Fiction Storeis

 Author|Abeer Almadawy

  The mask, short story belong to the collection of the stories " During Our Voyeurism" now in Amazon kindle

  There is no more than a few moments to get out of the theater, every night, he comes here to provide his interesting display following him wearing his different colored masks ... and I'm behind the scenes, as workers of my likes are not entitled to sit between spectators and follow-up work of art that offers ... but happy I am happy to follow up it from afar. So, many years passed in presenting his play successfully, and I'm eager to follow it. It is no longer to me in my life than to finish my work before the end of the show, and then get out quickly and stand at the adjacent sidewalk to see him up close when he comes out and salutes his fans.

It does not matter how many hours he was waiting till he left, and I do not care of the fatigue or discomfort to stand under the rain and frost on my swollen legs owing to the impact of work throughout the day while I am steadfast as Sphinx statue; because the happiest moments is that moments I have the in my life while I am following him hopping to see his face once without masks.. Without makeup or toiletry that hides its features.

He starts dismounting from behind the building, carrying his bag in his hand ... what a modest man ... do yo know that he can make his assistant carried it instead, but he always refuse because he is self-made following his principles: All is one, there is no difference between Prime and subordinate.

But with this, I feel that he has something different this night! Something strange or Negative glory that surrounded him and grants him a sullen cocky face... he seems to be a different man!

O God, my wish has been achieved, as it is the first time I see him without a make-up mask.. Yes, this is true, and it seems this is the cause of his change which I noticed ... but why he changed his view and didn’t wear his mask that accompanied him several years ago; leading critics and people to call him the convincing genius. I feel like he is doing something different ... who is the female that accompany him and link her hand with his hand? Is she one of his colleagues? Maybe! Or for example; she maybe one of his fans,?

No ... she seems not this at all, as she approaching him very close and he wraps his arm around her ... they are behaving together as if they were friends and lovers ... and know each other closely. And walk with him wearing frilled clothes as a crowned queen with the crown of the throne in her first night... walk with proud, pleasure and euphoria; salutes cameras and fans just like him ... May be a new actress that I have not seen before?! No. no, I know all the heroes participanting this play.

Well, she is now heading with him towards his car and ride beside him.

Oh my God ... blood is flowing to his head vigorously and violently ... I can not believe what I see! What? Did he cut his promise with me? As he was always looking at me and says:

"I am yours, my dear ... I will spend all my life for you ... I love you in silence because I'm afraid people around me; although, your love is rising in my heart every day and and sits on its throne"

His looks were true... from his side, I did not hear any relation with other female ... he was always a prisoner of sadness ... of unhappy heart... I was asking myself, What is the cause of his grief?

Now, I became aware of the reason... as today, he is happy uncharacteristically ... he was about to jumps out of his joy ... So, she is the reason of the joy in his heart...

He is dismounting off the car again advanced towards us ... and looked at me ... Look to me? Yes, he does that. I will almost be crazy that he is approaching me while the admirers stand around me.. he is approaching more and more ... he wants me and not the others.. what to say to him, perhaps he will talk, or I start talking.

"Hello"

"Welcome sir, I love your acting so much, I'm ... I'm ... I'm very impressed with you.... please, accept this rose."

He is laughing in my face for the first time, and took my rose. How I dreamed of this moment, was ready to dedicate my whole life to get this big grant... really, he is happy and pleased. Why is he looking at me as if he recognizes me again?

 "Thank you .... Aren’t you Nora, who is working with the cleaning group in the theater?"

He touched me with the sudden question that I could not answer, only through a small head tremor, while my eyes revolve around me.. I'm afraid that people who gather around us may hear and know who I am..... he completed laughing:

"Thank you for this beautiful flower, it carry your perfume ... before returning my foresight to me, I smelled this odor behind the scenes. when I asked about its source, they said that there is a maid called Nora put this fragrance ... I used to it until I couldn’t live or see without it ... "

He paused a little, put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out something and then put it secretly in my hands ..

"Please, accept this amount from me"

He put a huge number of pounds in my hands and left quickly ... did not give me a chance to reply him, or to say something... put the money and ran far like someone who wants to run away ... but I do not want money from him?! I do not want I do not want ... what can I do.. What’s happening with me?!

I will run behind him and return his money to him... O God, his car starts moving quickly and his companion kisses and embraces him strongly ... this money in my hand like a cinder from hell ... people around me look at me and wonder, are they do not understand something like me?! .. one of the elderly ladies dabbed on my shoulder...

"Look, my small, your rose is on the land of the road"

She said with resentment, and then stepped down...

I Turned with surprise ... my eye petrified ... my heart stopped from pulsing.. my veins shivered ... what I see is unbelievable matter... I rushed to it while the bloody eye is a captive of tears ... she dived above the rose.. She was under death and destruction, and was wiped out by his shoes, before her walls can crash the wheels of his car, which went away of her and me ...

 The theater, was closed while all get out, leaving me and the remains of my rose….and the sidewalk.

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More about Novelist and  Author|Abeer Almadawy:

 She wrote number of novels and collection of stories and published with different versions and languages.

Her name became famous more since her best selling its novel " the Embrace of Thorns" that let most critics around world focus in her writing.

She is also journalist who share her opinion of new world with new view of life by love and peace and respect.

more about Abeer Almadawy through Wikipedia

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  The mask, short story belong to the collection of the stories " During Our Voyeurism" now in Amazon kindle