Learn to Love
Another
© Nicholas
Mena
7-7-12
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
Dear Amelia,
I thank you gratuitously for your tutelage in the academy. Were it not
for your study sessions, I would have remained in that hovel of a village
with my other wendigo kin. Wendikets are people of admiration. I only
wish my own folk had the sophistication of yours.
I would like to show my appreciation for your assistance by inviting
you to La Strega for an early supper. I've made the reservation
for late afternoon, permitting us to enjoy our meal before night fully
settles in. I've heard that they have a delectable steak tartar served
with goat cheese and lemon wedges. Our conversations late at night on
our hunts were among my fondest memories. Perhaps we could recreate
some of those special moments and kindle some new flames between us.
Please know that I don't consider you a passing fancy like other young
wendigoes view your kind. While I am entranced by your beauty, it is
your compassion, your honesty, and your spirit which has bewitched me.
The reservation is for a fortnight. I await your response and acceptance.
Endearingly,
Magnus
***
7-11-12
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dear Magnus Mendoza,
I appreciate your sentiments and am quite flattered by your gesture;
however, you of all people should know that there could never be anything
between us. Our people are incompatible, and such a relationship would
never be allowed. You've already run a great risk for both of us by
sending me this letter. This is the reason why so many wendikets were
against allowing wendigoes into the academy. If you aren't thinking
about yourself, then at least consider what they could do to me. Please,
I plainly ask that you forget my name, forget my face, and learn to
love another.
Farewell,
Amelia
***
7-15-12
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
Dearest Amelia,
This letter has been sent by human courier, as will all my future correspondences,
to maintain security. I apologize for fretting you so, but I cannot
deny my emotions for you. I need to let you know how I feel and pray
beyond all prayers that by some miracle, hope will see us through.
Do you remember the night the police caught us? You were in such a panic,
as was I. I was in tears and shivering after swimming through the frigid
waters of the East River, but although you were clearly a mess on the
inside, you refused to show any of that to me. You were strength incarnate
when I needed it most. The officer spotted your crimson locks and the
wag of your tail through the shadows of the pier, but he never saw me
coming for him. It appears that mayhem always proceeds us, yet I cannot
recall a moment in either of our lives when we were happier.
On the night of my graduation from the academy, you gave me a kiss on
my forehead and wiped away the lipstick with one of my spare tissues.
I still hold that memento close to my heart as a vigilant reminder of
your love and how selflessly you share it. On this parchment and with
this pen, I deem to show you that same love. In three night's time from
the date of this letter, I will be hunting in Little Italy. I plead
that you will show a leap of faith in me and rendezvous on that fateful
night. Though the stars may cross us, my love for you will forever outshine
their brilliance.
Forever yours,
Magnus
***
7-20-12
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dear Magnus,
You really must stop this. There can never be anything between us. I'm
sorry to say this, but I'm with someone else now. He's a fellow wendiket
and a teacher at the academy. We are the same, John and I. There is
nothing but a slew of differences to keep you and me apart. I know that
there are plenty of beautiful wendigo girls who would love to have a
crack at you. You deserve that kind of happiness, the happiness that
I can never give you.
I say to you again... forget my name, forget my face, and learn to love
another.
Sincerely,
Amelia
***
7-27-12
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dear Magnus,
What was up with that phone call last night? You said that you cared
about me and wanted to keep things secure, but now you put me at risk
by calling my home. What if John had answered the phone? You and I would
have both been as good as dead.
John has asked me to marry him and I said yes, so you might as well
forget everything now. Don't ever call me; don't even write to me anymore
with your pathetic letters! Forget my name, forget my face, and learn
to love another.
Amelia
***
11-2-17
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
Dearest Amelia,
My goodness, has it truly been five years since our last epistolary
responses. Please forgive my intrusiveness in the phone call I made
some time ago. Such an occurrence was uncalled for.
So, the natter among the wendikets is that you've had a litter. My apologies
on the sole survival of one daughter, but it does entreat me to know
that you are a mother to your child. I trust everything is well with
John. I hope he is... fine.
Alas, I still live out my days in solitude. I have become quite the
hunter of my pack in Brooklyn, but our camaraderie ends with each dawn.
My pack members have mentioned that in my beastly form, I am among the
most powerful of them. They say loneliness hardens the heart; I say
it hardens the body as well. I am preparing for our prey later this
week as I write this letter to you. A convention of French comedians
is in the city. Perhaps it would be nice to catch up on old times, maybe
take in the Parisian cuisine .
Disregard that last remark; I was too forward once again. However, I
cannot close this message in a bottle without informing you that you
still hold that place in my heart. No matter what the situation may
be, Amelia, know that you will always be my love.
Eternally devoted,
Magnus
***
11-3-17
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dear Magnus,
I must admit that it was nice to hear from you after all this time,
but you must know that I still can't share those feelings with you.
Thank you, though, for mentioning how happy you are for me. It was sad
after losing the other three infants, but my little Delilah was my saving
grace. I love her more than I love myself, and it just breaks my heart
that she has been sick lately.
John is doing well; let's leave that at that. We have a very lovely
marriage. However, you know that it won't do us any good to keep up
like this. Please find a nice wendigo girl. I know just how good looking
you are, and with your prowess as a beast, you should have no trouble
falling in love with someone. I must leave you with these parting words
one again, but it is for your own benefit. Forget my name, forget my
face, and learn to love another.
