Havens Salvation 11-1 Blowing in the Wind
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11-1
Blowing in the wind
Copyright© 2014 Michele WhiteWolf
Editorial salvation by djkauf
Creative Consultancy by Bailey Summers, and my two girls Anna and Crystal
Ms Mary Adelaide Wilkinson [ my mother ] who dragged me all over the back roads of Colorado bringing those historical souls back to life.
With out all of the efforts from the above this story would never seen the light of an audience.
Betty
I was gasping, panting and sweating like a cross country runner in Death Valley. I was still too reactive and not proactive enough. So my next move still gasping the thin air around me was to alter the Barrier frequency just enough to create a slicker surface than it usually has. Reducing the purchase the wind could get on the fabric of the Barrier. Who ever was generating this storm was seeking blood, so if I don't think and act fast they may just have enough horses to pull it off., I could not flinch even once. I needed to act as my strength was depleting. Unlike Atlas I could not afford to shrug and wouldn't even if I could.
BLOWING IN THE WIND
Clifford
I had made it home two days ago after having gone to work in April doing my summer work, reworking Hotel rooms for the higher line establishments. Haven is such a nice break from the mundane outside world making me happy to be home during the bad weather of the winter.
My work is specialized requiring a large number of skills that your normal hammer and nail contractor doesn’t have, so I remain in constant demand. This season’s work had been profitable not only in pay, but also in the salvage I was able to stash away for my own projects.
Louise has been holding down the home fort since April with me only making over night visits in July, so my coming home now allowed her to take a little time off to play up in Blessings with our family. I really like the eccentricity of Haven and the fact that the weird is normal here. There are times things can get spooky; this became one of those times.
Within the micro seconds it took to recognize something was wrong, things became really horribly wrong. We can have these violent wind storms come up in the spring and early summer as the seasons would change, but never in the fall. With the spring winds there was some warning that something was brewing but not this time.
The entire building shook when the wind fearsomely struck, causing Jessa my counter girl to yell,
“Boss”
“Ya Kid I am coming “ but I could not be sure she could hear me over the sound of the screaming wind. Then Kelly, our maid, shouted, “ stay put Cliff I got her”, followed by the sound of the automatic window shutters vibrating as they struggled to crank up over the large picture windows we have in the front of the building. The front door had its own slide out panel but it was somewhat sheltered from the wind, so it trips then shuts.
Just before the front window shutters totally closed I saw the Heavenly Bean rooftop sign of the manically smiling Buddha standing in its oversized cup, doing a lazy cart wheel past the window heading out of town.
The lights flickered then went out for a few moments before our UPS kicked in, turning on the emergency lights. From outside I could hear the sounds of a lot of stuff hitting the Windward side of the building then a couple of bangs then shattering glass in the leeward side of the building where the parking was.
My office phone rang on the township priority line so I scrambled to get it. It was my brother Bob next door at the Dragon.
“Cliff, are you all right?” Bob yelled over the wind.”
“Yes, we are for now; the window shutters closed before the power went out. UPS is working fine the help is a little rattled and I think I may have lost a window or three in the rooms I can't see well enough yet. And you? “
Everything is ok here. Marge, God bless her, was just leaving when she saw the front line of the winds topping the valley ridge line and just calmly came in and hit the shutter button yelling for every one to get on the floor Do You know where Betty is?
No, Haven't met her yet, she's not there.
No, Oh shit she may be at the circle.
Marge
Working the dinner shift was always a bit dull around here, mainly the regular locals who I have known for years. Tonight we had a couple of tourist families who were vacationing together.. Both families seem to fit the type of people we used to get back in the day. Both had kids with a good sense of humor and their parents were the searching type looking for more than a house in the burbs with a three car garage.
I was musing about how things were looking up when I heard a dull thud against the south window followed by Janice ,Jake's wife, making a quip about not ordering scrambled eggs tartar. That was followed by several dull thuds that I discovered were eggs flying through the air on their own. My puzzlement grew when a chicken was plastered against the outside glass; was followed by the sound of something rolling down the road that turned out to be the Giant coffee cup from Heavenly Roasters roof top, to which Jake seeing this added “ There's that take out coffee you were looking for dear.” That's when I finally looked up at the horizon to see what had created this storm of chickens and eggs. The weather phenomena roiling on a fast boil did not look real to me leaving one possibility that it something magically foul was attacking Haven.
With all of the trash in the air I knew something would eventually punch through the window, to prevent that I went to the cash register counter and with more than a little force I hit the big black button that started the storm window protector to start grinding down to cover up the outside glass. As this was happening I noticed that Louise’s place was doing the same thing.
Bob came out of the back looking at me for some answers, but I had none, so I could only shrug my shoulders. What ever it was, it was nothing we needed, or wanted right now; personally I could use another hole in my head more than this. Just as the shutters on both of the building ground past my field of vision I could see Cliff and his two people gathered in the entry room, I could account for every one besides Betty. Then the memory sunk in; Betty was out in Ann's circle.
James
The three of us were uneasy before this with our ears popping and Melissa whining in pain from the air pressure drop. We were inside working in the work out practice room. When it hit knocking all three of us to our knees. The Banshee sound reached us through the air vents and our highly tuned senses causing my eyes to water and my nose to run with a trickle of blood. Lilly was the first to react, running to Betty's apartment only to return moments later yelling to me Betty's not at home according to her note I think she is outside in the circle.
At that one moment everything around me moved in slow motion as I ran full wolf to the emergency air lock entrance right near the circle. From the window in the wall what I saw terrified me like nothing else ever. There was Betty holding the wind at the outer edge of the Barrier using such a large amount of power there was a blue green signature color of manna surrounding her. Betty was using so much energy holding the Barrier together, debris was getting past her personal projectile wardings, with some of them striking her like bullets. I was seeing her bleeding from many different wounds staining her simple white ceremonial robes. I noticed straw and some small sticks wedged in those robes, some obviously sticking through into her skin. But like Ann before her, Betty was stoically refusing to surrender, even being the target of the worlds largest sand blasting machine. .
By then the girls joined me both of them simply saying “what’s holding her there.?”
“Her determination and love for this town lasses; that is one person you never want to meet in a dark alley if she is pissed at you.
Mel go to her prayer room bring that chain mail gauntlet with the crow device on the back of it. Lilly go to the infirmary just down the hall from the practice room I need a gurney, blankets, Crash kit and Trauma Kit. Go now get back as soon as you can. “
To their credit I didn't need to tell them twice they were gone in a flash.
