#2 Doors (English Version)

(For the Spanish version see below)

When he regained lucidity; he realized that he had lost something, but he did not know what. It was really close, but in the last moment he could activate that silver object and come back in time taking the other guy. Maybe he played a dirty trick on him, but he had no option: either he acted in that way, or he abandoned him to his fate. He thanked him for defending him, however, he had not asked for help. He had the situation under control, or at least that was what he thought…

The guy was starting to wake up, it had better to tell him something. Luckily, he had anticipated it. He looked at the surroundings and he found exactly what he was looking for.

“Are you OK, guy? You slipped on the ground and you fainted.”

Thomas was trying his best to rise up. He had a strong headache and a big bruise on his forehead. He had to have been hit by the ground when the other guy took him away from the truck. He did not remember well what happened next, but he was still in panic and was sweating a lot. He slowly started to recover his memories : a movie, a shared diner in his favorite restaurant, a glass of wine, Chloé kissing him, a hug...

Nevertheless, there was something kept in his mind. He was unable to remember what.

“Listen me, man! Can you hear me?”

Thomas did hear him but at a distance. Something was wrong. He stared to the guy that was asking him and suddenly he remembered his face, a truck approaching, a dazzling flashlight…

“I’m happy, you are OK! Come on, I’m going to help you to stand up.”

With his help, Thomas could stand on his feet again. He also articulated a sentence:

“But… What happened with the truck? That what truck was about to run over us! Where is it?!”

“Calm down kid, nothing happened. The driver managed to slow it down before it could beat us.”

“It looked like it ran over us… “

“Don’t you worry. Can you see it? It’s over there, at the end of the street. It stopped in front of us and then the driver parked there. He told me that the brakes weren’t working well and he left it there while he was going to call the towing vehicle.”

Thomas scrutinized the truck. It appeared slightly different from what he remembered. However, he still had an important headache and was scared. He had believed that the truck ran over them, and the fact was that it did not even touch them. All was a jam on the brakes. They were lucky.

“Thanks for helping me. Let me introduce myself as I couldn’t do it before.” He stare to his eyes and he saw a lost expression for any reason. He extended his arm. “I’m Thomas.”

“No, it’s me who should thank you. My name is Olivier.”

They shook hands.

“Nice to meet you Olivier. Well, I have to go back home now. It’s starting to be late…” He took a look around and he started thinking something.

“Yes, me too. I have to leave… but what happens? Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. All is OK. I hope you’re doing well in the future. Farewell!”

“Goodbye, Thomas. Thanks for all and good luck!”

Olivier stayed there, watching how Thomas was leaving until he disappeared on the corner of the République street. Now he could go home. He touched his pocket trying to find that silver object, but nothing was there. A bead descended on his forehead. ¿Maybe had he lost it? It could not be true… He needed to find it, otherwise he would be in trouble. Luckily, he saw it on the floor. He calmed down and went to pick it up.

***

Thomas was about to open his apartment door when he realized that he had lost his cell phone. He probably dropped it unintentionally when he defended Olivier as he was holding it. He jinxed that moment, but then he remembered that he had an insurance and he would be refund. He tried to open his door but he could not. Something was wrong with his keys. Apparently, they were hit when he fell down and they were deformed. “Great” he thought in an ironic way: first he had lost his phone and now he could not enter in his own apartment. It was an splendid night, but it had its own defaults.

After a few minutes of reflection, the best idea he came up in mind was to go to Chloé’s home as she had a copy of his keys. Moreover, even though her apartment was a bit far, he could spend the night with her. In the end, and being positive, they were good news.

Chloé was living in the front of the Gare de Lyon, not far from the Seine river. Thomas liked that area, and that is why he did not mind to sleep some nights there. Chloé used to go to sleep late and he knew she would still awake. He enjoyed surprising her as many times as he could, and she enjoyed too. But that night things would be different.

He climbed the stairs silently, he could not know why but he was nervous. Anyway, he had just spent one of the greatest days of his life with her and they had took a step forward in their relationship. He knew she was the girl of his dreams, as that he had always had that strange but good feeling every time he saw her smile.

He ring the bell but nothing happened. She should be in the bathroom as he heard anything from the inside. He wait a few endless minutes. As he did not have his phone he could not even call her, so he ringed the bell again and knocked the door.

“Chloé! It’s me, Thomas! Open the door please, I had a problem with my keys.”

Finally he heard something coming towards him. He wanted to hug her as soon as the door opened.

And it opened, but as soon as it did… his world fell apart.

A guy in pajama was standing in front of him.

“Who are you?!” Thomas blurted him out.

“And who the hell are you and why are you fucking knocking on my door?!”

Thomas understood nothing. It was not possible that Chloé was cheating on him…

“Chloé?” Thomas stammered. He was in shock.

“Yes, Chloé lives here. Now get lost or I will call the cops, fucking moron!”

He was absolutely petrified. He could not move at all. His brain was about to explode and he was not able to react. Someone approached the door.

“Honey, who’s it? Is there any problem?”

“I don’t know darling. It’s just a weird guy saying he knows you. Ask him to leave please. This guys is strange…”

Chloé put her head out and stared at Thomas which was about to start crying. It made her blood run cold.

“Thomas? This cannot be true…”

He could not stand anymore the situation and he ran down stairs. He could not comprehend, he was not able to conceive it. Two hours ago they declared their love to each other and now nothing mattered. Chloé was cheating on him: Chloé was with another guy.

He wandered around the dark streets of Paris, crying without knowing where to go. His life had been broken into pieces in less than two hours. He felt betrayed, hurt and humiliated by his love. He did not know what he did to deserve that punishment: it was excessive. During one of the moments when he could think with clarity, he decided to go to his parents’ house. That was the only thing he could do.

He did not know how long it took to get there. Time slowly elapsed and he lost his consciousness. When he realized where he was, he was already entering in his parents’ apartment.

“Mum, I’m here… Cholé… It’s over…”

His mother stand up and went to welcome him. As soon as she saw him, she started crying and went quickly to hug him.

“I knew it soon! I knew you would come back someday…”

“But mum, what are you talking about…?”

His father was also crying in front of him. Thomas started to feel sick. Since he met Olivier, things were out of control.

“Soon, I always had faith. I didn’t give up hope.”

His parents hug him as they had not seen each other in years and continued weeping.  Thomas could not put up with that situation. He took a look at the wall, trying to find some answers about all that was going on…

And in some way he found them. 

A calendar was hanged on the hall, under the clock pointing a date:

October 1^st, 2016