The Augustus Files

THE AUGUSTUS FILES
By Azira
copywrite azira 22/04/2003
original

In a flurry I waited for the next train to depart from the station. What a nuisance! It was bad that I had missed it by a snare, but worse because it was Aunt Maud’s birthday. I stomped my foot in a humph and waited at the station café.


A man approached my table and glared at me for no reason. As he went passed to the counter, I noticed that his eyebrow arched up knowingly at me. “Yeah, so who are you?” I thought. Much to my chagrin, I was to find out soon enough. Much sooner than what I anticipated.

The mind is good at playing tricks and chase with others. Hmm, perhaps we can work on this one. Let’s see.


I placed a napkin precariously at the edge of the table and reached for my coffee cup. The napkin fell to the floor just as the man was going past the table. He stooped down and picked it up, “yours I believe.” “Thank you,” I said.


Our eyes met and in that instant I knew what he was about. They were a deep azure blue, with a mischievous glint. Oh, just you wait, Mr who ever you are. “James is the name, what’s yours?”
“Heather,” I smiled at him. It seemed natural for him to join me at the table. Like we had known each other before.
“I see the demons have been at work Heather.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned.
“The napkin,” he smiled, his eyes laughing at me.

Time passed with ease. We talked and talked bout everything. I liked him very much. He asked me for my phone number and we discovered that we were within easy travelling distance from each other.

If I didn’t know any better, I would have said he had a dark side or at least had some secret he was keeping well guarded.

He said that he would telephone me and I thought, “yeah right!”

The announcement for my train came. He saw me to the train and we said goodbye. “Have a safe journey,” I said, “thank you. I enjoyed meeting you.”
“Until next time,” he held my hand and kissed it.


The train rolled out of the station, smoke billowed out all over the place. I lent out of the window to see James and wave. When I looked, he was no-where to be seen.

I arrived home safely. The journey was boring. I was tired and decided to fall into bed. I felt really twitchy. Damn him!

As I lay in bed that night, I thought about him. He would not leave my head. I could see his face clear as day and hear him speaking to me. “I told you that I would call you,” the voice said in my ear. I felt a light feathery kiss on my cheek. My hand covered the spot where I felt the kiss. I rolled over and went to sleep.


I decided to dye my hair a bright pink the next day. I fancied a change. I chose a floral dress and a pair of sandals. It was hot and I wanted to look hot. I looked in the mirror at my self, smoothing out the ripples in the dress and tidied up my hair. I left it loose because that was how I liked it. As I was tidying up my hair I thought I saw a pair of azure blue eyes in the mirror. I turned round but no one was there. “Strange,” I thought and carried on with my routine.


At the betting shopre Ire I worked it was busy and smoky. The punters were cashing in and the usual chatter was going on. “Heather, come into my office for a minute please,” the manager called me.


I sat down. “We would like to offer you promotion to Assistant Manager, you have been with us now for over 5 years and your work is very good. We all like you and think that you will go up and help the business. The punters like you and you have made some very strong bonds with regulars. I will of course be giving you extra training if you think you need it but I think you do very well as your own boss. Have a great day and if you ever need help just give me a call. You can start the new position on Monday,” Harry took my hand and shook it saying well done.

I left the office beaming with the praise. I could not believe my luck. I felt as if I was being watched as I went on my lunch break.


The breeze picked up as I was settling at the table outside a café. I was placing my bag safely under the table and heard a long sound like a whisper on the breeze, “Heather….” Then the breeze died down.

Chameleon Man came up to take my order and smiled. He was cute. He is called chameleon man because he likes reptiles and wears a T-shirt with a picture of a chameleon on it. I am a regular at this particular café and we know each other quite well.

In time of absence I grew to wonder what James was like to be with. I could smell his aftershave and in the heat of the moment the tang of lemon aroma filled the room. Now that was interesting. Why lemon?


I shuddered and pondered at the thought of lemons. I had lemons on the mind all day after that and for the rest of the week.


When I arrived home that night there was a letter for me on the dressing table. I opened it. It was from James. How did he know my address? He only had my telephone number. Strange man, but I liked him a lot.


That n I s I sat biting my fingernails. Damn the man. What was it with him? I knew there was something but I could not put my finger on it.


I decided next time that we were together I would try and discover what it was. How I would do that I do not know. But I know now it took a lot of guts from a girl like me, who is usually shy but a good one liner when the company was good. I have the knack to shock people at times. I grinned evilly at the thought. Perhaps I could mention lemons to James and see what reaction I get.

I had learnt in my time the wisdom was a virtue. It paid greatly to sit back and to watch how people moved. It told you a lot about what they were. I found myself almost willing for James to be here.

In a distant past I remembered encountering a strange man. I remembered that I had to use some great force of knowledge to render myself.

I wondered if I still had the magic as I heard that you took things with you through each life. If that was true I might end up finding out.


Hopefully not with the lemons but one could try.


I banked on a little bit of knowledge that I remembered. “I don’t think it would come to that,” I thought. “He just wants to get together.”

How wrong I was.