I tried to open the door but there was no way for me to lever it open just from the wind pressure on the other side. Screaming in frustration I redoubled my efforts to opening it only to have the door crack open just long enough for the wind to suck the air from our around me causing me to release the door as it firmly reseated itself to the hatch edge jamb.”
I watched as things wound around in slow motion, Betty was not just flaying around she was working things like a pro. Dilating time stretched out how long she had to react to things but it also increased the time she was feeling the pain of what she was experiencing. I could not port into her circle or both of us could end up as unrecognizable goo smeared thinly all over Haven’s residential neighborhoods.
She was on her own, as only she could reach out to another allied energy, that is what I sensed that she was trying to do. There was a brief moment I could see her praying or chanting as some of the wind blown trash struck home peppering her body like buckshot. Still she stood trying to anchor herself more firmly in the protection of the circle.
“James why didn't the fool wear the gauntlet I gave her for protection?.”
Badb voice startled me,
“I don't know my lady I think this is a total surprise to everyone, the last night of the cycle is usually very mild, nothing like this. And did you ever inform her of that gift gauntlet that had that ability?”
“ She should have discovered that herself. “
“With all pardons my lady, ye have been removed from our worldly concerns for a long time. Betty has so many responsibilities in the physical world there was no time to do so, but to her credit as you directed she did not just try to do this alone, did she my goddess?
“Well, yes, James she did call for help, and this is an honest mistake on my side of the equation. Don't tell her I am assisting her. ”
“With all due respect my lady Badb, all of your students in the past have had a lot more time to suss this job out, before being used as a human dart board, and only ye know how many practitioners it took to produce this effect. If ye don't help now there may nay be nay any thing left to help.”
Before the lady could do anything suddenly Betty changed her tactics, causing Me to gasp.
Betty
Snaking my life lines two ways was tapping my energy reserves with no return, I sensed the worry for me from all around, hell I was worried about me. Then a trickle of energy came from Gaia along with the thought of “fight like with like.” With that I remembered that there was an upper air pattern weather system that was circulating in the opposite direction. I had to take a crazy chance that could go either way, but as my mama had the habit of saying when she was undeceive about something that needing to be done
“Do something even if it is wrong, just act.”
This was a fifty fifty chance; better odds than allowing this pepper mill to grind me into dust. I shifted my energy turning my circle into the center of the vortex. With the speed of a starving predator the storm gobbled me up, but with a greater speed I pushed the upper edge of the vortex up into contact with the counter rotating upper air. I was in the center where the fireworks started but the natural system had far more horsepower driving it, than any normal people could focus. The result was our storm was being sucked up off from the ground then eaten like string cheese by the far larger storm. There was cloud to cloud lightning running water in sheets as only part of the storm above disassembled and neutralized the smaller hell storm.
The uninvolved part of the ground storm reacted like a wounded animal separating its self from its trapped part recoiling away from my location. The wind rapidly died down where I was standing It had turned its remaining fiery away from me, striking out east towards the hills which separated our township and the native lands. It took only a moment for me to see in my mind that the target had shifted to the narrow cleft of stone which separated us from the approach to Gretchen’s home and barn, then beyond that the new orchard would lie in its direct path. The stone cleft would concentrate the power of the storm into a scythes edge creating a devastating front that would cut through everything it encountered like a hot knife through butter.
Gretchen’s
The sound of small stones against my kitchen window startled me and my company. Mocking bird only got out “what the shit “ before the window blasted inward peppering us with dirt, twigs, and small stones. Its path howled into the kitchen then took a short cut through my dining room door then out my front room picture window. The wind was so strong it picked up my two cats and Zak's ferret up off the couch back, where they were sleeping, and tossed them out the window.
Bettty
I sent my second strand of consciences out to find a place to stand and divert this apparently semi intelligent storm. In moments I found an anchor place that stood out in my minds eye it shown with a silvery glow. Holding the connection between the natural and the shit storm distracted the smaller storm just enough for me to wrap my presence wardings in a tight ball of energy, I released its attachments to Ann's circle and pulled on the cord shifting my location to where I needed to be.
If a rabbit could run two hundred miles an hour that was my perception of what the entire trip appeared to my senses. It was over in a moment all with but me hitting any thing solid. I arrived smack dab on the spot I was aiming for. Directly in the mouth of the rock cleft I anchored up. The energy there was pure and powerful, drawing on this energy I deployed my wardings into the face of the wind, which had already stripped some trees of there leaves. There was enough energy in this node to pop out my ramp shaped wardings just where they needed to be. The kinetic shock of the wind hitting the wardings nearly knocked the wind out of me. But now I had good leverage so I could push the leading footing edge of the storm upward forcing its top edge strongly into contact with the natural system above.
The lightning effects were even more spectacular here, as waves of Technicolor lighting rippled like ocean waves across the sky as the natural met the unnatural head on at over four hundred miles an hour. The upper level was connected to the jet stream making its power a factor of a thousand times stronger than my ground storm. I just needed to keep these two rubbing against each other long enough.
A line from a song came to me then,
“Does any one know where the love of God goes when a storm turns minutes to hours. “
The angry roar of the wind became bone shaking as I was again pelted by the trash picked up along the storms path getting here. But in this situation it was mind over matter. I could not mind so it did not matter, I was going to prevent a slaughter. The storm clawed at me like a wounded leopard snarling and scratching at me, just out of its claws reach, it could not claw me but but did it ever spit on me.
All of the wind force was pushing me slowly backwards but my left boot heel found a rock which stopped my slippage. I then noticed a slight weakening in the wind speed as the smaller storm was losing its grip on its manna source losing more energy than it can pull from its source. A surge of energy ran through my legs flowing up into my hands offering a golden sheen to the energy I was protected when this connected with the storms gripping edge there was a separating tearing sound from the earth as the storm in front of me was being sucked up off the ground by the increasing strength of the upper level storm,
Zak
“Mom what in the hell is this?”
“Shut up, Zak, and close that dining room door.”
Suddenly the wind diminished to a whisper of what it had been, and through the missing kitchen window I saw a human form glowing brightly corking the wind outside of the stone funnel. The storm was being directed upwards along the cliff face and into the sky where it was making a lot of lightning effects.
“Mom, who's that in the cleft?”
Mocking bird answered me in an incredulous voice “Betty”.
James
"What the bloody hell now?”
James uttered looking at the blank spot Betty was formally standing in.
