Lens (1)

Her ice cream and his camera went into a downward spiral, crashing on the ground as their shoulders connected painfully. Her hands went up to her mouth in surprise while he ignored the offending lady and tended to his expensive camera. The soft cloth of her long skirt brushed by his hand when she retreated.

Cloud of Smoke- 11

He stood in the hospital waiting area, waiting. He wondered if his happiness could be that short lived. They had gone out for a walk when the bullet had hit her, piercing her heart. The doctor stepped out of the ward and he straightened, his dread intensifying. He had finally lost her to the world she worked so hard to survive in. This world was like a cloud of smoke, temporary yet high above, teasing the ones below it come up catch it. It ultimately consumed her within its dark folds. He felt the walls close in before he hit the floor. 
End
Note: OK, this one was all sad ending. I am quite obsessed with writing random, out of the thin air pieces now a days. Give me your feedback if it was good. I posted the whole thing in one go except the first part, which was actually quite unrelated. And I was also too lazy to think up of a title. ;)
To see all posts of this series together, press Clouds of Smoke or series in labels. :)

Cloud of Smoke- 10

It was like waking up from a dream to a dream. His presence was still an amazement. Bearing his name was even more unbelievable. Why he tolerated her illogical passion for her work, her smoking, drinking and silence was something she could never fathom. She moved to the kitchen to prepare breakfast when she felt his fingers close around her wrist. She gladly fell back into his arms.

Cloud of Smoke- 9

She saw him in the crowd the moment he stepped out of his car. For some reason, she did not feel angry as he made his way to her. She felt too numb to move as he gently placed an arm around her shoulder. She rested her head against his arm and closed her eyes.
"Lets get married" she spoke after a few hours as they lay in his bed.

Cloud of Smoke- 8

He watched the daily news as it reported a fire in one of her factories. Her face flashed across the screen, her expression impassive and hard. She had asked him not to come to her under any case.
He banged his fist against the sofa arm. He was tired of being sidelined for his own "protection".
Exasperated, he picked up his car keys and left for the site.

Cloud of Smoke- 7

"Marry me" he whispered, threading his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes, marveling the moment. Instead, she saw the faces of cold people determined to bring her down. She could not imagine her life without this man who held her, her sole weakness.
"Not yet" she muttered, making herself another drink.

Cloud of Smoke- 6

He packed up his laptop and files after the presentation and exited the hotel conference hall. He saw her pushing the buttons calling for the lift. He almost ran to where she stood and tapped her shoulder, grinning like a child. She turned around, surprising him. He saw the pools of her eyes full of tiredness and loneliness. He caught hold of her hand and led her towards the stairs.

Cloud of Smoke-5

The hint of tears in her eyes was not surprising. It only enraged him further. She heard silently as he shouted a couple of times before collapsing on his chair. She still stood near the table, clutching a napkin. He covered his face with his hands and after fifteen minutes of silence she turned around and walked away to the balcony.
The food lay forgotten on the table.

Cloud of Smoke- 4

She set up the table, arranging everything perfectly. Although cooking was not her cup of tea, she felt she was not entirely disastrous. It conveyed a nice message, she thought as she heard the door click. She quickly wiped her hands on the napkin and waited him to make his way into the dining room.
He stopped short for a moment as she smiled, expecting a similar gesture. Instead she saw him close his eyes in an effort to control his rage. It had been 3 months since he had talked to her. She had gone underground after pulling off a deadly stock market stunt and all his efforts to reach her had gone waste.
"You cannot walk in and out of my life as you wish, woman." he bellowed.
She hung her head. He finally said what she had feared all her life. 

Cloud of Smoke- 3

She smiled as the radio played her favorite song and sped up the car. She did not want to be late. After dozens of meetings, this one was the one she was really looking forward to.
She saw a blinding light and swerved sharply, coming to a halt at the end of the road. Business rivalry had out stepped board meetings and spilled onto the streets.
She sighed and typed the text.
"I cannot make it. I am sorry."

Cloud of Smoke- 2

He bought a bunch of lilies, her favorite, and checked his watch. She was not the kind to keep men waiting for her and it had been a long time since they had met, or even talked for more than a few minutes. His phone beeped suddenly.
"I cannot make it. I am sorry."
He sighed and gave the bouquet to a small girl sitting alone on the park bench on his way back.

