Short Story / Butterfly Memories (Analysis)
Butterfly Memories
No word could aptly describe the intensity of the afternoon sun. Its scorching rays beat down upon the earth with a ferocity that few creatures could withstand and fewer still would find serenity in.
Diana sat by the louvered window, her long fingers clutching the white barricade. She marveled at the evolution of modern architecture. Social vices had obscured open windows, the portals of beautiful scenery with miniature prison bars. At least hers’ was too bad. It was ornately made, with a series of interlocking circles and floral patterned engravings. Bestowing upon the burglary proof a more aesthetic, than restrictive quality. All her life she had never liked confinement.
Her mind worked at a slow but soothing pace. She didn’t just want to recount her thoughts. Diana wanted to enliven them, to reenact them within the confines of her boundless mind. She wanted to explore a past she so cherished.
A beautiful butterfly, small and fragile perched on the netting outside the window. Its attention fixated on the soft pink of Diana’s fingernail. The colour no doubt, the source of its attraction. Perhaps it saw in the fingernail the likeness of a potential mate, only too involved with herself. Flickering and fluttering of its wings seemed too vapid to sway the nail. After numerous attempts it began a nostalgic flight away from the window. Only then did Diana stop observing the butterfly with the objectivity of zoologist and decide to play along. Dust rose toward the butterfly as her finger tapped the net. The butterfly wheeled around, charging back looping and twirling with all the exuberance in the world.
The little butterfly was like her in many ways. Their similarities reached deep, beyond the surface thoughts where she herself scarcely ever ventured. Once upon a time, within the white walls of the same room was a Diana. A self-possessed, impetuous and haughty Diana. Living only for herself and the moments in life that procured her happiness, often at the expense of others. Guilty pleasures some would call it. It was in this high and lofty castle of selfishness that a prince charming had come to her nonetheless. Slaying the vile nature of arrogance, that kept her locked away.
One fine day, just like today Diana sat at the same window. Letting what cool breeze there was wash over her. The chirping of birds under the shade of trees a delightful treat amidst the sweltering heat. She was enjoying every bit of the lazy afternoon. Her eyes closed to a wondrous daydream when the roar of a car engine turning into the street ruined everything for her. The small sedan thundered into a halt at the entrance to her compound. Its driver obscured by the huge gate, but not for long. The gate gently swung open, revealing first a long jean clad leg and the rest of him was in one phrase ‘to die for’
She had always enjoyed the company of the good-looking. And no small number flocked around her, like bees to nectar. But the man she beheld was easily, head and shoulders above the pack. Diana rose from her seat to enjoy what view there was of the ‘perfect’ stranger. As he strode towards the building he appraised it with his eyes and when his eyes met Diana’s they rose no more. She always remembered that moment; her heart skipped a more than beat. Both were transfixed, a mild tension hung in the air. Sadly it was shattered by her neighbor, screaming with excitement “Geoffrey! Geoffrey! Oh my God!” rushing into his waiting embrace. With that he was whisked away, into the building. So he was taken she thought. She wouldn’t deny that at that time she felt resentment toward Julia, for spoiling a perfect moment for her. She fancied he would strut straight into the building, up the stairs, to the door of her apartment and throw his life; body, soul and spirit at her mercy. But it was not to be as she stared at the empty space where he’d been standing. “It’s a shame you don’t have me in your life darling” she’d said to no one in particular.
The afternoon had worn on and which each passing minute it grew hotter. She’d begun to perspire lightly. She hadn’t wanted her clothes getting sticky with sweat. She took off her blouse and jeans, lounging only in a bra and underpants. Occasionally, she took the liberty to appreciate her exquisite body, looking at her shapely form as she drew trickles of sweat down her curves. She was still engrossed with her self, like a cat possessed with licking its fur when she heard a light knock on her door. “Jesus Christ! Can’t anyone enjoy an afternoon by themselves” she’d said raising to her feet and reaching for her nightgown hanging from the divan. She’d heard soft giggling as she approached the door and whoever it was knocked again. “I’m coming, be there in a few seconds” she called out, indignant at her unknown visitor.
She opened the door, just a crack, to see Julia’s smiling face. ‘Oh you’ she thought ‘if it wasn’t enough already’ She swung the door inward to reveal Julia and her magnificent Geoffrey. Her mind raced, hoping to God she didn’t look flustered. ‘Diana, you’ve finally done it’ she thought ‘The first guy who strikes not just a chord but a symphony in you shows up at your door. And you present yourself in nothing but underwear and a transparent nightgown. You could have just said ‘Hi, I’m a prostitute and I charge a decent price’ But on second thought, it’s a striking impression you’ve just made. You’ve just told him ‘I’m outgoing, bold and proud of myself’ Top that.
“Hi Diana, hope we’re not disturbing?” Julia said. “No, not at all” replied Diana “What can I do for you?” “Well, remember the last time we spoke, you said were looking to…. Oh where are my manners? Diana, I’ll like you to meet my cousin Geoffrey. Geoffrey, my neighbor and friend Diana” Julia said by way of introductions. “Pleasure to meet you” Geoffrey said. “And I you” Diana replied “Please come in”. Julia picked off where she left off as they made their way to the living room “As I was saying Diana, you wanted to redecorate your apartment and asked me if I knew any interior Decorators. Well, Geoffrey here is the designer I spoke to you about. And when I mentioned it to him, he suggested we come up to see you”. “Thank you so much for coming” Diana said “It was very thoughtful of you, I hope I haven’t cut short your visit with your cousin?” “No not at all, like you said, she’s my cousin and with her there’ll be many more visits to come. With you on the other hands its business” Geoffrey replied.
