Behind the Lies

Behind the Lies – Drama Story

-“There is something you aren´t telling me Michael” as I looked across the table staring into his eyes. He seemed uncomfortable and found it difficult. As he looked down. He seemed tense.

What he was about to say was going to come as a shock.

– “I don´t want to hurt you, I value our friendship”.

– “Don´t worry there´s nothing you can say that can shock me”.. I felt a lump in my stomach, as so many thoughts rushed through my head.

Why had his face changed?..Why had his smile gone?. This was serious.

– “It can´t be that bad?” “Just come out with what you are going to say”.

– “Well, as I´m sure you´ve already guessed – yes, there is something that I was meaning to tell you, but, I didn´t know when would be the best time, or how I was going to tell you”. He took a deep breath as he tried to explain.

– “As you know there are signs your body is telling me”.

I quickly responded, eagerly to know what he had to say, as I fidgeted in my chair anxious, clenching my hands and trying to conceal the fear.

As he tapped his pen on the table, and rolled it in his fingers, he started.

– “There is something in your stomach area”.

– “What do you mean? Was he about to tell me I had an illness, “Oh No”, I thought, and again so many thoughts rushed about my mind. He hadn´t said the word breast. Had I heard him correctly?

– “Stomach?” I wrinkled my eyebrows as they met in the middle.

– “I want the truth Michael”, as I stared and looked at him. His pen had stopped tapping on the table and his hands seemed to slip below the table and rested on his knees. He raised his hands to his mouth and touched it briefly and placed them on the table.

-.” I haven´t had any problems with my stomach Michael. I´ve been eating fine. I get tense when I´m stressed but that´s about it. I know over the last few weeks I have sat and watched people in our workshops and how they have their problems and illnesses – diabetes, hypertension, heart-problems, pains, cancer, but, but, but ……

– “Look, what I am going to say is not easy and I´m not sure how you are going to react” as he raised his shoulders and his head tilted to the left. “I am going to tell you a story about someone and maybe this will help you understand”.

– “Ok” The ordeal was going to take longer than I had thought. So, I sat and listened to the message, would I understand what Michael was about to tell me?” I rested my elbows on the table and held on to the sides of my face.

– “It´s all about a woman who was weak and plagued with her own insecurities and lack of self-worth and self-esteem”.

– “Crushed by her dream of ever finding everlasting love. Left and abandoned as she sat weeping over her first love. And now? What would be next, where would her journey take her. As she sat crying in her own solitude and loneliness, empty and broken-hearted. Vowing that this would never happen again”.

– “Looking to her faith to give her courage, strength and the love she so desperately was searching. In a land of beauty, of sunshine and of dreams”.

– “The shame of having to tell the family, the embarrassment of having to share with her friends”.

-“He had gone, left and never to return” ….. Michael took a deep breath and looked down at the table.

He continued

– “As each day passed, she took refuge in the church. Filling her room with saints, statues and angels, to help her with the torture. In the hope, all of these objects would give her comfort in her moments of sadness, despair and crushed dreams of fairy tales and fantasies. She would turn the pages of books, a phrase from the bible, a special verse or psalm to comfort her shattered soul”.

– “The more she prayed in her desperation for love, lead her in search of a darker truth. One of witchcraft and spells to her every-day whim”.

– “There she found Maria”.

– “Now Michael, what does this woman have to do with me?” As I frowned and looked at him, puzzled, do I know who she is? What has she got to do with something in my stomach?”

– “I think it´s best you let me finish and when you have heard the story we can discuss this ok?”..He took a deep breath, paused, as his right hand brushed his forehead and rested on the side of his right cheek and now right elbow on the table and continued.

– “Strange things happen in this Country and which I think you are not aware of. It´s up to me to explain”

– “Well, in a silent alley way, hidden from the public view is a little shop which has a curtain of beads, feathers and bells and above a sign saying “Miracles Happen Every Day” only 40 minutes away from here”. “Do you know it?”

– “No, Of course I don´t”. “Is it somewhere you want me to go?” “What do they do in there Michael?”

This was going to be harder than he had thought. She had no clue. She had been living in this Country for so many years, but had never ventured into the unknown, unthinkable or knew how cruel the real world can or could be. How was I going to tell her. It would break her heart.

IN THE MEAN TIME – ONLY 40 MINUTES AWAY ……..

Alice she brushed pass the beads and the tinkling of the bells accompanied her as she walked in. The shelves filled and stacked high, of herbs, of candles and of magic. As she entered, and read the signs, charms for luck, candles for money, prosperity, spells for love, potions and strange powders of different colours and a smell of a sweet alluring perfume filled the air.

Alice was alone and there was no-one there. As she walked around and thinking out loud.

-“Is it possible? I can get the man that I want? What would I have to do? How long would it take? How much would it cost?” She laughed and sniggered. “Miracles do happen”. I´m in the perfect place, perfect time and I wonder where they all are?”

She walked over to the counter and saw a bell. She touched it and promptly came out a little woman with grey long hair in pigtails.

– “Hello, how can I help you?” “Is there something you are searching for in particular?” As she glared at the young woman.

– “Nobody arrives at Miracles Happen by chance. There was always a reason”. Would this be the first of many visits?

– “Hello, are you the owner?” “Is there somewhere we could speak in private?” Alice was worried that someone would come in that she knew and would see her, then her plan would be destroyed. ….

Would they find Alice?  What Happened to Michael?  Is Maria still alive?  … Time will tell …

by Natasha Parker