Authors: Veronica Melan
Laughing, Hulk tilted me onto his own hand, and kissed - gently, slowly and savouring it. Then his fingers stroked my chin.
“You little devil.”
“Yes, but a very happy devil!”
Everything was great - I laughed and he laughed. It was summer and the tree crowns were rustling, the water was splashing in the fountain and people were peacefully walking around. Now I had more freedom inside than ever. Yes - Tally, yes - a prison, but I felt so amazing inside as though I’d suddenly got wings. As though there was only one thing ahead of me - flying high; flying over the green plains and gingerbread houses, hearing joyful wind in my ears and feeling that this happiness will never end. As if it’s here and it’ll stay with you forever. Then the rest of life will fall happily into place.
This new feeling was giving me strong and soothing hope, even confidence that everything will be just fine.
I put my head on Hulk’s shoulder – big, strong and reliable shoulder.
His fingers intertwined with mine.
“I love it when you do that. But you have to let me go for a couple of minutes; I'll fetch you an ice cream.”
“I have a sweet tooth, right?”
Hulk kneeled in front of me and paused. Then he gently stroked my cheek with the back of the fingers.
“You are the one I love and that’s all that matters. “
He gave me a gentle kiss, and then disappeared somewhere in the depth of the park. I sat there, listening to the distant sounds of cars and passers-by, enjoying the magic warmth inside that I was beginning to fear if it was for real. I felt so much love, that I was ready to pop like a balloon. I loved everything - Hulk, the world surrounding me, the people, that intangible feeling, that very moment and the one who’s given me such good moments in life. I loved the warmth of this evening, knowing that I was loved and understood, no longer alone and there will always be someone to squeeze my fingers and keep me from falling. I was continuously thanking someone above for putting these wonderful feelings into my “Feeling piggy bank”. I had no desire to be anywhere else, but here and now and nothing could compare the beauty of what and how I was feeling inside right now.
And even though Hulk was now somewhere else - on the other side of the park at by the ice-cream booth, he was still here, with me - permanently and for good.
I happily sighed and wriggled my feet. Then I reached for the water and dipped in my toes - what a nice chill! How nice everything around me was. No, I didn’t think I was dreaming - quite the opposite, only now I finally felt awake and all the things that were in my life before now seemed like a dusty grey tape with no sounds, colours or smells.
Soon, the aroma of Hulk’s perfume appeared and I got my ice cream.
“This is for you, to ease the boredom of hanging around with me.”
“You!” I tried to put the ice cream on the banister, but before that happened, Hulk deftly caught it and sat in front of me again. I found his face and squeezed it with my hands, “It will never be boring for me to spend time with you, even if we don’t have anything but three walls and a stormy sky over our heads; no food, no water, no money, but a bunch of enemies on the horizon.”
He laughed.
“I won’t let that to happen to us.”
“I know. But did you understand what I just said?”
Hulk's voice became serious. This was another moment when I painfully wanted to see his face, but alas...
“Yes, I understood.”
I knew that he did.
“I’m with you until the end - no matter how, no matter where.”
“I know.”
As my forehead pressed against his, and we froze, shielded by a feeling of some deep knowledge that was only available to the two or us; us, who belong to each other, whose hearts were connected by an invisible thread, which is stronger than anything else.
Hulk gently rubbed his nose against mine.
“Let’s go to the bench before your ice-cream starts melting.”
“And you’ll tell me your story?”
“Of course, I promised.”
I slipped my bare feet into my shoes, leaned on his warm elbow, and we walked to the bench.
The story told by Hulk, was fascinating - it was deep, at times even dark, but at the same time heartfelt. But even more so I was fascinated by the fact that the man, sitting next to me on the bench had opened up - just like that - without any fear or hesitation, knowing that he’d be accepted for who he was, trusting me completely, and it was besotting.
“You already know that I used worked for the Special Force unit.” He began his history, “There were twelve of us - neither good nor bad, just some trained guys, doing their job. Sometimes we’d work together, sometimes separately. We’d never judge or have anything personal against those who we worked with, we’d always act according to the orders, because that’s what we chose to do. I'm not saying that we had no freedom, of course, we had. After all, we were selected based on our qualities and ability to rely on ourselves and our own decisions. And years of training unified our team. We were all friends.”
“All of you?”
For some reason I thought that in any good team there was someone who could spoil the whole picture. I didn’t know why – maybe, because that’s how it was often portrayed in movies - some mad person or difficult to cope with maniac.
“Mostly, yes. I know it's hard to believe since each of us had their own perspectives on life and temperament, but yet we were similar in many ways.”
“Did you always have to live together? In military barracks?”
“No.” Hulk laughed, “At first, when we were training, we’d spend a lot of time at the gun ranges, offices, test labs, racing tracks, gyms and so on.... We’d learn something new in all of those places. Later, after we were fully trained, we could live our lives as we wanted in our own houses, but not too far from each other, so we could get together quickly if we needed to.”
