Consumer of Hearts

I am on my way to my mother’s house to celebrate my 25th birthday even though it was two days ago. My mom was very understanding when I told her my boyfriend had already made plans for my actual birthday. I am about two blocks away from my destination when out of nowhere an old man bumps into me and I end up falling into a puddle getting my black pencil skirt and my white shirt wet, he then extends his hand to help me get up, at least he has manners. As I'm getting back on my feet I take a look at him and I notice how scruffy his face looks but what piques my interest are his grey eyes. They were so clear it was as if the color was barely there. It reminded me of the character storm from the x-men comics when she would use her powers and her whole eyes would become white. As his hand is still holding mine he starts to talk and the words that come out of his mouth send a shiver through my body.

“Protect your heart.”

“Excuse me?” 

“It will hurt.” and with that he starts walking away.

“Wait sir. What are you talking about?” He keeps walking away. “Ugh, rude.”

I get to my mother’s house, get out of my wet clothes and ask her if there are still some of my own clothes here in her house, she tells me yes and I go change quickly after that I help her with dinner afterwards. She made my favorite dish Spaghetti with meatballs. Yes, it's a simple meal but I always loved the way my mother made it because she would make the tomato sauce and the meatballs from scratch. I always hated the store bought. For dessert she couldn't decide on what to make, which was understandable because I never had just one favorite type of dessert. So we both decided on just some Neapolitan ice cream, she always eats the chocolate but I prefer the strawberry flavor. During the whole meal I told her about my boyfriend and what he had done for my birthday.

“So tell me Monica. What did he have planned?”

“Oh mom, it was so romantic. He took me out to an early dinner. Then to one of those sip and paint places. It's where you drink alcohol and paint whatever the instructor is creating that night. So we did that and then after we were done he showed me his painting it wasn't what the instructor had made at all, It was a sketch of me and around it he put ‘nothing compares to your beauty’?”

“Wow. That Sebastian sure knows how to swoon a lady.”

“I tell you mom I don't care if it’s too soon to say it, but I think he might be the one.”

“I am so happy for you. Y'all have been dating for quite some time and he is a real gentleman. The only thing that bothers me is the age difference honey. After all he is about 40.”

“Yes I know mom but still when it comes to love age doesn't matter, in the end it is just numbers. What’s important is how we feel for each other, and Sebastian, well he is a dream come true.” 

We keep chatting as we finish dinner and our scoops of ice cream. I help with the dishes and watch some t.v. with her until I know she is about to fall asleep. I decided to stay the night since I now knew I still had some pairs of pajamas and clothes here. My mother always reminds me that this is still home and I am always welcomed, and I will always love her for that. I help her get into bed, then right after I turn off her light I hear her say, “Protect your heart. It will hurt.” I quickly close her door and rush to my room. I can't stop thinking that those are the same exact words the old man who bumped into me had said earlier today. A shiver starts creeping up my spine, I try to relax myself by taking a shower. The warm water will calm me down.

After the shower I call Sebastian because I miss him too much already. It rings 5 times and then voicemail, I try calling one more time but the same thing happens again. I decide to leave a message, “hey sweetie you're probably already sleeping. Sorry for bothering you. Just wanted to say that I miss you and that I had a lovely time with my mother. Anyway, talk to you tomorrow, Love you.” I hang up and go to bed. As I sleep I have the dream that I’ve had for the past few days. A glass shaped heart held in my hands shatters into a million pieces right in front of me. Those same pieces turn into tear drops, as those tear drops create an ocean it becomes red as the color of blood then I start to drown and I hear someone calling my name. That’s how it usually ends every time I have this dream.

The next day I leave my mom’s place after we both eat breakfast and she goes to church for her Sunday mass. I take a cab to go back to my place, the driver has some Spanish station playing as I check my phone. There's no messages or anything from Sebastian and it kind of worries me because he is usually up at this time. All of a sudden the person on the radio is talking in English, I sneak a glance at the station, it’s still on the Spanish one. I listen intently to see why the sudden change in language.

