Sometimes, I wish I didn’t go so overboard with my old customs. But, as often, I felt overwhelmly satisfied with my pursuits. There's nothing better than letting some steam off after the usual turmoil in the orphanage than walking to the most uninhabited areas in the world: the delicious no-man’s-land between colonies.198Please respect copyright.PENANATjG71nGIEX
But, once again, I ended up totally exhausted after hours of climbing up and down hills, weaving through trees, getting lost, and collecting all kinds of herbs. Even if I have another bad day at work, I had enough medicines to brew now with all the samples I collected. I would be busy for months after this huge haul. Nothing could make my day better.198Please respect copyright.PENANAJXrAACqbIH
Or so I thought.198Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZUYwiVxmb
Just when I was ready to resume my long walk back to the Home of the Stork orphanage, I heard something strange. During all my days on Earth, I'd managed to hear the roar of a bear, the howl of a wolf, the skitter of a rat, and the subtle pattering of a rabbit hopping. I was able to distinguish the cry of a cargo ship engine from one of a cruiser. I was familiar with all kinds of sounds…198Please respect copyright.PENANAyqmFeoXyoZ
…but this one was an entirely different story. Whatever it was, it wasn’t something a human could do; or an animal, or a plant, or anything I could recall. That mix of roar, rip, and tear that shredded all reality…I could only describe it as “otherworldly”, as ironic as that sounds coming from me.198Please respect copyright.PENANAtjeHNxzn9g
I searched for its origin. It didn’t come from the ground, nor from the forest itself. It wasn’t until I raised my eyes to the sky that I got the chance to see what was creating that alien scream.198Please respect copyright.PENANA9kcf9GyT1B
Then, from out of nowhere up in the sky, something appeared out of thin air and, from there began to fall.198Please respect copyright.PENANAZFsBilSvWr
Does the tumbling tree make a sound when it falls if there’s no one to hear it? I don’t know, but I was pretty sure I was the only person around to witness the arrival of something completely supernatural. From my position, I could tell that it was red, black, and bronze, and hurtling directly toward me, completely out of control!198Please respect copyright.PENANALBAUxZcOyt
I decided I should hide, that I shouldn’t be there, that I had to flee. My legs were ready for the jump and my body trembled in anticipation, but my mind had other plans.198Please respect copyright.PENANApgcEUZNcqx
It's not that I wanted to see what was falling, I needed to.198Please respect copyright.PENANA1hkWKHmsse
And then, the meteorite descended down to the highest branches above me, slowed down suddenly, and…198Please respect copyright.PENANAv2XslWCjuO
“Ow!”198Please respect copyright.PENANAx9i6W4CMRT
Less than fifty meters away, there was a woman laying on the ground, now trying to get up. Bronze skin, a long, wavering black mane cascading down her back, and revealing red clothing that someone might wear for laughs, or maybe to attract eyes. It showed so much of her well toned skin that, even though I had only been watching her for a second, I was already flustered.198Please respect copyright.PENANAiMz6Sq3jn1
“Where the heck did that idiot send me!?” aaaaaand she had a silver tongue. Not that I blamed her, after falling from the sky in such chaotic and disgraceful manner.198Please respect copyright.PENANAAilzwaKgtT
She grumbled for a while as she looked around in all directions. When she glanced in my direction, I ducked promptly and she didn’t see me. As far as I could tell, she thought she was alone here. So far, so vulgar, for someone who came from out of nowhere.198Please respect copyright.PENANA73echL9vEi
Then, she did something unexpected: she sat down on the ground, relaxed her body for maybe two seconds, and, poof, some practical clothing appeared in front of her.198Please respect copyright.PENANAFhtOndzGDY
Yes, I wish I could say something like, “and then a big light shone down from the sky and an angel brought divine clothes for her to use as a choir of cherubs sang in the background.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAlFVqg6bCfu
But no, it was a no-frills, mundane event. No smoke, no lights, no shinnies… For me though, who had survived far worse places than this tame forest, it was spectacular. That so, I couldn’t avert my eyes when the woman nonchalantly undressed herself, showing all her beautiful features to the nearby butterflies, worms, birds, and a fairly excitable young woman who was watching, fascinated by those spectacular shapes.198Please respect copyright.PENANAADgnavdQT1
And so, I would have remained invisible if it weren’t for, when she finished dressing in her new, more common clothes, she turned around and, finally, crossed gazes with mine. She didn’t seem amused by my peeping. She just kept her eyes on me for a second, and in the most vulgar manner, shouted,198Please respect copyright.PENANAn7SyYUzenL
“Heya, girl!”198Please respect copyright.PENANAnxmETldgbg
I didn’t respond, staying completely frozen in place. Sure, I could reply, but I didn’t want to. After all, what could I say to an incredible miracle worker like her?198Please respect copyright.PENANAedVJffP2iA
