Once. A long time ago. Ages past, so far past that there is no longer a history for it the agents of Gaia and the agents of Civilization did battle. In the first great cities of the world did the peoples of Humanity seek refuge as peoples of godlike power walked among them. Hoping against hope that they would survive the cataclysms.
They did... sort of. Only by abandoning all that came before. It was into this world that modern man came to be. Still linked in many ways to the akashic fields that had given power to those prior, in many ways no longer aware of their heritage. Time passed, centuries... millennia. Eventually Civilization rose once again. Great cities larger if less advanced than prior stood upon the Earth. This was like an incessant itch upon the realm of Gaia. It turned its attention towards ridding itself of the parasites that caused it such mental pain, only to find that it had its own avatars to protect itself with. The two did battle, first in quiet later in the open. Giants walked open for a time. Until almost nothing was left in the second epoch.
Both entities brought low, nigh on destroyed. They then invested a piece of their own awareness on something to help keep oblivion at bay. This was the birth of Balance.
Time passed again. Time enough for humanity to completely forget everything that came prior.
Now it is the third epoch. It is the time that Civilizations excesses cause grief to Gaia and Gaia's conservative nature grates upon all of Civilization causing them to feel penned in and hated.
Will Balance be able to maintain, or will it be too much for it to handle.
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Mirror Changed - Prologue
Rock quarries could be found throughout the world. Wherever mankind had spent a length of time to create their works, great or small, they could be found. From before the time of the building of the great pyramids on to modern days.
Many of these have been abandoned for various reasons. Most quarries could be included in this consideration. Sometimes due to local economic issues, or the main materials being played out. No matter the cause there are commonalities between many. One of which is that they often contain deep and still pools of water. Some contain what could be considered full lakes.
Groups of individuals would sometimes make these quarries their homes, or their playgrounds. Others would make them places of refuge. Places where they could meet or perhaps hide from the world. There are a multitude of groups to watch out for in these pits deep in the earth. From legalized corporate interests to governments, to small private estates. Sometimes they were entrances to secret paramilitary installations. Other times they would be home to something… more.
One such rock quarry found itself the current residence of something a bit less than mundane.
In many ways it had the same appearance of abandonment that many unused quarries obtain. The steep carved cliffs below a mountain tree line, the mineralized water lake that ran deep. The rock ledge at the bottom could almost be considered the stage flat of an open-air auditorium. A place that would attract the local youth in the hot summer months. That is if it was close to any active town or city.
Today it was not one of those. Rather it was a somewhat cool spring morning, the crisp air sharp in any lung that was to breath it in. In the shade of the cliff there was frost on the ground and patches of ice still at the rims of the water. Part of the shelf was raised above the rest. Facing it was chiseled areas, almost like benches in the stone. Raising in a few rows up to the cliffs edge. In the low center was positioned a platform for a speaker that was standing to address any in which sat there at the time. The granite of the stage a bit darker than the stone around. The prime stage for a grand performance if any was to be had.
This morning there was such a performance occurring. Three individuals sat on the benches nearest to the cliffs edge. Another three opposite closer to an edge of water. Nine stood or otherwise resided in a crescent formation on the raised stone flat.
Of the three nearest the lake the first was a huge grey wolf. Yellow eyes shining of the moon in the wilderness, an intellect greater than lupine shining through. It was almost five feet at its haunches if it was an inch. To its left in the position like that of a guard was an angelic visaged male, wings of soot black and torso like a veteran of the fighting pits of old. He was dressed almost as a Roman Centurion, sword and all. The third was a man with deep purple skin, four tentacles curling and uncurling from his back. Otherwise his hair was chocolate brown and well groomed, to match his dark grey business suite sharply pressed and tailored to fit. These members would be known to the others to be the representatives of Gaia. The very energetic embodiment of nature, of every living creature that ever was and ever would be.
The other trio represented a different group. A stone guardian, perhaps better seen as a gargoyle grown animated and mobile. Face equal parts bestial and manlike demon. Its granite teeth razor sharp behind lips that curled in disgust from time to time. To the creatures side was a woman of truly Amazonian stature. Arms crossed under breasts with legs stood at a stance shoulder width apart. She was dressed like a biker punk turned Walmart employee with attitude to match. Not the cheery commercialized smile either, rather the begrudging resentment of a minimum wage slave in a rural town that had at least two mortgage payments back-owed. Strapped across her back was a great four foot long Warhammer that would look more at place in a Tolkeen book than in isle five of s-mart. The last of them on their part of the rise was perhaps the oddest. Comprised of equal parts man, cogs, circuits, hydraulics, wires and more it seemed to be a humanoid piece of technological art animated to a life more than just animatronics. This was the group representing the growth of Civilizations past and present. Perhaps new to the planet but now no less an integral part of the fabric of existence thanks to the evolution and rise of Humanity.
Normal perhaps by comparison stood the nine in the center platform. If one was to discount that four of the members were only floating nimbuses of light composed of varying hues that is. The other five were three men and two women. Dressed in a range from business formal to hippy to punk band groupie. The centermost man of the group stood tall. Dressed as a sort of coffee shop hipster. A trendy health nut style under a well groomed beard and manbun. His worn denim pants either pre fashioned or had seen better days, the leather vest with the exact right number of scuffs to be stylish rather than beaten up. Yet to all this his eyes were a slate hard as a winters storm. Glints of light not quite seen of diamond and amber, perhaps there and perhaps not.
It was this man who spoke for the Nine who represented the Balance that must now be maintained between Gaia and Civilization.
“We all know why we have been summoned.” His voice steady and clear. Pitched to reach all and through some trick not a trace of echo back from the stone walls of the quarry. “Once again the world is nearing a Tipping point. A point into which there may be no return.” He paused for emphasis looking around at each in turn. “Fewer of us than there should be are here to maintain the Balance, fewer to hold the excesses at bay. Fewer with the longevity of sight and memory of the atrocities of the past to steer the course.”
He looked between the gap of the other two groups rather than speak directly to either. “Remember why the Balance was struck. Why we were called. If Gaia removes Civilization it too may succumb before it can regenerate the damages already wrought. If civilization suppresses Gaia than the very energy that has birthed us all could vanish. Both Gaia and Civilization understood this in millennia past. Both invested in us. In the Balance. And so we of Balance work to maintain the peace between.”
To each of the groups he addressed in turn. “This has been made particularly strenuous this last while as individuals within each of your respective parties either refused to follow the accords of Balance or worse yet, actively work to undermine our very existence on this planet.”
Before the speaker could continue the stonelike representative of Civilization spoke up, “Only you of Balance would believe all that. That to allow one over the other truly would be the end of all. Gaia has had its time in the ascendency, it is time for Civilization to take the lead and show our races a glorious future free of the old constraints that have not been needed for centuries.”
As the gargoyle stepped back the hybrid technological being continued, his voice part synthesized echoing over a regular mans tonals. “Our advancements have made great strides forward. If parts of the old die off we can now create support matrices as needed to replace the obsolete systems that could no longer keep up.”
While Civilization had been speaking the representatives of Gaia showed little interest. The great Wolf yawned and the well dressed aquatic member seemed inscrutable. The Angelic man just inspected talons he had instead of fingernails. As if to make sure his manicure still held.
Left of the central speaker of Balance one of the glowing balls of light pulsed as it spoke. The voice both ethereal and slightly effeminate. “That is something that would be very fool hardy to discover. Are you not aware that without Gaia that Mankind itself may not exist? That it is the only species on the planet comprised of energies of all three of us?”
The clockwork man responded in kind. “Is that really how it is? Or is it in the reverse? That it is the species and beings that feed the energies of the fields and not the energies that feed the species?”
Another of the glowing beings, this one an azure blue floated to the front to speak. “It is only through a Balance between Nature and Mankind’s progress that allows all to continue to live and grow. Mankind MUST nurture its natural elements, and Nature MUST allow Mankind to prosper to allow the cycle.”
“That could be,” the mechanoid replied then turned to address the Gaian congregation. “And would be fine to remain in Balance. That is if those of Gaia would control its chosen and allow us to get on with the business of Civilizations Progress. Strides are made every year towards the goals you state, yet for the life of all the conflict still boils and their crimes are not yet addressed.”
The Amazon continued for him as he trailed off, her voice completely at odds with her appearance. More in conjunction with a highly bred noble or member of a parliamentary body than with someone who would commonly be found on an old style motorcycle tearing up the backroads. “Every year more disasters strike. Tornadoes where there should be none, tsunami’s that destroy whole seaboards, volcanoes coming to life far before their time. These are not the works of Civilization. They are not the work of military technologies. They are the works of those who ‘Represent Nature’. Those who are supposedly tasked with preserving life.” Her voice dropped into a near growl. “They would destroy as much of humanity as possible rather than allow any coexistence.”
Before the rant and rhetoric could continue the great wolf spoke. Its voice resonant and true in sound as to its appearance. “Nonsensical ramblings of the young.” His voice as condescending as it was bestial. “Your own actions bring your downfall. We need only outlive your very foolishness and greed. Once, as before, your great cities fell. Your technology waned. And then Gaia will know peace as it has in times prior. It happened before and it will happen again.”
The tone alone was enough to incise anger in the representatives of Civilization. The patronizing words added enough fuel to the flame to incite action. The Amazon woman stepped down from the rock bench towards the wolf. Warhammer swinging free into hand. She began another step in anger when an eye searing beam of light shot out from the body of the electric blue glowing sphere that had spoke earlier. The edges of the light shaper than a razors edge, the impact of the coherent beam left a scar in the rock large enough to tell the Amazon what would have happened if she continued her forward motion. She pulled her foot back watching as the rock cooled from the slight molten boil it had been induced into.
“There will only be discussions here.” One of the human members of Balance stated. “If you wish to do battle then you shall be banished from this local. Another of your Chosen will be brought in to speak on your factions behalf.”
The stone gargoyle rose from its sitting position. “No more discussion is required. Gaia is as usual uninterested in listening or reaching accord.” It waved its hand in dismissal. “We will now wish to depart.”
“As will we.” The wolf spoke for its side. Both its demeaner and stance speaking towards its boredom.
“Very well.” The central speaker for Balance stated. “Just know that both of your factions are being watched. Remember that our threshold of tolerance is low, and if you violate the accords of Balance you and the violators will be returned here for Judgement.”
The statement made he stepped back and nodded to a pair to his left. The man was dressed business casual and a woman in a military like camouflage outfit. Each went to stand in front of the two factions. In unison the two raised their arms to begin an intricate weaving of hands and fingers through the air. Lights of gemlike fire coalesced in the tracings trailing their motions. Sapphire blue for the woman and amber from the man. The imagery accelerated into large spheres inbetween the Magus’s and the representatives of Gaia and Civilization. In one sphere a great forest grew into view. In the other a cityscape. The two spheres shot forth to engulf the triumvirate of each respective group.
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End Prologue.
Mirror Changed – Chapter 01
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Through most of the world many people have commented that fast food places are really all the same. The same basic concept and layout. Whether it is burgers or tacos or pizza they all share the same formulaic approach. The same waiting in lines. The same grease. Whether inside or out in the car. The same basic eating areas, and if you are lucky the same indoor children’s play places. Sitting down to eat in one of them contained so much of the sameness that to eat in one you could feel like you had eaten in them all.
It was this sameness that was what people craved. Similarity and Conformity. Comfort. Not because it was actually comfortable, or for that matter even pleasant. It was comfortable because it all contained what a person could expect. The comfort of knowing how the whole process worked without having to learn anything new.
No matter whether the person was a customer or they stood behind the counter. Or at least that was what I had told myself so that I could deal with the shear drudgery of my job. There really was a comfort in knowing what to expect I suppose. Not because it was enjoyable, because it most definitely was not. No matter how much I smiled or engaged the endless throng of people. Take my register as an example. From the customers side it looked new and sparkling clean. They didn’t see the keypad though. The buttons worn down from countless repetitive depressions. Much like the people working here, like myself and my coworkers.
All smiling façade and attempted pleasantries.
The specific buttons for specials were the worst. I could never understand why management insisted on keeping the same new combo’s on the same row year after year without replacing the keys. So that us register monkeys just had to mash the worn down buttons harder and harder until something gave. The whole set had to be replaced just to fix one button. So we just prayed that it went out on someone else’s shift because woe be to the person who reported it to management. It was not our fault to have the technology pushed so far past its service life after all.
Perhaps it was just my lot in life. To be a register service attendant in whatever service job would have me. At least until I was replaced by a kiosk or something. I had barely passed high school. Not because it was hard, rather it was so very boring. I wasn’t anything exceptional either. Just a run of the mill gamer geek. I had some friends, not many though. Probably the only thing we had in common was a console or two.
When I looked at myself in the mirror I still saw the same thing I had seen for years. Light colored complexion, not fully white Anglo Saxon, not exactly the olive tint of the Mediterranean. Nor any of the darker skins of a person of Hispanic origin. Just a standard Heinz fifty seven Caucasian mix. Sandy brown hair that was thick and soft. It never seemed to take to any styling. Not even the bed head that seemed to be so popular… again. So I kept it short…. ish. I kind of kept forgetting to get it cut so it was usually too long or too short to style.
Right now it was smack dab in the awkward zone. Just like me. The only nice thing that my friends, few left that they were, commented on regularly was my eyes. They told me that they were a deep blue grey, like a deep stormy sea. I personally just felt that they were a murky blue.
Like the fast food restaurants being all the same, so was my life. I felt bored. Today I was bored, yesterday I was bored, tomorrow? Tomorrow I would likely be bored. Hell, it seemed that I had become so adept at feeling bored that I could list it on my resume as a job skill.
There was a comfort in that as well I guess.
Not that today, or this shift was actually boring. Nope, things were too busy to allow for that. What with the constant ‘Yes Ma’am, would you like to upsize that sir, how about a combo, and all the Here’s your receipt’. Then there’s my personal favorite ‘Sorry, we don’t sell that here’. Whatever ‘that’ turns out to be. Us register apes sometimes compare notes on the best ones. We even had a pool going on it until the manager found out and shot it down.
High school graduation was supposed to be the first major door closing on my life to open many bigger and better doors of opportunity.
Not for me.
Instead I end up working the same jobs, having the same friends, still pining for the same things that were always so far beyond my grasp.
I take that back. There was one MAJOR and Wonderful change. I had finally been able to move out of my dads place. The drunken old bastard had given up on life a long time ago. It had been just the two of us since Mom had up and left. I don’t know why she left. There was no note or reason. Just one day she was there and the next she was not. She and Dad had never really gotten along. He told me they had only stayed together because of me. Dad did the obligatory searching and police reports he was supposed to after she had left.
A couple of years ago he had declared her legally dead so that he could collect the life insurance.
That was when he quit his job. His alcoholism was at least tolerable when he had to be sober for work. Without his job he just climbed right down the throat of that damned bottle. I didn’t understand how someone could do that and still stay alive. I wished to do things with my life. To be someone, to do something. Now just two years later I was beginning to understand. A few months ago I had finally saved up enough to move into a rund down studio apartment near to where I worked. The first months, last months, security, and utilities took everything I had. But I was out of his house. Gone from underneath his thumb.
I could not have left fast enough.
It was supposed to be the start of a new and prosperous life.
Then the routine had started.
The routine of having to work full time and more just to keep the rent paid. To keep the utilities on. I was lucky at the end of each paycheck to have enough to buy a pair of pants or one console game. At least I still had my friends. Those that hadn’t moved off to collage at any rate.
Many times when I am working my mind travelled inwards. Like right now. It was a way to deal with the tedium. To go to a place where maybe I had gone off to collage. Or perhaps played sports. If I had been able to do so I would have left the area.
Not that living just North of Seattle Washington was such a bad place. It was a great place for a nineteen year old loser teen to live. However it was the only place I knew. I could do with some change. Any change.
My contemplation was cut short when a pretty girl standing in front of my register didn’t hold to the normal fast food attendant script.
“Jayde.” She was visibly exasperated. “Wake Up! Earth calling Mr. Roboto.”
From her tone I gathered she had repeated herself at least a time or two.
I broke out of my fugue state enough to recognize that number one – she was the last in line, and that number two – it was my friend Suzi. One of my best, and really only friends. We had grown up a few houses down from each other. In her younger years she had been a tomboy, always running around with unkempt hair and skinned knees. It wasn’t until puberty hit her with a huge bat that I had even known that she was a girl.
Her lack of regular fashion continued to this day. Suzi dressed up however she wanted to dress. As often as not in partial cosplay costume or in shockingly counter culture outfits.
Today her sneakers had seen better times, worn and marker doodled. Ripped stylish jeans frayed beyond the normal point showing more skin than denim on her left leg. A tight midriff showing t-shirt with the latest pop band that for the life of me I could not remember emblazoned across the bust. Tummy showing the nearly obligatory parental defying belly button piercing. A stylish leather jacket over it all. Actually current fashion I think, but I could always be wrong.
Suzi’s hair was punked out today. Spiky jet black with purple and shock pink highlights. The contrast between her hair and porcelain whit skin made her cornflower blue eyes pop so vibrantly that I felt my breath taken away at just the sight. A vibrant electricity that never failed to draw me in.
I am sure that I stood there blinking like some kind of special education kid for far too long. “Sorry… did I ask if you wanted that in a combo again?”
At her nod I cringed. I hated looking like an idiot in front of her.
“Don’t be such a dumbshit, dumbshit.” She said in a deadpan tone. “C’mon, how long till you’re off?”
“Not sure. I think when I’m scheduled to.” I know I was usually a clueless literal person, but sometimes I enjoyed playing it up.
Her half lidded stare told me that she did not consider me the smartest protozoa in the petri-dish right now. After a couple moments of the impasse she let out a sigh through pursed lips. It puffed her cheeks a bit. I really enjoyed how even the smallest of her actions were so expressive.
“Sorry, I don’t know what time it is.” Maybe being too literal right now wasn’t the best idea.
About then, with good sitcom timing, my manager exited his office. He wore the same outfit I did, though it was a bit cleaner and with a managers tag. Oh, it also didn’t have the apron. It really looked like so many of the fast food managers tag and shirt in every place I had ever worked or seen.
He looked over at me for a moment before walking back to the prep area without saying a word. That of course ruined the sitcom moment. No interaction, just the humdrum of real life. This wasn’t some type of friendly people episode or apartment bachelor life. Nope just the standardized cookie cutter of existence I found myself living in. Nothing more than a fleshy cog in the works of society.
“Jayde….”
Suzi was tapping her foot in annoyance now. I think I had mentally wandered off again.
“Sorry. I think I’m supposed to be off at six or so.”
“Why look at that.” She pointed at a clock on the wall that I seemed to keep forgetting is there whenever I spaced out. “It’s six p.m. already.”
I looked over feeling a rush of energy. The type one can only feel when at the end of the daily grind. Freeing oneself to pursue something much more enjoyable.
Doing my best not to let out a whoop of joy I went back to the rear of the prep area. A couple of my coworkers were figuring out the latest hybrid concoction that the franchise corporate marketing had thought up. Some form of burrito pizza thing that we all hoped would fizzle.
The things were a nightmare to put together. Far to messy.
“Don? Hey, it’s six. Can I clock out?” I asked as soon as I got to where he had gotten off to.
He was in the security and safe room counting out a register. He looked up from what he was doing for just and without a word went back to his count.
Donald was another of the sameness of fast food places. Nondescript mid thirties man running towards fat with short hair showing the signs of male pattern baldness. He may have once been physically fit when he was my age. Now he looked like central castings idea of a failed in life highschool quarterback.
Right now I had to wait him out. Whenever Don got like this it was best to just be patient. No matter how irritated I got when my manager acted so dismissive towards me I still had to keep a pleasant smile plastered to my face. He was the one who authorized my paychecks after all. Did all managers go to a class on how to optimally irritate their employees or something?
Almost two minutes to the second Don finished the count and recorded the amounts into his computer log.
“Yes. You may go now. Tell Becky that she is on register two on your way out.” His voice was dull, seemingly bereft of any care towards me or the job. “I will get your register and count it. You better not be off this time Jim or it will come out of your paycheck.”
Of course. He got my name wrong… Again…
“It’s Jayde, Don. Jayde, not Jim.”
“Whatever. Get out of here. Don’t be late to your next shift.” He handed me Becky’s drawer as he talked.
I didn’t bother to reply to his surly nature. Don’t fee the bears and all that. I went to the drive window where Becky was spelling someone else for a quick break. “Hey, Don says to take register two.”
Drawyer places in her hands I quickly punched out before there were any other distractions. I went out front where Suzi had her smartphone out. She was avidly involved in some app or another.
“Please tell me you’re playing something normal.” I sat down across from her.
“Remove the apron.” She didn’t even bother to look up from her device.
Looking down at myself I saw that I hadn’t’ bothered to even take it off. I really did not like what these places did to me. Once the apron was off and placed on the small table Suzi looked up from the phone. Her dark hair and light complexion caught me off guard again. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it but I counted myself lucky to have a friend like her. Even if that was all we could ever be.
When she started to talk it shocked me out of my moment of introspection.
“It’s an augmented reality first person shooter. I’m just readying my weapons for my next encounter.”
She held up the phone so I could look through the screen. The camera was on because I could see everything past the phone. There was a superimposed status and targeting overlays turning it into a sort of heads up display. Just like many of the first person shooters we played. It looked like all of reality had been turned into the game.
“The game’s currently entering early Beta testing. They asked me to review some of its features.”
“Do you ever play a game outside of Beta or Pre-release?” I knew the answer but in good conscience I still had to ask.
“Why would I ever do that? By that time I’ve already figured everything out.” She kicked her legs out and clasped her hands behind and above her head. The motion popping her chest out and drawing attention to her slim profile. I was pretty sure she did these things on purpose, or they could be subconscious actions from watching too much anime. “Booooooorrrrriiiiinnnnnnggggg…….” She then regained animation and leaned forward placing her hands on the table. “So, ready to hang out with David and the crowd?”
Definitely on purpose.
“Yes!” That would lighten my mood considerably. “What’s tonights agenda?”