Badb commented “very clever and innovative your Betty is. She shifted her stance from here to the new target of that malignant work of craft. She is now making a stand in the rocky cleft east of here very good use of terrain. James prepare for me to send you to her she will need some medical attention.”
I was clearly unimpressed by Badb's nonchalant expression over Betty's actions, treating this like a school assignment and not the life and death situation it is.
Betty
Standing rooted in my spot the manufactured storm screamed like it was in pain from being torn to shreds by the larger storm overhead. The Frankenstein storm was being unraveled one stitch at a time.
I had to admire the craft that created this monster but at the same time fighting it I wished the practitioners had put their efforts to better purposes.
I was front row center watching this spell stripped of its life, so when the wind stopped with a pop I could see the swirling mass being lifted into the sky as it rained trash. My hearing was so over stimulated I could not hear the stuff hit the ground and my sight took a while to clear so when it did I could see that my robes were in tatters, torn ,and bloody from a lot of flesh wounds that I was too numb to feel. as I leaned against the stone wall to steady my self I knew this was going to hurt like hell in the morning as I disassembled my wardings I took stronger note of my condition.
I had the appearance of a human pin cushion with all sorts of twigs sticking in my hair and in my robes. I started to remove those that were not stuck in me deeply or just trapped by my robes. Suddenly I felt a pair of strong arms gently enfold me steadying me on my feet. It was Strong Bear and as my hearing recovered I could make out he was talking to me.
“Steady on woman, let us help get you to Gretchen's porch where we can get a look at you and check you out.”
“Bear I really need a cup of coffee ,a bottle of aspirin, then a bath, in that order I feel like hamburger right now.”
I was moving painfully slow when James appeared, excused him self, he picked me up like a baby carrying me over to the porch where people were assembled ready to help me. James laid me down while the others gathered with towels, blankets and hot water.
Zak
“Bird man what’s happening?”
“Were trying to keep Betty from going into shock while James, their field medic, figures out what to do next. She got pretty torn up out there fighting this monster.”
“Why would she do something like that, she doesn't know us?”
From over Bird Man’s shoulder a deep and very Scottish accented voice came from the man they called James,
“Because that's what people like her do, ye brainless prat, Betty stuck it out there because she could do something about the situation, and because she cares for your mom and your people.. She was determined to save your mum and the new orchard from that hell storm, it comes with her job description ye know, the one that she doesn't get payed for.”
I watched as James emptied the pot of red stained water then refilled the pot again with more clean hot water, silently James left with the water. I followed soon after I heard Betty cursing from outside.”
“Bird man is that blood that was staining that water.?”
“Yes son it was, that's a first time someone has shed their blood for us in a long time. I need to rethink how we are handling this situation with Haven and we all need to be thinking of some very humble apologies, to give Betty after she can have visitors.” all the while he was looking directly at me.
Melissa
“Lilly who is this leaking power all over the floor?
“This is Badb She is one of the three sisters who are collectively known as the Goddess Morrigan, she is James and our big boss. She's like an immortal, big ass witch who really cares about Betty and is James’ patron Goddess.
“ Then this is a Good thing she did because she may be needed to resurrect the dead if we can’t get Betty stabilized. “
The hairy eyeball from James stopped me in mid thought.
“Mel you really need to develop the skill of the unexpressed thought. Especially when dealing with Goddesses and Gods.!!”
Some how Betty's heart didn't stop from the shock of what just happened to her. There were cuts and bruises everywhere. We got her to the emergency infirmary before I noticed that James had put a silver metal gauntlet on Betty's right hand.
James was a good trauma medic, doing the heavy lifting as far as the sensitive procedures like starting the saline drip IV and cleaning the really deep wounds. While Lilly and I removed the little pieces of straw and stone Betty had stuck in her skin resulting from her saving this town from what ever that hellish thing was.
Badb and James talked in old Gaelic, about what I could not tell, but several times Badb intervened and healed a wound that was very severe, or to speak very kindly to James. Then she sweetly kissed Betty's cheek and forehead leaving a glowing cloud of energy around Betty. Badb then spoke to Betty's sleeping form as if she were a very loved sister. Smoothing Betty's hair Badb smiled then proclaiming something very loudly, in a voice that resonated with the fabric of the heavens. Betty still looked the worse for wear, but her healing rate was rapidity increased, but something else transpired as when Badb did what she did. Lilly's and James eyes grew wide, then both of them became subdued and respectful.
Badb
Mortals do not fully realize just how important they are to the function of things in the universe. Very few even give there thoughts and intents the slightest credit for achieving any thing. In truth the skillful focus of intents are really everything, it is that alone which separates my sisters and I from the norms, today Betty has taken the first critical step in joining our little club. It was Betty's focused intent that saved Haven, not mine. I was not going to allow Betty to come to harm, any more than what already had transpired, but it was her intent to stand come what may, that won the day.
You learn a lot about a human from what they are willing to bleed for. No one would take the savage punishment Betty did with out demonstrating that she had what is required to stand against any comers, who could confront this Village and region. The next requirement of our champion is imaginatively becoming able to participate in the process, not just slavishly perform rote tasks like a dog doing a trick. They need to trust us, being willing to act as our conduit for our intent, with out which our power in this realm is very limited.
Betty has proven herself to be fully on board, reaching out to the universe on her own, searching for solutions that may be hidden in the details. Things that Goddesses and Gods can miss. Her comfort level and confidence in us is critical to making this work.
“My lady Badb I have known ye and your sisters long enough to know to ask just what are you planing?”
“ Yes, James, you can and I will answer you thus. As you are aware, we knew .that Porta Santus was destined to be destroyed, and we know just about when it would happen. In spite of the war between humans and my people. We fay never included all humans as being our enemies. . There were always some human allies who were respected and loved by our people. There was a decision made to do what we could to prevent the loss of the irreplaceable knowledge and talent that was Porta Santus. We could see many different paths which the human society norms could take. But their free will did not allow our knowing which path would play out. Only the one source knows that and she is not telling.
We were allowed to choose to save as many of the practitioners and there knowledge as we could from the murderous rage of the scourge of Medici. Just before the town was attacked, we moved those people we could saved ,by gentle force ,through a passageway to a cave where we previously hid the original books and stores of seed for the medicinal and food crops. The one source made it clear we could not prevent Portus Santus being razed then burned with the rest of the fleeing population put to the swords, we were required to allow destiny to play out, Its destruction had to convince the attackers they had accomplished there goal, so they did not searching perhaps disclosing our hiding place.
