Kissed By The Mouth of Truth Flash Fiction by Amarilys Gacio Rassler
A story inspired by the movie, Roman Holiday. Winner of the second prize for flash fiction at the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference and used by an improvisation theater in the Tampa Bay area. Words 501
Karl screamed over the sounds of busy
Roman traffic. "Where now, Angelo? What about a dream?"
Angelo Donato zoomed on his Vespa
through the buzzing streets of Rome while his
friend, Karl, behind him, tightened his grip on Angelo's jacket. Cars
blew horns and pedestrians scooted out of the way. Karl watched Angelo snaked
his way through lanes passing close, very close to people sitting outside cafes
sipping their mid-morning espressos.
Karl’s fingers pulled on his classmate’s
brown leather jacket. "Hey, you'll kill us." Angelo’s loud laughter
rang like clanging cymbals.
Karl had been three years away from his
Germany, studying in Rome with this friend, yet Karl still couldn't understand
the Italianos. So impulsive and
emotional. Even the men in Angelo's family kissed each other on the cheek.
Couldn't figure....
Angelo cast his words back into the wind
at Karl. "I have to hurry. She's waiting. I must kiss her by the Bocca della Verita. She'll be
there."
"Kiss her? Someone from your dream?
Crazy. Even if true, you're committed to ... if
someone finds out...."
Angelo stopped at the porticos of the
church of Santa Maria, home of The Mouth of Truth. Inside the gates tourists waited
to see the stone disc with the bearded face and the dark slot mouth. He parked
his scooter by a wall. He handed his helmet to his friend. "I told you. I
had a dream, my friend. From God. I need to kiss a girl wearing a yellow hat
with a purple butterfly."
"Angelo!"
Angelo shook Karl's arm. "Pray for
me," he said.
Angelo wove his way through the crowd to
the stone disc. And then, Karl saw her. A pretty girl with a yellow hat and
purple butterfly. He observed in disbelief while Angelo kissed her softly.
Karl's curiosity propelled him closer to his friend. He stood outside the gate
within hearing.
"Is there a heaven?" The girl
asked Angelo.
"Yes. Jesus said, 'Anyone who
believes in me, though he dies, will live.' God brought us together by dreams.
He told me to kiss you. To answer your question. You prayed for a messenger?
One that would kiss you by The Mouth of Truth." Angelo brought the girl's
hands to his lips. "He's speaking truth to you through me. Do you believe
in Him?"
Karl watched the young girl burst into
tears. "Yes. Now." She lifted
the corner of her hat, revealing her baldness. "I'm dying."
Karl's heart sank.
A tour bus parked in front of the gate.
"I must go. See you in
heaven?"
Angelo nodded and smiled.
"Yes." He kissed her hands again. She turned and dashed through the gate to
the bus.
Angelo returned to his friend with tears
in his eyes and Karl embraced him.
"The last girl I'll ever kiss, amico mio. Such a gift," Angelo
said.
Karl planted a kiss on his friend's face
and turned to hide tears. "Let's go, Angelo. They're waiting for us to
help with mass at the Seminario."
Thank you for reading my story, friends!
I write stories to touch people's hearts. I also like to imagine the tales for discussions at book clubs. Below a few questions about the story. Please feel free to answer one or more. Would love to read your comments. Is there another question you think would go with this story? Please, let me know. I'm compiling stories for an anthology with discussion questions. Thank you!
How does the difference in Karl's culture compare with Angelo's? How does it bring about an arc to his character at the end of the story? What do you think changed in Karl?
Was there more than one mouth of truth in this tale?
Is there something for you memorable about this story? What would that be? Setting? A character? The twist?
