Black memory by Zhang Lin
The living room was bathed in icy black as the sun sank into a bank of clouds. Ava sat on the black sofa quietly; the black file case beside her was left behind by Alan. Inside, the black video tape sat quietly.
Ava’s memory flashed back to one year ago.
Ava rushed to her classroom as she was already late. Suddenly she bumped into a person with a charming flower-like smell. Ava looked up. He was a boy wearing a black shirt, trendy black pants and a pair of black Converse canvas shoes. His black wavy hair was casually put down. His smile oozed a magnetic charm that Ava found it hard to stop staring.
As Ava suddenly realized what she was doing, she quickly said sorry, and then started to pick up everything the boy had dropped. She saw a black video tape. Before she could have a good look of the video tape, the boy quickly seized it from her hand. A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
“Sorry, the video tape is mine. I, I am Alan who is a new student in this university.”
The moment Ava heard his words, she felt dizzy. For a moment she could not see anything except blackness, within these few seconds, an image of her wearing a fancy gown burst into her mind.
“Am I mad? I must have been thinking of marrying this handsome guy. Stop that unrealistic dream!” Ava thought and looked at Alan doubtfully.
“Have we met before?”
The black doubts in her mind were cast off as a beam of shining sunlight pricked her eyes. “What on earth am I talking about? Stop behaving foolishly.” Ava wanted to bang her head as soon as she popped out those words. Although Ava regretted for her abnormal words and behaviours, she could still sensed the blissful expression on Alan’s face.
“Er, I mean I am Ava.”
Alan’s smiling eyes drooped slightly but quickly resumed his amiable expression.
At the end of school on that day, Ava found Alan was waiting for her with a bunch of tulips.
No doubt Ava was surprised: “Thank you, how do you know I love black tulips?” She closed her eyes and kissed the black petals.
“You must have been dreaming about decorating your wedding feast with them.” Alan smiled jovially.
“Have you been spying me? You understand me so well.” Ava exclaimed.
“I think it must be predestination for us to meet and be more than friends.” As Alan said this, he looked into Ava’s eyes deeply with his loving eyes.
Perplexed, Ava had a somewhat befuddled look on her face. “Am I dreaming? Alan is the hottest guy I have ever met. I could almost imagine both of us being blessed by everyone during our wedding…” Unfortunately, Ava could not finish her bright idea but engulfed by blackness and fainted into a pair of warm and strong arms.
Ava chuckled as she thought of these sweet memories. She reached out for the black file case beside her. Suddenly, a scene came to her mind.
It was Alan holding her shoulders tightly.
“No matter how curious you are, please do not watch the video tape.” Alan looked at Ava’s eyes unflinchingly.
“But I am your girlfriend already! It is just a video tape!” Ava moaned. “Okay, never mind! I give up!”
“Sorry, Ava, don’t be upset! I will show it to you when it is right time for it.”
Ava thought: “Alan is going to show it to me someday anyway! Why don’t I watch it right now?” grainy pictures up a wedding ceremony appeared on the TV screen. The camera zoomed into the couple.
She played the video.
“Let us bless this couple, Alan Black and Ava Potter.” That was a statement from the priest.
Ava was stunned.
She saw Alan holding her hands. Ava looked at Alan gently as he kissed the back of her hand; they walked down the staircase with flaming red carpet, and there were tulips all over. Suddenly, she lost her steps and tumbled down the staircase. Ava laid motionlessly on the red carpet. Everyone was shocked; they rushed toward Ava the moment they realized what had happened.
It was the end of the video. Everything turned black again.
Ava sat on the sofa statuesquely and stared blankly at the black screen at as if she was dead. All kinds of emotions scrambled into her brain: puzzled, disbelieving, furious, and intricate. She tried hard to remember what had happened before she and Alan met? Why she was not told by anyone around her? Why she can not remember everything?
At that moment, there was the clicking sound of Alan opening the door. Not loud but clear, she felt pain of looking into her memories for answers.
“Why don’t you turn on the light?” Alan asked
Ava felt giddy and sank into a sea of blackness.