Poof!

She leaned across him and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter from her handbag. He looked on, a little disturbed as she lit it nonchalantly. She caught him and offered him a puff. He refused, distancing himself from her unconsciously.
"Sometimes I fear that I will lose you in a cloud of smoke." he muttered in a low voice, touching her heavy hair. She grinned and said
"Poof!"
Note- I did not intend this, but this becomes the first part of a series I am going to post. To view all parts together, select "Series" or "Cloud of Smoke" in labels. I hope you find it a little sensible as I wrote this whole thing in one go, unlike the previous one and realized that they are linked. 

Chapter- 10 The End

Months later he finds out who she is.
The revelations drive him crazy as he screams and throws around glass candlesticks.
He recalls her husband, a noble he had knocked off and replaced. She was his wife who had evaded his soldiers for years. 
Vengeance is a bitch.
Note: This was the first ever series i started writing and managed to end. I hope the end was not disappointing. I think I like this style of writing, giving out short chapters and no names. What do you say? 

Chapter 9- The Night of The Blood

He can see her dark form growing larger as he approaches the cliff. She has covered herself with a thick black drape and all he can see is her eyes.They mock him cruelly and she holds the sack of gold firmly in her pale, long fingered hands.  He can also see a sword at her waist.
He comes to a halt and draws his sword. She throws back her head and laugh. Her drape falls off to reveal her lovely face. He feels his blood boil as he charges on with the weapon. She flings the sack down in the ocean and does not try to protect herself. The blade drives through her heart and her laughter is frozen in death, while he screams in agony. His marriage to the Duke's daughter is forfeited on account of the big loss and bigger embarrassment.

Chapter- 8 Gone with the wind

He screams in frustration as the guards hang their heads in resignation. The sight of empty trunks, a single gold coin and his set of keys placed in the center of the heavily guarded vault make him coil his fists in anger. But the thing that causes his blood to boil are the locks of heavy black hair, severed almost inhumanly. He reaches out to grip the curls, now sans their owner.
He orders his horses to be prepared. 

Chapter 7- The immortal bond

"Are you marrying the Duke's daughter?" she asks him as he strokes her smooth back. 
"Mmm mm" he answers nonchalantly, turning his gaze to her.
She closes her eyes and digs her face in his chest to hide her smile.
The almost non existent pangs of guilt quickly evaporate from her heart.

Chapter 6- Locks and Keys

He ran his hand down her mane and caught hold of it just below her neck. Her head tilted up in a gasp and he smirked. He touched her full dark lips with his finger and whispered, "As much as I much want to believe that you are my damsel in distress but something doesn't let me."
She opens her eyes and laughs, digging her fingernails into his neck.
"I was made to maim and kill, my love."
He bites her lips before kissing them. He doesn't know the hazards of carrying his keys around all the time. Her hand slips into her robe quickly, the bracelets twinkling and winking.

Chapter- 5 The Glittering Glimpse

He frisks through the beautiful gold and smiles. The collection is complete for the year. He orders it to be taken away and suddenly catches the sight of her. She is eyeing it strangely. He smirks to himself. Better people than you have gasped at the coins, he thinks as she comes out of her trance and turns away. 
Something still troubles him though. He had not seen what he saw in most people eyes- greed. It was more like malice. Or the first glimpse something even more dangerous.

Chapter- 4 Memories

She spreads the clean sheet over her small bed and settles to undress for the night. Warm hands caress her eyes and she gently removes them. His sword is still hanging around his waist and he is still dressed in his heavy armor. She embraces him carefully to avoid getting pricked by the metal. But she can't avoid it and wakes up suddenly.
His scent is still reverberating in her heart beats. She closes her eyes and another vision comes to her mind. Of an arrogant young rich murderer drinking deep red wine. She filches as she opens her eyes. The liquid she serves him is more of dark blood than intoxicating alcohol. 

Chapter 3 - Misconceptions

He steals discreet glances from his cushioned chair to where she dusts the columns. Her attire is lovely but her status is not. He does not think about the future. She already belongs to him, irrespective of his ways of life. He exploits her at her weakest points. He does not offer her the solace she seeks so desperately. She wears her long hair in a tightly wound plait. He believes that he is the only one in the palace to have them seen free flowing, have run his fingers run in the black mass. 

He does not know how wrong he is.