The plan was open ended as we did not know then where or when we could deliver these souls. What we decided to do was the same as we did for our own population. We put those saved in a deep slumber to await with our people who fled, when Humans drove us from our lands. Still they await for the spell to be completed allowing them to emerge from the place of slumber back into this world.
We were also preparing for another event, approaching in your near future, which will alter your world so much so , the Fey will be able to rejoin the rest of the population in the sun and once again majik will rule over technology.”
“My lady if I may be as bold to inquire, when in Tartarus were you intending to inform me of this situation?”
“Now, when you needed to know, and can act on what I am sharing with you. I do not withhold information you need from you James, I just need to be judicious as to when I let you know, to when you need to know it..”
Bang up Hang over.
Betty
“Having survived many a thrashing, there is a certain taste, smell and dull achy feeling you became aware of when just waking up. Always there is the physically hurting, everywhere., so bad you would need to get better, just so you could die. Then there was the metallic smell and taste of blood, with all of your senses turned internally, as your fuzzy mind sorts out what is, or is not, still working.
Then .I find ,I become aware of the smells of where I am, whether there is light or is it dark, and if any one is touching you. I knew I was in some sort of clinic, there was a subdued lighting. I was wearing something on my right hand, and some one was holding my left speaking something, my brain struggle to untangle.
“Lie still my daughter, as you need to conserve everything you are receiving, so you may heal.”
“my children?”
“ worry not they are safely having fun working the carnival in Blessings.”
“....... can not see this.”
“I assure ye, they will not, you will be whole when you see them again..”
“ people safe?”
“You are forever the mother and leader my dear, we are all proud to say yes to all, There was some damage to buildings but the people are safe, and you are still secret to your opposition. They still do not know, that presently, there is an active protector of Haven.
She placed her hand over my eyes and forehead . “Sleep my brave one, rest, and heal knowing things are safe, and so are you,”
A warn golden glow filled what little sight I could discern, as I felt the need to claw and hold on to awareness drain out of me satisfied at the moment, I had done my duty,
nooo annyyy else mattereeeddd.
Morgan la Fay
Leaving Betty's side, I was pondering what would make a mortal willing to stand in opposition of unbeknown fury, motivation only by the drive, for protecting, of that, which they love. Tonight was nothing short of an epic victory that in my day would be worthy of song and myth. This may be something human kind needs to rekindle anew. For all of their modern wonders, today's people lack that visceral emotional contact, with the epic stories of the struggles their hero's endure, so there are examples of what to emulate if called upon. Like those, real human. common folk,, in the past who were also brave enough to take a stand. Beowulf, Gilgamesh the mortal who was Thor. Mulan ,the Valkyrie, or Amazons all fighting for survival in a dark and cold world. All of them were just flesh and blood becoming heroes after they paid the cost for standing, come what may, making a difference by there actions. These hero's stood against outlandish odds, selfishly giving them selves for their people, Those sacrifices became the reason to enshrine their memories.
Then the old time story tellers refused to allow the names of these heroes to be eroded by, or forgotten in the flow of time, or the clutter of more immediate concerned. The Girot's of Africa, the minstrels of Europe, the twisted hair's of the American first people, all kept there social icons alive in stories. Betty is earning such immortality, because although she could have run, she stood her ground. All most totally alone she saved Haven the town, and the orchard lands of the local first people, Betty is a hero worthy of remembering. Standing as she did tonight has cost her a lot she could have easily died from all of the injuries.
Braving that storm grossed her, lbs of stones, and sticks, studding her flesh, numerous deep cuts, severe wind burn to her body and eyes, extreme dehydration and the near total depletion of her stored manna. Badb, of the Trio Morrigan sisters, was so impressed, she herself intervened in Betty's healing.
Note to self
Because Thoth is responsible for the record keeper of this planets Akashic Records , I pray that I can convenience him to assign a muse to start recording in verse, Betty's stories and her bravery. I believe I should bring that up with Thoth at our planning session for our response to the near time Event looming for the mortals.
This Event will mark the beginnings of some very interesting times, for this lonely little planet. Often I ponder, how such a technologically arrogant people will deal with the return of Magic as the driving factor of their world once again. Yes these times should be interesting, very interesting indeed.
[To be Continued]
Havens Salvation 11-2 Adjusted her Sails
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ADJUSTED HER SAILS.
Copy Rite 2014 Michele WhiteWolf
Editorial salvation by djkauf
Creative Consultancy by Bailey Summers, and my two girls Anna and Crystal
Ms Mary Adelaide Wilkinson [ my mother who dragged me all over the back roads of Colorado bringing those historical souls back to life. ]
With out all of the efforts from the above this story would never seen the light of an audience.
ADJUSTED HER SAILS.
ELIZABETH EDWARDS
Be-calmed
Betty
Lying in the subdued lighting of where ever this is, was pleasantly warm, and quiet. I knew I had been hurt but the how and why of my medical treatments is still very fuzzy. So for now I am ok, with it being dark, warm and comfortable. There was a sense of just relax, I am not going any where, and my pain level is non-existent.
Considering I was really peachy keen, from experiencing first hand the effect of being inside of a giant barn yard vacuum cleaner,. I had been worried how the people and the town survived, I though the town had to have taken a beast of a beating, however Fay told me that things fared well. with little expensive damage. What damage that had occurred was concentrated along the highway business frontage, and that was nothing ruinous.
The only true casualty was a closed beauty parlor known as Curl Up and Die. That building appeared to be ground zero for the storms wrath as it ripped through the front windows then it ripped out internal walls causing it to fall in on itself. It was one of the few older buildings still standing in town, but the owner moved away ten years ago, just after Ann went to sleep.
With the kids being in Blessings I think, they may have not seen the fireworks from there. Which is so much the better. There are things they do not need to know, just yet. That conversation will be a fun one, but they still have the both the need, and the right to know. This falls under the subject heading..of mom is the majik cop on the beat, so no surprises are good surprises
Clifford
We came out very well considering what could have happened. Only two rooms were damaged from wind blown debris. One only needed a couple of windows replaced and cleaned up from all the plant and dirt trash. The second was damaged a lot more extensively. It would appear that the storm gutted Cristina’s old beauty shop and deposited all three of her chairs through the windows and wall of the hotel. The funny thing was that was her room for the last six years she lived in Haven before retiring.
She moved out to a nursing home ten years ago, heart broken over Ann's passing.
