The vulgar odors of sweat mix with the overpowering aroma of steaming black cesspools of caffeine envelope me, oppressively pushing their way to my nose. These smells threaten to force themselves into every pore of my entire being. And so I miss my stop. Fuck. A quick breath of fresh air fills my lungs, but escapes me as fast as it came as the sliding doors close. I am yet again trapped in the stench. I sigh as a sign of my defeat; today is not going so well. But something, so familiar, lingers in the air, a perfume like a diamond in the rough. This alluring scent pulls at me, and I have to find it.
Though the scents of the people are rather repulsive, I keep to my search. The smell eases my frustration, calming me, bringing me a sense of serenity, motivating me to continue, eliciting a yearning to trace it, to place the origin. The train becomes a maze, one keeping me from my destination. I push through the throng of people around me, shifting among the wall that they have become. The name of the scent evades my memory as I attempt to recall it, the single word on the very tip of my tongue. Frustration drives me to a new levels of crazed hunting. Unable to recall it I search more frantically before the next stop, not wanting to have the source of the scent, like the name, escape my grasp.
Pushing more desperately toward the scent I hear the klaxon sound before the next stop. Like a madman I force my way closer to where I believe my target is, only to lurch forward at the sudden stop of the train. Then the fragrance that lingered in the air is gone. I rush for the door, pushing several people out of the way to get through the doors. I could not let them seal me in and seal my fate to never find the source of this tantalizing fragrance. The reason for my desperate pursuit evolved, transformed into a feeling of want and need intermingling, a longing pulling at me like the strings of a marionette. I was hooked. Like a child escaping the womb I free myself from my vessel, only to be left with a faint hint of that smell. I am left alone on the long stretch of the boarding platform to begin my search anew.
Coming up to the piercing sounds of horns, grating construction and people chattering inanely at cell phones, I follow my quarry away from the main throng of people. Shortly I realize the scent is stronger, playing through my nostrils, tempting me to follow. I must be closer; I have to follow, to know the name, to know its owner.
Down a side way, past a gray plain brick building, the crowd of people is dramatically thinner now. I try to assess whom the fragrance resides on, matching the scent with the personality. What person would wear this delicate, feminine scent? I see women of all shapes and sizes, as my eyes search as frantically as my nose. My eyes instinctually land on her. Her back is turned to me; her slightly longer than shoulder length, raven hair flowing softly in the light breeze from the light traffic around us. Her body is curvaceous, the gentle dip of her waist then flaring slightly at her hips, a short skirt clings slightly to her buttocks. She was wearing medium heals, which accentuated her shapely legs, giving her a slightly taller appearance. And that scent radiated off of her warm skin.
I feel the same surge as I had felt earlier, my flesh confirming the carnal needs I have. In the proximity of the source of my search, too many questions plague my mind. But I had to act quickly before it left me again. I hunted this woman as a wolf would a doe. My body demanded I take action before it reverted to a more animalistic nature. I move closer to her, standing right behind her, so close, her scent swallowing me whole. I place my hand on her shoulder with a firmness to not let her run away, but gentle enough not to frighten her. As she turns, I stare at her dumbfounded, her face was beyond words. My mouth hung open and I could not speak coherently, synapses unable to make a connection from my brain to my mouth as I stared into her glittering eyes. The sweet perfume was stronger than ever, the brunt of it punching me in the stomach. I could not breathe. Her eyebrows furrow, eyes widening to a look of almost fear. With a furtive, worried glance, she walks away as swift as her legs could take her while I stand there stupidly, catching my breathe, and scold myself for losing all basic brain function at the sight of a pretty girl. I try to catch up, but as I do, she quickens her own pace, expanding the gap between us.