Write to Survive
4th Round
Prompt: Your grandmother told you about a birthmark your to be lover would possess
***

The flute player was trying to play the piece without success. It was getting annoying. The sum of perfect octaves was an illusion. Something only accomplished musicians could enthral the audience into. I shivered with a sudden wave of cold and held the umbrella higher. The rain was annoying.

Akshara leaned in from behind, "Everything okay, Aruni?"

I forcefully brush off the hair strands across my face. Then smiled at my friend, she must not know how annoying her idea of fun was. Ferris wheels? People just don't realise the arrogance involved in the simple joy of looking down at the world from the top. The top may be on a Ferris wheel or on Eiffel Tower for all I care. Acrophobia is not a disease, it is a sign of humility.

"You know if there is a problem, you can tell me. There is no shame...", Akshara said.

"I'm not ashamed! There is nothing to be ashamed of, I agreed to this date, didn't I?"

Akshara took a small step back. I think she would put more distance after my outburst. But there was only one umbrella and the rain was annoying. This date was nearly disastrous. I looked around the carnival, everyone looked happy, even the people who stood behind me in the queue, everyone except me. Even the people in the 30 feet tall machine in front of me rotating at a deathly pace.

Then the most dreadful thing happened. The Ferris wheel stopped moving. The boy by the entrance gate ushered me and Akshara into the capsule of the Ferris wheel. My date was overly excited as she stepped into the capsule.

I walked towards the capsule with small steps. It appeared quite small, hanging from the large circular frame of the Ferris wheel, despite being a large metal house. I walked a little closer.

I held the door and raised my left foot into the capsule. As I fearfully heaved myself inside, my eye caught the large spoke that was welded to the base of the circular frame about me. As I adjusted myself inside and the boy closed the door, I imagined that thick rid travelling to the centre.

Akshara sat on the opposite side and was looking out the window. I sat with my legs closed, the small space bringing very unpleasantly pleasant thoughts into my mind. I imagined the capsule rising, and me instead of sharing Akshara's wonder clinging to dear life owing to my fear of heights.

Then the terrible happened and there was a hum of motor blades. The Ferris wheel started rotating, the capsule moved up, and so did my heartbeat. I fearfully looked at the window. I immediately jumped to the wall, shaking the capsule violently in the process.

"I have Acrophobia!", I shouted at Akshara, "I'm afraid of heights and I would like to get out of this capsule now!"

"Aruni, listen to me!", Akshara grabbed my arm. A shiver ran through me. The fear was drowned out by a new strange limp feeling. Then my stomach churned. The centrifugal force due to the wheel rotating made my body lighter. And my stomach just adjusted its secretion accordingly.

"Don't tell me to be calm!", I push Akshara, while almost vomiting, "this is a terrible carnival ride! Please get me out of here!"

Akshara pleaded with me again and tried to grab me. I flailed my arms and closed my eyes. My grandmother was stupid, I thought, for she believed.

Then Akshara suddenly held my right wrist tightly and twisted me around. She then put pressure on the clavicle, gently held my right hand in place, and pinned me to the capsule wall. I stopped flailing my left arm. I was amazed by Akshara's strength and skill. My arm was twisted behind me, this should hurt, but she held it gently. I wanted her to pin me. I turned my head back, looked into her firm eyes and kept breathing slowly. Then I noticed it, my grandmother was not stupid at all.

On my arm, along my ulna, on the skin, there was a small red half heart shape inflation. It was a birthmark, science says it's an abnormality. However, legend speaks that one has to be lucky enough to have a birthmark. To have it written on your body that you were once born and that you have a destiny. I looked at Akshara's grasp again. Just between her forefinger and the thumb existed a reddened fold of flesh. Shaped like a half heart. She was holding me. Half of the hearts were so close and yet were not joined.

"Aruni, it is gonna be okay!", Akshara whispered. She told me the same thing numerous people have told me before.

"...It will be okay!", Akshara whispered again. I could feel my churning stop inside me. We must be at the top of the Ferris wheel now. I slowly open my eyes. I see the faraway ground below and then immediately turn my head to face Akshara. She was clenching her teeth.

An urge was born inside me. I obsessively wanted the half hearts on our hand to join. I couldn't reach her hand, so I brought my face closer. My stomach churned again, and I ignored it.

Akshara loosened her clenched jaw and parted her lips. Just as we were about to kiss, the capsule stopped with a jerk.

"Ma'am!?", a boy opened the door and enquired, "this capsule was shaking, any problems?"

Then he saw our awkward position, along with a few people behind him. The boy immediately closed the door and I bit Akshara's upper lip.

The capsule rose once more. We kept kissing. I imagined the ground pulling away. Akshara's grip loosened and her hands slid up along my ulna.

I heard the flute player again, his pitch had increased. He played and built up the end of his composition. It was a perfect illusion, he achieved to play an augmented octave on his flute. The half heart birthmarks were surely joined by now.

I didn't look, I just closed my eyes and kept kissing my date. Akshara followed my rhythm passionately.

We pulled away as the Ferris wheel descended again. Akshara smiled at me. I didn't want to look at my mark of destiny anymore, all I want was right here in front of me. And I know for a fact that my grandmother will agree.