Eluded Read Online Free PDF Page B

eyelashes.
    Who is this man, this beautiful
creature?
    I looked out the window, and my
shyness took over. My cheeks turned pink, and I couldn't seem to
get control of my feelings.
    "Do you want to get out of
here?"
    I turned my head to him. "Only if
you tell me your name. Your real name. I don't want some made up
name just to appease me. I've been lied to enough
today."
    "Tell me what defines you and I'll
think about it."
    I thought about it for a few
minutes, and everything went back to being a wife and a mother, but
those things didn't necessarily define me. A simple question so
easily exposed how much I didn't know myself. Instead of sitting
silent, I said the first thing that came to me and hoped it was
good enough.
    "I have a habit of trying to
please others and disregarding my own happiness. Years ago, I would
have said love defined me, but I'm without that and have been for
quite some time."
    "A wise man once said that love is
merely a madness. I seem to agree. It makes people
weak."
    Before I could recall who said
that, he whispered, "Shakespeare." The look on my face must have
compelled him to speak. A chill ran up my arm then down my back,
and I almost shivered at the softness of his tone.
    Another moment moved between us
then he spoke. "Abbot. That's what everyone calls me."
    "Well Abbot "—I reached my
hand across the table—"it’s nice to meet you."
    He gave me a firm handshake, then
stood.
    "I have something I want to show
you." Abbot grabbed my hand, and I pulled it away.
    "I'm not leaving with you. You
could be a murderer or something," I said and saw something flicker
in his eyes.
    I watched the movement of his
mouth as he spoke with an elegant English accent. "How about I give
you my word and say you'll be returned safely to wherever you'd
like. A man is nothing without his word."
    I focused on the ground, and he
turned and made his way to the exit. Curiosity overcame me as I
contemplated going back to the hotel. I decided to take the chance.
He seemed like a man of his word, and for some reason, I trusted
him. When my arm brushed against his, he turned and smiled as if he
knew exactly what I would do.
    Shadows from the building covered
the sidewalks. After a few blocks, we passed tons of shops, some
brand names that I recognized and others that I didn't. Once we
turned onto the main road, it was like Time Square, and the streets
were just as busy. I couldn't believe the amount of people on the
sidewalks with shopping bags. Everything seemed bright, new, and
alive there. I had only been in London for a few days and hadn't
had a chance to explore, so seeing the city like this was amazing,
and it was only a few blocks from the hotel.
    "Oxford Street. It's an
experience, isn't it?"
    "Yes," I said breathlessly. It was
almost too much to take in at once.
    He guided me up a flight of metal
stairs on the side of a tall building. The metal creaked as we
slowly climbed them. At the top of the building, the wind blew
constantly, and I had to tuck the loose strands of hair behind my
ear. Abbot leaned over the cool brick and looked out. I followed.
The city seemed calm, and the buildings looked like antiques. The
lights sparkled in the distance as the sun set.
    "When I need to clear my head, I
come up here and look over the city. I think of all the people in
London and what they are doing at this exact moment. I am able to
find myself when I feel completely insignificant. Odd, I know, but
it's comforting to know that a billion insignificant creatures make
up something so beautiful, and together we are able to experience
life. Life right now, together."
    I stared out into the vastness. As
I looked over the buildings and people, I got it. I understood how
it could do that to him. I had never heard someone speak so much
sense with only a few words. He was deep on a level that not many
people were. At the thought of it all, something tugged inside of
me.
    We were two strangers from two
different countries and cultures,