Sincerely,
Amelia
***
12-1-17
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
Dearest Amelia,
Is everything alright with you? A wendiket met me on my hunt last night
and asked if you were my instructor during my time at the academy. His
name was Allen and he mentioned that he was one of your associates there,
but as of late, no one seems to be able to find neither hide nor hair
of you. Please write back to let me know that everything is all right.
When you suffer, I suffer, but this “not knowing” is more than I can
endure.
Always here for you,
Magnus
***
12-24-17
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
My dearest Amelia,
I don't know what words I can say that could possibly console you. It
ripped at my soul when I heard of the sorrowful news. I only pray that
you have family with you now to support you through your loss.
Even now, I am disgusted with myself when I think of the despicable
actions carried out by my own people. Know that I vow to find those
who stole the lives of your daughter and husband and make them pay tenfold
for their crimes.
I want to do whatever I can to help you through this. Would you care
to meet somewhere and talk through this, or perhaps you might need a
caring shoulder to cry on. Send me a note, and I will be there for you
in any capacity you desire.
Forever and always,
Magnus
***
12-26-17
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Magnus,
Of all the low-down, disgusting things to try to pull. Just who the
hell do you think you are trying to come on to me while I'm grieving
for my husband and daughter? What, did you think I would just throw
myself at you in my misery? You're scum. You are worse than those who
murdered my family.
I despise all of your kind for what you did. You probably had something
to do with them, didn't you? Listen to me and listen to me good because
I say these words again to you with more conviction than ever before.
Forget my name, forget my face, and learn to love another!
Amelia
***
4-2-18
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dear Magnus,
I must apologize for that hateful letter I sent you three months ago.
It was written in a fit of anger after a terrible period for me. After
our time in the academy and our years of letters between us, I should
have known better to ever accuse you of something like that. What happened
was the work of criminals who turned up dead just recently. It's clear
now that none of this had anything to do with you or your people and
I sincerely apologize for that.
I think it would be good for me to get out into the world again. My
life isn't over after all. Do you still visit the old hunting grounds?
I've heard that heightened police activity has made prey scarce there,
but that should also mean that we wouldn't be interrupted. Please keep
in mind that I'd just like to talk with you. Wendigoes and wendikets
aren't really dogs and cats... but still, we're dogs and cats. “Friends”
is about as much as we can be.
Sincerely,
Amelia
***
4-5-18
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
My dearest Amelia,
It lightens my heart to read such words of compassion from you. Out
of respect for your loss, I kept my distance and didn't write any letters
during that time as you requested. I would gladly lose life and limb
to even share a few kind words with you, however the situation has changed.
The attack on your family has recently resulted in a series of retaliations
by wendikets on wendigoes and vice versa. Our pack patriarch was assassinated
this morning because of this feud. Due to my education with the wendikets,
I have been chosen to succeed him. Know that I would willingly sacrifice
any part of myself to you; however I simply cannot turn away from my
people, not at this time of strife when extinction is a real possibility
for us. As patriarch, I plan on standing tall as a pillar of peace for
both wendigoes and wendikets. I vow that one day I will tear down these
walls that divide us.
We both know that love is the great equalizer. Love makes differences
into compatibilities. Love makes malice into compassion. Like the eternal
flame of creation, it transforms all it touches. With love, we can bring
our people together as we always should have been. And when that day
comes, our love will shine for all of them to bear witness.
Until that day,
Magnus
***
7-1-36
#47 Prospect Place
New York, NY 10001
Dearest Amelia,
Hard to believe it's been eighteen years since my last letter to you.
Taking our life spans into account, we're both well over the hill at
our ages. I'm surprised I'm doing as well and fit as I am considering
all the fighting I've done to bring our people together. I figured that
it would be nice to get in touch with you again since we've made this
peace. Just yesterday, I officiated over the union of a wendigo and
a wendiket.
I haven't heard much about you, though. I don't even know if you still
live at this address or if you've remarried. Alas, you know that I cannot
close this letter without reminding you of the truth. I love you. I
always have. There's never been any woman, wendigo or wendiket, who
could come close to taking your place. I've never seen in their eyes
what I saw in yours all those years long since gone. Whatever answers
you may have for me, I eagerly await your correspondence.
Till the end of time,
Magnus
***
7-7-36
PO Box 547-B
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dear Mr. Mendoza,
I am Marcia, Amelia's sister. I regret having to tell you this, but
Amelia passed away almost two years ago due to complications from an
earlier heart attack. I've taken over her estate and her apartment here
in the city.
Amelia did mention you in her dying words, but I didn't have an address
or phone number to reach you. As I write this, I do it with a tear in
my eye for you. She said, “Please tell Magnus to remember my name, remember
my face, and to know that I will always love him.”
Sincerely,
Marcia Alistair
______________________
Nicholas Mena is a native
of the US Virgin Islands and is a program coodinator for a local nonprofit
that serves at-risk youths and their families. In his youth he had several
poems published in a New Orleans Anthology "Gestures" and has recently
been published in the E-zine "Moon Drenched Fables".
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