ONE MAGICAL KISS

ONE MAGICAL KISS

By Marvin Furman

While sitting on a large granite rock by the road, Adam surveyed the barren landscape with despair. The trees were leafless, the grass brown, and the water in the nearby lake gray. No birds sang. The sun never appeared; the sky's permanent hue hinted at an impending storm. But it never stormed. The warm air, while not stifling, had a lifeless quality, lacking a whiff of a breeze.

            Adam damned his circumstances. Alive in this stark world, alone, friendless, hope and optimism absent, he cursed the merciless God that placed him in this limbo.

Upon reflection in a sober moment, he pondered that it was God's way of punishing him for his misdeeds. Ha, he thought, referring to his transgressions as misdeeds would be analogous to saying Adolph Hitler was a choir boy. His internet scam stealing millions from naïve victims afforded him a luxury lifestyle. He had owned homes in California, Paris, and Monte Carlo. His permanent residence on the Mediterranean Coastline had a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea.

Adam's material pursuits had no boundaries. He had an array of luxury cars. An art collection graced his walls that was the envy of the Louvre. A sixty-foot yacht and a Cessna M350 plane allowed him to travel the world in style. A wardrobe from Saville Row in London and other upscale fashion houses masked his nefarious nature in a cloak of urban sophistication.

His wealth enabled him to entertain many of the world's most beautiful women. These women were eager pawns in his game of life. Adam used sex in an insatiable quest to satisfy his lust. Yes, he surmised, sex without love had perfectly fit his lifestyle. Adam had to admit everything he did, he did for himself. He craved more. More money, power over people, material possessions, and influence radiated over those he came in contact with. The word "empathy" did not resonate with him.

Sitting on that rock, evaluating his past, he realized the error of his ways. "Oh, what an asshole I was," he blurted out. Silence met his hope that someone would hear him and offer forgiveness.

Appealing to the emptiness he called out, "If I had a second chance, I would atone for the grievances of the past. I would donate to the poor, help the unfortunate, and do good work."

The act of atonement overcame Adam, and he fell to the ground. He got up on his knees, looked up to the bleak sky, and said, "God, I understand and deserve why you put me in this desolate place. This is my penance for being such a prick. Er, please excuse the language, Lord. That was the old Adam talking. If you give me a second chance, I will reform. Please, Lord, please. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. These exhortations overwhelmed Adam, causing him to lose consciousness.

Upon awakening, Adam observed that his world remained inhospitable and empty. His prayers and exhortations changed nothing. He wondered if God could be so unmerciful. His forlorn existence evoked pain and prompted sobbing. Through the tears, a revelation came to him that gave him a new outlook on his predicament.

"No, God wasn't persecuting him. If anything, God had saved him. Everyone else was gone. Apparently, no one else survived the big Event three months earlier. And, if God did have a hand in the happening, perhaps he has a greater purpose for me."  

Days passed without a sign from the Heavens. Nothing had changed. Bleakness and desolation still prevailed. Pessimism replaced optimism. Hope became despair. Another day of exploring his surroundings gave him no reason for enthusiasm. He lay down on a putrid patch of grass. Before falling into a deep sleep, Adam wondered if the ennui and isolation would ever cease.

Awakening the next day, he slowly opened his eyes. A figure loomed over him. Adam rubbed his eyes and refocused on what he first thought was an apparition. Closer inspection revealed the face of a beautiful woman similar in age to him.

"Hello," she said. Her voice had a soft lilt as if it emanated from a slow-gurgling brook. She continued, "I've been sitting here for over an hour watching you sleep. I didn't want to wake you."

Adam, unsure if he was in a dreamlike state, asked, "Are you real?"

She nodded affirmably.

Adam rose. He looked directly into radiant blue eyes. Still, in a state of disbelief over this sudden turn of events. He asked, "May I touch you?"

She extended her right arm.

Adam reached out and gently touched the tips of her fingers. They felt warm and alive and reassured Adam that this happening was not a figment of his imagination. Bewildered, but happy Adam said," Where did you come from?"

The woman pointed to the horizon. "From over there."

"What is over there?"

"Nothing. Just like here."

"Were there other people with you?"

"I was alone," she said. "At first I was frightened. How would I defend myself if marauders found me? But no one showed up. After some time, it dawned on me that I might be the only survivor. Then I found you and my hopelessness and sadness vanished. Do you think we might be the only two humans left?"

"I don't know but I am happy you came across me." He meant every word. Then it occurred to Adam this might have been the first time he said something that he truly meant. Sincerity had never been a part of his demeanor.