“I’ll let that be a surprise.” Suzi got up and walked to the door. I gladly fell into step beside her. “Lets get outta here.”
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End Chapter 01
Alright! Two main characters introduced!
So, unlike Summoned, Much of this story is told from Jayde’s point of view in first person narrative. I love to experiment with various styles of writing. Please feel free to comment back on anything. I love to find out what beautiful peoples out in the world think.
Mirror Changed – Chapter 02
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~Jayde~
I didn’t really know where I was. I felt that I should know, but for some reason it was just out of my reach. I stood on a barren path of sorts. Rather indistinct. Looking down I saw that I had nothing on, but it felt natural to be that way here.
Where ever here happened to be.
Could I be dreaming? Since I rarely remembered my dreams I had a hard time telling. However there seemed to be very little of … well anything where I found myself. Wasn’t that a hallmark of dream logic?
“Hello?”
No response. Of course. This had to be a dream of sorts, but it felt real. I leaned over to feel the ground with my hands. It was like a fine gravel, not really large pebbles or stones but not quite granulated sand.
“Anybody?”
I stood back up and took a step forward. When I did so I saw something move in the distance to my left. Did the horizon to that side look slightly greener? Not sure what to do I took another step but stayed on the path.
Definitely greener. Sort of like grass or something was attempting to grow. I turned towards it and waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
I wasn’t sure how much time I spent there. I also wasn’t sure time had meaning here. Since nothing happened.
“Sure, why the hell not.” Another step would be nice after all.
Soon as I took it the green began to get deeper. I wasn’t sure I should walk towards the green or stay on the path. Undecided I continued on the path for now. That seemed a good choice as the green continued to grow.
Sometime and many steps later trees and shrubs of some types were shooting upwards in the distance. Nothing great yet but something beyond a monotonous horizon.
“What does this mean about my psych?” I wondered aloud as I continued to walk. “Nothing too bad I hope.”
After what I thought was a mile or more the green-scape had turned into a veritable jungle of many intermixed species of flora and fauna. Insects and animals had begun to appear. As well several great trees had grown well beyond the tallest skyscrapers I had ever conceived of. In amongst all the foliage flying creatures began to appear.
“Sure. Why not. A pterodactyl.” The large feathered lizard birds flew in great circles overhead.
The further I walked the more examples of life I saw. It was all so tempting to go and explore. I was still more interested in walking along to see what more may come about. Taking a step into the green felt like a commitment for some reason, so I was hesitant to take that approach regardless.
So intent was I on watching the green that I felt I had missed something on the other side. That something caught my eye. I turned and was almost floored as a primitive city like something out of history books was growing out of the ground like the trees before.
There seemed to be some sort of klaxon sounding off in the distance. An alarm of sorts. Not a gong, not a buzzing siren. Was it coming from the Urban environment?
Whatever it was it was getting louder. Closer. It was almost too loud now. I put my hands over my ears, or tried to anyway. Something had my right hand entangled. I looked down to see a vine holding onto it from the green.
Ok, I felt a bit panicked now. I reached with my left hand to try to free it up. Only to find it encased in an iron manacle holding it to a thick bar in the ground from the city.
This was not a good situation.
Still struggling I lost sight of everything and struggled to stand up. With an effort I managed to press off.
And fell out of bed to faceplant on the floor. Covered in sweat and entangled in soaked blankets.
“Ooooookay then…. That was a bit bizarre.”
My room looked normal. Broken computer collecting dust. Bed on the floor as I couldn’t even afford a bedframe. Bathroom door slightly ajar, I never really closed it. Small hand me down television, one of the early high definition twenty two inch deals. It had several dead pixels but it was free. Pair of couple generations out of date game consoles, their game discs scattered around.
Normal.
I stood up disentangling myself from my bedding.
“What time is it?” The sun came in through my window, telling me it was likely late morning. Perhaps early afternoon? I grabbed my phone and shut off its alarm function. Crap, it said it was three pm.
Great… I had slept almost the entire day away and only had a kookie dream to show for it.
“Shit…”
I was late for work….
Again.
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~Elsewhere~
Inside of a trendy downtown coffee shop in Portland Oregon sat a well dressed young man. Neatly dressed in an old fashioned beige tweed suit complete with porkpie hat. Across from him in the cozy booth sat a taller and much more modernly dressed man.
Both were holding steaming mugs of caffeinated beverages and talking about pointless trivialities like almost all such peoples that could be found in places like this. Midway through their conversation about politics and which pop singer controversy would rise its ugly head the man in the tweed suits phone buzzed.
“One moment Jeremiah.” He said to his darker haired companion.
Jeremiah looked to be in his mid to late twenties and was dressed as something akin to extreme sports punk meets corporate executive. Slacks designed to double as running or skating pants, tight stretchy sleeveless shirt that buttoned up the front and an open vest on top. Leather and metal forearm guards, the left one with a smart watch built into it. All this plus a nose ring to complete his wealthy bad boy look. The dark skin tone from his Hispanic heritage set the whole package to a very enjoyably exotic look.
After a few moments on the phone the younger man hung up. He had a much lighter complexion and close trimmed sandy blonde hair. His blue green eyes made him look almost like a depression era extra on a movie set.
“Angela thinks e may have an awakening about to happen to the North. She’s still busy in Canada though.”
“Joy. I’m guessin she wants us up there Jameson? See what chosen shows up or somewhat?” Despite his relaxed and laid back appearance he sounded completely serious.
“I think only one of us for now. This area’s quiet for now but you never know. I can make my own arrangements and then leave for Washington.”
Jeremiah finished his cup and sat in silence. They listened to the shops sounds and chatter. “So why is she calling you? We’re pretty short handed here on the west coast. Why not get some support from the Rockies or possibly further east?”
“She said only Pierce and RedStar were not immediately tied down with any incidents or projects.”
Both men grimaced a bit. Those two were not what anyone could possibly call… stable. Pierce was a loose cannon that had a tendency to bring out the big guns first and ask questions after the dust settled. RedStar was one of the few natives of North America who had found themselves part of their faction. Unfortunately he was a Navajo who was justifiably phobic of any metro area. How he had come to this path and not another was anyone’s guess.
“No time like the present to shift things around, eh?”
Jameson sat up straight and finished his drink primly before standing to go. “Quite. With that said I bid you adieu. Time to be about it.”
“So formal Jameson.” Jeremiah said teasingly over the rim of his cup. “Seriously, you need a girl in your life. Something at least.”
“My love life is perfectly satisfactory.” He said with a sniff.
“No it isn’t. You need to get laid. It’d really relax you, get all the kinks out and what not.”
Though Jameson looked barely twenty, if even that, his mannerisms were an anachronism throwing back to the prior century. However, Portland being Portland the clean cut man didn’t stick out terribly much.
He did blush at his companions blunt remarks, a most violent tomato coloration to go with his fair skin. “You take too well to this culture Jeremiah. Truly proper social etiquette has fallen far.”
“Oh, you’re just nostalgia-ing on only the highlights of an era. Humans have been swimming in the gutters of pleasure and debauchery for all time. Polite social protocol really only existed in the self important uptight arrogant prigs of history and you know it.”
“Be that as it may, I am perfectly content with the way I am and in the state of my bedroom arrangements.”
“Puritan.”
“Social inebriate.” Jameson fired back with apparent righteous indignation.
“Stick up the ass prude.”
“Inarticulate devolved ape.”
“Now that was a low blow. Come here.” Jeremiah stood up, all teasing gone now. Left in its place was brotherly concern. “Take care, watch out, and call me if there are any problems. I’ll only be a days drive or less away.”
Jameson went over and embraced Jeremiah in a quick hug before pulling back. “I will. Don’t worry, I can take care of my self.”
“I know. You still need to get laid though.”
He only sniffed in annoyed amusement as he let.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
“What you’re saying is that we are better off with a basic living stipend than with better wages?”
“Exactly. You see, with so much automation and computer technologies coming about there will be less and less jobs to go around. So who cares if a burger flipper gets fifteen or even twenty dollars an hour if there are only two or three of those jobs per place instead of twelve to fifteen? There not only has to be enough pay to take care of a person, there also needs to be enough jobs available to take care of those who need a job. Those who want more than just a basic life can always get into a career that brings them up higher.”
I could not completely fault his logic. Sometimes I wonder if my friend Bryan should go into politics, or possibly law. He was about as non-descript as I was. Similar unkept light brown hair, about the same height and weight. Same mixed Caucasian mutt skin, brown eyes instead of my grey blue. The biggest difference I saw was that he filled out his frame so much better than I did. Bryan never had the clumsy and awkward puppy still growing into his paws build that I did. He never looked gangly or otherwise. As well, he was a lot better read than I was.
Today we were walking around the mall that was kind of in the path between both of our places. Still a couple miles apart but an easy time skateboarding to and from it.
We both had our boards today, even considered going to the park later. Right now Bryan wanted to grab a bite to eat. So off to the food court we went.
“I mean, look at all these people.” He continued. “Wouldn’t it be so much simpler?”
“Well I guess so. But who would pay for it?”
“The nations entitlement budget. I mean, it is already paying out close to the amount needed to implement a basic stipend already.”
“Would this ‘B.S.’ have enough left over to buy games?” I enjoyed using air quotes for the BS part. It really sounded that way after all.
“I’d say a percentage of it should be for entertainment. Otherwise people wouldn’t have anything to do.”
We arrived at the food court. All the fare looked tasty, I never really could choose. Well, as long as it wasn’t a taco place. I got enough of those at work already.
It looked like Bryan was winding up for another explanation so instead I pointed at the latest Chinese shop to open up at the mall. “So, Asian? Or something else.”
He looked over at the rest of the shops.
“Hrmmm… yeah, teriyaki sounds good. That or something else similar.”
“Sounds good. So hey, have you played that Mecha capture multi battle game yet? What’s it called?” I snapped my fingers at myself trying to remember.
“You mean GigaBash? Or are you referring to Titan’s Fall? Because the latter came out years ago. If the former Yes, I’m trying to get on the Pro Boards. I think Suzi may be able to help me with that.”
I blushed a bit. I had meant Titan’s Fall. But I really got my release timelines backwards sometimes. Especially since I was often relegated to the discount bins for any game disks I wanted.
Instead of continuing that path I looked up at the menu. “So, luck with that. Let’s order.”
After the mall the week passed really slowly. I actually kind of loved lazy slow weeks. Work was work and the rest of the time was my own. Like this very nice Wednesday noon. Or was it Thursday? Didn’t matter. Sure there were clouds in the sky, it was Seattle after all. The rain and drizzle had at least abated for a bit.
Which allowed for some nice layabout time in one of the nearby parks. Great for just looking at the sky while on my back on the ground. Sort of dozing and not really paying much attention to anything.
My legs were a bit sore from the skate park nearby and I felt a touch thirsty. However I couldn’t really be bothered to reach for my water bottle. I was in a state of not boredom that was actually kind of blissful.
That is, outside of Suzi’s griping nearby as she made another valiant attempt to get some new gadget for her phone to interface properly.
“Shitfaced ass dwelling gopher engineers.” She muttered after I heard something make a cracking sound. “It’s not like the dork denizens of design don’t have the turd fornicating iPhone specs…”
“Can I record you for posterity?”
“Cram it.” Another sound of plastic cracking. “Finally! Now to see what’s got their panties in such a bind….” She trailed off getting back into whatever sub reality that Suzi got into when she was testing stuff. I’m not sure why she wanted my company at the park if all she was going to do was to test new hardware.
Still though, I enjoyed being along for the ride. She had pulled some killer tricks earlier. I had just practiced kicking off and riding the small six foot skater tube. I’m not really that good, boarding for me was more of a transportation that it was a sport. Doesn’t mean I don’t wish I was better, that would be awesome after all. It just meant I was aware of how shit my skill level was.
“Are you kidding me? Synch not Valid? What type of error is that?”
“Your invective quotient was low. I give you a four.”
“Yeah yeah. How about I complain about harpies armpit lice or rusted bilge dildo’s inserted somewhere you’d rather them not?”
I looked over at her. Today she had a blonde wig that looked real giving her a Scandinavian Raver look today. Like one of those women on those Russian Jump Step video’s. I pondered for a moment on whether she could pull off those moves as well.
She probably could.
Suzi jump stepping entered into my minds eye. Not a bad picture. Possibly on an open plain. Maybe one from that strange dream last week. The path with the great world jungle off to one side and the metropolis on the other. With acres and acres of similar plans leading into each. The heartbeat sound of the world was in tune to what I imagined Suzi dancing to.
In the fantasy I saw her outline beginning to form. Or was that mine? I wasn’t really sure I was awake any longer.
No, that was Suzi’s shape where she should be sitting. A ghost of her at least. In fact, the gadgets and man made goods on her seamed to be much more real than she did. It was strange to see it that way. To look through her form and see the land behind but the phone, battery pack, something in one of her pockets? Those were absolutely solid. It was both completely strange and perfection normal in this dream state. I would prefer to see her dancing like I had begun to imagine, but even gazing at this so closely was fine.
I’d never get away with just staring at Suzi in real life. And not just because I would be too embarrassed to do so. It was also because she would most likely kick my ass for making assumptions.
The way she was leaning forward to get a better view of the game interface was breathtaking for me. Her intense expressing striking. The way she would bite the lower left side of her lips or look almost cross-eyed in concentration would make my stomach flutter. I watched her ghostly fingers play along the more solid device. Such long and capable digits, so unlike my own clumsy oversized hands. Her lithe agility was like a cool breeze on a hot summers day. Even I knew how corny that would sound, but it is still how it felt to me.
Even in my daydream she seemed so out of reach, luminous ethereal skin that begged observance. Her image looked over to meet my gaze. At first curious then concerned. I was getting worried now, what had I done to make this spirit so concerned?
She seemed to be saying something. She stood up and put her device away. I could just make out the words on her lips.
“Jayde.”
She was saying my name? In this surreal landscape? I knew it wasn’t really Suzi, but something more or perhaps different?
“Jayde, c’mon.”
I was starting Suzi’s voice now. It kind of echoed a little as if said from a long way away. She was no longer beginning to look cross. Great, even in my own dreamscape she was annoyed if I looked or thought of anything beyond pure platonic friendship.
“You’re creeping me out.”
That last came through clear as a bell. I blinked and found myself looking directly at an irate Suzi back in the park. The great Jungle and Cityscape gone to where dreams hide in the bright of day.
“Huh?”
“Geez you’re clueless.” She put her hands on her hips holding her arms akimbo. "Earth to Jayde. Done here, I need to go write a report. Where the hell have you been?”
I looked at her curiously. “Right here? I was just dozing… I think.”
“You’ve been staring at me without blinking for almost twenty minutes. Seriously put me off my game. What’re you doing, taking Hannibal Lecter lessons?”
Damnit all. I found myself blushing in shame. I had gotten her angry when all I had been doing was daydreaming.
“Uh… sorry? I guess I was just lost.”
“No Duh. Listen, I’m heading home. You going to be alright?”
“Sure. I mean I should be.” Shit, she was giving me the concerned friend look. Whoever she ended up dating was going to be so lucky. I mean even her ‘friends’ look was good enough to knock me for a loop.
“Then I’ll see you later.”
Suzi grabbed her skateboard and walked over to the nearby sidewalk. Once there she kicked off and was quickly on her way with one last concerned look over her shoulder.
I think I may have screwed up somehow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 02
Chapter End Notes:
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Mirror Changed – Chapter 03
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
In between the upsells and button pushing's at work my coworker Becky and I were managing to have something of a conversation. Sore feet and Taco seasoning the next two most prevalent things of note in my senses.
“Come on it'll be fun.” Becky said as soon as we had a quick break in customers.
“Fun. Can I quote you?” I turned back to the front as a customer stepped up to my register. A dumpy middle-aged woman who looked like life had taken a literal dump on her and her delightful little bundle of joy. Read here: entitled little shit making preteen Xbox playing brat who manipulated mommy dearest into getting everything he wanted. It didn't help that he was currently whining harder than cartman from South Park about getting home so he could ‘kick some old fuck faces around online'. I think I may have encountered this little troll a few times online. If not him then definitely his doppelganger.
I went through the same script by rote once again. “Hi welcome to –“
“Yeah we want – “
“Would you like – “
And so on and so forth. They finished and moved aside to wait for their order.
“So Jayde, about Friday.”
I didn't roll my eyes but I wanted to. I liked Becky, she was a cool coworker. that was one of the problems. I had seen what happens with being too friendly with coworkers at some of my other jobs.
Then there was also the problem of barely knowing her.
“I would just be awkward.”
She shook her head and collected the prior customers order. After delivering it she continued, “I think you're selling yourself short period it's just a party. Come on, outside of that gamer chick, who you keep assuring me is ‘Just a Friend’ it seems to me you really don't know anyone.” Becky even included the air quotes…. of course….
Well, unfortunately she had me figured out on the friends front. Just Suzi, Bryan, and David were left of everyone I used to know.
“Which makes going to a party where I don't know anyone even more awkward.” I held up my hands palms up arms spread wide. “I can see it now, come and see the amazing wallflower boy. Capable of not uttering a whole sentence in a single evening. Feel awe at his inept abilities when it comes to mingling with those of the opposite gender. Revel in his monumental knowledge of nothing of interest. Stand at – “
“Alright alright.” She said with a giggle.
I do admit to myself, at least inside where no one else can judge me, I did think she was very cute in her manner and speech. “Seriously, I'm really nobody special. Why invite me?”
The look of incredulousness seemed odd. I was sure I haven't put my foot in my mouth again. at least I hope I have not I could not see how I had. Yet I have been known to eat my fair share of gym sock in the day. Oh who am I kidding, I still eat my size ten shoes on a regular basis.
“If you can't see that then you really need to get out more.” She paused to put her hand on her hip. “I'm not taking no for an answer. You're going, and if it's the tales of ‘Awkward Man’ then at least he can Wallflower again. If not, then guess what? You may just meet some new people.”
Her smile hit me like the high beams of a semi truck hitting a deer. I just hope I didn't end up on that truck bumper later on. After all that is what seemed to happen to me whenever I began to get feelings beyond just being an acquaintance.
“Yeah, hope so. That would be nice for a change.”
I was about to strike up some more conversation in between customers when Don came wandering by.
“Talk on break.”
what great management. I could just feel so much more motivated now. it was like I had been given pure inspiration from up on high. I turned back to the front and busied myself with my busy work to stay busy before Don could find something else to keep me busy with. Did I mention that I found something to do to keep me busy?
The rest of Friday had kind of gone in a blur for me. work nominally was usually like that. Between getting back home, showering the Taco seasoning and lettuce smell off, shaving, styling my hair poorly, and perhaps in among all that getting a clean clothes on I somehow found myself ready to head out into town for the night. it was holding a quick bus ride to southern Aurora. A city which wasn't too far of my home area just north of Seattle.
According to the address Becky had given me it was only another half mile away. I could take a connecting bus or walk the rest of the way period since it had probably take less time to walk than to wait I set out to tread the sidewalk. It was amazing how quickly a person could close the distance if they only put one foot in front of the other.
Kind of wish I had a smartphone or at least an old MP3 player right now. I didn't really have the budget for the former and the latter had broken a few weeks ago. At least the scenery wasn't bad. The drizzle wasn't even too heavy today. I should arrive only slightly damp rather than looking like a drowned rat. which was much closer to my normal modis operandi.
There is a joke up here in the Seattle metro area, it is that people do not tan they rust. I used to think that it was actual rain here, but I discovered that for the most part we don't know what rain is when I had visited a distant uncle down in Kansas. In just one afternoon I had learned what real raid was and I had also learned how turkeys could drown in the rain just by looking up with their beaks open. Suffice it to say said turkeys definitely did not live here.
these socks and others kept my mind spinning as I walked. I didn't really notice when I got off the old historic route 99. Nothing specific about the quality of homes clued me in, not really. As I neared my destination I did finally begin to notice a marked increase in relative wealth. It was already dark when I got to the home stretch, and by the number of cars out front I could make a reasonable guess as to which house I had been invited to.
The sight of it was almost enough to make me turn around. A two-story affair with what looked like at least four bedrooms upstairs judging by the number of windows. Also of course the upstairs balcony. The ground floor looked half again as wide and was set up with a wraparound front porch. Their driveway, which of course was filled with expensive cars, was a drive through type that was two vehicle lanes wide. I am not entirely sure if the color of the house as the streetlights were a pleasant old style yellow. That combined with a damp created as surreal haze effect right out of one of Bryans Noir style video games.
“Suzi’d dig this.” I stated not quite sure if it was to myself or to bolster my confidence. Probably it was to help the nerves out. Yeah, I'll go with that.
There were plenty of partygoers out front drinking various drinks and inhaling from either e-cig vaporizers or actual old style cigarettes and rolls. I walked up to the front. A bit more intimidated with almost a dozen people watching me. One guy lifted his glass and welcome as I got to the porch.
I lamely waved at him and the guy he seemed to be standing rather close to. I wonder if they were an item, if so I hope they didn't think I was fair game. I may not really have a hope in hell of dating someone like Suzi, but I wasn't quite ready to attempt life on the other side.
“Hey.” Said in what I hoped was a cool ‘in passing’ tone.
“Hey back at you. New here?” The man asked before I could enter the house.
“Not really. I live South of here.”
His friend leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Both of them giggled, which made me feel more than a little bit awkward. “Rob here says you're cute. Also that he hopes to see you around later.”
Yes they were definitely a couple. Verified giggles and all. And yes, I was now probably beat red in embarrassment. I really was not sure what to do. So I chose the better part of valor and with ears burning I entered the house. Rob and his boyfriend's giggles left behind. I really hope that things do go a bit better inside. So far I may just be better off going back home.
The music inside didn't exactly blare, but it was loud. Loud enough to force people to either yell or lean close to be heard. Great for many of the better-looking people I saw to get together, not so great for wallflower like myself. At least the beats pumping out were a decent remix I could nod to in a corner. Once I found one that is. I had to at least wait around until Becky showed up, I owed her that much courtesy even though I was already getting more than a touch anxious.
