(17) A Gun

John pulled me through a hidden door and into a small storage room. He lit a lamp and looked at me. I was shaking on the ground, holding the weapon with which I had taken a life. John looked at me closely, he pulled at my hair, rubbing it’s blonde strands between his fingers.

“What happened to you?” He asked. Tears welled up in my eyes and poured down my face. I could not speak. John looked at me with great concern and took the ray gun gently from my shaking hand. He stowed it in its holder and stood up, casting his eyes around. He found a trunk and dug through it until he found a leaf green tunic with draped sleeves that hung down, rippling to one’s elbows. The ornate gold encircling designs on the wide neck tunic were quite pretty. A matching black belt, black boots and bronze-colored tights were found. John presented these to me and left the room. I ripped the orange monstrosity off my body and dressed in the soft, cotton clothes John had selected for me. But, as I looked in a tarnished silver plate at my reflection, I sighed over my hair. I missed my old tresses. I pulled the glass top off the lamp and used the flame to set fire to that horrible orange dress. A soft knock came at the door.

“Come in.” I said in a small voice. John poked his head in through the door, he was carrying a tray full of breads and cold meats and some odd herbs. He looked at the burning dress, but didn’t say anything. I took a piece of bread from the tray, tore off bit-sized chunks, and popped them into my mouth. As I chewed John began mixing herbs together and grinding them with a mortar and pedestal. I was silent, and so was he. After he finished with the concoction, he took the dark red powder and dumped it on my head. With a large pouf sound I felt my hair spring back into it’s normal curly state. I snatched at a curl and saw that it was its normal fiery red. John was watching me. I looked up into his kind eyes and threw my arms around him. He held me close with arms that comforted, not restricted. I was safe again. We pulled apart after a long moment.

He placed his hand on my cheek and said, “Oh my dear Elaine. I am so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

I was confused. “What are you apologizing for?” I asked incredulously.

“For dropping you into that cursed pool!” He cried.

“That was not your fault!” I protested. “I will not forgive you for a crime that you did not commit. But how did you find me?”

John looked at me and said, “I ran off because I heard the beasts near the clearing. I was lucky you stayed there at the pool because they saw you and realized what had happened. They must be in contact with that world because they knew what it was called. One of the leaders mentioned the name of the planet and galaxy so I was able to get a fix. I was fortunate that I landed right where you were. It took me a while to get a hold of a pair of teleport devices, but it looked like I was not a moment too late. Were you…it doesn’t matter.” He mumbled the last part.

I looked puzzled at him, “Was I what…?”

He looked at me and then cast his eyes down as he said, “Were you getting married?”

I looked at him and carefully chose my words. “Yes, I was being forced to marry a man who looked like you, but was not like you at all. I don’t know how he was able to know me and look like you, but it must have been to get at me. Can I have a ray gun?” The sudden question startled him. “I would have been forced to live as his wife if you hadn’t shown up when you did, I don’t mean that I doubt your ability to protect me, I just think that I have such a great propensity for getting into these scrapes that I want a way to defend myself.”

John studied me for a long moment then asked. “What did you mean when you shouted at that King about a kiss?”

I sighed. “He…”, I looked at my hands, “I was forced to kiss him. He kissed me but I didn’t kiss him back.” I glance up at John, his face was one of barely contained rage.

“That son of a….” he looked at me and stopped short. He got up and paced about stopping suddenly and spitting, “I swear Elaine, if you hadn’t shot him already I would go back there and finish the job myself!”

“So can I have a ray gun? I asked.

“Yes! Though I don’t plan on letting you out of my sight for as long as I live, I’ll give you one.” He opened another crate and found a ray gun identical to his and fitted a leather holster on my belt. A knock came on the door. John called them in, holding tightly to my hand as though to make good on his promise to keep me with him at all times.

A soldier’s head stretched around the door and said, “John, we need you, there’s been another attack. It’s the capitol.”

John’s face hardened and he squeezed my hand tighter.

(16) An Unexpected Wedding

The crowd cheered at the prospect of the sudden ceremony and formed two groups leaving an aisle between them. I was given an orange veil and a matching bouquet as my groom jogged to the end of the makeshift aisle. The music played what must have been a wedding march. I was forced to walk, slowly passing row after row of people. Each step was closer to my death than before. I was still five rows away when a loud sound of particles materializing distracted everyone’s attention. All eyes turned and looked behind me, my controller must have been taken by surprise because I was able to move on my own. I turned around slowly and ripped the veil out of my eyes.

“John!” I cried with my high, breathless voice. It was my John. Flying cool blue coat and all. He looked a little lost and started when I called his name. But as he looked at me he reached up and rubbed his earring.

