Canvas of Shadows

8

I sighed, understanding dawning on me. "So that's why I painted 'The Goddess.' To everyone else, she's a passionate lover, but to you, she's a mother. Don't cry, have some water."

Lucas Manning looked desolate. "Since then, I've never seen my mom again. Tragic, isn't it?"

I shared my own reflection. "For over a decade, I've been going through the motions, with 'The Goddess' being my only notable work. I find that quite sad too."

Lucas responded, "Everyone has their own definition of tragedy. I just wished for a happy family, for my mom not to suffer, for my dad not to fall ill. But time can't be reversed, and even if it could, there's no guarantee of a better outcome. Let's not dwell on the past anymore."

I added, "My family life was far from perfect, but it hardly qualifies as tragic to me. It's my professional life that I find truly disappointing."

He offered comfort in return, "Not every artist becomes famous, but creating work that satisfies you is what matters."

I nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I don't seek fame. I just want to create another piece that satisfies me as much as 'The Goddess' did, to conclude my career. In fact, the moment I achieve that, my career is essentially over. I've always wanted to create a sequel to 'The Goddess' but have struggled to start."

Lucas was puzzled. "You're not even 40. Why end your career now? Are you ill?"

"No, it's just that, for an artist, to have significant works only at the beginning and end of their career seems quite sad. But that's the best 'completion' I can hope for."

"I don't quite understand," he admitted.

I explained, "I want to depict what the Goddess in the painting sees, whether it's a scene or a person. Everyone says she's looking at her lover, assuming she's a lover herself. But I can't seem to make the brush move; something feels off. I've been waiting for someone who truly understands to guide me. Fortunately, I found you. I was blind to reject your interviews before."

"Why do you believe my interpretation is the right one?" Lucas inquired.

"At least, we see the painting from the same perspective," I murmured. "When I painted 'The Goddess,' I was literally looking up to her.

Lucas still seemed confused.

"I mean it literally, looking up. She was above, and I was below, contrary to what others assume about the Goddess's position. This brings us back to Charles Linden."

"The painting is related to Linden?"

"Yes. If you look closely, you'll see the creation date in the bottom left corner is 1998, the same year I encountered Linden. It all happened that New Year."

Lucas's expression darkened. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"What do you mean?"

"Linden confessed that many of his victims were prostitutes, people whose disappearances often go unnoticed, their fates untraceable..."

His voice trembled as he spoke.

I tried to reassure him, "While I'd like to incorporate your mother's story into my painting, the woman I met might not be her. The '90s were tough for everyone, and red-light districts were unfortunately common."

"Let's refocus on the interview. What exactly happened after your encounter with Linden?"