“I’m only here for a while, I have to go soon.”
He struck a match and held it close to light his cigarette. He looked disheveled, caught like that in relief. She wanted to reach out, fold him into a comforting place, but she stood her ground and asked for a cigarette instead.
He fumbled for a moment and held the packet out. He struck another match. Their smoke tangled, rising, mingling into the mist above their heads.
The world was still; the night bracingly cold, with hints of impending rain. The air around them, dense, conducive to their conspirator’s huddle.
“So, how did they find out, when?”
The sound of a distant alarm made him jump, he turned and looked at the street light at the end of the alley. She followed his eyes, but nothing moved on the periphery of her vision. They both stared at the dappled reflection of the light on the wet tarmac; instinctively silent, they waited for the moment to pass. Their eyes swept the steep sides of the warehouse and the gap that led to the street beyond.
Nothing.
“There’s always the possibility that someone followed me. You know the risks?”
“Of course, I know what’s at stake. Let’s get this over with, let’s try to move on.”
He sighed.
“You are the only one who can end this. You alone can bring peace and end this war, stop the suffering.”
She watched him closely. He lifted the pouch clasped to the belt at his waist. Her breath caught audibly in her throat and she saw a ghost of a smile animate his pale lips
“Here take it.”
Reverently, she held out the palm of her hand. She saw him strip the dark velvet fabric away from the glass.
...and there it was. It looked innocuous, plain. A simple crystal ball. But then it began to glow. The darkness gave way to brilliant light, iridescent neon-edged radiance danced magically in the palm of her hand. She gasped in wonder
“So it's true, you’ve saved it, you’ve saved us all.”
“No, it’s you. You’ve got the magic in the palm of your hand.”
He smiled.
Suddenly pitch darkness descended on the scene
“Cut, cut, that’s a wrap.”
The cameras stopped whirring, their lenses shuttered. Spotlights flooded the shoot.
“Great work guys, I think we’ve got a winner on our hands.”
The actors grinned widely, relaxing visibly to the sound of clapping from the crew.
“Cannes here we come, we’re almost ready to show the world our magic.”
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