Intrusion © March 1989 Jacquelene Martina. Told in 6 chapters, I create routine, to control it, but I get curious, and ask: What about an intrusion? Warning: Contains passages, some might find upsetting.
'Are you alright?' He calls out to her, and he runs to where she is. She takes a few steps back, then turns and run.
'Wait!' he calls after her. 'What are you doing? Don't run! Why are you running away?'
He runs faster, and catches up with her. Just in time. They stand at the very rim of the woods.
'Why did you run?' He asks.
His voice is soft, gentle. She does not resist him. She finally understands. He takes her hand and takes her to the centre of the vast open field where the house stands, awaiting them. All is taken care of. They enter the house. He shows her the room of the house, she follows him, showing no signs of interest. With still no signs of attentiveness, she follows him silently outside to see the barn, the cattle, the crops. He talks on, she smiles politely. Later on the day, they sit down to eat in silence. Her lack of concern causes him to react differently than he intends. Her silence drives him into silence of his own. He has waited for her, as she lets him wait.
'I have been expecting you for some time now. You were somewhat late.' He finally says.
'I am here now.'
'I am sorry. It is not my intention to offend you. I was just so inpatient to have you, here.'
She does not react. Indeed, she is now here. Should it matter that the time is not the expected one? Time must have no relevance here. She is here now. 'I am glad you are here.' He says after a while. She smiles and remains silent. He expects her to show a more overt sign of pleasure, and feels disappointed. She senses it, but reveals no emotion. There seems to be trouble in my paradise. Perhaps I brought the wrong one into my realm. Perhaps her awakening was too sudden.
'What is it you do all day?' She is now questioning him.
'I work. I feed and milk the cows. I ride the horses, I grow food in the field. But only when I feel like. Even if I don't do anything, there is food for me to eat. I am well provided for. So will you.'
She remains silent for the what is left of supper. She clears off the table as he chews on his last bite of food. He watches her. After she finishes washing up, he takes her hand, without speaking, he takes her outside. They enter the barn, and he shows her the cattle and the horses. All the while she smiles. Not uttering any words, only smiling.
'I thought you'd be more talkative. You are an intelligent woman.'
'Thank you.'
'Haven't you more to say?'
'I keep wondering what it is you do here, all day?'
'I already told you. I work, I eat, I sleep. I am content. I have no motion of time, I am at complete peace. Now that you are here, there are many more things I will be able to do. Converse for instance.'
'You are seemingly pleased with what you have here. What is there to talk about?'
'What do you mean? We can talk about many things.'
'You live here, you are content. You sometimes work, and if you do not, the work gets done anyway. You are provided for, you have no complaints. What can you and I possibly talk about?'
'Should there be complaints? Is that what you are saying? My existence here should be less smooth, so we can have something to talk about?'
'Yes.'
'So you and I can only communicate on disagreements and irregularities. I never expected you to be like this.'
'I am to make you life more complete than it already is, isn't that it?'
'I am here to make your life complete as well.'
She says nothing and turns away. He watches her as she walks back to the house. He is puzzled. But instantly his face lights up. In the morning, she will no longer be like this. He enters into the house and finds her preparing herself for resting. There is but one bed. He returns to the living room and waits for her to finish. When it is his turn, he gets ready for bed, and slips under the sheets beside her. She does not stir. He lies very still, as not to disturb her. He had imagined this day to be anything, but how it has been.
He awakes at 4.30. She lies peacefully beside him. He gets out of bed and takes his cold shower. He drinks his coffee and the goes out to the backyard where he grows his vegetables. After a brief inspection he heads for the barn. He drives the cattle out unto the open field to graze. He feels impatient and dashed back to the house. In the bedroom, he finds her still asleep. He sits on the side of the bed and observes her as she sleeps. Time passes. She does not awake, he does not move from her side. He is transfixed. There is trouble in my paradise. How is this possible? When and where did it manage to poison her? Once again, I am left to feel powerless in my own realm. Time passes. She does not awake, he does not budge. I fear he will never move from her side. He can not. He is content.