That was two years ago and it proved to be the most enterprising time of her life. Not only had Geoffrey transformed her apartment into a haven of comfort and beauty, but he’d also transformed her life. He gave her the much needed face lift she never knew her life required. Removing the wrinkles of her former self and gifting her with an even more beautiful personality. Diana once hoity-toity had acquired tolerance. Naturally she saw everything wrong with the world; the way people talked, the way they walked, whether they were introverts or extroverts or not. It didn’t matter what it was. In her eyes everyone was doing the wrong thing and it always disgusted her. But Geoffrey, sweet Geoffrey, didn’t have a stain on his soul. He had taught her to think opposite. To see the value of positives. How to look upon the world through a looking glass. How not to see the mistakes, but to emphasize the charitable and admirable. And she was better for it.
Ever since he’d come into her life she’d learned to warm up to others. She’d undergone a metamorphosis from high and mighty into down to earth. She begun socializing with people she never thought she would and found them insightful and refreshing. What she had been missing! She’d learned to appreciate the simple things. Whenever they were together Geoffrey would be bubbling with enthusiasm over things as ordinary as water sprouting from a fountain, the way the sun rays cut through a dust laden room or children playing before sun down. It was only when she looked more closely, almost through his eyes that she discovered that greater intricacies were at work even in the mundane. Her fondest memory was of two butterflies dancing in the sun. Just as this one danced with her fingernail.
A sudden wind blew the butterfly to the right. It battled back. Trying to overcome what unseen force separated it from its new found purpose. A purpose at that moment to exist for whatever lay on the other side of the net. The butterfly struggling with nature brought tears to her eyes. She too had suffered the same fate. Forceful separation from the object of one’s affections.
A year ago, one wretched night, the grim reaper had paid her a visit. It was her birthday. Geoffrey had put together a special party to mark the occasion. It coincided with their anniversary of being together for two years. He was running late. “The rain could drown the Nile” he said to make light of the matter “traffic’s an eyesore, but I’ll be there with you to blow the candles from your cake. I wouldn’t miss it for the world” That had been over three hours ago. Anticipation grew into apprehension, and apprehension grew into dread. The phone rang and she was too enveloped with her thoughts to move. Julia answered it and was the bearer of bad news. What was to be a night of celebration turned into a night of desolation.
Geoffrey had been in an accident. A very fatal accident, the nurse at the emergency room had said. Eye witness reports said he’d been hit by a drunk driver trying to overtake. His car had gone into a slide, skidding across the wet tarmac aimlessly and endlessly until it broke the barricade and fell into the ravine on creek road. He was comatose and they were doing everything possible to save his life. But they didn’t want to get her hopes up. His chances were slim. She sat in the lobby adjourning the theaters, her body trembling with sobs, her make up askew, mascara streaming down her cheeks with her tears.
She had waited over two hours. Dreading the first words of the doctor “Madam, I’m sorry…..” when he came out of the surgery. Eventually Geoffrey was wheeled past her on a stretcher. His body in innumerable casts. His head wrapped in bandages. He would never wake up again. He would never smile at her again. She would never hear his sweet voice again. Clinically he was brain dead, a vegetable. But he stubbornly refused to let go. His heart kept beating. But for how long? The doctors couldn’t put a finger to it. But they had given him a week.
That was the longest week of her life. From the night of the accident she stayed by his side, day and night. Even Geoffrey’s family couldn’t move her from his side. She was a rock. If tenacity could bring back the dead, Geoffrey could have seen the light of day once again. But fate had dealt its hand and the odds were in its favour. Geoffrey was out of luck. On his last night, as she watched over him, she held his hand gently, praying to God for a miracle. For just one more chance for Geoffrey to acknowledge her presence. The electrocardiogram’s beeping became irregular as his heart rate decreased. Geoffrey was making his final passage to the land of no return. The nurses had been alerted and all came rushing to do what they could, although they all knew it was hopeless. As the heart monitor approached a flat line, Geoffrey gave one last gasp and grasped her hand with all the life left in his body, clutching onto dear life with one last desperate attempt. And then he was gone. Then only a ‘Dearly Departed’
Now, a year on, she was still flooded with these intense emotions. But she was coming out of it. As she watched the butterfly do everything in its power to get back, she felt sorry for it. The wind was too strong. And she on the other hand would soon be gone. The butterfly would lose everything. They were both alike. Both victims of life’s cruel game. Both separated from their loved one and both left utterly alone. She stood up to answer the door. As she walked away the wind died down and the butterfly came back to where Diana’s finger had been and waited. Waiting for its beautiful pink fingernail to return. But after an eternity of waiting, it flew away, vanishing into the distance, leaving only a faded memory. It couldn’t wait forever. The show must go on.
By: Osang Abang.
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this is a very well constructed story, the different images that you described with such passion kept me interested into the text, i really enjoy the image you give at the end. i really felt like i was watching the scene.
nice work i’ll look forward to read more stories from you
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