“So, do you need some help?”, “Hey, I liked how you fell from the sky without breaking all your bones,” or “Could you undress again so I can see that fantastic view again?”… how I wished to bash my head against the tree trunk in front of me to stop having these stupid hormonal teen ideas.198Please respect copyright.PENANAenTUzIVKvX
When I noticed her again, the woman was right in front of me, looking me intently in the eyes with all seriousness.198Please respect copyright.PENANAa1oMzse7f7
“I said, ‘heya, girl’” she reiterated. Now, I could see that she was dressed in practical clothes for navigating the forest, but at the same time, a large, weird cloth covered her mouth and neck, seemingly without any practical reason.198Please respect copyright.PENANAvvmBWE2Cri
She probably noticed my sudden shyness, so she didn’t seem that impatient. But if I wanted her to remain for the time being, I needed to raise my voice.198Please respect copyright.PENANAsmMABMLv3b
“…he… hello…” well, ‘raising my voice’ is a strong expression in this case. I felt so suddenly intimidated by her mere presence that I couldn’t gather any more strength to reply.198Please respect copyright.PENANARKL7RHm3pu
She appeared to not like it, so when I came to notice, she’d kneeled in front of me, searching for my eyes. She didn’t look like an insistent person, but she definitely had a strong attitude.198Please respect copyright.PENANARE5Mj5RqRm
“So, are you from around here?” I don’t know what got more attention from me, her bright yellowish eyes or the juicy cleavage right in front of mine.198Please respect copyright.PENANAVUErGvqvFj
“…yes.” Finally, after getting some air in my system, I could muster a decent reply.198Please respect copyright.PENANApU739n0z1l
“Could you tell me where I am? I don’t know where I’ve ended up, and…” I cut her off as I got a second mouthful of air. Now, calmer than before, I was able to start acting like a person instead of the nervous wreck I had been throughout the last minute.198Please respect copyright.PENANA3YlSSg6xgF
“This is Earth’s Colony 32” I thought giving the most formal answer would suffice, but the look in her eyes told me a completely different story. “Right now, you’re just in the no-man’s-land between colonies. And wherever you come from, even I can tell you’re not from here at all.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAkL19DZrBIx
For the first time, she was the one who was taken aback. But, still, she smiled back at me.198Please respect copyright.PENANAWDZsmaTo6F
“Look at you: you can talk!” frank and direct. She again looked me in the eyes and now, her words were delicious to my ears. “I’m Anaissa. And you are…?”198Please respect copyright.PENANAe0vwN2WZ4w
“Renate,” I replied, now with as much determination as she. No time to be shy if she was this confident. “And, somehow, I know you didn’t understand a word of what I just said,” also, to be a bit sarcastic.198Please respect copyright.PENANASX7tv4Tnge
“Well, I’m from Earth… one Earth, at least. Not this one,” she replied. I wonder what she meant by that. “It’s my first time seeing a dome thing like that outside of a sci-fi movie. Aside from that, I don’t have any idea of where198Please respect copyright.PENANAtbfNMimRSw
I am.”198Please respect copyright.PENANA4FA8a17zRM
“Do you have a place to stay?” Didn’t she just say she didn’t know where she was? Despite my newfound bravery, my heart was pounding so hard it was difficult to think straight.198Please respect copyright.PENANAevWTfn8Wym
“It doesn’t matter if I have a place or not. I can live wherever I want and any way I want.” She got up and started walking towards Colony 32.198Please respect copyright.PENANAQDCE4tvpUT
But she didn’t notice something about me.198Please respect copyright.PENANAnJPIpSej0W
“I can live wherever I want and any way I want.” That phrase hit me hard. Really hard.198Please respect copyright.PENANA2aKLApBDY3
I could say I lusted over her body. That wasn’t wrong, and the fact I couldn’t remove my eyes from her swaying hips was too much for me to deny.198Please respect copyright.PENANAAT9e5kF2vo
I can confess that her attitude was really attractive to me. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one charmed by her concealed smile or her overconfidence.198Please respect copyright.PENANAHaeEls6LzU
But, with that small innocent phrase, she’d won me over completely.198Please respect copyright.PENANAdZqgpFCMCU
“For now I just want to explore that city a bit.” For an instant I had forgotten that she was moving away. I promptly followed her. “I don’t know what kind of place I’ve been sent to, and there’s no better way to learn than through experience.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAA4QziNaata
“Well, I can say you’ve been sent to the most boring place in this corner of the universe.” ‘But at least, you don’t have to kill half a planet to survive here“ I told myself. “You can visit the streets, bars, the trading post, the platforms, the space elevator... aside from that, the constant temperature all year long gets old pretty fast.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAeEHGi8fqQw
“And that’s why you wander this ‘no-man’s-land’, as you called it.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAhsIYVzHYh7
