The Chamber of Sins

“Shh,” Margo whispered, trying to ease his suffering. “You must be in great pain. I am too, you know? Wandering on Earth aimlessly. Loving you…,” she gasped. “It’s a dead-end for me,” she said, smiling at the funny pun. “Everything was so grey before meeting you, like I was leaving in a bubble, untouched by beauty or love.” The girl touched a strip of rebel hair and gently placed it with the others. “Sleep now. I will be here for you.”

“Thank you for meeting me,” Lionette said, studying the man’s wrinkled nose. He was in pain. She could see his massive palm massaging one of his knees.

“Arthritis,” the man felt the need to explain. “It is killing me,” he cried.

The woman watched her trembling fingers ruffling the soft material of her trousers. She pressed her right hand with her left and starred into the man’s turbid eyes.

“I can’t reach Emily,” she muttered, a sad smile looming on her face.

“She took two weeks off. Family problems or something,” the man said, rubbing his chin.

“Why won’t she answer my calls?” Lionette whispered, one hand mopping her moist eyes.

The man came forward, his rough palm touching her hand.

“She knows what she’s doing. She will call you soon,” the man said, his breath reeking of alcohol.

“Thank you, Lucius,” the woman said, still confused. “How is Alice?”

“She is good. At this hour, on Pilates class,” he said, checking his wristwatch. “Still complaining about my late shifts and being chef of Police at my age. Hehe,” he snorted.

“Thank you for your time. Call me if you have news,” the woman said and stood up.

“Everything for an old friend. Come by for dinner sometime. Alice would love it,” he said.

“I will,” Lionette replied. “Someday.”

The next morning, Margo was lying by Robert’s side, listening to his soft breathing. Something troubled her, as searching through her memories for happy ones. She got intimidated by the void created in her mind; she woke up alone in the empty room of her mind - no sweet memories, not even bitter ones. The girl wandered there all night, trying to remember who she was, and when she finally remembered, she realised she had no memory of her life. Margo began ventilating, and her hand crinkled the sheets, pulling them from under the boy with an extraordinary force.

Robert moaned and turned to the other side.

Margo gawked at the crumpled sheet, unveiling the foamy white of the mattress underneath.

“I have altered a physical object,” she muttered and touched the material. It was velvety and smelled of algae and ardent sand. She jumped out of bed and bumped into the nightstand. She seized the table lamp before felling and covered her mouth with her hand.

What is happening to me? She thought.

Troubled, she started pacing in the room, undecided what to do. Robert moaned and opened his eyes.

“Hi.” His sweet purl made Margo sob instantaneously. “Hey, come here. What happened?” He asked. He came toward her and put his warm arms around her. The girl pressed her forehead on his collarbone. He smelled of musk, amber, and cedarwood. A hot tear touched Robert’s neck skin. The boy trembled and gently pushed the girl away.

He touched his neck and raised the dispersed tear on the tip of his finger. He glared at it in disbelief and then gawked at the girl.

“Something is happening with me,” she said. “Look!” Margo took the glass of water and brought it to him. He wrenched it from her trembling hand.

The knocks to the door took Robert by surprise. Adrian entered the room. His eyes met Robert standing in the middle of the room with a half-full glass.

“Sorry, I thought you were alone,” he said and turned to exit the room.

“I am alone,” Robert said.

“Of course you are. I was joking,” the boy said and, laughing, passed by Margo. The girl frowned and pushed herself on him. The boy continued his way to the armchair unhinderedly and took a seat.

“So you are up for a tennis match? Mother said she wants to play,” the boy said, his eyes persisting on Robert’s face.

“Mm, I would love to, but I am kind of busy,” Robert replied.

“You can meet us in a half-hour when you free yourself,” Adrian said.

“Do you think he saw me?” Margo went out behind the mirror after Arian left the room.

“That is a silly thing to say! He cannot see ghosts,” Robert replied.

“Are you sure? He looked straight at me,” Margo said.

“I was there too, by your side, remember? Do you want to go downstairs to verify your theory?”

“What about him saying that you are not alone?”

“A joke?” The boy shrugged.

Margo gazed at him and disappeared.

“Wait!” the boy yelled in the empty room. Sorry.

He found Margo in the living room, ambling in front of Adrian. She restrained herself in touching him, just walked, and from time to time would stop and glare into the boy’s eyes. Flustered that nothing came from her crazy experiment, she sat in a corner, still monitoring her target.

Lionette entered the room, all flustered, her mouth drawing into a thin line.

Robert offered to take the drinks from her and felt her softly trembling.

“Are you alright?”

“So-so,” the woman whispered.

“I checked what you had asked me,” he said as looking around, “It is not him,” he murmured in the woman’s ear.

Lionette nodded and breathed deeply before leaving the room. She stumped up to her chambers, her forehead pulsing painfully. With her hand covering her mouth, she let the tears washing her pale skin. She swallowed the screams as she twiddled her fingers on the soft material of her dress. The salty tears blurred her image and threw her into a fantasy world. A long silhouette appeared in front of her, bent over, and waited for her to stand up.