Fan Fiction |
by Carmen Yip
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ROGER: And the doctor did a checkup on her… and said that…
GALLEN: (held his breath) Said what?
ROGER: She’s with my child!
Gallen’s flowers dropped! And landed heavily on the hard cement ground. It cracked into million pieces, not the flowers of course, it was his heart!
GALLEN: (biting his lips) Impossible! You… you are lying!
ROGER: What is so impossible? If you don’t believe that, you can ask the doctor yourself!
GALLEN: (feeling hurt) You… you touched my Flora!
ROGER: That is MY Flora, mind you! And she came to me willingly!
GALLEN: Shut up!!!
Gallen clenched his fist indignantly and hit it hard against the wall, and it bled. A slim stream of blood flows down the wall, resembling that of a thin red thread. One that brought them together, but yet had to separate them cruelly! Ironically! Roger felt a tinge of guilt invading him for being rude.
ROGER: Are you ok?
GALLEN: (breathing in) Yes… can I have a last request?
ROGER: What do you want?
GALLEN: I want to see her before I leave, will you agree?
ROGER: Ok… but… please don’t upset her further… if you know what I mean…
GALLEN: I know… I won’t tell her I’m leaving…
Roger excused himself while leaving the two to talk. Gallen knocked and entered, only to see an expressionless Flora sitting silently on her bed, appearing dazed. She sensed his presence, even though her sense organs seem to be malfunctioning in the current situation. He purposely kept a safe distance from her.
FLORA: (lifting her head and gazed at him) Gallen…
GALLEN: (forcing a smile) Congrats!
FLORA: (stared at him) Are you out of your mind? You said congrats? You SAID congrats to me? You wish to see me in this state?
GALLEN: Sorry…
FLORA: Why? (chokingly) Why… must this… why must this… happen to me?
GALLEN: It’s fate! And we can’t change it, we can’t alter the truth with our bare hands!
FLORA: I can!
GALLEN: No! Don’t be impulsive, Flora! Life is precious!
FLORA: (walking to him and pulling his sleeves) I know… but Gallen… Gallen… I don’t want… I don’t want this…
GALLEN: (patting her head lightly) We can do nothing but to accept it, Flora!
FLORA: (sobbing) We… we only managed to get together… after… after so many… (coughing)
GALLEN: (stops her, stroking her back) Don’t push yourself, Flora!
FLORA: (agitated) Why… must heaven… be… be so cruel… cruel… to break… us… up?
GALLEN: I don't know… perhaps it’s because I broke my promise to god… (shedding tears) But he doesn’t have to do this… to me… to us!
FLORA: Gallen… don’t… don’t leave me… (hugging him)
GALLEN: (mixed feelings) I won’t…
He forced his eyes to shut, and hugged her tightly in his embrace, because he knows it will be the last…
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Ever since Gallen left the hospital, he had been thinking. Reminiscing about the days, good and bad, happy and sad, long and short, sweet and sour, with her! 11 July 2004! What an ironic arrangement! It will be the day he would never ever forget in his whole life. Because he will lose her then! Or did he lose her earlier? He was unsure.
Fate had wanted to make a fool out of them, and how could the defenseless victims even retaliate? He stared at the air tickets, and laughed hysterically. Every forced chuckle out of him would only hit his heart once more, heavily! Immensely! Unbearably! He hated himself, for being weak, for being helpless, for being useless!
These few days, these full ten days, he isolated himself from the rest of the world. He didn’t want to have any contact with the outer world. He knew she would miss him, and how could he not have done so either? But he wanted a clean break! A tidy one! Why should he be so selfish to wreck her happy family? If they were never meant to be together in the first place!
He stood at the top of the hill, which overlooks the whole of Tai O. The children were running around, the cows and horses were enjoying their meals, and the serene lake was ever as quiet and peaceful as his dream world. His heart turned calmer, staring at it, imagining the reflections coming out of it. The sunrise he saw earlier was beautiful, gorgeous! As contrast to his ugly heart now. He still couldn’t let go!
He took a usual practice glance at his watch. It was 3.20 p.m. Then he suddenly recalled something. Something important he had to do. He called Raymond, and proceeded to his destination.
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(10 July 2004 – Saturday – Hong Kong International Airport – 4.30 p.m.)
Flora searched frantically all around the departure hall, but he was nowhere to be found. She took a short break for her to recover from her panting.
*FLASHBACKS*
(same day – Chan’s apartment – 3.40 p.m.)
ADA: (on the phone) Really? Ok, I’ll tell her that… Thanks Ray! (hangs up the phone) Flora! I’ve got news of Gallen!
FLORA: (anxiously) Really? Where’s he now?
ADA: No idea, but Ray said Gallen called him and told him that he will be at the airport at around 4.15 p.m., and he asked to see Ray there!
FLORA: Why?
ADA: I don't know… but Ray said he sounds like he was rushing for time, maybe… he is leaving HK I think…
FLORA: He is leaving HK? But he promised me…
ADA: Flora dear! How do you expect him to respond otherwise? You must understand how he’s feeling now!
FLORA: (stands up) I’m going to the airport now!
ADA: Then what about Roger?
FLORA: (rushing out of the door) I don’t care! You’ll see to it, bye!
*END OF FLASHBACKS*
FLORA: (mumbling) Gallen… where are you?
ANNOUNCEMENT: Last call for passengers of flight SQ6007 to Rome! Passengers please proceed to gate 10……
FLORA: Oh no!
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(near the entrance of the airport – 4.45 p.m.)
GALLEN: (looking at his watch anxiously) Where’s that Ray? Why is he still not here? It’s almost time! Did he forget or what?
At his threshold of anxiety, he thought he saw a figure that resembles Ray in a taxi. He strode a wide step further, only to realize that someone had placed a hand on his shoulder and called out his name. He turns around. It was her!
GALLEN: You…
Without a second word, she went forward and gave him a teddy bear hug.
A third person emerges and camouflaged in a corner…
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PS: Is it exciting now? Kekeke... who's the girl? Who's the third person? What had Flora gotta say to Gallen? Awww... Stay Tuned! Finale up next!!! ;)