Writing exercise

Long time ago, I had an idea to write a very short story in just dialog. No descriptions, no additional info, only what the characters say. I wanted to make it both clear and interesting for the reader. I started writing it back then, but never managed to finish until now. Last night I stumbled upon it in my documents folder and I felt I was ready to go on with it. Here’s what I wrote – it’s very short and may seem unfinished, but trust me it IS finished, you just have to think a bit.

– Do you mind if I sit here, miss?
– But…
– Oh please, don’t look at me like this. I know there are empty benches in the park; I just want to sit next to a beautiful lady.
– Look, I think I should…
– No, please stay; I’m not going to harass you, please.
– All right then.
– Beautiful day, isn’t it, miss?
– It is.
– What are you reading?
– Oh, it’s a diary. Or some tragic romance, you could say.
– Romance? Very suitable reading, considering the surroundings, don’t you think?
– Yes, I guess so…
– Red roses blooming all around you, water in the pond sparkling in the sun…
– You forgot about the swans.
– Ah yes, indeed. Such proud birds.
– And always hungry, one of them bit me this morning as I was feeding them.
– Your smile is so beautiful…
– What is it that you want from me, mister?
– Oh nothing, really, just your company.
– Then please stop making me feel uncomfortable.
– I didn’t mean…
– Stop telling me that I am beautiful.
– But you are, miss… you remind me of someone with whom I used to spend many wonderful hours in this park… every weekend.
– Ah, so that’s why…
– Yes, that’s why.
– What is she like?
– A very sensitive woman… and very beautiful, too.
– It seems that talking about her makes you sad.
– Sad? No. Ashamed, perhaps. I failed her. So many times…
– I am sure you had your reasons.
– Of course I had. But they were just reasons, fake excuses for me to make her suffer.
– Suffer… how?
– You see, miss, I couldn’t understand her. I refused to accept her dreams. I even refused to acknowledge them…
– What… what were these dreams? If I may ask, that is.
– You see this one withered rose, there, among the others in their prime?
– Yes. Perhaps someone should remove it from the flowerbed, some people could say it spoils the effect…
– That is what I used to say… and she… she loved such roses…
– I’m afraid I do not understand…
– I don’t blame you. How stupid she was to ever… Oh, no, I have no right to judge her.
– You are not together anymore?
– Thank you for the sadness in your eyes, miss. We parted ways… long ago, and she is so far away now that I can’t even contact her to tell her how wrong I was.
– Have you ever tried?
– Oh yes, many times… in many ways… but without success…
– It’s terrible… but perhaps she just doesn’t want to see you ever again.
– That was a cruel statement miss, but such is the truth, I suppose. She explained it to me more than enough, actually.
– Then why do you keep trying? Why don’t you start everything all over again?
– Why? Because I love her. And because I hate her. I would like to apologize to her and then punish her…
– I’d better go now, it’s getting late.
– Have I scared you away again? I’m sorry. It’s just… she repaid me for every single harm I ever did to her…
– You said yourself that you deserved that!
– Indeed. But not that much. She had marked me for the rest of my life. She took any chance for normal life from me. She had no right… Never!
– Now I really understand nothing.
– She killed herself. Ten years ago… in a far away land… I haven’t even seen her body… I haven’t even been at her funeral…
– Killed herself… in a far away land… Oh god. So it is…
– No, miss. God has nothing to do with it.
– And how do you know that she… if you…
– I tried to find her… then I tried to join her… many times… in many ways… but I couldn’t.
– You tried to…
– Yes! I have! But she wouldn’t let me! Such was her punishment for me.
– How can she possibly not let you if she is dead?
– She wrote a letter… She wrote that she loved me and wanted me to live on… that it was her wish that I lived. She had no right to make me live. None whatsoever.
– I think that she really loved you.
– No. It was her revenge for all the years she had spent with me. Merciless, cruel revenge.
– You wouldn’t say such things if you really wanted her forgiveness.
– What?
– If you want to repent for what you did to her, you should be grateful to her.
– Why?
– She showed you the way. You must live and accept the feeling of guilt she gave you. This is your penance.
– I have never thought about it this way…
– Of course not. You were blinded by your righteous anger. You were too focused on yourself again to realize that all she was doing was for you.
– How… Who are you, girl?
– Does it really matter?
– You… I have seen you here before. Many times. On the same bench…
– Yes, I like this park. Many memories here for me as well.
– You were watching me?
– It’s a nice place, that’s enough reason to come here, I think.
– You are a strange girl.
– Really? But you were the one to insist on sitting next to me, though I was almost ready to talk to you myself.
– What? Now you are playing some game with me all of a sudden? Who are you?
– Take a good look at me again.
– Oh god…
– God has nothing to do with it, as you said. Do you know now who I am?
– Yes…