Her daughter Ruth cleared out her effects as Cristina was hospitalized with a broken arm, suffered when she fell on the ice. Ruth was her youngest daughter having lived with her father in Summer Town was never too keen on Haven. Soon after the divorce between Jack and Cristina, she moved to Haven and the room that is now so badly damaged. Jack became their Chief of Police; afterwards both Ruth and Jack joined the Fellowship Ministry Chapel on the south edge of Summer Town. It was Parson Brown's personal kingdom of a very fire and brimstone Bible interpretation ministry. Parson Brown had a fight with the Conservative Baptist, Pentecostal or Holiness organization for them not being strict enough, and had withdrawn from their convention. None of that congregation had any thing good to say about Haven. So no one there tried to do any thing with the shop. So it remained empty to rot, at least now the legality of the matter was settled, it’s now a potential public hazard so it can be taken down.
Louise called from Blessings to say hello and chat with me. When I told her about the storm she was genuinely surprised at not having seen any of the lightning displays of that night. When I told her of what Betty had done, from what Marge filled me in on, she was both relieved and scared for Betty.
“Louise, she is ok according to Marge, some of your spooky friends came and got her taking her to only God knows where to heal the brush burns and the cracked ribs.”
“Cliff, this is the second brush up she has had defending Haven. I am wondering when she might bolt as this being just too much to chew?”
“According to that new Kid Lilly, that's not going to happen. She told Marge that some very big wigs came to help heal Betty and did some super medicine work on her, then declared Betty to be the anointed guardian of something Lilly called New Avalon.”
“Oh my stars, Betty passed the test a month early; that is a very good sign. Clifford now I think we are going to make it. With that I think our luck had turned for the best. Betty is now Ann's replacement and a brilliant one at that. She loves that town and if what you tell me works out, we better dust off some of those old dreams and plans as we are going on a magic carpet ride.” .
Lilly
Coming into the work out room practice area I found James jumping rope. He could not just jump rope normally he had to be fancy, working the rope in very complected beats with a constant shift of twist and speeds. His concentration was intense but I could still hear the gears turning over something in his mind.
I had come in to let him know that I had finished dressing out the big eight point deer he bagged the day before. James was really good in how he field dressed the animal, before chilling it off, even a wolf doesn’t like gamey tasting deer. He gave me an Idea of how he wanted it butchered which was more to human tastes. I was fine with that because that left me 'the butcher' with a lot of very sweet side bits I could scarf up while working. I never had the taste for raw flesh before my transformation but now I feel cooking the meat ruins it, the rarer the better, but I think this is for a dinner for someone that James refuses to tell us about.
He had relaxed a bit from last night when we got Betty back here to patch her up. Badb our big boss came in to aid in the work. James was so very intense on making everything ok for Betty. I understand now how deep a connection he has with her as her body guard, her family has become the family he never had over the two and a half millennium he has been on this earth, His medical training started as a surgeon in the Roman army, skills still used today by our modern medics. But James skills are so much deeper now having served protecting people through more wars than can be counted including two world wars, thousands of conflicts and skirmishes.
Fay was now charged with keeping an eye on Betty at her Keep in her Mothers realm, there Betty was safe even if this world wasn't. The time passage was slowed to allow her the most time to recuperate, before tomorrow when her kids came home. Already a bout a week has passed there for over night here.
On the Hunt
Sam
I knew about where to find the GPS spot I was given, this is where tonight I will be checking out the wolf man close up. I spent part of the day in quiet meditation then running my limbering exercises. Followed by my practice katas especially my staff tactics. I needed to be at the top of my game not only to confront whoever this person is, if he is even human, something about his total perfection doesn’t smell right. What ever I find I need to be able to stand toe to toe with this galoot, or fight my way out if it becomes nasty for what ever reason. In the world of the wild wolves this is always the problem of meeting a potential mate, I refuse to be a docile bitch becoming submissive, I am truly an Alpha female and if I do not miss my guess he is an Alpha male. The only way this could turn out well is that we both beat each other senseless, then out of respect for one another fall in love. But the pain always comes before pleasure, that is the way of the Alpha. I have worked too hard in my life to surrender my status now. I only do equal and respectful or die trying.
James
I was gratefully relieved that Betty is making a full recovery at Fay's keep. This allows me to prepare for my next test of me metal. I nay know anything personal about Sam, except what I could glean from her service jacket my contact in the Secret Service got for me. That and from what I directly observed gave me the chills. In my long time on this planet I never found an Alpha Human Woman that was such a close match to me on all counts. Both Phaedrus and Fay were correct, any risks to taking this chance, was well worth any of the risks, I needed to man up and for the first time in two and one half millennium put my heart on the line.
Her service Jacket showed her to be a true Professional Warrior. This was commented on by many of her commanding officers. These officers recognized that she never was a just a rank and file Soldier, She first made non com in her basic boot camp then captain as a in field promotion, all with out the advantage of West Point. Sam was someone who view their service and their job as an expression of the art of war. Time and again her resourcefulness and relentlessness took her adversary by surprise. I had to be ready for anything, or she could painfully wax my ass. The Goddess would never let me live that one down. The same time I need not to get carried away by crippling or killing her, that would be something I could not live with my self if that happened. I had to face a very upsetting fact that fate had taken any control over this process out of my hands, By the magics which created and sustain me I had already lost my heart to this woman and could only hope I was worthy of her acceptance.
Betty
All things considering my recovery was really anticlimactic; there was the normal stiff body, the sharp smell and taste of the iron from my blood that lingered for a while, before Fay's excellent port wine washed that away. One by one my senses came back to work first my sense of smell. Then my hearing, then touch and sight. In the end all systems checked out and with only a small amount of help I made it to the loo which I was really thankful was modern and not Medieval like the rest of Fay’s home. The surprise happened on the beginning of the second week here.
I had made peace with the hand of cards dealt to me when I was born. It was loaded to be sure with three jokers but also two aces. The first ace was the total acceptance by my now late parents, there love allowed me to integrate my dual nature with the rest of the world. My first fourteen years were not easy; life on the reservation is designed to kill the detainee's by neglect. But us first people we found ways around that, sometimes.
My banishment at 16 drove home that I was in an entirely new game playing by very different rules. I was so lucky to be shipped off to Maggie, the song was different, but the dance was still with the earth mother and not the modern civilization which worshiped the binary and not the truth of continuous range of gender expression. My not being totally one or the other allowed me to learn equally both set of skills. My tool box had so many options for handling problems I became expert at solving the unsolvable because I could apply both male and female logic to the problem at the same time. Cutting a zig zag path through the why not's and must do's. In fact my experiences prepared me for my present job here in Haven.
