Crafted by angels - Chapter 2

The Charles Bridge is beautiful at night.

She had had a long day out, enchanted by the city. Exhausted, she cooked up some oats, had a shower, scrubbed her hair clean, and was about to go into her room to sort out the mess she had created. She always made messes.

As she walked past the kitchen, a friendly face appeared with a bowl of cereal in her hand.

“Are you going out?”

It’s because I’m wearing a dress and tiger leggings..but I would never step out like this!

“No! I would freeze if I went out like this..”

“Sheesh! I was just asking” said the girl, chomping away at her cereal.

 

They had met earlier, and the girl was trying to get her laundry done.

 

Oh gosh..where do I even begin sorting this out.

It seemed that no matter where she went, no matter how many times she packed, sure that it would help her create less of a mess the next time; that she still managed to create a larger mess each time.

The door opened. A room-mate was back.

“So where have you been?” She asks.

“To the Charles Bridge. It’s beautiful at night.

 

Pang!!!

 

She recalls reading that. How it was so different between night and day, and that if one had gone during the day, that they should go again at night. She thinks quickly.

“Do you think if I left now, that there would still be people there?”

“I don’t know. You could ask reception”

She hops to the receptionist.

“Is the Charles Bridge far from here? If I left now, would there still be people around?”

“Well, there should be. Yes. You should definitely go now.”

 

She looks around, the cereal-eater was still there with her bowl of cereal, staring at her laundry in the machine.

“Would you like to come with me?”

“Where are you going?”

“To the Charles Bridge! I heard it’s beautiful at night. Even more so than during the day.”

“But my laundry….”

“Well, the receptionist said it’s not far, and your laundry won’t be stolen. Plus, you watching it won’t make it go faster. Have you seen the Charles Bridge at night?”

“No….”

“Well, come on!”

 

They both return to their rooms, and two minutes later they trot off into the night. They talk, they share their life stories, they share their hopes and dreams, their past stupidities..

"So there is this new guy in my room, super cute, with the slight outline of a six-pack... mm hmm"

"Ooooo...eye candy. I also had these Turks. One of them was quite hunky. The girls were really pretty."

"Ooh! I think I saw the hunky one. He's the one with the beard and soft flinty eyes?"

"Yea! He slept on the bunk above me. They had gone pub crawling last night, so this morning they slept in; but I woke up early to go on the walking tour. I got up and watched him sleep for a while"

"Oh my God... did he see you?"

"Well. Even if he did, he just pretended to be sleeping"

"Did you talk to him?"

"The most we had were a few minutes of him trying to teach me how to pronounce his name. I just couldn't, and he wouldn't let it go"

"Bummer"

"Plus, when I got back just now, they were already gone. Sigh"



 

…and there was the Charles Bridge. Dark night against the lights by the side of the bridge. Beautiful. The cobble stones, the uneven pathways, the soft sounds of the water running down below. Stars. People were walking with smiles plastered across their faces. Those who did not smile with their mouths smiled with their eyes; some even with their noses. Who would've thought people could smile with their noses? But apparently some could, and they did. It was beautiful.

 

The weather was good for a night’s stroll. They talked more of each other’s cultures, of their differences, of language, of beliefs.

 

The night was beautiful, the scenery even more. And then they realized they were quite lost. But it didn’t matter. They walked and walked, took photos of each other, and then they reached the Ice Bar.

Neither of them had brought money, and only one had ID; so going in wasn’t an option.

“Let’s just walk around it.”

“Ok”

They made their way around, and found the entrance. There were ice blocks like the ones found in igloos. Without looking at each other, they both struck out their hands and touched the ice block.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a fake.

 

They turned to each other and burst out laughing.

“Stupid tourists!” they exclaimed in unison.