“I came here to gather some herbs.” That was the objective truth, but I preferred that she didn’t suspect why I had chosen to walk with her. “From eucalyptus leaves to some wild sage, I have raw materials for a good number of nice remedies here.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAZL5JJ88eNR
She glanced for a second into my backpack. Whatever she saw, she raised an eyebrow.198Please respect copyright.PENANAeQnoJ9ltzx
“I’m almost afraid to ask you what your job is.” I could tell by the tone of her voice she was joking, but she really had seen something that put her guard up. The wild sage? The nuts? Or the mushrooms? Yeah, probably the mushrooms.198Please respect copyright.PENANA1lcb8jzTvi
“I’m a simple caretaker at an orphanage.” And a good one at that. “I clean the building, read stories to the kids to get them to sleep, I take care of basically any kind of affliction they have.”198Please respect copyright.PENANAMuM7syqlwV
“So, you stopped getting your herbs to follow me, because…?”198Please respect copyright.PENANAahXTzQj5LE
“I don’t find a mysterious lady falling from the sky every day.” Again, objective truth. I wasn’t ready to confess the whole picture. “Neither have I seen anyone make clothing appear from nowhere, so…”198Please respect copyright.PENANAFgr7nWvOGM
“So?” She suddenly stopped to look me in the eye, but I wasn’t as impressed this time.198Please respect copyright.PENANAWSqCgdM5CS
“So,” she asked, because she suspected I wanted her to create something for me. But I didn’t want anything from her. I wanted her. To get to know her better, maybe be able to get near her without my constant inner turmoil getting in the way.198Please respect copyright.PENANAPvi3x1XXp1
“Rule number one of curiosity: stick to the thing that caught your attention.” Another ‘rule number one’ in my collection of number one rules. They worked with the kids of the orphanage. I just hoped that she bought it too.198Please respect copyright.PENANARSeyrf5l7O
“I’m not a lion in a zoo, you know?” She may look annoyed, but Anaissa sounded satisfied with my answer, so she kept walking nonchalantly.198Please respect copyright.PENANABVhLoUxtFf
“What? No! You’re special!”198Please respect copyright.PENANAd1wlCoZHz9
And it was in that very moment that I knew I screwed up to the moon and back.198Please respect copyright.PENANAnn1BvTPW0z
“You.” It wasn’t a funny ‘you’. It sounded menacing, almost dangerous, and purely violent. Few times in my life had I felt such hostility directed at me. “One word.” I felt confused. What she was talking about? “One word. I’m giving you the chance to correct yourself: What. Am. I?”198Please respect copyright.PENANATdbl1gKuGu
She made herself very clear and, at the same time, I didn’t get her at all. Why’s she so furious from the best compliment I could give her? Why’d she tense all her muscles, ready to attack me, to give me everything except a hug and a kiss? The hard breathing, the clamped fingers, the half flexed knees ready to leap…198Please respect copyright.PENANAWuYcvZNtba
I had to think fast! If I remained silent, she’d go away and probably wouldn’t let me get near her again. If I speak and say something she doesn’t like, a beating would be the least of my problems. I had to risk it…198Please respect copyright.PENANAXwtVPNAV6N
“…beautiful.”198Please respect copyright.PENANADvMZqyndjX
The truth. Not only objective, but pure and unbiased. Maybe she could be special for me, but she was, first and foremost, the most beautiful person I’d ever met.198Please respect copyright.PENANA4sLEGbZ2ld
I wanted to touch her for her beauty.198Please respect copyright.PENANAbnvU6XAF9J
I wanted to know her better for her beauty.198Please respect copyright.PENANAcHE7axtQiZ
And, above anything else, her sense of freedom was her most beautiful feature.198Please respect copyright.PENANAHtsT8xNfqM
All of that I tried to convey with that single word.198Please respect copyright.PENANA8cE4eWQHEU
Then, just like that, she relaxed her stance, took a deep breath, and resumed her walking as if nothing had happened. And, as if nothing had happened, I followed her. 198Please respect copyright.PENANAdyHKQVUjaz
arrow_back
The search
more_vert
-
info_outline Info
-
toc Table of Contents
-
share Share
-
format_color_text Display Settings
-
exposure_plus_1 Recommend
-
Sponsor
-
report_problem Report
-
account_circle Login
Search stories, writers or societies
Continue ReadingClear All
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
The search
Author:
JeshuaMorbus
ISSUE #1
Chapter 1 : Special
LIKES 1
READS 194
BOOKMARKS 0
campaign
Request update 0
Sponsor
Suggest Edits
Login with Facebook
or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark!
Click to load the next chapter
X
After each update request, the author will receive a notification!
smartphone100 → Request update
X
Sponsor again
Click to login
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.
Thank you for supporting the story! :)
Please Login first.
×
The search
Supernatural
Adventure
Fantasy
Last updated: Jul 29, 2022
Total word count: 4,653
Total reading time: 22 Minutes
Writer:
magic
supernatural
suspense
young-adult
science-fiction
future
wolves
alien
introspection
lgtb
belly-dancer
anaissa
tribal
unclassified
wolves-of-lucifer
renate
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:
Font Size:
Line Spacing:
Paragraph Spacing:
Load the next issue automatically
Reset to default
×
People Who Like This