“Elaine!!” he called. He sprinted to my side pulling me into his arms.

“Put me down!” I called in a panic. My controller was gaining her wits and forced my hands to grab John’s neck in a vice grip. The surprise on his eyes was like a knife in my heart. I was going to strangle him in a matter of moments. No, I loved him too much. I focused my thoughts on doing the one thing she didn’t have control of, flying. My body rose in the air, but I could not pull John up with me so my hands let go. 

“Her box John!’ I called as I floated in the air. He looked where I pointed. His ray gun flipped out of its holster quick as a flash and blasted a hole in the device. I was free. My corset released and my dress split both side seams. The shoes were the first thing I cast down on the fleeing crowd. I threw the gloves down too and landed beside John. He grabbed me and held me close. 

“NOOO!!” cried the imposter King as John strapped a teleport device on my wrist. He lunged at John in a rage. As John was programing my teleporter I grabbed his ray gun from his holster and shot the King in the heart. 

“That’s for stealing my first kiss!” I screamed, my freedom was giving me vent to my rage at being imprisoned. John looked at me stunned then pressed the buttons that sent our particles flying through time and space. We landed on Terrafima. The ground had never seemed so sweet as I collapsed on it. We were just outside one of the human bases. We were safe.

(15) Controlled

A knock came at the door. John burst through without waiting for me to answer and clutched at the doorframe as he stared at me. “You look gorgeous!” He said, my controller moved me over to him with a little skip and a twirl bringing my hand up to his face and rumpling his blonde locks. He grabbed my hand and kissed it with a smirk on his face. I saw his eyes flit for a moment to the woman in the corner of the room and wink at her before turning to me again. I was forced to twirl in a slow circle for the King, who was wearing blue outfit that looked very heavy with all the gold that encrusted it. He took my arm and led me out of the room and down the hallways. I was a prisoner in my own body, and I was too out of breath even to speak. Each breath was a painful affair as my body protested to being mangled in this way, I was afraid that my ribs were cracking under the extreme pressure. As we came through the 11 foot high, gilded double doors I was met with an incredible and terrifying sight. I was at the court, and it looked like a large party. The women were all moving around the room in large gowns making them look as colorful and bright as wrapped candies, the men twirled the women around or stood by the punch table drinking a green liquid that smoked faintly. As we descended the stairs the woman came up behind me and whispered in my ear with a venomous voice,

“If you don’t smile and appear to be madly in love with the King I will make you do things that you would shudder to even think about doing. And the next time you will be fitted with something that will give me ultimate control over you.”

I froze, the King John turned and smiled encouragingly at me, but I was paralyzed with fear. He leaned in close and pinched my backside sharply with a laugh. This unexpected action kick started my senses again.

I slapped him right across the face.

The sound echoed throughout the hall and hundreds of eyes looked up at me.

Dead silence.

I looked aghast as the King John’s eyes glowered at me. My body moved to the King, my arms wrapped around him, and my neck stretched up to his shocked face. I tried to resist, but I was unable to. The King looked at my controller and a fire lit in his eyes. His lips crushed against mine, hungry and violent. My hands wound their way through his hair and pulled him closer to myself. My mind was screaming. I wanted out. I was barely able to breath. His arms were tight as iron and kept me crushed up against him. The people in the hall burst into cheers and applause. When we pulled away, I thought I was going to pass out from the prolonged lack of oxygen. Black spots burst before my eyes and I gasped for air, my face flushed with red blood. The King lifted his hand in the air and said, a little breathless himself,

“My fiancé is a little too anxious for the honeymoon.” Laughter rippled through the room. “We shall have to content ourselves with a kiss and a night of drinking and dancing!” The crowd cheered and an upbeat song played throughout the room.  The King pulled me on the dance floor and began to twirl me through a series of complicated steps including a lot of dips and lifts of my body into the air. I kept a smile on my face to avoid any other kisses, but I wondered what would happen if my smile faltered a little. I was too scared to try. I felt dead inside. When I was given a break from dancing to eat some food I saw that my controller was being distracted by a strapping man. I took my chance, grabbed a knife and turned to plunge it into the heart of John, but I was halted. The knife was turned and suddenly pointed at my chest by my own hand. The King John looked at me and at the other woman. He laughed with a slightly nervous laugh and announced,

“My bride to be feels that she would rather die than remain unmarried to me another moment. How do you all feel about having the wedding right now?”