TWO
She lies still on the soft earth. The tall grass kindly touches her. Sitting in the doorway, of the house, he patiently awaits her. She slowly opens her eyes and quickly covers them from the bright sun. She seems to be in no hurry. She closes her eyes and resumes her peaceful rest. He waits. Suddenly, he sees how she jerks up, violently as if pulled by a force, urging her on. She is quickly on her feet, turning around in circles, as if wondering where she is. He is alarmed by her wild movements and rushes out to meet her.'Are you alright?' He calls out to her, and he runs to where she is. She takes a few steps back, then turns and run.
'Wait!' he calls after her. 'What are you doing? Don't run! Why are you running away?'
He runs faster, and catches up with her. Just in time. They stand at the very rim of the woods.
'Why did you run?' He asks.
His voice is soft, gentle. She does not resist him. She finally understands. He takes her hand and takes her to the centre of the vast open field where the house stands, awaiting them. All is taken care of. They enter the house. He shows her the room of the house, she follows him, showing no signs of interest. With still no signs of attentiveness, she follows him silently outside to see the barn, the cattle, the crops. He talks on, she smiles politely. Later on the day, they sit down to eat in silence. Her lack of concern causes him to react differently than he intends. Her silence drives him into silence of his own. He has waited for her, as she lets him wait.
'I have been expecting you for some time now. You were somewhat late.' He finally says.
'I am here now.'
'I am sorry. It is not my intention to offend you. I was just so inpatient to have you, here.'
She does not react. Indeed, she is now here. Should it matter that the time is not the expected one? Time must have no relevance here. She is here now. 'I am glad you are here.' He says after a while. She smiles and remains silent. He expects her to show a more overt sign of pleasure, and feels disappointed. She senses it, but reveals no emotion. There seems to be trouble in my paradise. Perhaps I brought the wrong one into my realm. Perhaps her awakening was too sudden.
'What is it you do all day?' She is now questioning him.
'I work. I feed and milk the cows. I ride the horses, I grow food in the field. But only when I feel like. Even if I don't do anything, there is food for me to eat. I am well provided for. So will you.'
She remains silent for the what is left of supper. She clears off the table as he chews on his last bite of food. He watches her. After she finishes washing up, he takes her hand, without speaking, he takes her outside. They enter the barn, and he shows her the cattle and the horses. All the while she smiles. Not uttering any words, only smiling.
'I thought you'd be more talkative. You are an intelligent woman.'
'Thank you.'
'Haven't you more to say?'
'I keep wondering what it is you do here, all day?'
'I already told you. I work, I eat, I sleep. I am content. I have no motion of time, I am at complete peace. Now that you are here, there are many more things I will be able to do. Converse for instance.'
'You are seemingly pleased with what you have here. What is there to talk about?'
'What do you mean? We can talk about many things.'
'You live here, you are content. You sometimes work, and if you do not, the work gets done anyway. You are provided for, you have no complaints. What can you and I possibly talk about?'
'Should there be complaints? Is that what you are saying? My existence here should be less smooth, so we can have something to talk about?'
'Yes.'
'So you and I can only communicate on disagreements and irregularities. I never expected you to be like this.'
'I am to make you life more complete than it already is, isn't that it?'
'I am here to make your life complete as well.'
She says nothing and turns away. He watches her as she walks back to the house. He is puzzled. But instantly his face lights up. In the morning, she will no longer be like this. He enters into the house and finds her preparing herself for resting. There is but one bed. He returns to the living room and waits for her to finish. When it is his turn, he gets ready for bed, and slips under the sheets beside her. She does not stir. He lies very still, as not to disturb her. He had imagined this day to be anything, but how it has been.
He awakes at 4.30. She lies peacefully beside him. He gets out of bed and takes his cold shower. He drinks his coffee and the goes out to the backyard where he grows his vegetables. After a brief inspection he heads for the barn. He drives the cattle out unto the open field to graze. He feels impatient and dashed back to the house. In the bedroom, he finds her still asleep. He sits on the side of the bed and observes her as she sleeps. Time passes. She does not awake, he does not move from her side. He is transfixed. There is trouble in my paradise. How is this possible? When and where did it manage to poison her? Once again, I am left to feel powerless in my own realm. Time passes. She does not awake, he does not budge. I fear he will never move from her side. He can not. He is content.