Blessed Madness – Short Story

Tunis - I visited the madhouse once and attempted to find some sort of inspiration.

All I was able to extract were some words from maniacs and this was the weirdest of them all. Mr. S told me his nutty story and I found it magical; how the mind can work out such wondrous events. It was a creepy thing though. I was amazed and amused at the same time.

“I’m a rich man’s only son. I had castles all around the world, in Portugal, Peru and Spain and even Atlantis. I came from the east. We have black gold, one of the richest countries in the world. Life was very pleasant and generous with me. I never needed anything. I had servants and charming maids at my service. I travelled the seven seas in my immense yacht. I have only touched the moon and the stars when my heart skipped a beat.

She was more beautiful than Narcissus’s reflection, she glowed more in the darkness and brightened the day more than the sun ever did. Her skin was the fairest my eyes have ever met. And she was a Gypsy; I was a Romeo in the wonderland. It was pure paradise, watching her, admiring her and loving her from afar. I never met her eyes, never spoke to her, never dared to even dare to think of it. I loved her more than I could love a soul. My life was complete. I dreamt of being the world’s King and to have her as my Queen; I dreamt of having her next to me, dreamt of doing anything to conserve her beauty until the end of time, dreamt of things and things and a million more things every day. Her thought lingered inside my head.

Years passed and I only watched her from a distance. I adored her to the point of madness. I did this without even knowing her, longing for her only in my dreams. Yet, I never wished to speak to her. The silence between us only made me crazier about her love. I had power, I had gold and pretty clothes, I had tremendous wealth, I could have showered her with gifts, with anything and everything  but I never wanted her to acknowledge me.

Loving her in secret was such bliss to me. Unexpectedly, she walked towards me, her blue eyes darker than the skies, the closer she drew the more blind I became. She touched my hand softly, smiled to my face and whispered some sweetness in my ear. Bewildered, I froze. My heart broke to into pieces and at that very moment, I experienced heaven and hell. I froze, numb from head to toe, blind and deaf, my ears refused to hear anything around, my eyes rejected opening. The shock knocked me off my feet.

I soon found myself in my bed with a high fever eating me inside out. That’s when I realized that my adoration had faded, all infatuation had vanished, my secret love was unveiled and all its beauty diminished. I fell ill for a long time, raved every night about her, yet my heart ached when I remembered our encounter. I wished I had disappeared. I wished I had never existed. I wished I could have taken that day out my mind. But my brain remained frozen on that very day, like a broken clock. Time never moved forward again.

 I felt helpless. All my wealth and castles couldn’t numb my pain. I lost my mind and all my senses. Her image never leaves me; I want it gone but it dwells inside of me. I was forlorn. I was shattered because she loved me too.”

Edited by Beau Clark. Photo by Yassine Abouyaala