FREE TO LOVE
Romeo glanced up at the ceiling one last time, his
unbearable grief overcoming him. His
beautiful Juliet…gone forever. The love
that he had known only for a short time was…dead. AS he opened up the vial of poison he didn’t see her eyes open
and her smile upon seeing him by her side.
He’s about to lift the vial to
his lips, ready to drink the toxic liquid when he felt a hand lightly brush his
cheek. Grabbing hold of the hand he
dropped the vial before it reached his lips, spilling the deadly toxin on his
pants, completely useless. He stared at
the owner of the hand that had ruined his chance to join his beloved. In disbelief he stared into a pair of oh so familiar
green orbs.
“Juliet…you live,” he gasped,
pale with shock and disbelief. He felt
joyful relief that the poison had poured onto his pants and not down his
throat.
“Did not the priest tell
you? I had drunk medicine to slow my
heartbeat and breathing so I seemed in the grip of death, so I could join you
in Mantua,” She gently smiled. That
smile faded as she saw the tears on his pale cheeks. She picked up the now empty vial, now leaning against Romeo’s
leg. “What is this? Poison?
Where you ready to leave this world with me still in it?”
“I was ready to join you in the
throes of death. But you had woke up
and stopped me from drinking the vile liquid.”
“The lord is merciful,” she bowed
her head in silent prayer.
Impatient, he lifted her head
from the prayer and pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss.
“I love thee,” he whispered,
holding her hand that wore the ring.
“I love thee also and I’m ready
to leave this place and follow my master throughout all the world.”
Smiling the lovers kissed once
again just as police sirens filled the night, growing closer and closer.
“We must leave this place,” Romeo
began looking for exits.
“Not to fear my love. Friar Lawrence had shown me a secret passage
that leads to his cell. Once there, he’ll
send us off to our destiny,” She took Romeo’s hand and slid off the bed. “Come.
We must hurry and be away.”
Juliet led Romeo to the far
corner of the room, where a candlebra hung from the wall. A section of the wall slid away as she
pressed down on the object. She stood
aside so Romeo could go through first.
The wall slid closed as Juliet
stepped into the dark passageway.
“Finally free are we,” Romeo
pulled her into a warm embrace. Finally
they were free from their families feuding, the threat of death, and the threat
of marrying Paris.
Maybe someday they’ll let their families
know of their fate. But at that moment,
as they made their way to Friar Lawrence’s cell, the young lovers planned to
leave all the strive behind them and enjoy their new life together.
“Yes Romeo,” Juliet sighed,
slipping her hand into his. “We’re
free. Free to love one another at last.”
Two hours later, when the city
was finally asleep, two figures slipped out of Friar Lawrence’s cell and headed
for the city limits. Neither looked
back at the place that had brought them pain and death. Instead they kept their eyes to the horizon
ahead. To a future of love and
security.