## Spanish
"Han pasado varias décadas desde la última vez que estuvimos juntos en este lugar…"
Una mirada confundida recorría cada detalle de aquella foto mientras, de manera temblorosa, se volteaba hacia él, que, sentado en esa cama con las manos entrelazadas y mirándola fijo con algo de preocupación, parecía estar queriendo haber evitado ese momento.
"Esta… Esta persona. —¿Es usted verdad? —decía una Clara, algo preocupada por la respuesta, mientras sostenía fuertemente esa foto.
Sin decir palabra, él asentía mientras no dejaba de tener aquellas manos entrelazadas.
"¿Quién o qué es usted? Y quiero que me diga la verdad". Clara se levantaba mientras aún se agarraba de la silla; ella quería acercarse, pero por primera vez una sensación de miedo muy leve la estaba recorriendo.
"No soy un monstruo, Clara, solo alguien que está solitario tratando de existir". Poco a poco bajaba la mirada, lo que obviamente demostraba cómo una frustración estaba presente en él.
"¿Existir? Entonces, ¿ese rumor, lo que dicen todos… es real?".
"No, no lo es... o bueno, solo un poco… ven, siéntate, te contaré, Clara". Con un leve movimiento de su mano señalaba para que ella se sentara a su lado.
No se inmuto en hacerlo, y dirigiéndole una mirada fija, sentía como incluso tragaba grueso con esa sensación de que estaba por escuchar algo, a lo cual no sabía qué sería, pero era necesario…
"¿Entonces? ¿Qué es lo que está pasando?"
"Todo comenzó hace muchos, muchísimos años. Era una época distinta donde todo se regía con pensamientos y costumbres que eran una norma que se debía cumplir, y entre todo eso, en lo profundo se hablaba de creencias, de misterios que, aunque eran un secreto a voces, nadie se atrevía a decir por los tabúes de la época. "
"¿Qué misterios eran esos, profe?", Clara sentía una pequeña punzada en el pecho mientras escuchaba atentamente; por alguna razón, era como si algo dentro de ella le hiciera recordar sensaciones pasadas.
"Misterios que no todos creerían, de esos tan difíciles de asimilar que no entiendes su gravedad incluso teniéndolos cerca, y yo clara, era justamente uno de esos. Crecí en una familia estricta donde incluso no se me permitía tener un pensamiento libre; debía ser el mejor por obligación y seguir todo lo que los demás decidían por mí, y estuve bien con eso por años, ¿sabes?, hasta que un día, simplemente, tropecé por error con ella. Tenía un aura tan mágica que supo atraparme con la mirada. Mi mundo dio un giro tan grande que simplemente todo cambió y yo simplemente quise seguirla".
"ella... Se refiere a la de la foto, ¿verdad?" Su mirada inmersa en esa foto, en esos rasgos que denotaban felicidad, la hacía simplemente querer seguir escuchando.
"Era única, alegre y sobre todo libre; tenía justo lo que yo carecía, ya que solo creía en nada más que en ella misma. Así la conocí y, mientras más la conocí, más quise ser como ella, y así fue por un tiempo. Quería saber de ella, quería conocerla y me intrigaban esos ojos rojos que eran tan inusuales pero dulces, pero... esos ojos rojos eran el secreto de algo que ni yo pude entender en su tiempo".
"Se refiere a los mismos ojos que usted tiene. En esta foto parece no tenerlos… ¿Qué eran esos ojos, qué era ese secreto?".
"Paso a paso, Clara, es difícil explicar y recordar luego de décadas algo que sabes; no es que no lo olvide, es solo que siento cómo se abre de nuevo esa herida". Como te decía, había algo que no sabía y que no entendería hasta esa noche de luna. Como una pequeña costumbre, solíamos reunirnos en un pequeño lugar alejado de todo; como un niño, me escapaba de casa para verla y ella siempre parecía estar esperando tranquila, con esa mirada que solo ponía al recibirme y que erizaba todo en mí. Ese día me contó que ella era distinta a los demás, que su gusto y apetito era algo que no todos entendían y que todo era por su raza, y yo la entendí, la acepté y la quise conmigo; ese día fue nuestro primer beso".
"No estoy entendiendo a qué raza se refiere, ¿apetito?", aunque estaba confundida tratando de asimilar todo lo que escuchaba, había un nerviosismo creciendo en ella, uno que parecía querer gritar algo, como si pudiera sentir cada palabra que él decía.
"Simplemente no era humana, Clara; aunque estábamos en el mismo mundo, ella era diferente. Ella sentía con más intensidad, pero percibía todo de manera única. Esos ojos eran su sello y su marca; esa marca que poseía era la identidad de lo que ella era y su objetivo. En un principio, incluso yo no creí en ello, pero luego me demostró lo que era y solo quise más y, si así podía estar con ella, no me importaría".
"¿Qué… qué era exactamente ella? —¿A qué marca se refiere? —Clara dijo de manera firme mientras instintivamente tocaba esa marca de nacimiento tan inusual que poseía.
"ella. Esmeralda… era una súcubo clara…
Continuará.
Hola a todos, me tardé un poco en subir esta parte de la historia, más que todo debido a que tenía ese conocido bloqueo y estaba algo indecisa con algunos momentos; sin embargo, ya pude volverme a encarrilar en la historia y acá estamos de nuevo. Espero sea de su agrado este curso que está tomando y muchas gracias por leer.