I awoke this morning after an intense healing session, I was feeling sticky and gross. Making my way to the now familiar bathroom I did so in the dark, not wanting the headache lights would cause. There was no practical reason to illuminate the process as I was seated through the entire performance and had no problem aiming. My surgical re-muddling was eight years behind me so I had long ago adjusted to how I feel and what I do not feel from my neither's, so after my initial relief of back pressure, I became intensely aware of an increased sensitivity to warm and cold followed by something warm and sticky starting to leak out of my vagina. That and the distinctive recognizable odor of menstruation seared through my mind pining my heart and lungs to stillness.
I had been given the gift of completeness. My emotions ran riot through me and I did what any one else in my position would do I wept tears of joy, there were big sobs of emotional release rippled unabated for a long time releasing an enormous amount of tucked away emotions.
`
Sam
I was bathing with my de-scenting soap, its a type used by hunters to remove all human odor. I carefully prepared by dressing in full special kit. Over the years having run Black Ops, I acquired many specialized pieces of gear, like impact spreading body armor which spread out the impact of any blow. This was sheathed by a thin layer of Anti penetration plate then covered by a black out Kevlar, carbon fiber outer tog with GORE-TEX ® liner and wicking panels to keep me marginally comfortable.
My weapons harness included a separate utility belt, my K bar in sheath, an additional layer of ablative armor over my chest, and back, also on my back the scabbards for my two black ops ninja type hand forged swords. My ankles, knees, and wrists had wraps to protect my joints. I had deploy-able compact wrist shield on my left hand and a powered grappling launcher on the top of my right, that doubled as a brass knuckle.
I always carried my grand dad’s service 45 and fifty rounds of ammo in separate magazines, all and all my entire rig from skin out added thirty pounds to my total weight distributed over my entire body. My gun and swords were the heaviest claiming twelve lbs. The rest of my equipment is a part of me like my legs and arms so the extra weight doesn't encumber me. I can not tell you how many hours I have worked in this rig. I have over the years refined it to its present form, and I will continue to evolve my gear as it keeps me alive. I like being alive so I take very good care of my rig.
James
The hide away is cleaned and the dinner table is set. The girls have the food already prepared and hot ready for just before we are to eat. I decided to dress in me regalia consisting of my kilt, linen shirt, sash sporran, and proper socks and gillies. I didn't count on any sword play tonight but I had me dirk on me hip just in case she got frisky.
All there was to do was wait to see if she shows, the hall is rented, the table set and the piper payed.
NOTHING IS DIFFERENT BUT EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED
Betty
I was sitting at my usual table at the Dragon before the kids get back sometime tomorrow, my recovery time at Fay's Keep was just what I needed to pull it all together. My blossoming was explained as something very necessary to protect my body from the ravages of channeling mana at the levels that was necessary. Merlin lived longer than most but because his body could not cleanse all the toxins created by the interaction of the mana with the impurities in the body he died young at only seven hundred and fifty years. Women lasted longer especially if we avoided food and environmental contamination.
So no more commercial cured meats for me, real foods only no food like stuff. Big no to artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or colorings which eliminated nearly all processed foods. There was a special danger to me from GMO foods as they reacted very badly, more so than nitrates and nitrites. My survival was not just tied to my diet. I had to change my shampoo and conditioner, perfumes were problematic most body care products especially those containing aluminum compounds unless I loved my arm pits bursting into flames from my antiperspirant. Sulfates or sulphides would cause me to stink like skunk cabbage so commercial salad bars or bagged salad, and most wines were out. This was the tip of the Iceberg and I knew it. I was already a careful shopper no high fructose corn syrup, or partially hydrogenated oils in our diet. And I already avoided most of the common deadly sin foods. The big bright spot is that I could eat nearly as much fattening foods as long as they were pure because my body now could consume the additional calories just doing light practice energy work.
I could eat at Bobs Dragon Inn, also the other locality provider’s of food in town. There were enough practicing unseen and other dietary purest we had a virtual total food supply protected by over a hundred years of practice, being isolated and independent no one ever thought to change anything. This was all small potatoes for what I gained in becoming totally comfortable in my body. I wasn't uncomfortable per se before, but damn me for being shallow I wasn't what my heart desired. Now I have another thing to explain to the kids. Oh the joys of parenthood, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world, but there are times it really makes me squirm.
Betty
I had some book and practical practice time with Fay and Morgan her mother. That also doubled as a debriefing to how the confrontation went. We figured that someone had planted something that was a focused source inside of the Barrier. It drew the makings of the storm to us directly and when I fought back successfully, it opted for a secondary target. My besting it at the pass ended the spell so it will not be able to return again. I just needed to locate the Focus Artifact that stored the spell and decommission it, later after I have healed. Since I have returned everyone has been very sweet to me for my work, both in the township office, and on the full moon cycles
. A Rabbi, a Minister and a Priest walked into Bob's [ not a joke they really did ] and came up to me. I went to get up out of respect but they all waved me down.
“I am Rabbi Samuel, Ms Betty we are not that formal around here and you have earned our respect for all that you are doing for Haven. , This is Father Paul of St Jude Catholic church and that is Pastor John. Of our interfaith church of Jesus Christ. We have been very remiss in properly greeting you to Haven.”
“Thank you for the welcome folks. I have been very busy this last month. so much I have forgotten my manners. and not made the rounds yet.” Paul spoke next.
“Betty you have been dubbed the cape-less wonder around here so it is no small wonder you haven't put up formalities. Ahead of saving the town, that is very understandable. Taking a deep breath Paul continued. I hope we are not being too forward in asking this next question, but are you from the same order as Ann was, and will you be taking over her job?.”
It was my turn to take a deep breath, “Yes and Yes, I truly hope this will not be difficult for you?”
I was surprised by the elation all three men shown me the moment I finished speaking.
Minister John replied joyfully “Certainly not, this is our prayers answered, we had an exceptionally fine relationship with the Sisters of Perpetual Peace. And Ann was an exceptional person as well treating all of the faiths with respect and love.”
“I assure you gentlemen that will not change with me being here. Every one has the right to approach there beliefs on their own basis, there is no more personal relationship some one can have. It would defile my own beliefs to interfere with the peaceful practice of yours and others faiths. If there is harm to none you may do as you will.
