exquisite instrument but their music brings a smile on her face.

“It would take too much time to show you everything inside this walls so let’s just go in the backyard.” The boy said walking towards another gigantic door.

The girl quietly followed him amazed by the lavishness surrounding her. They soon arrived in what was supposedly a backyard but was in fact an actual lake. Close to it was a beautiful terrace covered in roses with a table and a few chairs where they sat down.

“There are many more things inside, from silverware, jewels and clothes to paintings, and instruments and many inventions unknown to the outside world.” The boy confesses.

The girl looks around at her surroundings for a long moment and then she asks:

“Was all of this worth it?” seeing the confused look on his face she continues “Was it worth losing your soul for all this material things?”

“Of course. All these things” he says pointing at his palace “make me happy.”

“You don’t look so happy to me.”

“Is it worth living in such bad conditions just to keep your soul intact?” He asks.

“Yes, it is.”

“There is nothing you wish for or wished for all these years?”

“I want to meet my soul mate.” She says looking towards the lake at something far away.

Hearing those words he boy starts uncontrollably laughing.

“In a world where people give away their souls for pretty much anything you want to find a soulmate? That’s crazy.”

“Why not? I think it’s a beautiful thing, a soulmate, someone who you are so well suited with, someone who understands you and fits perfectly in your life.”

“It’s a nice dream, but you should take care of yourself in the meantime.” He says.

“I do, my soul is in perfect condition.”

“That’s not what I meant. You should take care of your body to make sure you live until that day.” He looks at her puzzled face. “Look at that water.” He says pointing at a bottle of water on the table. “It’s vital but in a broken bottle, or without one at all, water will fall everywhere.” He takes off the lid and pushes the bottle spilling water all over the table. “Water without something to hold it spreads over everything surrounding it, essential but wasted.”

 What he said was true indeed but every story has two sides. She takes the bottle and pours the leftover water on the ground.

“And a bottle without any water to hold is just a cold piece of glass, beautiful but useless.”

The boy gives her a sad smile. “Yes, indeed.”

A few minutes after both got lost in their thoughts, the boy breaks the silence:

“Why did you come here?”

“You asked me too!” The girl answers amused.

“Yes, but how did you know I’m not dangerous?”

“A person without its soul can’t feel much especially emotions that could lead to hurting someone.”

“Isn’t that what makes them unpredictable?” The boy asks.

“Might be” she smiles wickedly “but even so you could never hurt me.”

 The boy watches the sun rising over his lake.

“Where do you things our souls go when we trade them?”

“I’m sure someone stores them up somewhere.” The girl says.

“I still have a bit left, you know?”

“I know. That is why I am here.”

“How so?” He questions.

“You are a peculiar case.” She says. “You got so many expensive useless things you should have been soulless a long time ago. But a tiny piece of your soul held onto you so tight all these years. It has never happened before.”

“I always wondered why.”

“Maybe it’s because you have a good heart, Jaden.”

“I don’t remember mentioning my name to you.” He says thoughtful. “What is your name?”

“I don’t have one.”

Jaden watches her with confusion in his eyes.

“I should go. Nights are the most popular time for purchases in this kingdom.” The girl slowly stands up.  “This means that I have a lot of souls left to collect.”

“What?” He asks.

“Goodbye, my friend. I hope you’ll keep your remaining soul forever.”

The girl disappears into thin air like she wasn’t even there making him wonder if she truly was.

“I will.” He says to himself as the sun took over the sky and left the moon behind like a forgotten dream.