After around downstairs I had seen neither hide nor hair of anyone I knew. So I grabbed it drink from the kitchen and then a left in search of a location in which to take my reputation as the Great Unknown Visitor of the modern age.
Of course a corner was hard to come by, between furniture and people making out along the edges of the room it seemed that quarters had become prime real estate. Instead I found a very impressive piece of blank wall to park my ass against.
No sooner had I found my hindquarters plastered against the wall when I found someone else lean up next to me. She was pretty good looking, though a bit older than I was. Early twenties I would guess. She looked like a college student if I had to guess. Knee length skirt, long blue sleeved blouse, and a barrette on her head. Long brown hair loose down her back and a nice mocha colored skin tone. She stood there for a few, took a glance my way before looking into the crowded living room turned dance floor. I wasn't sure what she was doing over on the side of the room next to me. She was probably just waiting for someone.
About the song or two of her standing there and my sneaking peeks sidelong at her she seemed to tire of the spot. With a sigh that did wonderful but distracting things for my libido she pushed off as if she found whatever she was waiting for.
For the next while I just watch people go about doing the things that people did at parties. Drank, chatted, danced, made out, got pissed off with each other, made back up afterwards, drank some more. Pretty much everything I had come to expect out of a good party thanks to Hollywood. I even had a great sideline to watch it all happen to everyone else.
Sometime after the mocha skin woman left a blonde bombshell collapsed in the recliner next to my patch of wall once it had been abandoned by a prior occupant. She had strong features and a well-done tan she had either gotten out of state or at a salon. Matched that with trendy shorts, halter top, and knee length boots and I would bet she could have just about had any straight guy in here. Hell, she could probably have almost any gal she wanted as well. She sat across the chair instead of in it properly, her feet kicking in the air innocently on the opposite side of it from me. She took a deep swallow of whatever was in her cheap plastic cup then lolled her head back to look at me from an upside-down vantage.
Her positioning gave me a great view down the top of her halter which showed no tan lines I could see. She caught me looking and grinned wickedly at me. I felt my face reading in embarrassment, shame, and arousal not necessarily in that order. Definitely shame now as I quickly looked away. The woman reversed herself quickly on the recliner, kneeling on the seat and leaning against the backrest with her chin on her forearms. The way she was positioned it stuck her butt out a little, pointing it back into the room. I did try my best not to be too obvious as I attempted to get a peek at her out of the corner of my eye.
“You like?”
Her voice had been very playful and coffee completely off guard.
“Uh? Yeah… I guess?” I am proud that I did not completely stammer however I still felt like a complete asshole by admitting that.
That was probably not the answer she was looking for as she rolled her eyes at me before getting up to flounce away into another room. I think she said something sarcastic as she left, but I missed whatever it was to the background noise.
“Jeeze…”
I finally pushed off the wall myself to go get another drink. This time something a bit stronger than just a soda I considered.
After a bit of trouble negotiating the hallway I made it to the kitchen. There were, if it was even possible, even more hard liquor and drink varieties now that when I had first arrived. I guess I should have brought something, I didn't really know the etiquette to house parties though. Probably was only going to have one last drink before I left, even though I almost never drank alcohol regardless of my current age. I have not yet spotted Becky in the almost hour since I got here and I was already feeling more than a little bit claustrophobic.
“Oh, Hay Jayde!”
I turned to the completely unexpected voice to find Suzi entering the kitchen from the hallway. I stood there breathless at her current outfit. For the last ten years she had been major into cosplay and costuming. Her repertoire of materials and cosmetics would do a small production studio proud. If I didn't know her real hair color wasn't strawberry blonde and almost two feet in length I would be very hard pressed to guess. That over a loose white peasant blouse with wide sleeves and lacing up the front and below she had on a pair tight skin hugging pants. Simple and elegant, a far cry from her normal punker or gamer wear.
My mouth must have bad hanging open from her mirthful expression. Once again, chalk it up for Mr. Idiot. I am pretty sure I was making a fool of myself, but I could not make myself to respond in any way shape or form.
“Introduce me to your friend please Suz.” A deep male voice sounded out from beside her.
I had been so focused on Suzi I had completely missed the very handsome man off of her arm. Tall and athletic with a slightly Hispanic casters features. He was as incredibly groomed as any actor out of a soap opera could possibly be. Clothes to match my friend, they look like a couple that belonged off at a red-carpet event.
“This is one of my oldest friends, Jayde. Jayde, this is Hernando. He is in town for a limited engagement so I'm treating him around.”
Hernando held his hand out for meat lightly. I stirred for a few like a dumbass. Finally my brain caught up with reality.
“Uh, hi?” I reached out, his handshake was loose and refined. His skin soft to the touch as well as incredibly supple. I could only guess how much he made to look so good and dressed so well.
“Jayde is it?” I couldn't place his accent, but he seemed interested in talking at least. “It is always so wonderful to make the acquaintance of any of deer Suzi’s friends. Especially one is interesting as I am sure you are.”
Who what now? Me interesting? Only if a gamer dork working a toxic Taco place was interesting. Not wanting to look bad in front of Suzi though I didn't think admitting to that would be a good idea.
“Well, I guess so. She has been a constant in my life for a long time now.”
“Wonderful!” he exclaimed before disengaging from Suzy’s arms. “So, what are you having to drink?”
I looked to Susie for help only to find her looking mischievously at me.
“Actually, I think I had better be going. I should get up early tomorrow, lots to do and such.”
Hernando looked a bit put out by this. “Oh, please do not leave on my account. I am quite sure we could have quite the good time this evening.”
“Yes Jayde, please do stay.”
Even with Suzy pitching in I really didn't want to play third fiddle. “No, I’m sorry.”
Susie came forward to give me a hug. “Well give me a call later will you?”
I nodded to her and pulled back only to find her friend pulling me into a very close embrace himself. I felt more than a little uncomfortable with a guy hugging me as I didn't know where to put my hands or how to respond. He gave one quick last squeeze that released me to arm’s length. He looked over at Susie while he had me by my shoulders.
“You really will need to bring him around sometime Suz. Delectable truly.” with the last squeeze that left me even more confused Hernando let go of me. “Please Jayde, if you are free anytime soon do give me a call.”
He handed me a card, I guess it had his information on it. Though I did not look at it just yet. All I wanted to do though was to make a beeline home. One last nod and goodbye to Suzi and I managed to get to the porch more or less intact. Thankfully Rob and his boyfriend were not out front. Also, I saw that Becky was getting out of a blue compact car at the curb. She leaned in to say something to the driver who pulled out before turning towards the house.
“Jayde! You made it.” She came up to me with an infectiously friendly enthusiasm.
"Hi Becky. You look nice.”
She did too. Hair done up in curls and wearing a fashionable set of jeans and blouse outfit. She also had on Several pieces of jewelry that complemented her skin very pleasantly.
Becky cocked her hip and cross her arms under her breasts, "Nice? That’s all?”
“OK, good?” I felt ashamed again. It really was not my evening. “Decent? I dunno?”
A scowl began to set into her pretty face. “Try again.”
“Pretty?”
She sighed and uncrossed her arms. “Passable at least. C’mon let's go in and get a drink.”
I shook my head. I really did not want to go back inside and make an ass out of myself in front of Susie once more. “Sorry, I'm heading out.”
“Oh really.” Becky deadpanned. “I just got here you know.”
Now I felt even more awkward. Arms too long and hams oversized, nowhere to put them. First my pockets then after that nervously in front or behind me. “Yeah, I'm really sorry. I've been looking for you, but I really don't know anyone here.”
She gave me a look like I grown a second head. “That's the point of going.”
“I guess.” I stood like that lamely, Becky waiting for me to continue for a bit. “I guess I'm still sorry? See you at next shift?”
She looked at me crossly before she brushed past into the house. “Fine. Bye.”
Now what did I do? She sounded really angry as she left.
A bit more depressed I made my way back to the bus stop catch the next one towards my crappy apartment. At least there I knew what to expect, I knew what was normal and what was not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 03
Hope everyone loved this chapter. the next chapters of this and Summoned are up on my Patreon, they'll be out in a few weeks here too. If you like my work consider supporting me over there.
https://www.patreon.com/alyssnancyonymous
Also, yes, Jayde is something of a wet blanket.
Mirror Changed – Chapter 04
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not sure how I got back on the path in my dream. I don't remember going to sleep, I guess that since this is a dream that doesn't matter too much.
Once again I found myself on the center path between the great jungle and the huge metropolis. Already I had moved beyond the empty blank slate that I saw the first time I was here. Is this progressing? is this moving on? However it could be something else. I do not know what is going on. Like the time before I did not seem to need to breathe as there did not even seem to really be a sky. Just the landscapes to one side and to the other.
Wait, wasn't like that last time? It was, I think. I do know that there was more definition this time. I also somehow knew that all living things in the jungle were present, as well as all constructed items of the city. From small lizards and birds to the large animals striding across the land over two tiny microchips and great engines of creation. Everything that ever was seemed to permeate this dream realm. I began to wander down the center path. I was sure it was here for the reason, I was sure I was here for that same reason.
While I walked both vistas continue to change and grow .To evolve and strengthen into what they will become, or is it that they have always been.
The forests or was it the jungles trees grew to astounding heights while the creatures of the land and sky interwove among the greenery. A vast body of water I could feel but not see interposed below and beyond. Leviathans traveled the depths while porpoises frolicked in the waves. Great reptile’s scaled and leather bound roamed the lands next to the furry feathered creatures sharp of tooth and claw. Each stage of evolution making its presence known to me as I meandered at the edge of nature’s ground.
As always opposite the jungle was the realm of stone and bronze, iron and brick, concrete and composite. Metamorphosized just the same. From early slabs of granite and tools of Obsidian to Adobe huts with thatched roofs civilization grew. Chariots rolled in among the lanes both cobbled and paved. Complex carved edifices formed to replace many of the older buildings, yet some of the ancient remained. Throughout every epoch this continued. The houses and keeps being replaced continually as newer technologies and materials made themselves known. Yet as bronze age melted into iron and iron into medieval something of ages past always remained. Whether it was a peasants hut, or knights retreat, or even the giant pyramid I saw in the distance all of human achievement were there for me to see.
I kept to my pace.
Staying on the path straight ahead as a great ziggurat of glass and steel rose into the heavens. As an ancient Redwood so large it blotted out the sky that was not there. The ancient of both out and alongside the modern. Both expenses were beginning to make my head spin. Then I noticed something in the distance, something ahead of me for the first time.
I walked along to whatever it was they seemed to cross over the path. My bare feet feeling every aspect of the smooth path, a sort of wind that was not their breezing over my bare skin. Whatever it was I felt drawn to it. Whereas nature had been interesting and the great city fascinating this item was irresistible to me.
As I closed on it, I saw that it was a great arch over the path. Details began to fill in as I walked. The left side of it, which was firmly rooted in the grasses of the forest, was a composite of many technologies. Marble pillar, steel girder, alloy braces, engraved woods, LED's and plasma screens, wires, police, strings, gears and more. On the right side where city had it's reign the arch was living construct. Branches were interwoven with vines. Leaves and mosses and flowers and fruits. Animal scurried in among the various places to hide or to crawl. Every color nature could provide was here, whether on the carapace of the beetle or the feathers of a bird.
This great arch rose dozens of feet and was at least as wide. The closer to it I got the more intricate of both halves seemed to become. As if I was rising out of the depths of a trance and into reality for the first time. Closer I walked until I could see a figure in the distance walking towards me.
The person was as naked as I was. Similarity sparked in my mind from the shock of light brown hair and the pale fair skin to the stormy blue grey eyes. It was not until the last several paces that my mind made the connection that the only difference between the figure before me and myself was that it was a girl.
She was smaller than I was, lithe and skinny in that awkward teenager way that many girls in their late teens can be. She was not like any girl I'd ever dreamt about. This girl stood as calm and introspective as I was. Inspecting me with the same intensity that I used on her. So very unlike the erotic dreams of pop stars or females that I knew. Nor was she like any of the awful nightmares of mockery I had endured from women I knew in real life.
Instead, she just walked up to the portal opposite me to stand and stare. Stopping just as I stopped looking when I looked. A mirror to my action in many ways. Her stance so very close to mine but subtly different. Feet placed just a bit different, knees not quite the same bend. Where I was sure my posture was masculine hers was feminine.
We stood there for a time. I was not sure if she was the mirror of me or I was the mirror of her.
Her hair was tomboy short period her size was very petite. I was not the tallest at five foot nine, but she looked like she was over a head shorter. I doubted she came up to five feet, if that. I was not very muscular nor brought of chest, this translated to a slim carriage on her and small but pert breasts. Very defined, likely the type that would never need a bra in her life.
As it was in a dream state I was not abashed by any nudity. Still I did not believe it to be polite to look down below her narrow waist and flat stomach.
Not sure what to do now that I was in arms reach of her we stood for a time. Finally, I reached up to see if I would touch and invisible plane that reflected her image to me. Or perhaps she was real. At least as real as a one could be while in a dream.
I was not taken completely off guard by the feeling of her fingertips on mine. It was still a near thing. Her skin was smooth and warm, fingers tiny against mine. I move my hand slightly to the side expecting her to do the same, to have the contact extended.
Instead her fingers slipped slightly to the side, allowing her hand to clasp mine. An energy flowed up my arm. It was worse than grabbing onto an electric fence. Fire moved along my skin charging every cell with something that was not pain but felt the same nonetheless. The power was of some sort that coursed up my bones igniting everything in their wake. I could not let go. She would not let go. I could not hold on and yet I did. The moment passed after an eternity of but a moment.
Before my vision cleared I noticed that I no longer felt her grip in my hand. Rather it was a flat field against twitch my palm lay. My nerve endings no longer fired randomly in my limbs seemed to be my own once more. I looked around as my site returned. Things seemed somehow different. The air currents a touch more caressing, the ground a little more defined. My skin felt just a touch more sensitive as if it was more receptive to sensation.
Since this was a dream I guess anything could be possible.
Then I looked at where she had been to get a start. I saw myself writ large. My body, though still lanky and gangly was good head taller than I was. I could see everything on my nude form, and as I moved so did he.
Wait…
No.
I seemed to be outside myself. Not in my body, and if I wasn’t in my body then I had to be in hers. I kept looking up at him through the portal because I didn’t want to look down and confirm what I knew to be true. I had never in my life dreamt of being a girl. Why would I suddenly find myself doing so now?
A swallow. Two. The sounds audible to me, nearly deafening. I found it hard to screw up my courage to look down.
Subconsciously I expected to see my flat and markedly unimpressive chest. In my mind I knew what would be there, in my heart it was something else. So when I saw a small set of pert breasts I had a conflicted surprised feeling that was hard to reconcile. It was like phantom limb syndrome but in reverse. Something that shouldn’t be there but was. I felt my chest ending further out than my mind told me it should.
As I looked I heard a rushing in my ears. I had heard this sound before, right before a panic attack I had once years ago. Even knowing what the rushing noise was did not help me out. Instead, it seemed to only make it worse.
A droning ring began to encroach on me then. One hand still attempting to get back through to my male body, the other frozen beside me as I was unwilling to touch this body for fear of how real it would be.
The ringing began to pulse. Like my heart.
Thump, ring. Thump, ring.
With each consecutive beat something was pushed back. Not only from my sight but from my awareness as well. As if it had never been.
Thump, ring.
The great forest and all the creatures within. Gone. Blank nothingness in their place.
Thump, ring.
The metropolis. The skyscrapers, cars, chariots, huts, sawmills and all. Nevermore.
Thump, ring.
The Archway. Comprised of all that was living and all that man had made retreated above beside and beyond.
All that was left was me, my male reflection, and the invisible plane of force in between. Slick as glass and infinitely strong.
Thump, ring.
He watched me as I watched him. The same concern that was almost fear on his face that I felt on mine.
Thump. Ring.
He was pulled back as if by some great force around his middle. Flying away at speed. Leaving me all alone once more upon an empty field.
Thump… RING!
The nothingness of the landscape reared up and wrapped itself around me. Entangling my limbs in a damp grasping hold. Clasping me. Engulfing my body.
I could not breathe. The constricting forcing everything from my lungs.
Thump! My heartbeat so loud I felt as if my eardrums would burst.
RING! The audible concussive reverberation throughout all of existence.
The grasping landscape eclipsed all of my vision. Nothing remained. A chill began to cover all of my flesh. Clammy and wet. It restrained my legs, holding them together as I attempted to kick away.
THUMP!
My room. I was in my room. My eyes flashed open. I still could not breathe. My heart hammered in my chest, stronger than ever before. The palpitations painful. Everything wasn’t in the right place. I was tangled in my bedding, but it was strewn about. Like I had been fighting it all night. My clothes were half on, half off. Shirt ripped on one side. Television screen knocked to the floor nearby. There was a new hole in the wall nearby, and my left fist felt slightly bruised.
Crap… was I lashing out? Attacking things in my sleep in panicked delirium? It had felt like I had been fighting for my life. My heart finally began its winddown from full panicked fight or flight mode.
My ringtone on my cell went off. Dangnabit. I pulled valiantly at the sheets and my shirt that was half on half off. I was still restricted and couldn’t get free.
It stopped ringing just as I was clear of those despicable materials.
“Ewwww… Gross.” I did NOT want to touch anything. Everything felt like I had been dragged through seawater and hadn’t even had a chance to dry. I was covered in clammy ick. If nothing else I needed a shower something fierce.
“Only a dream.”
I patted myself down just in case. All parts seemed to be accounted for and no extra jiggly bits or padding where it didn’t belong.
“Only a dream. Only a very very strange dream.”
It had felt so real though. More real than this room right now. I was sure I had much worse or stranger dreams, but this one had a texture to it that went beyond imagination.
At least my phone had pulled me out of the dream before it got even more off the deep end. Now I just needed to find the little bastard. I seem to have flung it somewhere in my thrashing about.
Luckily when I found it the thing wasn’t damaged. Especially since it was just an el-cheap-o flip phone from a bygone era. One of those free government things I got over a year ago. Phone in hand I stood, noticed the late afternoon sun beating down into my room.
“Dammmnnn…. How long was I asleep?”
Rhetorical I knew, even in my own mind. Maybe I should start answering myself too? At least then I may be more interesting. I checked the phone and saw several messages and a few missed calls. Most from Suzi and a couple from David, one of my only friends left. The most recent was Suzi.
I stood there groggily, still coming down from my panicked awakening. I rubbed my sore posterior. How had that happened?
“Ouch…”
Ok, that was pretty lame.
My poor cell wasn’t working terribly well right now. It had been clipped by the tire of one of my coworkers cars earlier this month. The screen was cracked, but still legible at last. I just had to be careful with it till next payday when I could see about getting a replacement el-cheep-o from WallyWorld our local low income social club. Unfortunately, ever since it had been run over its time function didn’t seem to work. As such since I had found myself relying on my phones clock to tell time I found I was rather time deficient.
“Stupid phone.”
“Stupid dream.”
Berating things didn’t help, but sure felt good. It took me a couple of times before I got it to dial out properly. Then I waited as it began to ring through to Suzi’s phone.
She picked up almost immediately.
“Sorry I missed your calls.” I got in before she could speak. Lame Ass strikes again.
“Where are you?” She sounded calm, maybe a bit of concern was in her voice. She was never calm when answering the phone. Bubbly, hyper, distracted? Yes. Calm and focused? Never. “I’ve been trying to reach you for a few hours now.
“Home. Just waking up. Why?”
“Because no one saw where you got off to after the party the other night.”
“It’s fine. We weren’t supposed to do anything until this evening right? So I shouldn’t be too late.”
“No it’s not fine you Jackass.” Now she sounded annoyed. Much closer to the Suzi I knew and loved. “You’ve been incommunicado for more than a day.”
That couldn’t be right. I know I got home around midnight last night. But to sleep a whole day away? Wait… more than a day?
“Shit!” My exclamation loud and shrill to my ears. “Sorry, I mean What?”
There was a pause on the other end. I was sure she was switching ears after my outburst. “Get your skinny butt over here or I’ll send David over to kick it for me. You remember what happened last time I had to sic him on you?”
She hung up before I could reply. Not that I could really come up with a proper retort in quick order.
Fully awake I scrambled into some clean, or at least dry, clothes. I didn’t even bother with socks. Just slipped on my worn out old thrift shop special sneakers. Once outside I finger combed my hair into an approximation of some sort of style. Bed head sounded about right for now. Probably just made it stick out even further. I had to blink a few times in the afternoon glare, my eyes not quite adjusting.
It was not far to Dave’s. Still plenty of distance to mull over my dream. The type that seemed to stick around long into the waking world. It rattled around inside my brainpan like a bad commercial song. Weird and complex, probably something a psychologist would have a field day with. I was considering this as I left the area where my run-down apartment complex was at. Crossing into one of the many small strip malls.
Past the stores, some closed most still open. The area had been able to bounce back pretty quickly after the Covid scare. I was still so distracted, almost distraught, by my dream that I was doing my best to not look into any reflective surface for fear of what I would see.
"Keep it together Jayde.” I would mutter sometimes as I walked.
It didn’t help though. I still kept seeing Her out of the far corner of my eye in the windows and mirrored surfaces. Remnants of a dream that felt more real than the world around me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 04
Authors Notes – I’ve been waiting to get this chapter online for a LONG Time! It was the dream that Inspired this Whole Novel! I had this dream a few years ago, it inspired me to write. If not for this dream I would probably not have made a single novel. It was so intense, so REAL, that I had to write it down. I shared it with my father who used to write fanfictions when I was younger. He helped mentor me into my first draft. It began the road to Here.
SO…. With that said. No I am NOT Jayde. Not in any way shape or form. Jayde is inspired by a friend of mine. I would like to think I am closer to Suzi, but even that isn’t really true. There are parts of me in every character, or parts of the people I know and love, aspects here and there. That is true for many authors I believe.
My friend that inspired Jayde joined the military a couple years ago and REALLY grew into his puppy paws. He is Huge now. But when we were lived close to each other he was soooo gangly and awkward. You know who you are, and why nothing worked between us. But I am so happy for you now that you’ve found your wife and have your first kid on the way! I am glad that our friendship survived and so if you read this online then you know how much I’ve treasured the history we had. Give your wife a hug for me.