The only thing I can not condone is harm to children or the disabled, be that from age or any other infirmity or impairments. And likewise I will not turn a blind eye towards ill treatment of any minorities, even the classic ones many churches still practice. Other than that we should be good, I hope this puts your minds ease as to where I stand?”
You would have thought I had given them all puppy’s that they always wanted. Every one of the men shook my hand, blessed me, and as quickly as they came they left stepping lightly, being joyous.
Marge walked by and cracked, “ I fear Betty you are the victim of a drive by blessing. I hope it didn't hurt to much.”
“Marge considering in my day many of the clergy that I have met, in the past, would have tied me to a telephone poll and set me ablaze..I think I can suffer my way through this just fine.”
”
Sam.
I had hidden my bike Ta-rook in a handy secluded place and started my hunt. I had my night vision equipment built into my cowl but I preferred to use my unaltered senses until I had no other choice, normally I only use a clear lens in my eye protection. On top of the ridge which overlooked the area marked by the GPS location. I sniffed the wind, finding the familiar scent of Old Spice aftershave. God that man was brazen. I was just lucky that I liked Old Spice. That one thing made him easy to find.
.
James
I stood erect close in to the trunk of a large tree, holding my ash quarterstaff at the ready. I picked up a faint ripple in the ambient energy telling me some one was near by but not were. I sniffed the wind finding nothing but what belonged there. I still knew she was out there ,and closing as the ripple became stronger. I haven't been this excited since in Alexandria Egypt meeting Cleopatra with General Cesar Augustus. That was a very interesting night to say the least.
Melissa
We had finished our chores for James and his 'giggle ' date. Everything was set, and ready, the table ,wine , food, and first aid kit. I just could not leave and not spy on the goings on down below. Not watching the preliminaries would be to much to ask of me. To see the big guy in action courting a mate was going to be assume.
It has taken a lot for me to adjust to this very different life I find my self living now. So I take every occasion to study my own species for the discovery that will make sense of all of this. I am still very much an outsider, and I really want in so I need to understand my people. I felt Lilly snuggle up besides me then breathlessly ask.
“Did I miss anything.”
“ Nothing yet she still hasn't shown up, and I haven't picked up on any movement, or extra presence. This woman must be a pro, she even is controlling her breathing, and thoughts. Lilly checked her chronometer,
“ 5-4-3-2-1 She she seems to be running stylishly late.”
It was only because I could see in nearly total dark when I detected a slightly darker black moving against the black background. She came laterally from a branch oblique to James, catching him in the head with her foot. James reacted with a sweep of his quarter staff upward trying to catch her leaping back into the tree. His dilemma was she dropped low to the ground and did a double strike with her staff around James kidney area. She then just got out of the way of his staff which struck the tree with a solid whack that echoed through the quiet forest.
I don't know what she was thinking but she did a Grace Jones on James and took off for the hills full tilt. To his credit he grunted, recovered, then went in pursuit. The both of us followed because we didn't want to miss any of the action.
Sam
When the big guy’s staff hit the tree the speed and the sound of the strike worried me. With just a stick this guy was the grim reaper in a ten foot radius, So I hit him where he lived and hoped he was wearing a cup. I then took the fight on the road hoping to use a hit and run tactic rather than getting beaten to mulch in a head on assault.
James
I decided at the last second to wear me Roman helm and that single thought saved me head from being ripped off by her oblique attack.. I then misread her trajectory and dropping low rather than high she got a double strike in on me kidneys. When my round house only hit the tree she nailed me in the nuts and took off.
Thank the Goddess I was wearing my combat cup 'just in case ' or I would have been the tallest soprano among the Yule choir singers this year. I must say I was impressed that she was so quick on her feet and in her head. Taking this on the run was a brilliant move, but for one thing that this wolf does love the chase.
Lilly
Only a dozen or so strides separated the two lovers when she went over and up on the top of some rocks trying to gain the higher ground advantage. When James came by he read the situation and was partially able to block her staff attack knocking her off the rock to the ground. Surprisingly she landed on her feet, so when James closed in she did something I could not see with her staff, hitting James in the solar plexus then using his momentum levered himself over her and into some conveniently situated black berry thickets. Not having to be told twice she was off again with a slight gimp for the first few steps then smoothly made it away, before James got himself out of the bushes.
Melissa
As James exited the bushes I was just close enough to hear him chuckling to himself, like he was having a blast. Lilly and I continued to shadow the two of them when I lost sight of her, That didn't last long when James took a tumble as his date was hidden in a shallow dark depression and had used her staff to trip him. James went Ass over Apex, but still recovered enough to make a powerful sweep, that spoiled her follow up attack, just missing her but shattering two saplings that could not duck.
Sam
I was expecting more time to attack when I tripped the big guy, but I was totally surprised when he recovered at the speed of light nearly killing me with his tree trunk. I was still twelve or more feet away from him which made his reach an ungodly distance. If this wasn't courtship I would be forced to shoot him because of not being able to get close enough to subdue him. Time to again to get out of here and figure out how to get close enough to do some damage. What I needed was to somehow get that staff out of his hands.
James
Her cleverly laid and executed trap just missed taking me down again. Then she evaded my counter attack like she knew it was coming. I have never sparred with a norm who lasted more than an exchange or two, Sam is in record breaking territory here. I never imagined courtship could be so much fun.
Melissa
I swear if it wasn't for the armor and big sticks waving all over the place, it looked like two wolf cubs having fun in the woods. She would ambush, he would counter attack, but just a tad too slow to get in front of her due to her speed and the broken forest terrain. She was no small women but next to James hulking mass she looked tiny.
Lilly and I could tell she was running out of steam, this had been going on for over forty five minutes with no let up no one should be able to keep this up against James. I was particularly worried that the two of them were uncomfortable close to skirting the cave in area where either or both of them could get into trouble.
Sam
This has been fun but I was getting winded and he was like the battery bunny going on and on ad nausea, My thoughts were literally jerked up short when a cave bear sized hand seized a grip on my equipment harness then tossed me a good five yards into a clump of trees. I skidded to a stop missing several rocks being stopped by my staff catching two parallel trees. My legs were not on solid soil they were hanging over a drop off, and that edge immediately started crumbling under my weight.