“Were you all taught the same things?”
“No, as general studies, we all had our own specified areas of knowledge and you already know mine.”
“Yes, you are a Sensor.”
“That’s correct. All the others had the knowledge in something else.... One, for example - I won’t give you any names - a professional assassin, who was able to regenerate damaged tissue - his own or somebody else’s'. It is a very complex skill. Another guy could track an object from a distance; find any person, using only his inner vision....”
“You must be kidding...”
“No, sweetie, I am not. Believe me, you wouldn’t want to become his target - it’s a very painful process. There were only a few of those who could withstand being chased by him for more than thirty minutes and stay alive, so he’d usually find the desired object very quickly.”
I just opened my mouth and then closed it. Were there really such people who could do this? Maybe it's good that I was living in peace and quiet, busy with my shop, and never heard about anything like that? Otherwise I’d be subconsciously worried and expecting a hunter like that to appear behind my back, since you never know when and why the Commission would decide to send someone after you...
“And you? Are you able to do much?”
Hulk chuckled again; I felt it with on skin.
“Believe me - it will be hard for you to find something I cannot do.”
“What is most dangerous thing about you?”
“For you? Nothing.”
“Not for me, but for your potential victim?”
Hulk was silent for a while but even the air seemed to rattle by the rigidity that appeared in him.
“I can kill not only physically but also mentally, through your consciousness. One look is enough. I can turn all the memories upside down, obtain any information, set traps in minds, and force a person to act in accordance to my plan. I can erase their memory completely or replace it with a new one. I can make them believe in something that never happened, change the perception of the reality, cause insanity or set a death timer.”
I nervously swallowed and suddenly began shivering as though the winter has fallen on Tally. A second later everything became normal again - warmth, summer, rustling trees, walking people.
“Oh...” I just gasped – what a good and kind boy I got myself. But anyway, I was ready for it even without knowing the details.”
His fingers gently caressed my neck.
“Scared?”
I smiled like a wild predatory cat that’s just caught a huge gleaming silvery fish.
“No. I am happy with exactly the way you are. It makes me feel... safe.”
“But yet you are still scared.” He smiled, playing with me.
“It turns me on.”
“Good girl.”
Those words made my stomach cramp and a hot wave shot through my body. I felt my love inebriating me - it was always the same with Hulk - sublime feelings were mixed with this psychological game, passion, even lust, which I’ll hide till the end, letting him derive it from me, tear it and enjoy the victory. But it would be my victory, which of course, I wouldn’t tell him about.
I smiled, knowing that Hulk is watching me.
“Every time you look into my eyes, I’ll be shivering.”
“Yes, you will be, but from love. And if I ever see the fear in your eyes, I’ll kill the one who caused it.”
“Just like that?”
“Yes. Just like that, believe me.”
“I believe you.”
What a strange conversation. If I’d ever had this with Alex, it would have been horrible for me. But now, sitting here on the bench next to Hulk, such a discussion felt completely normal as if it’d always existed in my daily schedule. Let’s say, from the morning till lunch...”
Yes, everything changes - times, people, views.
“Do you know that your ice-cream has melted?” asked Hulk, holding my hand.
I turned my head to where it was laying and smiled.
“That’s alright, I don’t want it anymore.” Talking to Hulk made me forget about any gastronomic delights, “But what happened to you that meant you have to spend your last days in Tally?”
“I am not on my last days as yet.” Hulk laughed, “And, hopefully, I won’t be done with them anytime soon.”
“Of course not.” I sat back and leaned on Hulk as he put his arm around me. Gently and relaxed. Somewhere nearby, the voices of two men mumbled, discussing the news from the evening newspaper. When they faded away, I continued, “How did you find yourself in Tally?”
Hulk fell silent, as if immersed in his memories.
“I wish I could tell you that I’m here because of a mistake, but I can’t. There wasn’t any mistake - I disobeyed an order, that’s why.”
I shifted on the bench from curiosity.
“What order? Tell me.”
“Drake’s order.” said Hulk, “He was our chief and commander. In fact, he is still now.”
“Is he the man from the Commission?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of order was it?”
Hulk fell silent again and then took a deep breath. So, I was right - it wasn’t easy for him to recall the past, and my curiosity increased. By the time he decided to carry on, I was almost exploding from impatience.
“One day we were given a new assignment to “clean up” one of the regions. It was one of those rare occasions where all of us were involved. The plan was developed meticulously, to the smallest detail, to the second. The who, how and where down to the miniscule detail. If one of us stumbled, then the whole task would be at risk and that was unacceptable. We were given the order not to go back for the wounded if something was to happen.”
As I heard these words, my heart began to ache. I’d already understood that their team was cohesive, and such an order would’ve been a real test of their loyalty to the given commands. I was all ears, and prepared to listen up.