Also,
Consider popping over to my Patreon, Advanced chapters located there!
https://www.patreon.com/alyssnancyonymous
Toodles!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
Not long after I arrived at David’s house. It was almost as rundown as the place I lived in. However, where the condition of my apartment complex was the owner’s fault, Dave’s house was his own. He said he inhaled inherited it from his father, and it was paid before he only needed to take care of the maintenance utilities and taxes. Yeah, that would be nice. I always felt a touch envious towards his situation.
“Lucky Bastard.” Was my normal quiet comment on the state of his living arrangements whenever they came up.
His lawn was rife with weeds and the bushes next to the house looked like they hadn’t been trimmed in a decade. Tall wooden fence in the back, nothing left of it in the front yard. It was rotted and looked like a stiff breeze would knock it over. One very tall and healthy evergreen grew in the backyard and spread its branches protectively over the rear of the house.
The only odd thing about all of Dave’s greenery was that regardless of its untamed appearance was that it was always vibrant and healthy. No matter of rain, shine, or drought. His water bill was probably nasty during those parts of the year.
The domicile was another matter. As much as the overgrowth of plant life thrived the house was decrepit and probably one inspection away from being condemned. An old brick cottage with a shingle roof. Many were cracked and moldy due to the Seattle damp. One o the windows still had a small hole in it from a rowdy party last year that David still had not repaired. The paint on the window trim was peeled, showing the wood underneath and the porch was a bit soft on one side. None of us really hung out outside his house though so I guess the front didn’t matter. David did keep things cleaner inside and the power worked fine, so it was a teenager’s heaven for gaming and killing time.
Since the front door was ajar, as usual, I decided to call out instead of knocking.
“Hey guys, you there?”
I could slap myself on the forehead. Of course they were, I could hear the videogame and David grousing about something or other.
“Hey Suzi, quit hogging the Princess.” Dave’s gruff voice complained from within.
Since neither answered I poked my head inside.
As usual, Suzi was dressed however she wanted to dress. Meaning completely up to her and convention be damned. She had on her leather jacket from earlier in the week but instead of skater gear she wore a pink cutoff t-shirt and bedazzled jeans combo. Her costume hair was blonde and styled into a pair of pigtails that were jauntily high on her head. She looked like a psychotic bubblegum teen and if I guessed right there was a baseball bat nearby to complete the outfit.
I thought she was going for Harley from DC, except that the hair was a lot more poofy and wasn’t died in any way, plus her makeup was pink, blue, and glittery rather than running mascara on pale white.
Almost a complete counterpoint to the crazed bimbo attire my friend David looked as I have always seen him. Tall with a good build and broad shoulders. Average looks leaning towards handsome with ragged hair that looked rakish on him. His jawline was square without being over defined with a symmetrical quality I could only dream of having myself. I could easily imagine him working at an Abercrombie and Fitch counter. Not quite good enough to be a model, but far beyond my own quality of mousy plainness.
David’s choice of clothes was usually best described as grunge meets hipster meets ‘I don’t give a rat’s fat ass.’ All in all with his darker Caucasian skin tone and deep brown hair he could blend in or stand out in just about any crowd at his own command.
Well, except maybe Japan. He would be Big in Japan. Even sitting down, anyone with half a brain could tell he was taller than six feet.
Both of my friends were sitting on one of Dave’s two oversized and very threadbare couches. The kind that you’d find out back behind a thrift store in the rejection pile. Good enough shape to attempt to donate but not good enough to accept. In front of one of them was an older model but still very large flat panel TV. Somewhere in the mid fifty inch range I think.
They were playing the latest, or perhaps the second to latest, Super Smash Brothers Battle Party something or other game. It was hard to keep track of them as they released them so frequently. The latest match seemed to be loading.
“If that’s Jayde ignoring the fact he can come in at any time again I am going to lower his friendship level.” David didn’t even bother to look over as he gruffly ribbed me.
Suzi glanced at David briefly before glancing back at the screen. “Jayde! Get in here. Jeez you act like such a kicked puppy sometimes.” That last was muttered under her breath but was still loud enough for me to hear.
Walking in I guessed that I was blushing again from the rising heat in my face. I really wished I didn’t blush so easily. It didn’t help that Suzi, as usually, looked very good and that she had just called me a puppy.
“Ok Jayde, that means your friend card is revoked. It has been downgraded to an acquaintance card.” David seemed to be in a mood today. More broody than usual, and that was saying something.
“Don’t mind him Jayde.” Suzi piped in as their battle began. “He’s just being pissy because he’s getting his butt kicked by a princess.”
“Some princess.” He muttered attempting to defend against a nasty combo that Suzi let loose. Once his character was brutally blasted away Dave tossed his control down in a huff. He finally looked over, scowl on face. I think he was always scowling, or brooding, or sulking. The only other expressions I seemed to see on his face was a particularly evil grin he sported when he was playing a prank or was up to something. However he was always around to hang with or play games with. Which was probably why so many people thought he was cool.
Though having his attention wasn’t always a good thing. “Alright Jayde, what’s got your panties in a twist? You’re acting more like a virgin in a whore house than normal.”
“Weird dream. Well, a very very weird dream.” I sat down on the other couch and put my feet up on the coffee table. The game was now back on the character selection screen but neither Dave nor I grabbed a controller.
Suzi had already selected the Princess of course. She put down her controller and made a square of her thumbs and index fingers in the classic ‘Taking a picture’ frame. I could see one of her brilliant blue eyes through the box. “Jayde, if you get any more awkward I am sooo gonna put you into a comic.”
I only groaned in reaction. Sometimes Suzi was like this and I could only ride it out.
David on the other hand laughed. Low and throaty, somewhat like a predator on the hunt. He always like a good jab or put down.
“So, weird dream?”
“Yeah, can’t seem to shake it either.” I replied with a nod.
“And?” Suzi made a come on hand motion.
“Well….” Now I felt silly and a bit more embarrassed than earlier.
“Spill it Princess.”
Suzi looked back at Dave with his last comment then back at me. “Is that it? You dreamt you were a princess?”
I sat up on the couch, probably flushed a couple shades of puce at this point. “Damn it you two.”
“Ok Mr. Acquaintance card. Want to earn you friend card back? Then please elaborate.” He paused for effect, “Were you a good princess or a bad princess?”
I’m pretty sure I could fry an egg on my face right now. Trust David to get in a cutting jab when I am already flustered by Suzi. It wasn’t that what he said was too much worse, but for some reason when it came from him it sounded much worse.
Which left me trying to sputter my way through another inept reply. Poorly.
“I think you should let Jayde play the Princess. Seems to be more his speed.”
Suzi made a face at David, tongue out and eyes crossed. “There’s multiple Princess’s in this game. I think Jayde should take the other one and then you’ll have two Princess’s kicking your ass.”
“Please, enough with the princess jokes.” I finally got out. “Weird dreams are bad enough, but to be double teamed about being a princess….”
As soon as I finished speaking I mentally kicked myself in the ass. Talk about giving Dave a loaded gun. So it was to my surprise that he left it alone and Suzi took the bait.
“OH! I knew it!” She squealed leaning forward towards me so rapidly her blonde pigtails whipped from behind to her front. “You’re finally ready to admit it! You secretly ARE a magical pretty princess and here to stop the dreaded evil Zorklings from taking over!”
Huh? I tried to articulate a response to my mischievous imp of a friend only spluttering a couple times before I could speak. “NO! It was just a weird dream.” I calmed down a little. “Nothing else. It just spooked me enough that I keep seeing things out of the corner of my eye and strange things flash in reflections sometimes.”
I looked away from them. Lamely picking up a controller. The room suddenly seemed to have gained an energized charge to it. Enough so that I could almost feel David’s shift of posture and demeanor. I looked up just in time to catch him stand.
“That’s enough for me today.” He turned and left to go into his single bedroom. “I think I’m gonna rest before I get some stuff done tonight.”
His door closed quickly, but not fast enough to cause it to slam.
Suzi looked over at where he had left then back towards me. Her deep sapphire eyes seemed almost as large as the comic pop idol she was dressed to emulate. “Wow, normally he would have a lot more to say.”
“So… what now?”
She shrugged her shoulders and collected the baseball bat I had known she had somewhere nearby. “Take our chances hanging out somewhere else?” I noddd my reply after which she continued to chat on our way outside. “So, about this dream Princess?”
I just groaned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Elsewhere~
In the old granite quarry the members of the Council of Balance congregated once more. This time only the nine. The humans and the glows. Though the location remained the same as before, the center stage now had a rock table hewn out of the granite shelf. It appeared to have grown up from the bedrock it was on. Veins of quarts and even some gold shot through it. Not unlike the veins in an arm or perhaps an oak leaf. The table of granite had an organic feel to it, yet was still hard stone all the same. The ambience brought by the four glowing beings eemed to pulse in time to a slow heartbeat. Their varied colors blending into the quarts of the table so that the crystal pulsed with photonic blood.
One of the glowing beings pulsed a little faster as she addressed the group. “It has become a problem.” Her voice had a buzz to it though no less feminine for that. “One that we should not… No, that we can Not any longer mark up to coincidence.”
Her orange tinted glow was dim, like the dying embers of a fire. Still warm and comforting on a cold day but not something that a smart person would wish to handle.
The bearded speaker of the Council of Balance addressed the others next. “Yes, far too many of our members have disappeared. Many posts stand vacant, locations unobserved, infractions against Balance left unchallenged.”
His manner of dress was similar to the larger gathering they had prior, still akin to a coffee shop hipster. Now though he had vario8us technological devices on his person including a cellphone in hardshell case on his hip and smartwatch on his wrist. In contract to this he also was entwined with living vines that traced along his limbs, up his torso, and even entangled within his beard.
One of the woman signaled to speak. Dressed in a masculine business suit of dark blue silk her Asianic features hard and sever. Her dark raven hair was shorn close to the scalp. “We have not been able to identify the new Chosen of Balance. Our next generation is in many cases going through their initial Change after accepting the Gifts of Balance. Yet we have too few of us available to find them and shelter them as they grow into their new selves.” Her voice was halting and course, as if unused to speaking.
The first of the glowing beings spoke once more. Now brighter, similar in color but closer to an angry blaze than to a cool ember. “We know it must be the works of either Gaia or Civilization. Not natural effects. Not accidents. There is no other agency that would act to Neutralize the Balance that has held for so many Millenia. We must Act. Not Talk. We need to go out and remove those who would attempt to turn us back to the Chaos of so long ago.” Her energy sharp and discordant. It shifted the feeling of the table, turning it from a gentle stable artifact into something of anger and action. “Too long have the chosen of Gaia and Civilization agitated against the Balance. The very thing put in place by the Great Entities that have granted us all our gifts.”
One of the glowing beings that had yet to speak countered her. The electric blue shifting into a calming ambience to assist in soothing the aggression of her fellow Chosen. “No, first we must take the appropriate steps of investigation. We of Balance must not be the initiators of another war. After all, for all we know it may be normal human organizations who are responsible for this. It has happened in the past, it could happen again.” Her voice turned sad and introspective. “We all remember the unfortunate events in the colony of Massachusetts Bay all those years ago.”
Several of the group repressed shudders of grief and pain. None here could forget the slaughter of a dozen young Magi in training by the fearful people of the time. Most of the youth had only just manifested, not really understanding what they were and how they came to be. Only just gathered together to be properly instructed.
The speaker bowed his head in memory of the tragedy. He looked at the others of the Council. “Then we will task our members to investigate these disappearances. Even if it may leave some area’s uncovered for at time. No direct action is to be taken unless and until there is proof of what is occurring.”
His expression was firm, belying the casual coffee shop anti-establishment looks he sported. His voice cool and would not be out of place in an executive board room or military briefing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
Oooomph!
I tried to regain my breath after a rather unspectacular wipe out. Unspectacular in that I just bellyflopped onto the concrete after my skateboard had jetted out from under me. I got up on hands and knees and wished I could afford more than the helmet on my head.
“That’s one way to get over the rail.” Suzi commented as she passed on a set of custom inline skates.
She was decked out in tight shorts, crop top, and skatewear. Including knee, elbow, head, and wrist protection. Not that she needed it. I had already watched her pull a handless side flip off a rail onto a ramp like a pro at the Red Bull X-Treme Games.
In fact, I don’t think I have ever seen Suzi wipe out in years. Like everything else she does she seems to take to it like a fish to water. I was very glad she invited me. Even if it was because it was at the behest of her friend Hernando from the party a few nights ago.
He came to stand next to where I had biffed it. Dressed up similar to how I was. Though whereas I looked like a schmuck in my loose jeans and ratty t-shirt, Hernando looked like a Guchi model out slumming in the skatepark.
I looked up as he reached down to help me up.
“Thanks.” I dusted my sore elbows and legs off.
“Bienvenidos. Siempre que necesites ayuda estare ahi.”
Oh yeah, he also had an annoying tendency to speak to me in Spanish even though I knew that he spoke flawless English. I think he just enjoyed teasing me for some reason.
“Uh.. yeah… Thank you I guess?” I rubbed the back of my head, clueless to what he was saying as usual.
Hernando just grinned one of his model perfect grins. The type of smile that made women go weak in the knees. It was no wonder that Suzi liked to go out with him so much. If I was a girl I’d probably do the same in her shoes…skates… whatever.
He stepped over to his free skates. A pair of square flat boards about six inches to a side with two skateboard wheels inline underneath each. Basically a skateboard cut in two with the middle removed. I had a hard enough time boarding sometimes, but this guy made freeskating look as easy as Suzi made rollerblading. I watched his roll over to the half pipe. The man had skills. Tucking and stepping, popping up one side and speeding down the other. Sometimes on both skates, sometimes on only one.
While he was in a complicated vertical maneuver Suzi rolled up next to me.
“He’s pretty good.” Her tone appreciative.
“I guess.”
Her laughter was light, music to me as it always was. “Guess? Why Jayde, if I didn’t know better I would say that you were Jealous.”
“What?!” I sputtered. Almost dropped my borrowed board. “Of him? No I’m not!”
She leaned in close, looked me deep in my eyes before she startled me with a boop to my nose. “Totally.”
I rubbed my nose with a touch of annoyance. “Ok, maybe a little. He really is good.”
“Just that?” Suzi continued her close inspection. “Sure there isn’t anything more?”
“Nope. Nothing.”
“Well if that’s the case, Hernando was wondering if you were doing anything later tonight.”
I looked over at Suzi again, not quite getting what she was hinting at. “Working. Besides I don’t want to interrupt your time together.”
Suzi laughed again. That beautiful sound that always seemed to make my heart skip a beat. “Oh Jayde. Don’t ever change.”
“Huh?” I scratched my head underneath where my helmet ended in confusion.
Hernando had finished his set and was wheeling up to us. “Convidada tertulia?” He looked over at Suzi.
She shook her head, a mirthful and mischievous grin on her face. It made her look kind of like a sexy playful pixie.
“Shame.” He shook his head in reply.
“Care to clue me in?” I inquired.
The two of them smiled at me before Suzi answered. “Maybe some other time. C’mon, let’s see you on the pipe now.”
Great, I get to be the follow up to the guys masterful performance. No time like the present at least. I dropped the board on its wheels and kicked off. I’d at least give as good a showing as I could.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
Most of the week had passed, and yet that dream still bothered me.
At least I could find solace spending time with Suzi, David, or Byran. As well as at work. Sometimes though I wasn’t able to get away from the Dream.
To get away from ‘Her.’
I wasn’t sure that I was not going insane. She was the only thing that I saw that was out of the ordinary at least.
So to get away from ‘Her’ today I went to the mall a couple miles down from my place. I was sitting across from the Theater doing some people watching.
It was something Bryan and I would do for shiggles and ghits. We would watch them go by and invent storylines for them. Anything from histories and families to odd conversations that they had to be involved in.
Like the couple walking by arm in arm. He was dressed in the latest Manbun McDouche Hipster outfit. Bushy beard trimmed to within an inch of its life and I swore his hands had a better manicure than Suzi. The young woman with him looked like a much harder worker than he was, plus she looked awesome in her dreadlocks.
I would say that he made some serious cash online, probably on some feminist blog site. She was most likely the one who made the real decisions between them.
Once they were out of sight another worthwhile person to comment on walked into view. This one was a tall and skinny androgenous man. Well, I think it was a man. Corn rowed hair ending in beaded braids, poofy peasant’s shirt that was tie died a dark menage of oranges and blues. He was visually loud and quite possibly more gangly than I was…. If that was even possible.
Hrmmm… Collage student majoring in the arts and living off of parent’s money and student loans. Probably an activist of some sort. He’ll be a lawyer for corporations and a major supporter of the establishment that he is currently raging against.
Once he passed I saw across the way to the mirrored glass of the theater. I saw ‘Her’.
Ever since the Dream she was all I saw in the mirror. Only mocking me if I mocked her. Yet I never saw myself any longer. Just ‘Her’ instead.
I no longer went into my bathroom unless absolutely necessary. In fact the lightbulb had gone out a couple days ago and I had yet to bother to replace it. I had a couple of spares, it was just easier not to have any light to see ‘Her’ by.
Was Suzi right in some of her teasing? Was I just suppressing my feminine side so much that she was coming out now to haunt me?
Or was it more to do with life stress?
I didn’t think so, though outside of lack of money my life was pretty stress free.
Of course, I really would like a girlfriend. I knew I didn’t have a hope in hell of dating Suzi, and my last actual date was when I had just turned eighteen. Which ended in some spectacularly clumsy kissing and bad groping. The frustration and humiliation I had felt after that night made me much more hesitant to approach women in general.
At least with Suzi I felt at ease and we seemed to click enough that I could be open with most of my feelings with her. All but the ones that really mattered of course. I was too chick shit for those. Besides I was pretty sure that if she and Hernando didn’t work out that Dave was in her cards as a backup.
He was the epitome of ‘Bad Boy’ after all.
Wow, I think I had a pretty bad expression on my face judging by the ugly scowl that ‘She’ was making at me.
Honestly, even scowling ‘She’ was cute. Very tomboy, and my clothes on her though oversized just seemed to bring out an adorable spunkiness. It’s too bad she was just a figment of my imagination.
“So, would you go out with me?” I quietly said and watched her lips make the identical words out.
“Sure, anytime.” I replied to my reflection, making sure to smile brightly so I could see ‘Her’ radiant smile in return.
“Geez, now I’m flirting with myself.” I murmured to the air looking anywhere but at ‘Her’.
Really wished I could afford a therapist or something right now. I think I am starting to get to myself. Or is it ‘Her’ that is getting to me?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 05
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Mirror Changed – Chapter 06
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
Back at work again. As usual. Another boring Friday daytime shift appeasing customers and ignoring my surly manager.
Becky wasn’t on shift today, which was probably a good thing as she had been acting a bit weird towards me ever since the party. I was sure that she had just as good a time there without me that she would have had if I had stayed.
More so in fact, she probably would have been just plain annoyed with me in only a few minutes if I had stayed.
“Your meal will be out shortly.” I told an obstinate and slightly obese woman.
“Well, it had better be.”
I honestly never understood why some of these fast food buffalo’s, what we called irate heavyset customers, thought that being rude would get them better service. What it actually did was incentivize us wage slaves into fucking around with their order.
A few customers like her later plus one that was blessedly kind and I was now watching the clock like a hawk. I could swear that it had moved backwards by at least five minutes from the last time I had looked at it.
“Any time now…” I quietly internalized.
Sometime later I was almost ready to scream when Suzi walked in, a skateboard under her arm. Finally, something interesting. I glanced back at the clock… Somehow an hour had now passed between that last look and now. So all I had to do now was suffer through the last of the line and then the usual end of shift annoyance with Don. I think he lived here, I know that he was almost always onshift when I was.
Three customers left. One was a family of five though. Surprisingly the rugrats were well behaved and the ordering went quickly. That was one more for my new customer Bingo Card. We started it up again this week after a particularly foul Jerry Springer candidate had reared his ugly head. All of us were surprised he hadn’t managed a Darwin Award yet when he came through.
So far Don wasn’t aware of the pool. Yet. We were working extra hard on keeping it that way.
The last customer in my line had just finished paying as Suzi stood up from whatever she had been doing on her phone. She got into my line so that she’d be my final person of my shift. I was about to close the register when she held her hand up.
“Hold on there Tiger.”
Great, she was in one of her Mary Jane persona’s today. The red haired wig looked vibrant, its long tresses almost down to her waist. I had watched several of the female customers eyeballing her with envy.
Suzi also knew my personal feelings on this particular comic women in Spider Man’s life. That in combination with her normal spunky attitude meant I was going to be on both a hormonal and emotional rollercoaster tonight.
“Lemme guess, you got a hot date tonight and wanted to get a small bite in first before you hit the bar?”
“Not on your life. Dating is sooo last decade. Tonight is for fun with friends.” She cocked her hips to one side and flipped her hair back with the opposite hand.
Have to say to myself that she looked amazing in the dark green top and black pants. Say it inwardly only as I was afraid of what I would say if I mae an attempt to compliment her out loud.
“So, what can I do for you?”
Lame, lame, lame, I was so lame. God I just wanted to smack myself on the forehead.
Suzi put a finger to her lips and gently tapped it for a bit. I know she knew what she was doing to me. So I just squirmed in silence.
“So many dirty ideas with that one Champ.” She spun around and parked her butt up against the counter so she could lean back on both arms, which drove me crazier still. “However, I think it’s best if we stay pro’s here ya’ know. So order me up a few meals. We’re off to Dave’s once they’re ready.”
“That’s it?” I couldn’t hold the relief… and disappointment out of my voice. Much to my dismay. “I mean, well, of course. I’ll get those ready Suzi.”
“Now ya know I’m Mary Jane right now Tiger.” She patted my cheek, much like someone would pet a puppy on the head. “So get that ready.” She got up and bounced away. “And Jayde?”
“Yes?” I almost squeeked.
