”She agreed pretty fast.. she did not seem surprised by the offer either” He said
‘Are you sure” His friend asked..
“Yes” He said “Not just that…. she looked as if she was searching for something like this”
“But then did you tell her what this would mean to her….? ”
“yes every bit of it…. you know how some people are….” He became quite for a moment and continued “They get the bigger picture very fast…. they seem to have it as their purpose in life… “

The friend took a sip from his cup “yes you are right… and you know what…. it is good you asked her…. she is the perfect fit…. of the thousands of faces and expressions we have seen in all these years… she has the most unique one…. enigmatic… mysterious… that smile… it is quite different…. and that striking resemblance”

They both sat silent for a long time… probably thinking about her.
After a while he broke the silence “She should be here any moment….”
They both looked at the front door… a few moments and the door opened….. the bells hanging from the ceiling making sounds… She entered with that same enigmatic mysterious expression they were talking a while ago….

“Hello Madam” He said “This is my friend….. it is for him… ”
She looked at him “But I thought it would be you…. that was why I agreed… your name…. that matters a lot to me…”
He walked towards her “I know… But I promise… this would be the best…. and you will have the credits of my name…. I promise…. ”
He took his bag and gave it to his friend who was all puzzled with what was happening

He smiled and said “Give your best…. she is all yours….. I will be back once you are done…”
“But I was here just to help you…. I can’t do this….”
“You can my friend…. you can….. only you can…..” He said that and walked out of the door

When he was gone the friend looked at her… he pulled a chair forward and asked her to sit… He slowly opened his bag.. “I know this is confusing… but what is more confusing to me is that you agreed to all this… you know the consequences…. yet how did you….? ”
She nodded…. “I know… It sounds crazy… but I have my reasons… I will tell you later…. now let us get on with it…. and how long is this going to take for you… ?”

The friend looked at her “It will take time…. We have everything arranged for you here… Francesco and Lisa have made every bit of arrangement…. if you need anything… you just need to ask… we can arrange that as well…”
She just smiled
He continued “So for today you can take rest and we will start tomorrow… I will also be staying here…. hope you know that for this to happen in all its perfection we have to live as one person through this entire thing…. ”
She nodded “He did tell me the terms of the engagement.. though I thought it would be him….. but thats ok”
“OK then… I will show you to your room…. ”
Both of them got up and walked to the room arranged for her…

As he walked out of the house he had a bad feeling about leaving his friend and her alone…. a feeling of falling back on his responsibility……
but he said to himself “This is important… it has to be like this….. this is the making of the biggest mystery among all other inventions and creations…. this is how it has to be… ”

He reached his house got in and lit a candle….. He looked at the big supply of food piled up in one corner….. this is going to be where he will be confined for a few days now.. till his friend is done with the work… He took a few papers and started writing…. there was much to do and this was the best way to make use of the time…

Days passed in writing and sleeping when late one night he was woken up by a knock at the door… He jumped out of the bed and walked towards the door….
“Who is it…. this late…?” He asked
“Me… it is Me…” Came the voice of his friend
He quickly opened the door and asked him to enter and closed the door behind…
“What happened…?” he asked

“We are done…” The friend said with a big smile…. “We are done….”
He could not wait and wanted to reach there immediately…. He grabbed a few stuffs and a blanket and both of them walked out…. They ran…. when they reached the house they stopped…. He looked all around and slowly entered…
He eyes searched for he all around…. not seeing her he asked his friend
“Where is she… ?”
“She is sleeping….. It was very hectic….”
“ok…. now where is it…. Show it to me… ” He said “show it to me..”

The friend pointed him to another room “you go and see….”
He went inside and a while later came out with tears rolling down his eyes…. “Yes this is it…. this is it….. ”
He could not stop his excitement and handed a small bottle to his friend…. “Give this to her…. mix it with milk… she won’t know any pain…. it will be over soon”

“But… ” the friend said
“Don’t… Don’t say anything….” He put his hand on his friend’s shoulder “I know… but that was our agreement…. she ends once it is all done….. You have to understand… we can’t let her free… ”

The Friend took the bottle without saying anything… opened and poured it into the cup of cold milk…. and walked into the room where she was sleeping…
He watched his friend close the door behind him…. and sat on the chair but his ears trying to capture any sound from the room… he slowly closed his eyes…

He did not know how long he was asleep… but when he woke up he saw the door to her room was still closed…. He did not see his friend anywhere…. He got up and walked to the door and slowly pushed it open….

His friend was in the bed next to her in her sweet embrace…. motionless….. the empty cup of milk lying on the floor.. also a small note…

He took the note and read it
“It is now yours…. don’t put my name on it…. by making it I have known love…. I have known true love…. if she is unknown… I too wish to be unknown….”

He stood still for a moment and then took the paper and walked out of the room….. He threw it into the fire and sat on the chair and watched as his friend’s last words burned…..

He got us and slowly walked to the adjacent room to see the masterpiece again…..
He stood still in front of the large canvas and said….
“La Gioconda…. My Mona Lisa….. who will ever know…. as the biggest mystery of this world….. people will know you by my name… but they will never know the story…..”

He forgot that his friend is no more…. he was lost in the portrait…. he kept saying “people will write so much about this smile…. but no one will know the reason behind it…. that reflection of inevitable death…. the smile that stretches between happiness and eternal sadness…. no one will know…. this enigmatic smile”

He closed his eyes and stood in silence…..

Categories: 365 Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction, Stories

Tags: 365 Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction Friday