Adam studied the face of the woman. He suddenly realized her beauty surpassed the pulchritude of all the lovely women he had known in the past. It was a quiet beauty. Not ostentatious or brazen. And her manner impressed Adam. He detected not a hint of pretentiousness in her. He craved to know more about her. And here he exhibited another new trait. In his past life, he never took an interest in learning the backgrounds of the women he slept with. They were just bodies to satisfy his sexual urges and feed his ego.

"Please, tell me more about yourself. Where did you live and what did you do before the Event?" He said this in such a soft and gentle tone exhibiting a new and soothing manner in his speech.

She responded without hesitancy. "The Event as you called it obliterated some of my memory. I have no recollection of the place I lived or who comprised my family. What I do remember is that I was a nurse in a Cancer ward comprised of Stage four Cancer patients who had no hope of survival. It was heartbreaking to observe these patients suffering each day writing in pain. I administered drugs to alleviate their anguish and offered comforting words to soothe them. But I still felt so helpless. Why do I remember the miserable moments and not the happy ones?"

"Not just you, I also have awful remembrances of my past. Perhaps, that is so we can learn from life's pitfalls," Adam replied.

"Would you care to share those remembrances with me? It might make you feel better about yourself. That is if you feel confident telling a stranger your woes."

"Oddly, I don't think of you as a stranger. I feel as if we met before when things were normal." As he said this, he knew that couldn't be the case because this woman didn't possess the shallowness the women of his past flaunted. Adam continued, "On second thought I don't believe we previously met. Most likely it was a transcendental experience. I can't explain it, but I feel very close to you."

"And I feel close, too. Now tell me your sad tale."

He was slow to respond, "I only hesitate because after I reveal the sordid details of my life you may see me in a negative light."

With a reassuring smile she said, "Hush, I will not judge you, but offer you comfort."

Adam said, "Thank you." He then related the degenerate details of his life. He didn't omit any of the decadent aspects: the crimes he committed, the women he abused, and the materialism he coveted that made his life so immoral. When he finished, he detected a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders. A tinge of embarrassment prefaced his next statement. "You can see I was a bad man."

The woman reached and touched Adam's hand to convey compassion and said, "The word 'was' is the essential element in what you just stated. I don't believe you are the same man you were then."

"I believe you are correct. I feel as if I've gone through a transformation. And whether it's God's hand or your presence I am grateful it has happened." After a moment of silence, Adam said, "What is your name?

“I’m Eve."

Shirking his former boldness with women, Adam asked with trepidation, "May I kiss you, Eve?"

"I would like that very much," she said with a pleasing smile.

Adam gently reached out to Eve and embraced her. Their lips met in the kiss that was their forever Alpha and Omega. Comparable to a thousand brush strokes by an impressionist painter. It was like the clean spring rain in a meadow and a moonlit pathway to the sky. When he pressed his tongue against hers, they became lost in bliss. Their prolonged first kiss became magical. After their lips separated, Adam understood he had found his soul mate.

Now with their eyes wide open, they witnessed a most astounding sight. Life had returned. The sun shone brightly. Birds sang. The grass was green, and the lake blue as it should be. The air was pleasantly warm with a refreshing breeze.

"Eve, are you witnessing what I am seeing? Everything is back. Reassure me that my eyes are not playing tricks on me."

"No, Adam. They are not. I believe our kiss was a magical one. It transformed our world."

They both stood up and after an embrace, Adam said, "You may think I am crazy, but I have this wonderful idea. The weather is perfect. And no one else is here. We are free as birds. We don't need our clothes. Let us continue our journey in the nude. It will be emblematic of our newfound freedom and trust in each other. "

Eve responded, "Yes, we are free as birds. Adam, I love the idea. Let's remove our clothes immediately."

Facing each other, unashamedly they took off their garments and placed them on the ground. They viewed each other with delight. Adam said, "Eve you are so beautiful."

"Thank you, Adam. I am glad I appeal to you. From this moment on I only want to make you happy."

Holding hands, they started walking towards the rising sun. When they reached the crest of a hill, they viewed the vista.

Eve her arm outstretched pointed at a spot. "Adam, darling, look at that park. Isn't it beautiful? It has a pretty lake and look at the assortment of fruit trees on the grounds. It has been so long since I've tasted a juicy fruit. Wouldn't it be wonderful to bite into an apple?"

"Eve, I do believe we found our new home."

THE END

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