“Don’t Change.”
Sigh….
It didn’t take long for the meals to be prepared. Once clocked out we headed to the bus station. Her teasing nature was at the back of my mind all the way over to David’s. Of course she continued to do so the entire way over to our friends. Regardless of the fact that she only carried her board and I carried the meals and drinks.
Outside the house Dave was leaning up against the old red bricks smoking a cherry pipe he pulled out every now and then. Suzi sauntered up, still in character, and saucily took the pipe from a wickedly grinning David. She took a good drag on it, the glowing embers in the bowl brightening as more air flowed through them. A couple puffs later and she handed it back, a look of disappointment on her face.
“Sorry, plain old Georgian Tobacco.”
“And here I was hoping that I would actually pull off Mary Jane smoking some Marry Jane.” She pouted.
David grinned while I laughed at her shenanigans. “so, what’s on the Xbox tonight?”
“Depends on whether you brought me some good steak burritos or crappy hamburger fart fests.”
“Mmmm… Both?”
He grabbed the bag from me and headed inside, grumbling about worthless junk food products and ruining perfectly good meat.
By the time Suzi and I had made it in David had the food divvied out into three distinct piles. The biggest one of course in front of his customary spot. I went to sit down at one of the other piles only to have Dave growl.
“Yours is over there.”
I sat at the last pile, Suzi would end up in between us.
“Why this one?”
“Because all the hamburger and bean farts are there.”
Suzi sat down at her designated spot. “And these?”
“Chicken.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Why?”
“Because I like breasts and thighs next to me?” He said with a lecherous expression.
"PIG!" Suzi squealed in mock anger as she hit at him with a throw pillow. “Chauvinistic Pig!”
David put down the burrito he had been about to bite into and proceeded to defend himself against whirlwind Suzi. Likely he was attempting to rough house her into submission. Except that they ended up with Suzi straddling his stomach and Dave halfway off the couch at an odd angle. Her Mary Jane wig askew and no longer looking nearly as real.
“Damn it. It took Forever to get that to sit right.” She complained as she threw it off her head.
Unfortunately it ended right up on top of my head. I reached up to pull it off only to hear Suzi squeal again.
“It’s Perfect!”
Before I knew it I had been tackled by a very energized and peppy bundle of cosplayer. I could only partially see as she maneuvered me around like a rag doll. I felt her tug on my shirt and I attempted to keep it on, but somehow she managed to switch it with a different one while I was partially blinded by wig and my hyper friend.
Finally, wig on head and a different shirt on I was able to properly see my two tormenters.
Suzi was wearing my shirt, how and when that happened I had no clue. Which meant that I was wearing hers. I did NOT want to verify this.
“She really fills it out doesn’t she.” David stated to Suzi from where he stood.
“Damn it.” I reached up to take off the wig.
Only to have Suzi stop me. “Nope, you are Magical Princess Jayde now.” She pulled me down on the seat right next to her, our thighs touching. “Let’s show Dave what a pair of Princesses can do!”
I heard a click and had to blink a couple of times from a flashbulb.
“You two are So cute together!” Dave stated as he lowered an actual camera.
“Oh! Look Dave! She’s turning as red as her hair!”
“Damnit Suzi! You know I’ve been having a bad week.” I was doing my best to hold back tears now, hands were fisted on my knees and eyes burning.
She settled down a little bit. “That’s part of why we’re here.” She put her hand on mine. Which did nothing to lower my blood pressure but did change some of the reason for its rise. “You know, let out some steam. Let our hair down… well or off. You know, to just Be and not to worry.”
“So how bad a week has it been?” David put in.
“I may be having a bit of a break down.” I told them. I wasn’t sure why I was opening up, but it did feel good to do so.
“The dreams then?” Suzi asked.
I nodded in response. “Yeah. Strange thing is that they weren’t even that bizarre. Just, well, very real. A little too real in fact.” I looked over at Suzi. “Can I take off the wig please? It’s hitting a little too close to home right now.”
David’s wicked grin bore me some concern, but Suzi took the wig from me before he could get up to much more. His smile faded and so he sat down on the couch on the other side of Suzi. “Well, that’s no fun. Now I only have a Princess and her puppy to tease.”
“HEY!”
“C’mon Jayde. You are totally Suzi’s little puppy dog. What with the way you are always following her around.”
“Leave him alone David.”
“Arf arf.”
Her glare would have done Medusa proud. Of course having my friend defend me like that didn’t exactly help me out any regarding my self esteem.
“So, you’re still seeing visions?”
I shook my head. “Not exactly. Just the one.”
“The girl?” Suzi said to which I nodded. “So how much of her have you seen?”
“What? I’m not like that!” I said, aghast.
“Oh, come on, she’s just an imagination. Why haven’t you looked all the way?”
Blushing again. Great. Another superpower, the ability to blush at the drop of a comment. “Of course I haven’t looked all the way. That’d be… I don’t know…. Wouldn’t I be like violating her or something? It just doesn’t feel right looking at ‘Her’ body like she was on display or… yeah…” I was rambling but could not help myself.
“I know I would check it out if I was you. It’s not everyone that can just look in on themselves you know.” Suzi paused then looked at me mischievously. I love that look but right now it scared me. “What does she look like? Big tits? Small? Flat tummy? I love flat stomach’s, they’re pretty damned sexy.”
“Small breasts I guess- Wait! No, I’m not going to discuss ‘Her’ like a piece of meat.”
Suzi smirked. “No need to be such a Princess about it.”
Now I was past embarrassed and was beginning to get annoyed. These were my friends, but still I was having a crisis and Suzi was just making light of it.
Strangely David had been silent during this whole thing. Normally he’d be right in there with the digs. I wasn’t going to stick around though. I stood up and walked out.
“Hey! Don’t leave Jayde! We’re only having fun.”
I removed Suzi’s green shirt and threw it inside Dave’s house as I left. I had a bitter taste in my mouth.
Leave it to me to turn a good old gaming hang out with the only girl that seems to understand me into drama central.
To top the evening off it was drizzling on me as I walked home. Without a shirt no less.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
A few days later since I had walked out of David’s had been a bit depressing for me. Well, not a bit depressing. A lot depressing. Especially Sunday as normally Suzi and I would have hung out at the mall or skate park. I bailed on it however. I didn’t really know what to think of our friendship right now, and I think I may have done something really really stupid by walking out. I was too much of a coward to even answer her calls or read her texts.
What does that say about me? About my manhood? Nothing good I guess.
So I had let another two days pass until Byran had pulled me out shopping. I still only saw ‘Her’ in reflections. I had been hoping against hope that this would fade in time, but my psychotic break only seemed to be getting worse. Only getting more entrenched.
Or perhaps what Suzi said in jest was right when she was chattering about magical girls. All I know is that it had gotten tough to shave, and very distracting when I once walked into the bathroom without a shirt on. At least when I was out and about there were other people to look at.
Now out on a sidewalk downtown walking with Bryan things felt somewhat normal. It was nice to just chat. About video games and internet videos as we walked. Bryan was a good friend to hang out with. Neither derogatory like David or hyper active like Suzi. To put together a list of what we had in common outside of video games was a very short list. As well as a sad reminder of how little I had progressed in life. We had met in a first-person shooter contest in a gaming shop. It was the store’s attempt to draw in new customers. It really only just re-netted it’s same old group. I didn’t rank out very well, but Bryan owned most of the competition.
Our friendship began when I was dissing the controller setup I had been forced to use. He kicked my ass and I complained with a whole lot. Thus began our long drawn-out battle of the consoles.
Now on this fine Tuesday afternoon I found myself on the way back to his place after a successful round of purchases at the downtown gaming store. Well his purchases that is. I was playing the part of the faithful companion. Also there was a very good potential of getting my ass handed to me yet again tonight on his admittedly nice setup. At lease I would have some respite from how lonely I had been feeling after my tiff with Suzi.
It was pretty depressing that I really only knew Bryan, Suzi, and David from all the other people I had grown up with. Everyone else moving on and out of my life. I kept thinking on how they had gone to collage or to the military or married or what not. They didn’t have time for a loser like me who wasn’t going anywhere.
“I’m not sure about this latest attempt at a capture game.” Bryan stated out of the blue.
It took me a little off guard as we had been discussing an interesting live action internet video of the latest Final Fantasy. “The Digital Monsters one? Or the Ball Capture knock off?”
Of course I was a touch distracted as we walked along. We were next to the mirrored windows of a long strip of office complexes. I thought about switching sies with Bryan as when I looked over to talk with him I saw ‘Her’ in the window.
“No, I’m talking about some of those freemium games. It seems like the console game developers aren’t even trying anymore. I mean I guess I can understand since any kid can just hop on their tablet and download a game that you used to have to buy at a store.”
Bryan was like that. Very introspective on games, not really on anything else however. Just games. It takes all kinds I guess.
While we walked and talked I continued to take in the scenery. Bryan was better dressed that I was, which really didn’t take a lot of doing. He wore his work t-shirt, complete with corporate brand logo and a new set of jeans. He also wore a pair of brilliantly white sneakers that never seemed to get dirty. I was dressed in an old thrift store bought Zelda Tri-Force tee and some ratty pants I should have thrown away a few months ago.
Soon I was going to go out and buy some better clothes. These had been fine by my opinion until the dream. Now they were very distracting when I saw ‘Her’ in my reflections. Her hair was a short and messy page cut version of my current tassel of hair that was way overdue for a trim. On me I felt it looked nappy and awful. On her it looked adorable and cute. The jeans would have been alright if they fit, but the only reason they stayed up on ‘Her’ in the reflection was because it was all in my head. Finally the Zelda tee. It had a bit of an overstretched neck and was a little tight around my shoulders. On her though it could be positively indecent as it was almost a tent and the collar often flashed bits that should remain hidden.
I guess it was a good thing that I was the only one that could se her then. For all that was worth. I would be mortified if that was actually me that was caught in public.
Rounding a corner we maintained our chatter and I continued to watch people and their reflections. Since the Dream I had been watching people’s reflections a lot. Gaining an interest in those around me, or at least an awareness. It could also mean I was getting ready to break.
At least it gave me something to pay attention to besides myself.
Of course Bryan’s reflection was normal. Was walking along in the reflected sidewalk like normal. Everyone else’s lined up to their real self as well. Only mine was out of place.
A man not far in front of us, dressed in business casual. Probably on an afternoon break. The woman across the street in her ethnic dress that appeared to belong more in the Mediterranean than in a crowded American street. Even the pair of skater punks with their tats, piercings, and chains boarding towards us. We did our best to let them weave around us. Bryan held his bag of games close to his chest to make sure they were not yanked in passing.
Once the two were beyond us on their way I resumed my watch. I found it interesting just how many storefronts and offices were either fully or partially mirror tinted. I don’t think I have ever noticed it before. So introspective had my thoughts turned that I was no longer sure what we were discussing. Not that it was very important. Bryan and I just tended to have wandering conversations on whatever came up.
So I guess I could be forgiven for not noticing it at first. I was in something of a conversational fugue and window watching on the side. Everyone else’s reflections had always been normal. So even a gorgeous red headed woman walking aggressively towards us didn’t fully ping any mental warnings. Even watching her mirrored image didn’t pull me out. It should have. I mean a flame haired woman with large angelic bird like wings sprouting from her back shouldn’t read as normal. Her hair was a brilliant red, seemingly backlit as if by a fire. Hands ended in talonlike claws rather than proper fingernails. Pale alabaster skin, brilliant in the afternoon sun and containing a glow that would be pleasant to the eye.
Finally my introspective wandering ended as she blocked my path. My brain decided that the image belonged in a fantasy game really was her reflection and not just my own delusions. Reality came rushing back to find Bryan gazing very hapilly in her direction. Outside of the reflection I couldn’t blame him.
Hell, even without the reflection I would have been staring. Jaw dropped and everything. She wore tight leatherlike pants that she had to have been poured into. Footwear a pair of high-quality leather stiletto boots with bright studs running up the outsides. Tight blood red leather halter top styled vest over a fishnet long sleeved shirt that showed plenty of skin underneath. The long red hair that was part of reality and not the reflection was bright enough that it had to be a dye job. If it was it was a damned good one.
The very dazzling and also predatory looking woman stood watching us for a reaction. Then I realized it wasn’t us she was watching. It was me. Both of us were unable to speak. Bryan from hormones most likely. Me from that and the shock of her Avenging Angel visage in the mirrored window.
Bryan’s stillness was something of a blessing to me. It helped to extend the moment when any action would need to happen. I felt like prey cornered in the wild and the lioness was ready to pounce. I didn’t think my friend felt like prey though. More that he was a gamer geek who never passed up an opportunity to bask in a hot woman’s presence. Especially if she looked like she had just stepped out of a video game shoot.
Though I couldn’t’ move, couldn’t even look away, I saw the edges of her image move in my peripheral. Kestrel shaped wings that were brilliant white with bleeding red tips flexed slightly as she stood there. Feathers moving slightly in a non-existent breeze. My nervousness and anxiety grew as the moments passed. After a short time I am sure it showed on my face.
Eventually the woman/angel barring our way finally spoke.
“So are you going to just stand there and stare Magus?” Her tone was not exactly condescending. More that of a young woman who had caught her baby brother doing something particularly foul.
I didn’t know what to say, and it looked like Bryan’s brain had yet to catch up with the rest of him. When the woman spoke next she had gone from a slightly perturbed tone to that of the disgust I am sure a model reserves for ugly perverted old men ogling her.
“Well? Nothing to say?’
Neither of us knew yet how to respond to this gorgeous, yet unhinged, woman. I had troubles responding to unknown women, Bryan usually did not however. And it’s not that neither one of us didn’t know any, it was just that this particular one was new to us. Her looks notwithstanding, it was her reflection and the palpable energy I could feel emanating from her that held me cornered like a rabbit.
She didn’t seem like she would be able to wait any longer. Her nostrils flared and her temper was obviously on the rise. She cocked her hip up slightly and put her hand on it. Every motion seemed calculated to draw attention and edged with danger. Panic was rising in my chest as I slowly tore my gaze from her physical form to the Angelic visage in the mirror.
“Come now Magus.” Her voice contained a sneer nastier than the one showing on her face. “Don’t act like you’ve never seen cleavage before. I know what you are. I know you can see what I am. So close your Damned jaw and talk.”
The anger and impatience she wore was so strange to me. I’ve only seen it in movies or across the counter at work. Never once had such actions been directed at me, at my actual person.
Except, that is, from my father. Which was probably why I just stood there attempting to stammer up an apology and not running for my life.
“Oh, I get it now.” Her disdain palpable. Her expression shifted from an angry sneer to derisive revulsion. Sort of how David would look at me whenever I did anything remarkedly stupid. “HA! You’re just a youngling! Newly Chosen! A Baby. I bet you haven’t even Changed yet.”
As she talked, she leaned into my personal space, hands on hips and nasty expression on face. I took a step back and she followed, continuing her taunt. “You don’t look like much as a normal and look at your cute little Magus form.” She switched to almost a singsong tone. “Such a cute widdle ragamuffin. I bet you’ll only be good for one thing in that teeny tiny package.”
She jabbed a very well-manicured finger into my chest, right above my heart. It was well formed and very feminine, yet full of strength that I knew I would not be able to match. It wasn’t her human finger, or even her nasty verbal attack that had me poleaxed. It was the reflection, for if her winged form had been present then her talon would have been stabbed past my ribcage. Into my vitals.
The strange woman opened her mouth to continue her bullying tirade. Before she was able to speak any further Bryan knocked her arm down and stepped in between us.
“I don’t know what your problem is, and I don’t really care.” He stated brazenly. She backed up a little, expression still nasty. “But Back Off lady.”
I was really glad for Bryan’s intervention. I may have a lot of questions about what is going on, but I am pretty sure that this woman was the Wrong person to answer them.
She sniffed disdainfully at the two of us and collected herself back up. “Fine. I’ll find you later perhaps. Maybe after you have finally Changed. Goodbye Youngling.” She brushed past us, her tone so condescending that it almost felt like having been berated by an old lady yelling at us to get off her lawn.
Once she was out of sight Bryan and I finally relaxed.
“Well Jayde, I know you always wanted beautiful girls to pay attention to you but I don’t think that’s what you had in mind.”
I only nodded in agreement to his statement. As we walked along I rubbed the sore spot on my chest where she had poked. The woman had a lot of strength in that finger.
Owie…..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 06
Ooof… that was a pair of scenes! Got them out in one sitting no less! My fingers are the hurts now…..
Jayde is definitely less sure of the whole ‘Is it real or is it just a dream’ concept now.
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Mirror Changed – Chapter 07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~David~
David sat on his couch. An old styled rotary phone in his lap. Not even one from the nineteen nineties. More like something from post world war two era. Coiled cloth phone cord and wooden casing. Old style brass and resinous plastic ear piece located in the proper place.
He picked up the handset and cradled it against his ear and shoulder with an ease of long time use. After a couple deep breaths he dials a long number, international dial code to somewhere in Europe. On the other line a pleasant if cold androgynous voice picked up.
“It pleases us to see one of our North American members still remembers the old numbers.” The person said, no aspect of any emotion to its old voice.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” David’s own tone was neither dark nor brooding. Not it s usual standard late teen slash early twenty year old anti-hero wannabe. Instead his mannerisms and tone was closer to that with some military or police training.
“Do we have the pleasure of a report then? Or is this a social call.”
“I have been watching for signs, as required. One I have been observing has had the dream. I do not yet believe another has found him.” David paused waiting for the person on the other end to respond.
“And the faction? Never mind. You would not report in this nature if you were unsure or if it was not of concern towards the agenda. Observe and verify as needs be.” The person paused for a moment. “And David? You know what to do if we can not use him towards the goal.”
“Alright. I understand. I will keep you posted sir.” He hung up the phone as soon as he finished.
David stood up, holding onto the phone and walked it into his bedroom where he opened a hidden side panel in his antique dresser. He put the phone inside, being careful with the cord to prevent any tangling.
“You’d better be worth it Jayde. I really like this house and don’t want to move.”
A few moments of pacing later and David pulled an old model cell phone off his nightstand. Not any type of smart phone or otherwise. Rather a pre two thousands flip phone from the nineteen nineties. He opened it and waited for it to power up. After it was fully on, which took a bit, David dialed a number much closer to home.
“It’s David. Get over here, there is an Awakening. I may need your help.”
He didn’t wait for a response, just closed the phone and put it down with a sigh.
“I really like this place… damn it…”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
I always felt compelled to compare Bryan’s house he rented to David’s place. I had spent so many hours on each of their couches that sometimes I felt it might just be easier if I moved in. However I didn’t want to risk my friendships, and living with friends could do that. Besides David could be so negative and the cutting nature of his comments would probably have driven me to do something drastic within a month.
Also, I think that Suzi and David may be becoming an item. Especially as I think Hernando had left town. I knew I would have to call Suzi and apologize soon, even if the thought of her and Dave getting together turned my stomach. It was bad enough watching Hernando, but he was at least worthwhile for someone as awesome as Suzi.
I shook my head free of that negative though path and back to my current surroundings. Bryan’s furnishings were much newer than Dave’s, yet for all that they were not as comfortable. I think Bryan got them from IKEA or someplace like that.
We sat on the slightly less comfortable couch in a mostly blank living room. Bryan’s only major concession to appearances being some gaming posters and a very large very modern 4k smart TV. Said TV was on a stand made out of two by fours and mason blocks. Bryan would state loudly and proudly when challenged that a gamer had to have priorities and that a proper entertainment mount came secondary to a proper screen. I just think he enjoyed being obtuse.
Currently on deck was a first-person shooter on his Xbox. I’m not sure which one. It was explode and had lots of high tech weapons and armor. My heart just wasn’t in the game. Instead I kept thinking back on some of what the angry red head had said. I mean, ‘Magus’? ‘Changed’? what did she mean by that?
As I roamed about in game I got a good hit on Bryan. Well I think it was a good hit. However when I went over to check if the body was dead it reared up and cut my character in half with some form of energy sword.
“BOOM! That’s what you get Buddy!”
To say that Bryan was pleased with how he killed my virtual self would be an understatement. So far this was the fifth game we had tried today. The futuristic marines was pretty fun, I guess. If my head had been in the game.
And yet…
I sighed quietly and began to go through the motions of dodging the aggressive A.I. units fire while collecting weapons and ammo to take Bryan on. It didn’t take him long to zero in and take me out again.
“Hey man, were you even trying?” I was pretty sure he was looking at me. I just watched the respawn counter on my portion of the screen.
The last several times I had been over we had a blast. No matter the game or movie it had been worth every minute. Truthfully, I usually enjoyed gaming with Bryan more than the larger matches that we had over at David’s. It was probably because Bryan genuinely enjoyed the games and it seemed that David was more into the derogatory and verbal sparring.
“Yeah, I guess I wasn’t.” I tossed the controller down. “Trying that is. I think I’d better go.”
I stood up to go. I don’t think I was showing too much emotion, but Suzi always tole me I was like an open book. Oh, and that I should never play poker. I was just extremely pre-occupied with other thoughts right now.
“What, you still thinking about Crazy Chick?” His emphasis on the Crazy most likely meant to assure me that it was her problem, not mine. “You’ve got to lighten up Jayde. You don’t know who she was, and you definitely don’t know what she was on. Because, brother, she was absolutely on something. Acid, shrooms, super weed, psychotropics, … life….”
He couldn’t see the reflections though. After Suzi’s making fun of me when I began to open up at Dave’s I had decided I wasn’t going to discuss the reflections with anyone else.
“No, it’ll be fine. Besides I’ve got opening shift tomorrow. I don’t want to be too tired.” I headed to the front door. “I’ll be fine. Why don’t you unlock some new options or weapons for when I come over again? I’ll give you a much better match next time.”
Bryan turned back to the screen and was already getting back to the main menu. “Oh, I’ll have them ALL!”
Ok that made me laugh. A little bit.
