Alice.

                     He looked at himself in the mirror. Truth be told(he was always honest, especially to himself), he didn't like what he was looking at. All the wrong shapes at all the wrong places. He let out a heavy sigh. It travelled through the dejected air in front of him and crashed against the unhelpful mirror in front of him, condensed vapour. Even at that moment of awkward self-consciousness, he ticked off yet another totally useless thing he was good at. Apparently, sighing heavily. Phew!!
                     The lazy bum that he was, he actually felt tired after that record-breaking, mirror-kissing sigh. He retraced his steps from the discouraging mirror on the wall and into the inviting arms of his lover.
                     As he snuggled up to her, he felt pangs of ecstasy hit him from head to toe. He reached in closer and gave himself up to her. Deliciously enthralling. In the past one year, since the time he had come to know and fall in love with her, she had never once shunned away from him. Her grip, vice-like and orgasmic was the fuel that charged his otherwise drab existence. Though he was one prone to a lot of doubts and possessing a fickle mind, there was one thing he was absolutely sure of. She was magical.
                     Blissfully ignorant and stupid as he was, he had always thought that as sure as the glaciers above were slowly melting, the Earth below gradually shifting and his waistline with time enlarging, so would the love of his life make her way to his doorstep one beautiful day. Probably it might rain that day, he thought...small yellow flowers might dance in through his window and settle on his shoulder. Well, he was just too lazy to go searching for love, and hence foolishly believed that it would come right up to his door and take over his life. Needless to say, for years, all he picked up at his door were cartons of warm milk, boxes of cold pizza and the scandalous newspaper. Wait, but Alice.
                     True, she didn't get delivered to his door like a present from Santa would have. But on accosting her one beautiful day(when it neither rained nor did yellow flowers start to fall around), he had brought her through that very door and had closed it behind him with a thud and some finality. His soulmate had finally come home. The pizza would taste better now regardless of how cold it was. Oh...Alice!!
                     His love making was rudely interrupted by the doorbell. It was going off frantically as if in a hurry. Startled and mildly irritated, he recalled that his room mate was not home and that he had to go get it. He reluctantly let go of her embrace and went to get the door. She as always didn't complain. And at the door, he saw a stranger in front of him.
                     In the ensuing conversation, he learned that the stranger was a friend of his room mate's, visiting town and that he needed a place to crash until night when he would be on his way to catch a train. The stranger didn't wait for a directive, he barged in after the concise conversation and right into our protagonist's room. The room with Alice in it.
                     Our hero was momentarily rattled. He quickly placed a call to his roomie demanding an explanation for the rude interruption and the entrance of a stranger into his own room. He sounded unreasonable and his room mate tersely told him to cool down and employ a level head. He told him that since the stranger was new, he wouldn't obviously know which room to occupy and went into the first one he encountered. Yes, he understood that being a room mate of his for a year now, he himself had seldom gone to our hero's room but pleaded him to understand and forgive the rather brazen assault of his friend. And no, he was not going to be home for a while. Exasperated at the lengthy monologue, our protagonist's friend ended the call on a cautious note as to keep one eye on his visiting friend and the other on the valuables in the room, as he had in the past shown to have a penchant for collecting things that he liked irrespective of whether they belonged to him or to anyone he knew.
                     He started pacing the other room. The intruder seemed to be taking a bath. Once he had clocked around a few hundred circles around the room, he decided that he needed a breath of fresh air. Out he went.
                     The air did wonders to him. He felt much relaxed after sauntering about for an hour and actually contemplated watching a movie that was playing nearby. After all, rude and brash though he maybe, the stranger wouldn't dare touch dear old Alice, would he? But then again, being the doubtful Thomas that he was, he recalled the warning his room mate had given him. Hmm..he would not mind a guy borrowing a pack of cigarettes or a can of body spray. He would not touch Alice, he knew. After all, she does not belong to the league of things that you can just...you know...borrow! Little did he know that his decision to watch a cluster of moving images at that important hour would propel a horrendous movement back home. He had just trespassed over the line that separated everyday foolishness and outrageously absurb foolishness.
                     By the time he stood in line for the tickets, he felt relatively calm. True, the urban gypsy might have instinctively barged right into the room with Alice in it but by now he must have moved to the other. He would be a sensible person, right?
                     The movie with its light moments was enjoyable. The change had been complete and as he strutted back to his room. As the final rays of sunlight disappeared below the skyline, and the shadows lengthened, his inhibitions receded. He inhaled the cool evening air deeply and looked forward to mount his lover once he was back home.
                     Now, our protagonist's ever undecided wavering mind had an intuitive corner to it. He relied on his instincts, though they usually didn't need to be used very often owing to the fact that he led a rather uninteresting life. Relaxed and composed as he walked back, on one look at his room however, he knew something was not right. Trying hard not to panic and screech as a result, he charged into his room looking for the wandering stranger. Looked left and right. And again. No sight of him. But wait, something else was missing.
                     He suffered a mild stroke. Clutching his chest, he realised that Alice was missing too!Betrayal in broad daylight! How foolish he had been! How foolish he had been watching a romantic comedy when the great escape was being orchestrated!!
                     With trembling hands and a heart close to seizure, he dialled his room mate and in gasps and spurts, tried to find out the train his friend was supposed to catch. Having got the information, he bolted for the door, hailed the next auto on its way and started praying.
                     The three legged being huffed and puffed its way agonizingly late to the train station. Once it stopped at the kerb, he made a run for it. Jostling past men with worried expressions, women with suitcases and children with candy, he looked about wildly for a sight of the newest villain in his life. The train meanwhile started to move. Close to tears now, he picked up pace all the while trying to catch a glimpse of the fleeing party. Finally at one of the train's windows, he caught sight of his Alice. She looked as if she was fine with the whole thing, almost nonchalant in a heart breaking way.
                     Without thinking, he leapt onto the train and started running towards her. He would not let her go, he thought. No, not without a fight, at least. He would bring her back, and though possessive as it may sound, he was going to keep her forever.
                     He finally got to them. He gave the nastiest look he could muster to the villain and picked up Alice in his arms as if she were a lost child and made for the door. The train had picked up a bit of speed by now. He stood, only momentarily at the door, closed his eyes and jumped with her onto the last stretch of the platform.
                     Commuters on the train that day and visitors on the platform were amused at the sight of a guy with tear strewn eyes and a wildly pleased look jumping from a moving train onto the platform. Clutching a lovely mattress in his arms. One with beautiful yellow flowers and blue clouds pouring rain.