I could hear shouting of warnings and running towards me. Taking note that the rumbling and crumbling under me was moving faster than any imminent rescue, I redoubled my efforts. In a desperate lunge I chinned my self on my staff then in one smooth movement I drew and plunged my K Bar into the ground as fully as I could reach. Luckily it went into the soft soil to its hilt allowing me to pull myself up further away from the gaping maw of the trench I was slipping into. I then was able to draw my tanto short sword and did the same. I laid there panting, wiggling my self slowly onto hopefully firmer ground being pursued by a crumbling edge trying to devour me.
James
I could have kicked my self just after tossing Sam into the rough. The mental link between Melissa and Lilly screamed “cave in area” Unfortunately when I playfully tossed my date, her staff took a plunder to me head, knocking me daffy for a time. When I regained my senses I immediately went into rescue mode dropping any excess weight taking only my body harness staff and rope. The two girls joined me helping me search for my date, fearing the worst but praying for the best.
Melissa
After we found James and got some basic directions both Lilly and I went full wolf feeling it would be more helpful. We could sense the movement in the ground through our four feet and see far better this way than in human form. Between that and our link between us we narrowed the area down. I could again just make out a form trying to pull their way along the ground away from the progressing edge of the cave in. Lilly and I were able to narrow down a path that was lesser dangerous than any other approaches to the stranded person. James appeared lightened his gear to only the basics and prepared to pull his date out of the drink before anything worse happens.
Lilly
The two of us belayed James by the rope clipped to the back of his harness. Carefully he snake crawled to within his staff’s reach of his date, where we could hear him sweetly directing her to take a hold. That was so romantic, I didn't think he had it in him.
Sam
I was going nowhere fast as I crawled along the ground trying to escape bring eaten. I would move and the dirt behind me would crumble closer erasing my progress to safety. I was too focused to panic but my heart was well up into the cardio exercise range just crawling on the ground. Then my ears picked up on a deeply bass Scottish accented voice.
“Here love take the end of this please, let me pull you to safety.”
I had been cursing this man’s reach with that damn stick for nearly an hour, suddenly I was very happy to see it just within reach. Pulling one more time on my right sword I wrapped my left hand around that thick tree branch and was rewarded by being pulled along the ground like a kids toy.
James
I was never so relieved in my life as when I felt Sam's iron grip on my hand as I pulled her onto firmer ground. She had abandoned her staff and swords that had saved her life, and shown no interest in retrieving them. We were now a good four meters from the crumbling edge with her using my staff to brace her self as she gasped for breath. For the first time I heard my love’s voice asking me.
“Good God man where did you learn how to throw like that, Shit you tossed all 185 lbs of me over five yards.”
'Sam My name is James 'the Idiot' and I am so sorry I got carried away in the moment, Are you all right love?”
“Better now, thank you, that was too close for comfort, guy. I didn't know that there was a trap like that around here or I would have gone a different way.”
We were standing exchanging pleasantries when she grasped the middle of my staff with both hands. Just then my back was towards the pit when the ground under my feet caved in forming a hole wider than my staff. The stench of sulphide and rotten wood wafted past my nose nearly causing me to retch. Somehow Sam latched onto the staff firmly enough that when she sat down she was able to brace herself across two parallel trees and hold on to me at the same time. She was cursing like a drunken sailor asking me if I ate lead for lunch ?
Sam
“God James your ass is heavy, man, please god tell me you can help me, I don't know if I have the leverage to pull you up.:”
Sam
I was desperately on the other side of the pull this time and for a moment I thought I had lost him, but the pain in my knees left no doubt that I still had him. Thank god he had a belaying rope attached to him but I was still concerned that I could not pull him up and out.
“Hold on Sam we will help you pull lead ass out.”
The voice came from one of two identically looking almost super model liking women who surprisingly had the moxie with me to pull James out of the hole he was in. All four of us crawled away a goodly distance from that damn edge.
Sam
When we recovered enough to walk James and the two girls named Lilly and Melissa took me to a lovely very swanky cave that was truly set for a banquet for two. They directed me to an alcove protected by a curtain; it was lit by candles. I could not tell the two apart just yet, but I think it was Melissa who is slightly taller who came in to tend my wounds. She had poured me a glass of wine which she offered me with some explanation.
“Lilly and I are kin to James in a round about way, but we are being trained in our family business which is Private Personal Security for the very very important people. Our family is older than Rome so we have quite a few quirky traditions. Especially when it comes to love and marriage.”
“Excuse me but you sound American?”
“I am and I only recently discovered by accident that I was related to Lilly, because we were raised separately. So I am still learning about my family, and its traditions.”
Melissa had helped me out of my gear and was cleaning out my cuts and scrapes as we talked. I sipped the wine allowing her to play nurse. After cleaning she took me to the back of the cave where there was a hot springs pool where I was able to clean up in a side room and soak some of the kinks out alone for a few moments before returning to the beginning alcove, where I found some simple cotton togs top and bottom..and sandals, I dressed slowly noticing that my cuts and scrapes had closed over and started to heal.
Then a coin dropped into my piggy bank, some guys in my old unit had talked of a highly secretive group of people our government did business with upon occasion. The big take away from that conversation was it was best not to ask too many questions because they took their security very seriously. Racking my brain for a few minutes it came to me one group was the Untouchables, being so high up the food chain no one controlled them. The second scarier group it was told was so much more so than the first and they went by the group name the Unseen. These folks were powerful in their person and had the ability to heal grievous wounds even on others. The two I knew later shipped out to another unit and the only contact I ever had was a post card from one of them saying:
“Wish you were here.” the note on the back cryptically stated “ We got promoted to a new job that's great. We are thinking about you in a good way. Remember when opportunity knocks, answer the door. The best treasurers in life are those which go unseen by all others, and they hide in plain sight.. Trust your gut instincts and you won’t regret it.”
I passed this off as a couple of guys getting drunk and playing a prank, now this appears to be something completely different. “Trust your gut instincts.” My gut was relaxed and felt no danger only friendship and an overpowering feeling of love from James.
That was the pain I felt in my heart so strongly, that I could almost not breath, The wine was easing that campy panic attack feeling and what remained was a wall of love and the longing., both of us felt, I had been alone since becoming a woman, he has been alone since becoming a man that for some reason felt immeasurably long ago. I knew neither of us ever had some one we could trust as a close companion or a true love. How have we survived so long with out this feeling being quenched.
Lilly “the shorter of the two” came to bring me to dinner. The table was set for two including candles and flowers. The wine had been poured and the dinner served. In a blink of an eye both of the girls were gone leaving the me alone with this Greek God hunk of man who almost killed me but saved me then I saved him..... I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.