He sure was gleeful about his games. I smiled sadly as I left. I wished that things could be that simple for me. The only other person who I have ever known who was as adept at games was Suzi. Unlike her though, Bryan refused to play Alpha or Beta. He wanted the full finished version right out of the box.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Outside Bryan’s~
In an alleyway nearby, barely in sight of the door her target had entered, the ‘Crazy Chick’ stood watching. She didn’t know much about this young Magus. In fact, she hadn’t even known one was in the area, so when serendipity reared its head she was not about to let her out of her sight. She had never met one so young before though.
Normally when the woman who was a Chosen of Gaia encountered one the other Changed of Balance or Civilization only after they had learned some control of their gifts. Once or twice she had encountered them recently after their very first change. This was the very first one she had ever encountered who didn’t even know what she yet was.
Of course that still left much to be desired about her current situation. That of standing stakeout in a Seattle area alleyway next to a privacy fence in high healed boots and club wear. Though at least the alleyway was drivable and for the most part clear of debris. She still stood out like the proverbial sore thumb. To make matters worse, like most back alleys there were always vagrants and ne’er do wells.
At this moment a pair of these fine examples of humanity had been switching from sitting and watching her to egging each other on to verbally accosting her. Both potentials annoyed her to no end.
“Hey Babe.” One of them said as he walked forward, having finally gained the courage to approach.
“I said, hey Babe.” He continued when she didn’t respond.
His clothes showed some wear and tear but were decent overall. Of course his voice was on the wrong side of decent. The gravely and hoarse type of voice one gets from screaming in too many mosh pits. The type of voice that was just this side of needing a mechanical voice box. The Gaian woman was also sure that if he got close enough his stench would match his voice.
She just ignored him. She had more important fish to fry after all. Or to watch in this case. She had found a new untended chosen, and had her instructions on what she or others of her group were to do if they found any newly awakened. She just wished she could do this from the sky instead of the squalor on the ground.
“Don’t want to freak out the ‘Normals’ Courtney” she sing song whispered to herself. “You what happened last time Courtney.”
“Hey!” The gravely voiced one said and took some steps towards her. Courtney almost snarled as she caught a whiff of what she swore lived in his ratty beard.
“She don’t like you man.” The cleaner of the two stated with a high pitched laugh and elbowed his companion in the ribs.
“Oh, she wouldn’t still be here unless she liked me.” He said to his friend. “What of it Babe? Are you as good in the sack as you are easy on the eyes?” Then back at his friend. “See, she’s just looking for a good lay, and I’m as good as they come.”
Courtney continued to ignore him. Continuing with the sing song chatter of another conversation she had with herself. She knew she could take them both with ease. Even in her weaker birth form. She was infinitely familiar with these types of bottom feeders, scavengers, and parasites of a society that itself was a cancerous plague feeding off of the spirit of the planet. She had dealt with innumerable examples of their filth throughout the years. So ignoring these two in a long line of breeders was only a mild irritation.
After some more time passed, and quite a few more comments from her own personal peanut gallery, the young Magus left the domicile.
She was about to move to follow when the grubbier of the two got too close.
“So, what say we go and grab a cozy corner Babe? So we can work off this nice sexual tension between us.”
The lower life form Dared to place a weatherworn and calloused hand on her almost bare shoulder. Only when he felt the coiled muscles and barely restrained rage did he get a hint of how very close to the razors edge he tread.
Finally the flame haired vixen responded. A simple restrained statement given in an ice cold tone. “The hand. Remove it.”
With the laughter of his buddy ringing in his ears the vagrant backed off. “Yeah, well yer prolyl a dead fish anyway.”
Courtney didn’t really care about them any longer. Her own quarry was on the move. She licked her lips in anticipation of catching the young Magus of Balance alone.
She so loved to deal with the younglings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
I was sure that I would get myself under control one of these days. It may not be right now. Or even next week. I would figure out a way. Somehow. The encounter on the street, for all its strangeness, did give me a measure of hope. After all, where there was one there had to be others… right?
Had something similar happened to her? A Dream of her own perhaps? Except that the image for her was the Angelic Being rather than that of a small woman? I wondered why mine was what it was then. Was the Dream something that revealed an innermost self? I didn’t like the thought of that if my inner self was a scrawny tomboy.
Obviously, it seemed that people who had the Dream could also see each other’s reflections. I’m not sure that meant anything though. If she hadn’t been so nastily antagonistic I would have been able to ask. She did seem to know something after all.
I wonder. Since she called me a Magus what did that make her?
I probably should also pay attention to where I was going. I now seemed to be heading into a strip mall off course from my place. As I wandered I could see myself in a storefronts television displays. From a central camera pointed out so that the consumer could see how clear the recording and the picture was. I almost cried. It was ME I saw. Not ‘Her’. Just me. Badly groomed, and a couple patches on a cheek where I hadn’t managed to shave very well. But it was Me. It seemed that video wasn’t considered a reflection by whatever had caused this to happen.
Maybe I could invest in a tablet for shaving and checking myself? I thought about the digital revelation. It was probably a good thing about it all things considered. Otherwise wouldn’t all recording devices show ‘Her’ instead of me?
At least my wanderings had taken me here. Close to where Bryan and I had bought the console games earlier today. Most of the stores were now closed and I noticed it was dark outside. When did that happen I wondered.
I was about to turn around and head out when that woman from earlier stepped around the corner behind me. I saw her on the video screens. One of the larger screens was big enough for me to catch her expression. It looked good on her, but the almost predatory snarl to her lips scared the shit out of me.
“Damn...” quietly to myself, “not sure if I should talk or run…”
I think that following the better part of valor may be a great idea right about now. There was just something sinister about the way she was stalking me. I turned to walk away, hoping that like before she would lose interest and walk off. Also hoping that this was just another random encounter and not a case of her stalking me.
Rather than stand there and wait for the crazy angel chick to remove all doubt of her agenda, I moved to go around the other route back to the street. As I walked along I caught brief glances of her when I moved around a parked car or dodged a shopping cart. I didn’t look directly over my shoulder but I was beginning to get genuinely freaked out. This was becoming far to close to one of those slasher horror movies for my taste. So far I hadn’t seen a weapon on her, and could not imagine where she would hide one, but I wouldn’t rule that out yet. Especially as she kept pace with me as I walked.
After I was out of the strip mall area I was only a city block from the street level of the larger mall. I think I would make a beeline into there.
The block passed quickly, my long strides eating up the sidewalk. Once at the doorway entrance I booked it inwards. During the brief time that I was sure I had out of sight of my psychostalker I went into a full out run. Around the kiosks and people. The odd mall cop yelling at me to slow down as I zipped past. Many of the stores were already shuttered for the evening as the last vestiges of the shopping day closed down.
Which also meant I would likely find no solace within any of their walls.
I didn’t glance over my shoulder as I ran. No need or want to slow down. Just focusing on the next steps.
However, for some reason, I was sure that she was keeping pace with me. Even in those murderously ridiculous heeled boots.
There was a movie theater ahead. I slowed to a brisk pace as I came within sight of it. The mirror tinted windows would likely offer me plenty of warning as to anyone following. Namely a red haired vixen with potentially murderous intent. As an added bonus, I was very grateful for my very average appearance now. I hoped that my looks alone would not clue her in. That it was my reflection she was tracking. Well, inside of the glass there was no reflection.
I tried not to pay attention to the movie poster out front, but it was now stuck in my subconscious. It was advertising a really dark slasher flick that Suzi had dragged a few of us to. It had kept me up at night looking over my shoulder for days.
Thanks Suzi. Now it seems like I’m starring in my own version of that movie. On second thought, maybe the movie theater wasn’t the best hiding place to sit this out. Directly across from the theater was a set of public restrooms. Conveniently situated to allow movie goers to get some level of relief after drinking ridiculous levels of soda and eating their body mass of popcorn for two hours.
Hopefully my own stalker wouldn’t enter the men’s side. I also felt that she wouldn’t look for me there first if I was far enough ahead that she didn’t see me enter. Also, when the next movie let out I could disappear with the outgoing crowd.
I left my current area, hastily attempting to reach the relative safety.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 07
So, Back to writing semi-regularly. Advanced chapters available on my Patreon. I'm gonna try to be more productive.
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Also, I've got my Discord Channel for anyone who wants to join, chatter, discuss, and enjoy general zaniness.
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TTFN and good luck to all in their lives and pursuits!
Mirror Changed – Chapter 08
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
It was about fifteen minutes after I took refuge in the men’s restroom across from the theater that the next show got out. As soon as a large group of men entered the facilities I left from my hiding spot in one of the toilettes. I kept my head down and walked along with the wave of people happily chatting on their way home. I saw no sign of the strange red-haired woman as I walked, but I remembered the slasher flick. So, I kept my guard up and didn’t head directly home. Instead, I made my way in a different direction away from the shopping district.
Sort of in the direction of home and sort of towards the university district I rambled along. No real location in mind yet as the nightlife of the city awoke. I kind of wished I had taken up the offer of a fake ID that Dave had suggested last month to Suzi and me. I could get into one of the bars to hang out then.
Of course there was a good chance psycho chick was at one. So maybe it was a good thing that I didn’t have any way to get in.
This double think would give me a serious migraine if I kept it up.
Eventually I found myself in a neighborhood I sort of recognized. Older mid-scale apartment complexes and condominiums dominated the rural environment. The street I was on was only one block away from the terraces where Suzi lived. I pulled my phone out to give her a ring. It’d be nice to say hello. To try to reconnect.
Also, if stalker chick got me then I’d have one more person to have seen me before they dragged my corpse out of the Puget Sound.
Two rings and it went to her voicemail so I hung up and texted her a message.
She must’ve had her phone in hand because she messaged me back in almost no time.
[what’s up?] – Suzi
[Hey, in area. Wat r u do?] – me
[Nothing. God, are you still on that old flip phone?] – Suzi
[You should upgrade to something with at least a keypad.] – Suzi
[Texting using short lettering and abbreviations is so unsexy and infantile.] – Suzi
Leave it to Suzi to message me three times before I could complete even one reply.
[Sry. Hrd 2 complt near as fst msgs as u on phone. U @ home?] – me
[Why? You looking for some fun? * nudge nudge wink wink *] – Suzi
I blushed at her tease. I knew she was just having fun, but even texting I was too abashed to flirt with her.
No matter how much I really wanted to.
[No, I mean Y. Well Im right out ur apt comp. Bout 1 blck away. Can U hang?] – me
[Oh Gods Yes! If only to stop your absolutely foul attempt at texting. Seriously Jayde, I love you like a brother but text conversations with you suck.] – Suzi
Like a brother. Yeah, I do suck I guess. At least I can be around Suzi again. It was often disheartening how she viewed me. I knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. However she was less than a minute away so I let my feet get me there without too much more internalized conversation.
I got through the parking area outside her place. I’ve never been inside, but I’ve helped load and unload outside her place a few times for comic conventions that Suzi went to. Before I could knock on her door my friend came out.
It seemed I caught Suzi off guard enough that she wasn’t in any of her bizarre or unconventionally rebellious outfits. Like at the party, her simple beauty took me off guard. Her light blonde hair was a little longer than mine and undyed for once. Feathered a little in a popular style it made a great accented frame for her face. Suzi’s outfit was a tightknit dark woolen sweater that hugged her curves and darker slacks that had to be custom fitted. Her open footed pumps on her feet made her whole look perfect for the higher ends of town. As if she had stepped right out of a limo delivering her from up in Medina, Mercer Island, Briarcliff, or another of the millionaire communities.
“Uh… hi…?” I stammered. Far more bashful than I wanted to be.
Damn it, why couldn’t I ever tell her how I felt. Instead I either had terminal foot in mouth syndrome or I jibber-jabbered my stammer like a pro.
“That is exactly the reaction I was going for.” Suzi playfully turned around on one foot in front of me. Her pirouette giving me a wonderful view of her at all angles. “so, let’s close our mouth’s and head over to get a nibble. Shall we?”
My jaw closed on its own volition once Suzi brought attention to its state.
No longer in danger of catching flies I walked with Suzi down to the main street nearby. One of the things that is nice about living in the city was being within walking distance of so many things to do.
Case in point, was Suzi leading us to a nearby Denny’s. Just one in a large grouping of diners true. But like the fast-food industry, diners have a comfortable sameness to them. Which means that I didn’t have to worry much about what I would find there or not.
On our way we did the obligatory ‘Hi’ and ‘How are you’ and other conversational avoidance points with the staff and others there that recognized Suzi. That is until after we had ordered and Suzi put her hands on the table to assume her ‘No Nonsense’ expression. Her startling deep blue eyes piercing and cold. Pinning me in place like a bug collectors pin to the corkboard beneath.
“What’s wrong Jayde.”
“Wrong?” I squirmed a little. “Why would anything be wrong?”
I was happy to go back to the way things were before the Dream. Before I had been so Very Stupid and stormed out of David’s after having reacted badly to Suzi’s horsing around.
Instead, it looked like I was going to be grilled by my friend. That she would not accept anything less than full disclosure. So the illusion of the much simpler small chat had now given way to a very un-comfortable space.
Once more I felt like an idiot.
That’s me. Jayde, terminally idiotic.
“Jayde. You’re my friend. I’ve known you for like ever. We used to bathe together as kids. You have been more skittery than a caffeinated squirrel when it comes to hanging out in one place more than ten minutes lately.”
I looked around uncomfortably. I really wanted to do nothing more than to gaze at her lovely face, but right now it was just too intense.
Finally I answered, while looking down at my hands. “I haven’t been sleeping well. That dream and all. My reflections are all wrong. And I seem to be pissing off my friends. I can’t do anything right and anytime I try I make a fool out of myself.”
“We’re not pissed off Jayde. We’re concerned for you. I didn’t think you’d have such a problem with the whole ‘Princess’ thing. I mean, it really isn’t that big a deal is it?”
“Suzi, for over a week now I don’t see ‘Me’ in the mirror. I see ‘Her’. I haven’t seen my own face in a reflection since that Stupid Dream!” I felt close to tears. Great Jayde… zero masculinity points scored on this one.
“Is that why you’ve been acting so menstrual lately?”
“Huh? I’m a guy, why would I act like I’m having a period?”
She laughed. Not a mocking laugh but one of the genuine full humored laughs that I loved so much. “Oh Jayde. You really are so cute sometimes.”
“Huh?”
“Your reaction. I love you Jayde. You really shouldn’t worry about stuff so much. That is probably what your subconscious is trying to tell you.”
I looked away and down at the floor. “I don’t think so. There’s more. Today someone else saw the reflection. She could see the female me.”
Suzi perked up. “What? Really? Was she a psychic?”
“Psycho maybe.” I ignored her slightly patronizing joking tone and recanted some of my experience with the beautiful but terrifying woman. Suzi especially loved the clothing description and I think was taking mental notes on how to make a similar outfit.
Somehow thought I didn’t think she was buying any of it. She had the same expressiveness that she used when we talked about a movie or a comic. At least it was good to finally talk openly about it. Even if I wasn’t believed.
Our meal had arrived and gone by the time I had highlighted the main points. Suzi had insisted on desert which was just now arriving. A root beer float for me and some supersized ice cream covered brownie instant diabetic shock monstrosity for her.
“I fear for your pancreas.”
“I fear for my hips Jayde, but after a story like that I just have to have something absolutely… orgasmic…” She licked her lips so suggestively that I couldn’t help but squirm in my seat. Didn’t she know how she affected me?
I wish I could affect her the same way.
Instead I sipped my float and did my best to rearrange myself as things down below weren’t in the most comfortable position right now.
“So, what should I do?”
Suzi licked off her latest spoonful carefully. Slowly and a bit seductively. It was worse than a TV drama, I swear.
“Well, if I was you, I’d first find out everything about ‘Her’ that I could.”
“But I don’t want to run into crazy angel lady. How would I find out anything without that happening?”
“Oh Jayde,” her tone was mirthful, “ I don’t mean the red haired bombshell. I’m talking about your reflection. You know, the slim and pretty tomboy?” She took another small bite, her eyes sparkling over her treat. “Without knowing more about your own self how can you figure out any of these other things?”
It wasn’t that what she said wasn’t valid. Or that I hadn’t thought along the exact same lines. It was that I was very uncomfortable about it. I guess I took a bit too long thinking a response because Suzi continued before I could reply.
She leaned forward conspiratorially. “So, have you gotten a good look yet? Like a detailed look? She may have some clues on her if you look close enough.” Suzi leaned back and held up a hand to tick off her points. “So, number one, you have a ‘Dream’ where you encounter all of nature and all of civilization. Which leads to number two, you walk along a path to a great big arch that is comprised of both. Then through this arch is your female doppelganger. You touch hands and switch bodies. That leads to number three, in which our valiant young hero, you, wake up and have your reflection replaced by her. That correct so far?”
I nodded, nervously sipping on my float.
“So, you haven’t seen yourself. Not even once, in the mirror since then. You haven’t experimented with her at all. And now you have a crazy beautiful angelic vixen chasing you down.” She ticked off the fourth finger then paused to take another bite of her own confection. “I don’t know Jayde. It sounds like you’re having one long wet dream that any hot-blooded young man would kill for.”
“It’s not like that!” I pouted.
“HA! It is totally like that. Hell, I know some women who would die to be in your shoes!” She leaned forward again. “Unless you’re gay. You’re not Gay are you Jayde? Cause if you are that totally explains some things.”
Suzi reached out and laid one of her hands on mine. The touch gentle and electric. The energy seemed to zap up my arm and sent my heart racing.
“It’s ok if you’re gay Jayde. I wouldn’t love our friendship and company any less.” She looked serious. Her tone not teasing in the slightest.
“Suzi…”
“In fact I know some really great guys I could hook you up with.” She was beginning to get into this somehow. Her excitement at putting things together starting to show.
“Suzi.” I tried to interject again.
Useless though. She continued her own excited build up. “We could throw a ‘Coming Out’ Party! I know just the place to hos –“
“SUZI!” I whisper shouted.
She stopped cold, curiosity shown clearly on her amazingly gorgeous face. Eyes inquiring as to why I stopped her.
“I’m not gay. I like girls.” I couldn’t stop myself now. If there was ever a chance to tell her, it was now. While all her attention was focused on me. While she was holding onto my hand. “In fact, I like you. A Lot.”
I was expecting a reaction. I got one, but one that confused me.
She pulled her hand back, her expression suddenly guarded. She regarded me like that for a time. I don’t really know how long, but it was long enough.
“So… not gay.” She stated calmly, as if completely ignoring the second part of my confession.
Heart sinking I shook my head slowly. “No. Never even crossed my mind.”
“Straight then.”
“Yessss….?”
She nodded, as if to herself before tucking into the remains of her desert. Without gusto, almost mechanically. As if very disappointed in something.
Me most likely.
“That’s alright then.” She finally said in a bored tone.
The type of tone that one would use when discussing the weather or the type of type font to use on a homework assignment.
Embarrassed and ashamed I could no longer look her in the eye. I knew that she understood what I meant, and her reaction told me all I needed to know about how really badly I had screwed up.
And I thought I had messed up back at David’s place.
I hoped that I could salvage something of our friendship. For now though I felt that it was not the time to do so.
My soda was only half finished. The ice-cream melted all the way through. It tasted like ash. Like the uncomfortable tension now standing between us. A barrier in place making neither of us want to speak or even look at each other.
It was time to go.
I stood up and dropped my last twenty-dollar bill. It wouldn’t cover the whole meal, but it covered my half twice over. It was the least I could do after ruining the meal. I’d have to subsist on rice and peanut butter until I got paid again on Friday, but it wasn’t something I hadn’t suffered through before.
With a murmured and lame goodbye, I left. I think I heard Suzi say something as I got up. I wasn’t sure though. It was tough to hear anything through the rushing sound in my ears. I walked away in shame leaving the diner and possibly my oldest friend and crush behind.
I am such an idiot.
To top it off the sky opened up and it began to rain in earnest.
At least the weather got what was going on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
I was dreaming again. It was the Dream but somehow not. Things were a bit more surreal. Still everything seamed lucid, so perhaps it was the Dream. Except that in this one I was walking next to ‘Her’. We also both wore clothes. My ratty jeans and tee combo. On her the same fit her properly.
I know we were having a conversation as we walked between the Jungle and the City. The path was also not straight. Rather it meandered to and fro. I would ask some question of her and she would ask a similar question of me. Neither of us ever had an answer.
Every now and then we would switch, and I would end up as Her and she would end up as Me. The conversation would continue.
Finally, I opened my eyes to a dark room. I was drenched in sweat. Sheets tangled around my legs and breath shallow in my chest. I struggled to remember what time or even day it was. Somehow, I pinged on it being Thursday. I think.
Going back to sleep was probably not going to happen anytime soon given the way my heart was racing. So I got up and went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. Initially I left the light off, after a while some of what Suzi had been advising finally got through. I would probably never understand any of this unless I confronted this.
Once the light was replaced as the bulb had still been burnt out, I looked at ‘Her’ in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot and a little baggy. Hair bedraggled in a pixyish adorable way. Shirt just as drenched on her as on me. However, her nipples were very visible on her chest as the sweat chilled on our skin.
I gritted my teeth for a moment of indecision holding me in place. The expression on ‘Her’ face one that almost stole my breath it was so heart-wrenchingly sad yet determined.
“Grin and bear it Jayde?”
I watched her mouth mimic mine as I asked myself the question.
Mind made up I pulled my shirt up and over my head to let it drop to the floor next to me. I did my best to be analytical in my inspection. When I poked my pectoral area, she poked her small but well formed and perky breasts. I felt I had managed a good milestone here as I got more comfortable with ‘Her’ in the mirror. To be cool and levelheaded, and not to get lost in the fact that I was looking at the image of a very cute topless young woman.
My right hand reached out, almost of its own volition, and touched the mirror. For a second I could swear I felt flesh, but it must’ve been in my mind as it was just cold cool glass beneath my fingertips.
“Who are you?”
Though I asked, she of course remained silent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 08
Oh… Jayde…. You lovable and sad idiot.
