A pitch-black darkness, like that of the grave, was pierced only by the solemn light of the moon. Stars adorned the sky above, a masterpiece of divine power — the Creator who simply says Be, and it is.
In stark contrast sat Georgia, fragile and shaken, on a creaking wooden rocking chair. One leg draped elegantly over the other, a crystal glass of French wine from 1836 in her hand. Her eyes lifted to the heavens as she whispered, almost to herself:
Georgia:
Could it be true… what that arrogant yet captivating Arab says?
A dreadful silence fell before it was shattered by her sudden scream — a cry of madness, echoing the torment of a soul long broken.
Georgia:
Answer me, Alfonso! I'm speaking to you!
Alfonso, who had been digging a grave nearby, froze. He turned toward her with quiet respect.
Alfonso:
Were you addressing me, Miss Georgia?
She took another slow sip from her glass, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile.
Georgia:
No… I was speaking to your double. He tells me you haven't made love in a very long time.
Alfonso lowered his head, ashamed.
Alfonso:
That is a private matter, madam… But who is this double you speak of?
She smirked, her gaze drifting skyward again.
Georgia:
One of Mido's stories… tied to his faith.
Look at the sky, Alfonso… isn't it magnificent? Tell me, do you think Mido was right?
Alfonso:
Tell me first what he said, and I'll try to give you an honest answer.
Georgia:
He said God created the heavens in seven days, flawless and without defect. That there are seven layers, and this one we see is only the sky of this world. To cross from one layer to another would take five hundred years or more… I don't remember exactly.
Alfonso resumed digging, then replied calmly:
Alfonso:
In truth, he's not wrong. I studied creation in the Bible, but the Qur'an and Sunnah speak of it in greater detail. And yes, the heavens are guarded… by angels and by flaming meteors.
Georgia set her glass aside, her voice trembling with raw longing:
Georgia:
Tell me, Alfonso… what must I do to have him?
Alfonso raised his brows in disbelief, then answered gently:
Alfonso:
With all due respect, madam… you are beautiful, desired by any man. Why Mido, of all people?
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Georgia:
Because I loved him with all my heart. He defended me, protected my honor, grew jealous for me, and promised me marriage.
Alfonso paused, dropping Jack's body into the pit. His tone was edged with surprise.
Alfonso:
I thought your relationship was cold… nothing more than competitors.
Georgia wiped her tears with fury, her voice breaking:
Georgia:
No! He was my beloved. For years we were bound by love, and he was preparing to propose. On the day we first met, I found a ring on his bed… and I knew he would offer it during a romantic dinner he had arranged.
Alfonso, covering the corpse with earth, muttered in astonishment:
Alfonso:
Strange… this is the first I've heard of such a story. I always thought Kiki was his fiancée.
At that name, Georgia hurled the bottle of wine at him, shattering it on the ground, her voice shrieking with venom:
Georgia:
Never speak her name in front of me again! She stole him from me!
Alfonso bowed his head in apology.
Alfonso:
Forgive me, madam… please, continue.
Georgia's eyes glistened with despair as her voice fell into a whisper:
Georgia:
I found a letter from him… Meet me at the Red Star Restaurant. Tonight, a romantic evening with the most precious love I've ever known.
But I made the greatest mistake of my life… I slept for an entire day. When I woke, I learned Mido had been hit by a car and taken to another province in Britain. I never saw him again… not until the competition.
Alfonso:
And what does Kiki have to do with all of this?
Georgia (screaming through her tears):
It was her! She was the one who struck him with that car! And then she replaced me… she became his fiancée in my place!
Alfonzo was still reeling from the shock of Georgia's confessions when she tried to stand and leave… but her legs betrayed her. She collapsed onto the ground, laughing with a touch of madness.
Georgia (with a broken, hysterical laugh):
He always used to take care of me… carry me to my room every night…
She then lay back on the cold floor, her eyes fixed on the sky as if searching for a lost salvation.
Georgia (in a faint voice):
I don't have the strength to rise… I'll sleep here tonight…
The sight pierced through Alfonzo's usually cold heart, melting away his hardened shell. Slowly, he stepped closer, bent down, and gathered her gently in his arms—cradling her as though she were the most precious thing in the world.
But Georgia, trapped in her delirium, didn't see his face. She saw instead the face of Mido.
Georgia (her tear-filled eyes fixed on him):
Have you come back for me, my love? Will you carry me to my room… like you used to every night?
Alfonzo did not answer. A faint smile touched his lips as he whispered:
Alfonzo:
Yes… and I won't leave you again, Georgia.
She closed her eyes, surrendering to the warmth of his chest, and murmured in a trembling voice soaked with longing:
Georgia:
I love you, Mido… I love you more than KiKi… more than that little dwarf… You're the only one who loved me as I am… with my madness, my weakness, my pride…
Alfonzo carried her on, step by step, until they reached the house. Quietly, he entered, then shut the door behind them. The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by Georgia's faint, uneven breaths against his chest.