## English "It's been several decades since we were last together in this place..." A confused gaze scanned every detail of that photo as she shakily turned to him. He was sitting on that bed with his hands clasped together, staring at her with some concern, as if he had hoped to avoid that moment. "This... This person." "Are you really?" Clara said, somewhat worried about the answer, while holding the photo tightly. Without saying a word, he nodded, still holding those clasped hands. "Who or what are you? And I want you to tell me the truth." Clara stood up, still holding onto the chair; she wanted to get closer, but for the first time, a very faint feeling of fear was running through her. "I'm not a monster, Clara, just someone who's lonely, trying to exist." Little by little, he lowered his gaze, which obviously showed how frustrated he was. "Exist?" So, is that rumor, what everyone's saying... true?" "No, it isn't... or well, just a little... come, sit down, I'll tell you, Clara." With a slight movement of his hand, he signaled for her to sit next to him.
He didn't hesitate to do so, and giving her a steady look, he felt himself swallowing hard with the feeling that he was about to hear something, which he didn't know what it was, but it was necessary... "So? What's going on?"
"It all started many, many years ago. It was a different time when everything was governed by thoughts and customs that were a norm that had to be followed, and among all that, deep down, there was talk of beliefs, of mysteries that, although they were an open secret, no one dared to speak because of the taboos of the time. "
"What mysteries were those, teacher?" Clara felt a small pang in her chest as she listened intently; for some reason, it was as if something inside her was reminding her of past sensations.
"Mysteries that not everyone would believe, the kind so difficult to assimilate that you don't understand their gravity even when you're around them, and I, Clara, was precisely one of those. I grew up in a strict family where I wasn't even allowed to have a free thought; I had to be the best out of obligation and follow everything others decided for me, and I was fine with that for years, you know, until one day, I simply bumped into her by mistake. She had such a magical aura that she knew how to capture me with her gaze. My world took such a huge turn that everything simply changed, and I simply wanted to follow her."
"She... You mean the one in the photo, right?" Her gaze, immersed in that photo, in those features that denoted happiness, made her simply want to keep listening.
"She was unique, joyful, and above all, free; she had exactly what I lacked, since I believed in nothing but herself. That's how I met her, and the more I got to know her, the more I wanted to be like her, and that was the case for a while. I wanted to know about her, I wanted to get to know her, and I was intrigued by those red eyes that were so unusual but sweet, but... those red eyes were the secret to something that even I couldn't understand at the time."
"She's referring to the same eyes you have. In this photo, you don't seem to have them... What were those eyes, what was that secret?"
"Step by step, Clara, it's difficult to explain and remember something you know after decades; it's not that I haven't forgotten, it's just that I feel that wound reopening." As I was saying, there was something I didn't know and wouldn't understand until that moonlit night. As a small custom, we used to meet in a small place far from everything. Like a child, I would sneak out of the house to see her, and she always seemed to be waiting calmly, with that look she only put on when she greeted me, which made my whole body bristle. That day she told me she was different from everyone else, that her taste and appetite were something not everyone understood, and that it was all because of her race, and I understood, accepted her, and wanted her with me; that day was our first kiss."
"I can't understand what race you're referring to, appetite?" Although she was confused, trying to assimilate everything she was hearing, there was a nervousness growing in her, one that seemed to want to scream something, as if she could feel every word he said.
"She simply wasn't human, Clara; although we were in the same world, she was different. She felt more intensely, but she perceived everything in a unique way. Those eyes were her seal and her mark; that mark she possessed was the identity of what she was and her purpose. At first, even I didn't believe in it, but then she showed me what she was, and I just wanted more, and if I could be with her, I wouldn't mind."
"What... what exactly was she?" "What mark are you referring to?" Clara said firmly as she instinctively touched that unusual birthmark she possessed.
"Her. Esmeralda... she was a Clara succubus..."
To be continued.
Hi everyone, it took me a while to upload this part of the story, mostly because I had that familiar block and was somewhat indecisive at times. However, I was able to get back on track with the story, and here we are again. I hope you enjoy this course you're taking, and thank you very much for reading.
Hola a todos, me tardé un poco en subir esta parte de la historia, más que todo debido a que tenía ese conocido bloqueo y estaba algo indecisa con algunos momentos; sin embargo, ya pude volverme a encarrilar en la historia y acá estamos de nuevo. Espero sea de su agrado este curso que está tomando y muchas gracias por leer.
## English "It's been several decades since we were last together in this place..." A confused gaze scanned every detail of that photo as she shakily turned to him. He was sitting on that bed with his hands clasped together, staring at her with some concern, as if he had hoped to avoid that moment. "This... This person." "Are you really?" Clara said, somewhat worried about the answer, while holding the photo tightly. Without saying a word, he nodded, still holding those clasped hands. "Who or what are you? And I want you to tell me the truth." Clara stood up, still holding onto the chair; she wanted to get closer, but for the first time, a very faint feeling of fear was running through her. "I'm not a monster, Clara, just someone who's lonely, trying to exist." Little by little, he lowered his gaze, which obviously showed how frustrated he was. "Exist?" So, is that rumor, what everyone's saying... true?" "No, it isn't... or well, just a little... come, sit down, I'll tell you, Clara." With a slight movement of his hand, he signaled for her to sit next to him.
Hi everyone, it took me a while to upload this part of the story, mostly because I had that familiar block and was somewhat indecisive at times. However, I was able to get back on track with the story, and here we are again. I hope you enjoy this course you're taking, and thank you very much for reading.