Advanced chapters available on my Patreon. I'm gonna try to be more productive.
https://www.patreon.com/alyssnancyonymous(link is external)
Also, I've got my Discord Channel for anyone who wants to join, chatter, discuss, and enjoy general zaniness.
https://discord.gg/37RPTSv7Ua(link is external)
TTFN and good luck to all in their lives and pursuits!
Mirror Changed - Chapter 09
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jameson~
The pub was pretty run of the mill. High end set up masquerading as an old time Irish drinking hole. Wooden topped bar looking hand carved and well oiled. Mirror behind with plentitudes of liquors for the discerning customer on various shelves. The lighting was a dim amber, reminiscent of candleflame and oil lanterns. Tables in the corners and actual wooden barstools that were not bolted in place.
All in all not a bad pub.
And nothing at all near what an authentic pub of the old world would be like.
He would know. After all the young looking man dressed in a depression era tweed suit and pork pie hat had been to the real deal.
Andrew Jameson had traveled a bit in his life. Seen places and events that many would have loved to see. Many more that he same people are probably extremely glad they have only read about.
Today he sat in a corner of the bar. A small bottle of top shelf whisky from a distillery north of Belfast.
An older man, in his late fifties, sat down next to him. Dressed similarly, though his suit looked a bit worn and frayed. Hair going to grey with the heavyset build of a life of hard labor at the docks or with freight companies.
“Daniels.”
“Jameson,” he nodded in reply. “Andrew. How is it every time I see you, you seem the same while I feel the full weight of father time on my shoulders?” His dark tanned craggy features were those of a southern Italian and when he reached for a full snifter of the whisky his hamhock of a hand engulfed the glass.
Jameson held up his own small glass. His hands much smaller and refined. Those of a British noble family’s descent. “The passage of years weighs on each of us regardless of their looks. To each a burden and to each a different weight.”
The dockworker lifted his glass in toast. “To the years. May they continue to march on.”
“Hear hear.”
The glasses clinked quietly. The sound of fine leaded crystal rather than plain silicate-based material. After a sip Daniels sat back contemplating the amber liquid as he let if low over and around his palate.
“You broke out the old glassware.”
Jameson nodded and patted a small purple heartwood box on the counter near to him.
“And that isn’t from behind the counter. It’s too smooth, too complex.” Daniels swirled the small glass again before taking another small sip. “This isn’t local either. European?”
“Irish, and thank you for coming.”
“It must be important for a sip of this ambrosia.”
“Reasonably. I am touching base with some old friends.” Daniels snickered at Jameson’s use of ‘Old’ “looking for information regarding any oddities. Reports of events that don’t match up to the official news groups. Large disturbances or explosions.”
“My friend, there is such a thing as the internet now-a-days. Even an old fogy like you should keep somewhat up with the times.”
Jameson smiled sadly. Almost as if reminiscing of the days of old. “I really have never found the time Daniels. Things just seem so much more complex than they need to be. Besides, didn’t you tell me last year that the internet would never replace the word of mouth?”
“That was over a decade ago my old friend. Besides it didn’t replace the word of mouth. The word of mouth moved online.” He paused to look curiously at the man who looked young enough to be one of his grandchildren. Maybe even one of his great grandchildren playing dress up. “One day we are going to have to get you a smartphone.”
It was Jamesons turn to shake his head. “Sure. Sure. Someday. Maybe after my current mission.”
“Will you finally share your secret fountain of youth then?”
He just smiled mysteriously. Not with humor or mischief, almost a melancholy of a sad secret. The smile of a person with a piece of valuable information that no one else has that he must carry to the grave no matter what he would wish to do with it.
“Damn you old man.” Daniels fumed, a genuine anger on his face. “I’ve helped you all these years because you saved my father in the Korean War. If he hadn’t insisted all those decades ago I wouldn’t even know you.”
“I am aware of your burden, and I am sorry that I may not be more forthcoming. It is my burden as well. I also made a promise to your father. To follow your life, to help you and yours and make sure that you are taken care of. I have never involved you in the things he saw in Korea. He made me promise that as well. You and your family have been a great help as just eyes on the ground. To verify or to find.”
Jameson topped off both glasses before he continued. “I have always valued your friendship Lyman. However, I do age. I am not immortal. Things are… different. We have discussed this before. So please enjoy the gift. I will make sure to wire you some extra funds for your troubles in this. And please be safe. Give my love to the wife.”
As Jameson stood to go he left the liquor case and bottle behind. Daniels finished the drink down in a single shot. He responded gruffly, a deep sadness to his voice. “She passed away.”
“When?”
“Two years ago. You never responded to the invitations. Or the messages.”
“I am so sorry. It would have been … hrmmm.. May then? I was… occupied.” Jameson was a little distracted as he attempted to put a timeline to when he would have been that far out of pocket.
Daniels shook his head. “Even if I didn’t know you were old already, the way you act is a dead giveaway. Some advice from an old friend whether you take it or not. Learn to live. You have the strength and vitality of a twenty-year-old. Enjoy it. Cherish it.”
“Another friend of mine tells me this as well.”
The old dock worker shook his head as he waived Jameson off. “Youth is wasted on the Immortal. Bah.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
The trash area of a fast-food joint. What a wonderfully odorific location to take a break.
Had too though. With everything going on, all the weirdness and my own personal mistakes and self-destructions. It all made it both wonderful and incredibly frustrating to work in the much more mundane world. Had to keep it up though, after all I didn’t have much choice. Needed to eat and needed to pay the rent. I did not relish the idea of being homeless.
Luckily for me, we had just been paid and some of my extra hours had caught up on my bills. Still though, I was a bit short on cash. As if that was anything new. Another perk of fast-food places however was that we employees could often get discounted or even free food.
Thinking of which, I saw the back entrance open up and Becky came out with a small entrée box filled with some extra tacos and burritos made for the rush that hadn’t been sold. Technically she was likely out back to ‘Throw’ them away. In reality she sat down next to me and handed me a dollar menu bean something or other.
“Mmmmm… afternoon leftovers.”
“Just like momma used to make.”
I held my half-unwrapped thing and Becky tapped it with her own.
“Thanks Becky. Don knows I’m a bit cash shy, so he’d probably dock my pay for this if I’d’ve taken it out.”
“No problem. Though you owe me.” She said around her own bite.
Our managers knew that the employees took advantage of unsold leftovers, and corporate policy stated that no prepared product sit for longer than fifteen minutes. So about every hour or so there was at least some spoilage. Most managers just turned a blind eye. Even Don. For everyone but me it seemed sometimes.
“I’ll see if I can get you back for the food sometime. Say next payday? I’m still strapped right now.”
She shifted a little next to me. “I’m not talking about the food. You’d do this for me after all.”
“Oh, you mean covering for my shift the other day? I’m really so sorry about that.” Considering that I had missed half my shift because of freaking out about the Dream I had been exceptionally lucky that Becky and another Co-Worker had pretended to Don that we had all traded and Becky had forgotten. I really did owe her for that.
“Not that either. Guess again.” She said in a teasing voice.
I thought for a few minutes. “Well, I’m pretty sure I paid back that hundred, and helped move your friends place for when you guys helped me with mine. Uh… I helped you get hired here for when you helped me get a job at that burger joint after pizza hut…” I was ticking off my fingers. Took another bite to chew over as I thought back. I was always careful to repay my debts as fast as possible so I didn’t get in too deep. “Umm…. I can’t really think of anything else…”
She hit the back of my head with the flat of her palm. Not enough to hurt, just enough to knock my noggin slightly forward and dishevel my hair further.
“Dolt, it’s a wonder you even remember to put your shirt on right-side out sometimes. You owe me for ditching me at the party.”
“Huh? Whyzat?”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, you mumble your words.”
I swallowed my bite. “Why is that?’
She rolled her eyes. “Because I invited you and I expected to show you a good time. Then you up and left after only an hour. You ditched me on the fecking lawn you dorkus. I had been really looking forward to that party you know.”
Uh… What?
“Why did my being there or not have anything to do with enjoying the party? I mean it looked like it was a blast if you knew people but I didn’t know anyone but you.”
“You dolt.” She stated quietly. “Well, that’s past now isn’t it?”
I nodded and grabbed a taco.
“So now you can make it up to me. There’s another party tonight. So after work, get cleaned up and this time I’ll pick you up.”
Now I felt a bit panicked. I Really did Not want to deal with people. Especially people I did not know. “I’m… well… that is… I’m not sure…”
“Jayde, I know you’re shy and socially awkward. That doesn’t matter to me. Just come with me, okay?”
Oh I so wanted to go with her. But I was actually getting scared now. Not just anxious but scared. What if Suzi or Dave were there? Or Crazy Angel Lady? I wasn’t ready to face anyone but Becky, Bryan, and work.
Work was a very distant third.
“I don’t think it’s a very good idea right now.” I said quietly.
“And why is that?”
“Things have been, well, hectic lately.”
“All the more reason to get out and enjoy yourself.”
“I have some… things…. I need to process Becky. They’re pretty important to life things too. I really don’t want to be around more people than I absolutely have to right now.”
I was pretty down when I said that. My hunger had disappeared halfway through the taco. The aftertaste of my last bite turning to bile in my mouth.
Becky appeared to take some level of solace in my answer at least. We sat in comfortable silence for a time. Her munching on her third item, me holding the unfinished remains of my second. I thought about the other night with Suzi and how my friendships seemed to be destructing on each other one by one. Was this what it was to grow up? To leave everything and everyone behind until all you are left with are strangers and bills? If I had known this in high school I would never have been so eager to move on.
Finally Becky had had her fill and stood to go back in. “There’ll be other parties and things to do later Jayde. When you’re ready we’ll do something.
She went inside. I watched her go and looked down at my work outfit.
Maybe life hadn’t really been so bad. It was too bad that I never seem to realize that until it had passed me by.
I felt like a bad country song.
Country song… I can’t believe I just compared myself to a damned country song. I must be more messed up than I thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
“Alright, Spill It.”
Huh? Now what? “I’m not sure what you mean Bryan.”
He loaded the wood and nails from a pallet cart into the back of his small Toyota pickup. “you’ve been more squirrelly than usual these last two weeks.”
“Well, yeah. I guess so.”
Dang it. Now even Bryan’s starting to notice and bug me about it all.
“Sooooo…?”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“Jayde. We are not going to have a ‘Dude’ ‘Sweet’ ‘Dude’ “Sweet’ back and forth. So do you mind fessing up?”
They had just finished loading up from the Home Depot and needed to walk the cart back into the place. Bryan was adding a new gaming and DVD shelf to his place and wanted company so ended up dragging me out of my place.
Which was a good thing I guess.
I was a bit too much of a shut in lately. Since Tuesdays were one of Bryan’s few days off I spent most of it with him. This was our third errand of the day, and with some clouds rolling in I wasn’t sure how much longer we’d be out.
“Crazy lady chased me, walked out on a party which pissed off my co-worker who had invited me there. Haven’t been sleeping well, which is causing me to be on edge, and I told Suzi how I feel which caused her to go cold and withdrawn and friendzoned me officially. So, you know, late teen drama and all that shit.”
Bryan and I got in the truck before he answered. “Damn, that’s brutal. Seriously? She completely friendzoned you?”
“Yeah, I haven’t heard from her since. I really fucked up this last couple of weeks.” Mentioning all that seemed safe. As long as I remembered not to mention anything about the Dream, and especially about Her, I think I wouldn’t ending up fucking things too much with Bryan as well.
“Harsh. Did she tell you why?”
“No. She just referred to our friendship and how that was really all it is and ever was.”
“I’m not surprised.”
I was not totally sure how to continue the conversation at that point. That and the pretty tomboy in my reflection looked contemplatively back at me. She had nothing to offer other than the sadness in her stormy grey eyes.
“What do you mean ‘Not Surprised.’?”
He fidgeted a little while he drove. “Well, we all knew you were crushing on her bad. And well…? Suzi’s the type to speak her mind. So her reasons are really her own to tell.”
“Great. Everyone’s so damnably secretive. It’s like I’m the last to know anything.”
“Don’t be too depressed Jayde. Part of it is your own secretive nature as well you know.”
I looked over at him instead of towards the road or the mirror besides me. “What? I’m not secretive.”
“You totally are. Never talk about yourself or what’s going on in your life. Getting information out of you is like pulling teeth sometimes. Hells bells man. Getting you out and about can be just as much a pain in the ass!”
After a bit we pulled into the covered carport outside his place. Me uncomfortably deconstructed by my friend, who had turned into a terribly accurate psychoanalyst. Problem was? He was right. I just didn’t want to admit it. After all, it made it sound like I was a reclusive shut in.
That couldn’t be it… could it?
We were a bit silent as we unloaded the supplies to make his new shelving. With the obligatory boxes of books and DVD’s he had nabbed by the pound at a clearance sale today. We worked in the light Seattle drizzle getting everything inside. Not really wet, but a little damp. Finally we were finished unloading and feeling a touch cold standing in his living room. The somewhat awkward silence returned now that the heavy lifting was done.
Bryan broke the silence by asking something. It took me a moment to realize he had asked if I wanted something to drink. I just nodded. He took a moment to grab a pair of Mtn Dews from the fridge. I could definitely use some of the nuclear green carbonated death water after everything.
Can in hand, I stood and contemplated the job. With the materials in hand it looked like another type of bachelor fabulous room in the making. Everything would sure fit in with the current décor.
“What are you gonna do now Jayde?”
I looked over at Bryan in confusion. What am I going to do? About what?
“Don’t look so clueless about it man. You’ve got problems. So what? Or better yet, now what?” Bryan was using his own can of soda to emphasis his point.
“I don’t know. All I seem to be able to do is just keep treading water. Ya know… to keep my head afloat? I’m living paycheck to paycheck. Only one wreck of a night away from missing my rent.” I sat down on his thrift store couch in a whuff. “Hell, I’m down to my work clothes and two pair of jeans for outfits. What happens when I have to replace any of them?”
“Have you considered looking into rooming with someone? I’m sure the rent would be cheaper than even that old rattletrap corner studio you’re in.”
“Yeah I have. Last month I even went to talk to a few of them. I just don’t know if I could get along with someone I don’t know.”
Bryan laughed. I had no clue what he found so funny so I just waited for him to explain.
“Once again, you have just shown how much of a recluse you are.” He paused, getting serious. “Jayde… Have you considered getting some therapy for your social anxiety?”
“Uh… I have no clue what you’re talking about. Besides I can’t afford therapy. I can’t even afford health insurance.”
He looked at me in astonishment. “What? You haven’t applied for Medicaid? You’re only making about a dollar or two above minimum wage.”
My face flushed in shame. He was absolutely right about my social status. Bottom of the pile. Last in line. Lowest on the rung. I looked down at my open and mostly untouched can.
“I don’t want to be a leach on the system. I’m healthy and when I can afford insurance I’ll get it.”
The response was just a shake of the head. Most likely at me, but at least Bryan didn’t press the point. Instead he picked up the first one of the four foot long pre-cut boards and fit it to the metal frame that was part of the setup. The whole setup would make it so that he could put screws through the metal parts and not wood on wood. It wasn’t as pretty, but it was very functional. Which was one of the things I liked about Bryan. He cared more about how well things worked rather than a pretty façade that may just be pressed over junk.
“Alright. Grab a screwdriver and put a couple screws in this will ya?”
I took hold of the material in question and got to work. Much was on my mind. At least instead of conversation Bryan put in a cheesy B-Rate movie. Something I could swear was based on Five Nights at Freddy’s, but what do I know. We worked to the screams and cheesy lines of a badass wannabe while drinking soda and making inane comments.
Why couldn’t more of my days be like this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was walking in the rain once more. Hands in pockets and not a star in the sky. Which was pretty normal for this area. Once again Seattle had given me weather to match my mood.
The simple pleasure I had gotten from helping assemble the shelf and eating some leftover spaghetti from Bryan’s was already fading away. Leaving a sense of ennui in its place. The calm of it was nice even if the fatalistic feeling of my lack of worth wasn’t something normally pleasant. It was more that the world seemed to come into a greater focus now. To become more crystal, as if I had finally come to a better point of lucidity as it was to my purpose in this world.
Which really did not account for much. I didn’t bother listing my problems or failings. Not even to myself. Instead I just meandered on a rough course home. Letting the misting rain gradually drench me to the bone. I have seen other people walking along in what must be similar moods. Even then I could not bring myself to care. This was just the way things were. By simple merit of deduction I was just a fleshy cog in the great machine of consumerism.
The Dream and the ongoing reflections notwithstanding, I really didn’t bring any worth more than a warm body to fill a position of menial untrained labor. My father had at least been right about that.
I think I had been walking for more than an hour when I saw a flash of red out of the corner of my eye. I hoped.. I really really… really… hoped that it was not my psycho stalker.
No such luck.
It was her.
Dressed in a variant of the same outfit as before. Looking better than almost any superheroine in a high budget television show. It’s too bad she was likely one of the supervillains instead. She was a bit more than half a block away and across the street. I only spotted her because she was so visually loud. If the woman had dressed like everyone else who was out and about in the drip and drizzle I would have missed her completely. Even with her vibrant red hair.
Well, a little silver lining to her showing up. Fear had now gotten me out of my depressive funk. Instead it was replaced by a shot of adrenaline straight to the spine. A bit of shock front and center stage.
“Crap.”
Hopefully she hadn’t spotted me and it was just another random encounter. I kept my head down and at the next intersection made the turn towards the mall. Hopefully there were at least some people in the theater I could blend in with like last time.
Two blocks later and it was confirmed. Psycho Stalker mode had been activated.
“Jeeze, she’s worse than those creepy clowns at Halloween.”
Ok, if someone had been with me that would have been funny. Why is it I could only come up with good lines when no one else was around to hear me?
Finally, the mall was in sight. Sanctuary… I hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 09
Advanced chapters available on my Patreon. I'm gonna try to be more productive.
https://www.patreon.com/alyssnancyonymous
Also, I've got my Discord Channel for anyone who wants to join, chatter, discuss, and enjoy general zaniness.
https://discord.gg/37RPTSv7Ua
TTFN and good luck to all in their lives and pursuits!
Mirror Changed – Chapter 10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Courtney~
The last week had been a frustrating lesson in patience for the dangerous and well dressed Courtney. Though ultimately vindicated by the others of her small grouping, she still felt angry at herself for losing the young magus in the local mall. She swore that the other Chosen had fled into the theater, but after making a bit of a ruckus she had been forced to give up. The threat of the breeders police force didn’t really scare her off. There was little they could possibly do that would more than inconvenience her.
It was near to where her quarry had been most of the evenings this week that she once more found herself. She had been there just at the right time to luck out and the little youngling had wandered cluelessly back into her sights. Of course that was lucky for her, not lucky for the little wastrel. It was her own fault though and she knew it. Wouldn’t admit it, even to herself, yet still she knew it. Self rationalization was a good thing through the years for Courtney, it let her do things that an otherwise closer to sane person would not.
She had wanted to deliver the newly born magus to the clan. She was determined to bring in the Magus no matter what, even though before she had been following the strictures that her clan imposed. Sure the breeders that comprised all but the smallest percentage of this planets intelligent species, that did not make them the true dominant though. It was her kind that were truly dominant, the true Apex of what was and could be. They just did not yet know it. If Gaia was to have its way then they would given time.
For now all Courtney needed to do was to wait for the appropriate moment. In fact it was with ridiculous ease that she was able to track the other Changed individual.
Courtney didn’t think much of her, she was always so distracted and oblivious to her surroundings while in her birth form. The newborn Chosen may as well have been standing still like a deer in the headlights for all the good that it would do.
‘These new Changed were like so much sheep,’ Courtney thought to herself. Not much better than lower humanity that Balance strove so hard to keep the veil of ignorance pulled over their eyes. Making them not much more than mere animals. Yet in their arrogance they lost their place and put themselves far and above all other species. It was not balance as far as the Changed of Gaia felt, but rather incredible imbalance that would only result in the end of life on this wonderful planet.
When she had first taken the Gift of Gaia and made her first Change the world had been different. At least the lower humans had a fire in their guts and were not afraid to fight for what they believed in. She often sneared at the pampered and brain dead existence most of humanity lead these last few decades. Her quarry seemed to be cut whole cloth from that mold. Such a waste of the Gift. Yet, it was supposed to be an opportunity according to her Elder. To bring this weak minded Magus in, so that she may be swayed to her Clans way of thought. And if she was not? Well, that would just be a shame was her malicious thought on the matter.
Unlike the youth she followed and derided, the flame haired woman did not completely lose herself in thought. She was focused on her prey, regardless of any errant observation or introspection. So when the youth once again entered the mall in which Courtney had lost her last she was properly in place to follow. Due to the late hour almost all the stores were closed. So it was with no surprise that the Magus entered into the cinema again. It was the same one where she had lost her prior.
Not this time though, instead she was closer to her prey. Almost entering on the heals of her target in fact. The only people left in the mall were the guards, the hangers on, and the movie goers that would soon head back to their tired and dismal lives. The less people around the better. If Courtney could force the young Magus to follow her then it would be better. If not? Then she would force the Magus to Change and then carry her out. That would be fine as well.
The youth seemed to finally clue in to how close she was. Courtney had felt that the Magus had known she was being pursued, but now that awareness became much more apparent.
‘Good.’
Now the real encounter could begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
So far so good. Especially now that the creepy slasher movie poster had been taken down in the lobby. If I survive this I am never letting anyone take me to one of those. Nope, never again. Never ever.
The entrance lobby was nice and quiet. Some people were hanging out, like I was attempting to do. Others either in line to get snacks or possibly waiting on someone else. So, with a good view of the mall hallway outside through the semi mirrored windows I could cover both entrances and be able to avoid nasty creepy stalker chick.
I was really tired of this weirdness popping up in my life. Hopefully things could go back to the old rigamarole. I almost laughed at how I had been grousing about conformity and mundane comfort not long ago. Perhaps there was a lot more to be said about the comfort of being a fast food worker. At least I knew what to expect from it.
“Shit!”
She was already inside.
