Pyramus was the cute boy next door, and Thisbe the prettiest girl in the entire neighborhood. They lived right next door to each other. Their parents were in a dispute over rent money; Thisbe’s father was the manager of the apartments and Pyramus’s parents had been late on their payments for a few months now. The kids were not allowed to talk or to see each other. One thing, however, they could not forbid- their young and carefree love that pound in each others hearts.
They conversed by signs and glances, and the fire burned more intensely for being covered up. In the wall that parted the two apartments there was a crack, caused by the buildings old structure. No one had observed it before, but the lovers discovered it. What love can discover. As they stood, Pyramus on one side, Thisbe on the other, they would whisper to each other innocent non-sense.
“Damn this freaking wall,” they said, “Why do you keep us apart?” Such words they uttered on different sides of the wall; and when the night came and they must say goodnight, they would tell the other of how they are kissing the wall and imagining it was other. Next morning, when the sun had resin above the tallest skyscraper, and the city filled with busy noise and smog, they unveiled their plan to see each other. They had agreed to sneak out at night, they would wait till the routine police car had passed their block, and then each would run and meet at the old winery and wait till the other arrived. All was agreed on, and they waited impatiently for the sun to go down beneath the buildings and night to rise up from them.
Then cautiously Thisbe opened her back window- unsuspected by her parents, put a white scarf around her, waited for the police car to pass and escaped. As she sat alone in the dim light under one of the old street lights, she saw a drunk old man approaching her. With a thirst in his eyes Thisbe fled the sight, and sought refuge in the back alleys of the streets. As she fled she dropped her scarf. The drunken old man was hurt and was going to ask Thisbe for some help but just found a scarf on the ground and wiped his wound with it. Pyramus, late only because he had stopped at a local gas station to get some snacks for his dear love, finally arrived at the old winery.
There was no sign of Thisbe, only an old drunk man running, Pyramus had started to run after him. The drunk had tripped and dropped the scarf and kept running. When Pyramus had seen the scarf on the ground, stained with blood, he knew it was Thisbe’s. He was sure the drunk had killed her and put her body somewhere.
“O unfortunate girl,” said he, “Damn it! I have been the cause of your death!” He ran inside the winery, and covered the scarf with kisses and with tears. “Why was it you who died? Why not me, if we can only be together in heaven, then it shall be. My blood also shall stain your texture,” he said, and took out his knife that he had kept for protection on his ankle and stabbed his heart. The blood squirted from the wound, and into the huge grape mixer, staining everything a rich red color. By this time Thisbe, still scared to death, yet wishing not to disappoint her lover, went back to the winery only to find no one there but the door had been opened. As she entered she saw the red stains everywhere and knew it wasn’t the age old wine but the blood of her love, Pyramus.
Not soon after did she see his body collapsed on the floor with her scarf over his chest. “O Pyramus,” she cried, “Why on earth would you do this? Answer me, Pyramus; it is Thisbe that speaks. Hear me, and lift that loose head!” At the name of Thisbe, Pyramus opened his eyes, and then closed them again. Then suddenly after taking a look at the scarf she remembered the drunken old man and everything became clear to her. “You had killed yourself, and for my sake,” she said.
“I too can be brave for once, and my love is as strong as yours. I will die too for my love, for I have been the cause; and death which should separate us, will join us in heaven. I have nothing to lose, our parents kept us apart, and now nothing will hold our love back.” She took the knife and stabbed herself in the heart as Pyramus did. The two bodies where found the next morning. The parents had stopped the fighting and together mourned their children. In memory of the young lovers, the winery was opened once again and produced only red wine.
