Martin Meets Someone

 It was a very hot summer’s day.  Martin had been in his backyard, building a new hive for his B’s.  Soon after he came inside for a drink, there was a knock on the door.

 

Martin strolled to the door and opened it.  A very pretty girl he did not know was standing in the sun.  Her long straight hair was very red.

 

“Hello, I am Martin.” Said Martin.

 

“Hello, I am Rebecca.” Said the girl.  “I have been walking and it is very hot.  May I have a glass of water?”

 

“Of course.” Said Martin.  “Come in.”

 

Rebecca followed Martin into his kitchen.  He poured her a glass of cold water and put in some ice.  Then he made another for himself.

“We can sit on the back step if you like.  It is cooler there.” He suggested.  Rebecca agreed.  They sat on the back step.

 

“What are they?” asked Rebecca, pointing out Marin’s B hives.

 

“Oh, they are my B hives.” He answered.  “They are for my B’s.”

 

“Oh.” Said Rebecca.  She sipped her drink.

 

“Where are you from?” asked Martin, after he had crunched an ice block.

 

“I am from the City,” Rebecca answered “but I have moved here.  I live just outside the town with Onyx.  He is my cat.  He is black.”

 

“I have been to the City!” Said Martin “I went with my friend Rubber.  He is an E raiser.  We went to the market and to the beach and to Share X. Change the City God and I ate a lot of donuts.”

 

Rebecca laughed.  Martin thought he would do anything to hear that sound again.  “Yes, I am sure you did.” She said, her corn-flower blue eyes bright with amusement.

 

“Why did you move here?” Martin asked, mainly to make her talk again so he could listen to her voice some more.

 

Rebecca sighed “I wanted to catch some Z’s.” she said.  “There is never enough time to do that in the City.  I got so tired doing everything I had to do there and all I wanted to do for ages was catch some Z’s.  So here I am.”

 

“I know some great places to catch a few Z’s.  I could show them one day if you like.” Martin offered.

 

Rebecca smiled “That would be lovely.”

 

They sat on the back step and talked some more.  Martin fetched more iced water.  Rebecca talked about the City.  Martin told her all about the little town, and Rubber’s farm, and his Bs.  Sometimes they just sat quietly, drinking their drinks and listening to the hum of the Bs.

 

The sun began to fade.

 

Rebecca stood up and stretched.  “I must go home and feed Onyx.” She said.

 

Martin stood as well and they went inside.

“Thank you for the drinks and for a lovely afternoon.” She said when they reached the front door.

 

All at once Martin spoke “Did you know that once a butterfly landed in my hand?  It was very beautiful.  It rained a bit so I held a hand over it and then the wind blew I held my hand next to it so it was sheltered and could stay as long as it liked but I didn’t hold it too tightly to make it stay or I would have crumpled it and then it would not be beautiful anymore and that was the whole reason I wanted it to stay so I was sad when it flew away but happy because it had stayed as long as it liked…”

 

Rebecca cocked her head to one side.  Her hair fell over one eye.  The other looked at him quizzically.  Martin went red.  “Um, This afternoon has been a bit like that…” he said, suddenly embarrassed.

 

Rebecca smiled.  “You are a very sweet man,” she said “but I am not like your butterfly.”

 

“Oh.” Said Martin, cursing himself for having said something so silly.

 

Then Rebecca gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.  She smelled of orange and vanilla.  “Unlike your butterfly, I did not get to stay as long as I liked.” She said.  She walked to the front gate, waved once, then headed back toward the town.  The sun was setting fast.  To Martin it seemed she was taking the light and the colour away with her.

 

Martin sat on his back step in the warm dusk, listening to his Bs settle down for the night.  With his head full of the afternoon he had spent with Rebecca, Martin ate a whole box of donuts, but none of them tasted as good as her name…