How had I missed her? Seeing the psycho close up once more I was stunned by her looks. Her skin had a light sheen of moisture on it. Like either from sweat or the mist from outside lingering after the weather. Her current outfit was the same cut as before except that both the halter vest and the tight leather pants were a dark blood red. She had some type of leather bands on her forearms. From wrist to just below the elbow, and a bronze coiled band on her upper right arm.
Her expression matched her predatory appearance. She was an Amazonian Huntress come to life. All that was missing was the cheesy theme music to go with this surreal situation.
I felt my muscles tighten. My fight or flight body reactions demanding I move.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 10
Back at it on a Regular Basis. Yayness.
Shameless Self Insert!
Advanced chapters available on my Patreon. I'm gonna try to be more productive.
https://www.patreon.com/alyssnancyonymous
Also, I've got my Discord Channel for anyone who wants to join, chatter, discuss, and enjoy general zaniness.
https://discord.gg/37RPTSv7Ua
TTFN and good luck to all in their lives and pursuits!
Mirror Changed Chapter 11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Courtney~
The last week had been a frustrating lesson in patience for the dangerous and well dressed Courtney. Though ultimately vindicated by the others of her small grouping, she still felt angry at herself for losing the young magus in the local mall. She swore that the other Chosen had fled into the theater, but after making a bit of a ruckus she had been forced to give up. The threat of the breeders police force didn’t really scare her off. There was little they could possibly do that would more than inconvenience her.
It was near to where her quarry had been most of the evenings this week that she once more found herself. She had been there just at the right time to luck out and the little youngling had wandered cluelessly back into her sights. Of course that was lucky for her, not lucky for the little wastrel. It was her own fault though and she knew it. Wouldn’t admit it, even to herself, yet still she knew it. Self rationalization was a good thing through the years for Courtney, it let her do things that an otherwise closer to sane person would not.
She had wanted to deliver the newly born magus to the clan. She was determined to bring in the Magus no matter what, even though before she had been following the strictures that her clan imposed. Sure the breeders that comprised all but the smallest percentage of this planets intelligent species, that did not make them the true dominant though. It was her kind that were truly dominant, the true Apex of what was and could be. They just did not yet know it. If Gaia was to have its way then they would given time.
For now all Courtney needed to do was to wait for the appropriate moment. In fact it was with ridiculous ease that she was able to track the other Changed individual.
Courtney didn’t think much of her, she was always so distracted and oblivious to her surroundings while in her birth form. The newborn Chosen may as well have been standing still like a deer in the headlights for all the good that it would do.
‘These new Changed were like so much sheep,’ Courtney thought to herself. Not much better than lower humanity that Balance strove so hard to keep the veil of ignorance pulled over their eyes. Making them not much more than mere animals. Yet in their arrogance they lost their place and put themselves far and above all other species. It was not balance as far as the Changed of Gaia felt, but rather incredible imbalance that would only result in the end of life on this wonderful planet.
When she had first taken the Gift of Gaia and made her first Change the world had been different. At least the lower humans had a fire in their guts and were not afraid to fight for what they believed in. She often sneared at the pampered and brain dead existence most of humanity lead these last few decades. Her quarry seemed to be cut whole cloth from that mold. Such a waste of the Gift. Yet, it was supposed to be an opportunity according to her Elder. To bring this weak minded Magus in, so that she may be swayed to her Clans way of thought. And if she was not? Well, that would just be a shame was her malicious thought on the matter.
Unlike the youth she followed and derided, the flame haired woman did not completely lose herself in thought. She was focused on her prey, regardless of any errant observation or introspection. So when the youth once again entered the mall in which Courtney had lost her last she was properly in place to follow. Due to the late hour almost all the stores were closed. So it was with no surprise that the Magus entered into the cinema again. It was the same one where she had lost her prior.
Not this time though, instead she was closer to her prey. Almost entering on the heals of her target in fact. The only people left in the mall were the guards, the hangers on, and the movie goers that would soon head back to their tired and dismal lives. The less people around the better. If Courtney could force the young Magus to follow her then it would be better. If not? Then she would force the Magus to Change and then carry her out. That would be fine as well.
The youth seemed to finally clue in to how close she was. Courtney had felt that the Magus had known she was being pursued, but now that awareness became much more apparent.
‘Good.’
Now the real encounter could begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Jayde~
So far so good. Especially now that the creepy slasher movie poster had been taken down in the lobby. If I survive this I am never letting anyone take me to one of those. Nope, never again. Never ever.
The entrance lobby was nice and quiet. Some people were hanging out, like I was attempting to do. Others either in line to get snacks or possibly waiting on someone else. So, with a good view of the mall hallway outside through the semi mirrored windows I could cover both entrances and be able to avoid nasty creepy stalker chick.
I was really tired of this weirdness popping up in my life. Hopefully things could go back to the old rigamarole. I almost laughed at how I had been grousing about conformity and mundane comfort not long ago. Perhaps there was a lot more to be said about the comfort of being a fast food worker. At least I knew what to expect from it.
“Shit!”
She was already inside.
How had I missed her? Seeing the psycho close up once more I was stunned by her looks. Her skin had a light sheen of moisture on it. Like either from sweat or the mist from outside lingering after the weather. Her current outfit was the same cut as before except that both the halter vest and the tight leather pants were a dark blood red. She had some type of leather bands on her forearms. From wrist to just below the elbow, and a bronze coiled band on her upper right arm.
Her expression matched her predatory appearance. She was an Amazonian Huntress come to life. All that was missing was the cheesy theme music to go with this surreal situation.
I felt my muscles tighten. My fight or flight body reactions demanding I move. For just the small amount of time I think my body almost moved to confront her. Instead common sense reigned my actions as I ran out the other door as fast as possible. The restroom had worked before to avoid her so I ran in there once again. For all of her stockings she at least seemed somewhat to follow the law prior.
Once inside a let out the breath I had not realized I had been holding.
The room was a standard modern mall aesthetically pleasing room. Heh, aesthetically pleasing. Of all the things to notice while running from a potentially very bad no good ending.
I walked further into the main area of the restroom, doing so I caught myself staring at the tomboy wearing my clothes reflected in the mirror. Perspiration visible on her face the sweat showing on the skin on her chest. The shirt was still damp from the rain outside clinging to her torso. Outlining her small but shapely breasts and taught belly. A frightened expression on her cute pixielike face. Eyes wide with a level of fear and lips parted as she panted breathlessly. Her eyes dilated wide as she looked back at me.
As it was in the reflection I knew that I showed the same fear on me. I still felt shame looking at the pretty girl in the mirror though. With her face flushed with the same adrenaline as mine was. I turned my gaze away, feeling dirty as if I was a voyeur steeling her image from someone else. I really did not need this distraction with a crazy person chasing after me.
No matter of how I felt about my reflection I was here, in this restroom, having a near meltdown. It would be best if I could calm down a little while I waited the psycho amazon out. There was even the convenience of the sinks to quickly rinse the sweat and rainwater off. Moving into the front of one I did my best to keep my gaze downward and off of Her.
I took a few calming breaths as I brace myself on the porcelain fixture before I splashed some cold water on my face. Habit made me look up as I did so. Only to catch a full down blouse sight of Her. Embarrassed, I stood fully upright and covered my chest so that I wouldn’t see her hardened nipples. I wasn’t sure how long I waited at that point. I turned around to look at the empty restroom as well as keep watch on the entrance. Across the small area was another set of sinks and their mirrors. Set up so that their reflective surfaces didn’t give that eerie infinite effect.
While I waited I contemplated Her again. Sometimes looking her in the eye, sometimes looking away. To me She was someone else. I don’t know why this was happening. I didn’t think I was perverted or had some form of dementia. I didn’t have any problems with my masculinity contrary to Suzi’s implications earlier. I turned to the mirror closest to me and reached up to touch her face in the reflection. Her hand making the same movements to mine. I could almost feel her hand behind the Mirror. Something was there, beneath the glass. An energy, a warmth I could barely perceive.
I stood there on the brink of some epiphany. The edge of some understanding. To be shattered by the door opening. Around the privacy break at the entrance stepped the person I was both dreading and somehow deep inside hoping to see.
The mirror I was looking at her with showed me the terrifyingly beautiful avenging Angel. Her fiery glowing hair backlit by some unknown nimbus of light. The kestrel-like wings of pearlesque white feathers tipped in crimson hearts blood flexed and rippled in an invisible wind. The edges of which seemed to be both whisper soft and sharpened to a lethal knifes edge. Her alabaster skin aglow with Holy Wrath that only made her sapphire eyes piercing and laser bright as they stared into my soul.
There was no point keeping my back to here, but I was almost more scared to turn around and have my back to her reflection. Still I managed to tear myself from her mesmerizing reflection.
“I swear, it’s like chasing a groundhog into its den.” She said with a flippant waive of her hand. “Ok Magus, let’s see it.”
I had no clue what she was talking about. Her posture and expression was that of impatience. Like it was me who was wasting her time, that I was a difficult child rather than being stalked.
This scene truly belonged much more in one of Bryans games than as something happening to me. I was still gawking at her when her patience wore out.
“Alright, so you’re a bit slow. You are just an itty-bitty tadpole after all.” She rolled her eyes at me before she reached out towards the nearest reflective surface.
Her stance was wide. Both feet just past shoulders width apart. Left arm held out and fingers stretched claw like, just like how the talons showed in her image. Her head was tilted forward, some of the crimson locks flowing to frame her face. She looked at me through hair and beneath sinister eyebrows. An evil visage that pulled the breath right out of my body.
“This is how you do it.”
She touched the mirror, then seemed to reach through the glass to the Angel who grasped her hand. Fingers entwined as a moment outside of time began. Static filled the room as an energy connected her and her reflection. Behind me I felt the same pull towards my own female doppelganger. The energy pulsed. Filled the entire room. A nonphysical explosion shifted along her body rapidly overtaking her entire form. It sprang outwards from her eyes as well as where the Angel grasped her hand. Moving in a wave until in its wake it was the Angel that stood in front of me rather than the woman.
A backlash of the event flung me back against the sink and wall. Not a true blast or explosion, just the push from what had happened. I braced myself back up with both arms, one to the tiled panels and the other touched the mirror.
The epiphany returned. Something coalesced into being inside my core. The mirror was no longer a mirror for me. No longer cold glass. I felt Her hand, the fingers splayed beneath mine. Flesh to flesh, rather than the teasing ‘almost’ sensations of the last few days.
“Yes little Magus. You can finally feel it, can’t you?” Her voice venomous, cold and cruel. She flexed her wings, a shushing sound came forth. Like the whispering flutter of a bird of prey readying for flight. She took a step towards me, both arms low and out to the side, the taloned fingers wide as if readying to slash through my flesh. To gut me like the small animal I was.
“You can feel what has awakened.”
The aggression and hate emanating from her was palpable as she took another step.
“Go on Magus. Change. Do it so we can begin. You will leave with me one way or another, and I’ll be damned by Gaia if I have to haul your filthy breeder birth form back with me.
Ok. Scared now.
Like pee in my pants frightened. I could not face her like this. I was too weak. Incapable of giving a normal person a bruise let alone take on an honest to God supernatural winged and very pissed off Angel.
The echo of her next footstep rang with the finality of oblivion. My panic rose, the bile biting the back of my throat.
“NO!” I finally managed to break the stasis imposed by my fright. The fingers of Her slid in-between my own. For just a moment I felt perfectly calm. That now that She was taking over that I would be able to work on the same level of the being in front of me.
My yell seemed to shatter my reality once more. Time moved back into proper flow. I felt ‘Her’ energy reaching into me. The world shifted and almost seemed to invert. Then, like in the Dream, I was Her. Everything was slightly larger. I was no longer looking across to my tall adversary, now I was looking up at her. I felt my male sides fingers slip from mine, retreating back into the mirror. At the same time my now very baggy clothes made themselves know. Unfortunately in the form of my pants dropping around my ankles before I could think to reach for them.
Angel lady let loose a nasty barking laugh at my predicament. She stood up tall and folded her arms under her ample breasts. “Now you can come with me you elusive tart.”
The glass under my hand once more felt like glass. I leaned down, as calmly as my frightened muscles allowed, and pulled my pants up. I almost stumbled doing so and ended up out of one of my shoes. I wanted to process this more, first though I was just going to ignore that I was ‘Her’ for now. It would only fuck with me hard core. Perhaps the clarity that was falling over me was just shock. Perhaps not. I was not going to waste it either way.
“No…”
I put my fingers to my lips. My voice was wrong. Too high, to soft. My lips felt soft and sensitive underneath my now petite fingertips. “No. Not now.” I continued while the Angel looked on with derisive condemnation. “I don’t want to go with you. I won’t.”
“Well, that is just too bad tadpole. You aren’t protected by any group. Unclaimed. Worthless to anyone as things stand. So be a good little girl and come with me.” How she talked was so hurtful. She practically sneered the words at me. As if talking to a slave or a death row murderer.
My panic began to rise again. A pressure in my chest causing my extremities to tingle and burn. Vision narrowed towards her, the sides of it grayed out into a tunnel with the Angel in the center. I was sure now that if I went with her that I would end up as just one more statistic. Just one more disappeared person. Another poster on a lamp post if anyone would even bother with that. My fear lent me the strength to resist. To at least try whatever I could do to get free.
With that resolution I could feel a gentle warmth in my hands. Like the growing life in a mountains meadow beneath a warm sun. The gentle summers breeze blowing moisture from winters melting snow. All except that the energy of the green growth was in my hands. Pulsing through my veins and rushing along the synapses of my brain.
The psycho Angel was not happy. Not with my defiance, not with my pause. She coiled up and leaned forward. Wings out slightly, arms forward readying to pounce. “You will submit weak little Magus. You will do so now or you WILL regret it.”
Of a sudden the energy I had grabbed a hold of spiked. No longer a gentle springs day, now a raging torrent turning my vision green. As if looking through tinted glasses. My arms drew up of their own volition, time once more slowing down as some form of liquified Emerald flame began to flow around my forearms down to my fingertips. Reaching for her in tendrils of Eldritch energy. Her eyes grew large as the flowing fire raced in her direction.
She managed to duck down and to the right in a tuck and roll motion. Just in time. Her movements quick enough that I could almost see ripples in the air in her wake. The blast continued on past where she had just been. Into the fixtures and wall she had changed at. The Emerald flame moving in a slowed form, a great rushing sound like a river running over its banks in a flood. Everything the fire touched liquified to crumble and fall. Much like mud that was being washed away by a powerful firehose.
I did my best not to stare or pause in the aftermath as time and space resumed their natural states. I ignored all rationality then, I could be startled later, I could cringe and hide in the corner of my room under my bed some other time. I had watched the wall, sink, pipes, and mirror just fall apart. Just disintegrate. Was this why she wanted me? I almost fell down as the ramifications of my actions caught up.
“No….” I said in a whisper.
A harpies screech broke me out of that reverie. So loud and monstrous I really did almost pee right then and there.
Had to get out.
Get out right now.
C’mon Jayde. MOVE!
Another screech and I bolted like a rabbit. With no care as to how I fled. A gathering of cloth seemed to attempt to entangle my legs so I kicked it free. A couple more strides and I could feel my legs bare and free. Finally. The tile of the malls floor cold and smooth beneath my now bare feet.
I just ran. My t-shirt was already soaked and clung to my skin. Uncomfortable but so much better than trying to face that woman.
She was no Angel. A Harpy, a Demon!
This had to be another Dream! There was no way it was real. I had finally cracked.
There was a mad cackle trying to break free from within my chest.
The green flame, the Angel slash Harpy. My change. The bathroom wall flowing like loose sand. My breast moving uncomfortably on my now smaller torso. It could not be real, only a dream.
I was chanting this as I ran, the mall was a blur, the doorways too as I found myself once more outside. All gone from awareness. I had taken a couple hard turns somewhere and the rain was on my skin. Not a normal Seattle drizzle, no this was an actual full on drown me like a rat downpour.
Over and over I kept repeating ‘Just a dream, not happening, just a dream, can’t be real…’ A rhythm to my feet, aloud to whoever may be able to wake me up. Rationality was leaving my world. If this was a dream I would eventually wake up. All I had to do was run until I woke up.
If it was a dream.
“SHIT!”
I had run into something. It was sturdy and unmoving, in my panic I had somehow screamed out. Everything halted in place as I windmilled my ass attempting not to fall onto my now tiny ass. A hand materialized out of the darkness onto my shoulder, large and comforting. Gentle and yet still firm. The sturdy limb it was attached to had steadied me much better than I could have done. It looked huge, attached to a man that looked to my new perspective to be a hulking giant. I looked up and up to see he was well dressed, over a full head taller than I was. His expression was of worry and concern. Though with an underlying anger that seemed to be barely suppressed.
Why would he seem concerned and still look so angry at me?
Then it broke through my panic induced haze. This wasn’t a dream, it was reality. Somehow I really had become ‘Her’. My reflection and I had switched just like in the Dream. Before I could react further I also realized what his expression was for.
It was the same as the one I would have worn whenever I saw a woman child or friend abused and hurt. That they had been put in danger or harmed. He was looking at me like he was a white night and I was the damsel he had come to rescue. It was my appearance. My attire, or lack there of, and rain soaked body that had triggered his protective instincts.
That brought everything to current. I could now feel everything I had been shunting to the side during my flight. The shock fled my system leaving in its wake a cold that was bone deep. The feelings and hurts my panic had protected me from all returned causing a new panic to come forth. A panic based in shame and embarrassment. I could feel every inch of my body now. How it had shifted and changed. No longer were my shoulders broad, no longer were my hands large. My angular and somewhat gangly physique had fled, leaving in its place a petite frame with soft and supple flesh. Many times more sensitive to touch and texture. Every portion of it feeling exposed under this man’s gaze.
Drenched from the rain wearing only my old and threadbare t-shirt.
The conscious realization that I had literally ran out of the rest of my clothes, including my underwear, left me feeling more naked than I had ever felt in my entire life.
“Are you alright miss? Tell us who did this to you. You are safe with us.” He sounded kind and sincere. A well meaning stranger, dark mahogany skin. Likely an athlete like a basketball player.
The last part of his question struck. ‘Us.’
With him were three other people. Two other men and a woman. All dressed like they were going to a nice restaurant or a bar. Friends out on the town underneath their umbrellas. All with nearly identical expressions of compassion mixed with rage.
What he had said stung. Brought tears to my already strung out and weary eyes. No one had ever tried to help me like this since my mother left. To help because it was the Right thing to do without wanting anything in return. Back when my mother had abandoned me and my worthless father had turned into an alcoholic.
The worst part? The part that cut to the quick? I had to become a tiny young woman to find anyone willing to be kind. Like a protector should. It made me feel even more shamed and helpless than before. The way I could feel the cold and damp of the very loose shirt as it clung to me. How my shilled thighs were touching each other with no jeans or anything in between. To the gapping emptiness, where something should be.
I could not face myself right now, let alone a stranger.
His shout of concern was loud and incoherent to me as I reversed course and rabbitted away. Fear and shame now the driving force adding to my speed. Some other voices joined in as he and others pursued what they most likely believed was a victimized young girl. They would not be wrong, but it was a fear of a different type of danger that even I could not comprehend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Courtney~
“Damned…Magus…. BITCH!!!”
Courtney was screaming as she picked herself up out of the dust and debri left in the wake of the Eldrance blast. A couple of pipes in the wall had been severed in the firestorm. The water that sprayed for the turned some of the extremely fine dust into a sort of plaster. She calmed herself and took further stock of the room. Her outfit was a total write off. The fine particulates were already into the pores of the leather. And her beautiful wings… She felt like she had gone a few tumbles in a dust filled cement mixer.
“Well, isn’t this just some fine happy horseshite. I’m going to bloody kill her.”
She considered what had happened. Somehow the newly born Magus had drawn forth Alchemical Fire. Something that many of the Chosen of Balance have a hard time achieving. Even at the peak of their powers. The damage couldn’t have been much worse if the waif had tossed a grenade at the sink. There would not be any of the chemical traces or scorch marks though. The damage done was of a different sort. Instead of an explosion the emerald flames had torn the molecular bonds of matter, breaking them down into their constituent particle elements. The resulting debris was finer than volcanic ash or talcum powder.
“I bet the fuckuin breeder cops are going to have a fucking pretty peach of a time figuring this out.” Courtney was extra careful not to further disturb any of the piles of dust or the spraying water. As it was, the small air movements in the room from her wings had already upset some of the superfine dust. She had absolutely no wish to get a lungful of this crap. It’d be worse than that asbestos crap that some dim witted human had developed. In her opinion that was one for the idiot pile.
“Ok little missy, let’s see who you are.” Said in a cruel sing song voice. Her taloned fingers hands flexed, as if in anticipation of rending flesh from bone. No matter how dangerous those hands may be, they fished up the youths pants with ease. She pulled out a wad of papers and some plastic cards.
“Seriously? The guppy doesn’t even have a wallet?” She groused as she discarded the detritus, cash, and random papers. She got down to a state ID and a few pictures of people. These she put in a vest pocket that could be barely seen due to how tight the leather of her outfit was.
“Jayde… what a plebian name. Odd spelling for a breeder.”
In another pocket she pulled out a slightly used cell phone and a pair of keys. She pocked the keys and tossed the phone in the garbage. “Useless piece of civilization junk.”
“Damn.” She looked down at herself as she turned to the entranceway. “This outfit is trashed. I just got it too…. pooh on that.” She sighed. “Oh well, may as well fly in it since it’s ruined anyway.”
Her flippant tone did not match her angry footsteps as she left. A grimace of distance as she had to walk briefly through one of the spraying ruptures to get to the exit.
Once outside of the restroom a security guard spotted her. His comments or demands frozen on his lips at the sight of the dust covered angel who snarled at him. Putting him in his place as if he was a worm she would gladly grind beneath her booted heal. If a woman could look more like a bird of prey the guard did not know. Outside of the mall Courtney took to the sky. Free of the constraints of both ground and the civilized world she launched herself into the heavens.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End Chapter 11
Back at it on a Regular Basis. Yayness.
The tune to “Another One Bites the Dust” popped into my head as I did my final save. Then I could only groan as I just dad-joked myself.
Shameless Self Insert!
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