“This shout out goes out to some girl named Monica. It says ‘Protect your heart. It will hurt.’There is no name, sorry. If I were Monica I'd do as they say….” They continue with more music. I start to panic. This is the third time I hear those words. What does it mean? My breathing quickens and I feel like I'm about to hyperventilate. I count backwards until I feel at least a bit more calm. I get to my place, pay the driver and tell them to have a good day. Once I'm in my apartment I try calling Sebastian. Finally he picks up.

“Hello?” It’s a female voice.

“Um, hi is this Sebastian's home phone number?”

“Yes it is.” This woman on the other line sounds older.

“Okay and who are you to pick it up for him?” I ask with annoyance in my voice.

“If you must know, I am his wife. May I know who is calling and would you like to leave a message?” 

“His wife?” This can’t be right. My Sebastian is single, well technically he is dating me but he sure as hell isn’t married.

“Are you sure he is married? Is this Sebastian Miller’s home?”

“Yes it is. Who is this?” 

I hang up, I rush out of my apartment and get another cab. I tell the driver Sebastian’s address and to try to get there as fast as he can. My mind is reeling from this fresh information. It can’t be true? Sebastian has a wife? And for how long? I need answers now. I thought he was all mine? He was perfect. Oh God please don't let it be true. My mind is still going crazy by the time we get to his place. I pay the driver quickly, thanking my lucky stars that I have a good enough job to afford these trips. I get to his apartment and start pacing in front his door taking my time to knock on the door because what’s behind it can determine my whole relationship status. After a few minutes I give in and knock on the door, I instantly hear a woman’s voice. Somebody opens the door and it's Sebastian with sweatpants and no shirt with his hair looking like he just woke up. 

“Oh crap, Monica what are you doing here?” He tries to keep the door slightly closed so I wont be able to see anything.

“I called you yesterday. Then I called you today and who so happens to answer your phone, your wife! Your freaking wife!” I push past him so I can get into his apartment.

“Monica, you must have dialed the wrong number. There's nobody here and I have not checked my phone because I just woke up.”

The woman appears in the hallway. “Oh just stop lying to the poor girl Sebastian the jig is up.” His wife then grabs Monica and ties her up.

“Wait? What are you doing?” I am so confused. What in the world is going on right now.

“Little girl, I know everything about you and my husband.” She sits me on a chair and forces me to drink some disgusting tea making me almost vomit. “Tell her the truth Sebastian , she deserves that at the very least.”

“What truth?” I say as I keep trying to wiggle myself out of the ropes with no success.

“Okay fine!” Sebastian screams at his wife. He then bends down and looks straight at Monica speaking softly he explains. “Look Monica, we are from a tribe where we eat human hearts to survive. Our people choose certain humans based on how pure they are. When we find one we eat it, and in turn it lets us live for a year, then we feed again to survive another year and so on..” 

“But why me?”

“You have the purest heart I’ve ever known in my lifetime. Honestly Monica I could've had yours a long time ago but I really did fall in love with you, so I prolonged it. I would just eat other people’s hearts. My wife recently just got back from our hometown and she only has about an hour and some change until she dies unless she has your heart.” He starts crying softly but I see his tears roll down his face. “Please just know that I really love you. I really do.”

“You  people are psychos! And how dare you stand there and say you love me if you are about to use me as a sacrifice!”

“Oh please! None of this will matter in a few seconds, little girl. The tea I just gave you is a sedative. You’ll be knocked out soon enough.”

I start to cry and plead for mercy. “Please Sebastian don’t do this to me. I don't want to die. Please stop this from happening!” 

Suddenly I feel lightheaded like I am about to fall asleep. The drug is getting into my system. As my eyelids close the last thing I see is his wife coming at me with a knife while Sebastian just stands there with his arms crossed, his face looking away doing nothing to stop what is about to happen, he just stands there and cries. Is this what all those warnings were about? Well it's too late to protect my heart now. I was forewarned and in the end I am unable to do anything. I feel the knife cutting my chest and it hurts like hell. My Sebastian not only hurt me but doesn't bother to save me. Blackness surrounds me and as I take my last breath I say “I will always love you Sebastian.”