(14) An Excess of Orange

The walls were stuffed full of sumptuous gowns, the bright colors reminded me of wrapped sweets in a shop. I looked down at my stained tunic in it’s dull forest green and felt simultaneous excitement at trying on the gowns and apprehension about fitting in with this land full of its tall, slender, blonde women. I was short and my face had been gaunt from stress, but I was nonetheless more curvy than the women I had seen thus far. I pulled a bright green dress out and the servant lady made a small cough noise. I turned to her and she looked up saying,

“If it pleases you madam, the King favors orange.” Then she bowed her head and fell silent, her message delivered. She must have been referring to John. I looked around the closet, picking at the bright dresses until I found one that was entirely orange. But it looked too small for me. I had more stomach than this dress was made for. When I heard a rustle behind me I saw the servant holding up a strange device that looked like a corset of old with new nobs and buttons attached. She held her hand out for the orange dress and took it and the corset into the bedroom. I started pulling my clothes off and I tucked them under the bed in case she wanted to dispose of them. She fitted the corset around me, pulling the strings in quick motions that caused me to gasp. Then she started pushing buttons and turning nobs on the small box attached to it. The sound of a small airlock whooshed and I felt my waist shrink impossibly small. Something inside of me seemed to shrink as well. I opened my mouth but was unable to speak because of how tight my midsection was being squeezed. She unhooked the control box and I heard a lock click, letting me know that I was going to be unable to get out of this corset. I was only able to move around the room very slowly. I looked in the long oval mirror and saw that I cut quite a figure before my vision was overtaken with layers of orange fabric as the dress was thrown over my head. The dress looked stunning on me, but it clashed violently with my red hair. The full skirt puffed out at my hip and flowed several feet behind me, it was a rich taffeta fabric with large puffed sleeves that ended at my elbows and dripped in a long point to the ground. My bare neck was fitted with a large jeweled necklace and my hair was grabbed with the hands of the woman. My mobility was severely restricted so I was unable to do anything but try to reason with her verbally. My voice was high, as though I had jumped several octaves up. 

“Please”, I said breathlessly, “don’t touch my hair.” She didn’t listen to me, but grabbed a brush and started pulling it through my hair with quick, jerking motions. Tears of pain and sorrow dripped down my face as I sat helplessly. After two hours of this a great amount of hair was on the floor at my feet, having been rent most unkindly from my aching scalp. My hair was frizzy to the extreme, but mostly straight now. She took a large vat of a hot blue liquid and jerking my head back, poured it all down my hair. When I was allowed to sit back up I saw in the mirror that my hair was now waist-length, silvery blonde, and stick straight. She then started pulling it up and piling it onto my head. She stuck it full of orange feathers and jewels. Thick make up was caked on my face and my lips were painted orange. A pair of orange gloves and shoes completed the outfit. The shoes had a platform on their base that was 3 inches high, which just helped the 8 inch stiletto heals bring me up to her height. I tried to take a step forward, but I wobbled and collapsed in a chair, breathless sobs threatening to make me pass out. The woman then pushed a few buttons on that small control box and my feet worked of their own accord. I stood up and pranced around the room as though I were a ballerina. My hands and arms moved with a motion that seemed like a professional dancer. I was being controlled. This woman had fitted me with clothes that contained some controlling devices.

(13) The Palace

How had John found me? He looked odd. His hair was blonde instead of black. His features were all there but the expression they made was foreign to me. There was a haughty look in his eyes that I had never seen before. I was going to spring out of the water at him, but then I realized that I was in my underwear. I sank lower into the water and pulled my long, waist length hair around me to cover myself. He laughed an unusually cold laugh. I wondered how long he had been standing there. I was so embarrassed and cursed my own carelessness, but wait. Why was he watching me? Didn’t he have more honor than that?

“Turn around” I called with an angry tone in my voice. He looked at me incredulously and said,

“Why would I do that?” His leering expression appalled me and I felt sick. Could this be the John I knew? When I saw that he had no intention of looking away I swam to the edge of the water where my clothes were and pulled them into the water. He shook his head, laughing that cold laugh as I struggled to dress under the water. When I had managed it I stood up snatched my boots off the grass and marched away from John, angry tears streaming hotly down my face. He caught up with me in a moment and grabbed my arm.

“Where do you think you are going, I’ve spent years looking for you.” I looked into this now-blonde John’s face and thought about what he had said.

“What do you mean, years?” I asked slowly. He looked at me with a smirk and said,

“I’ve jumped through time and space looking for you, I found this planet, but I was 10 years too early. I’ve made a home here while I waited for you to arrive. I still love you and I’m dying to get married to you.” He knelt down on one knee and offered me a ring with a diamond the size of a large pea. I was flabbergasted. I knew I had wanted to marry John, but this John was different. What had happened to the John I knew?

“I…I need some time before I give you an answer.” I stammered. “I need to adjust to my new surroundings.” John rolled his eyes and snapped the ring box shut. He took my arm and led me firmly over to the hilltop where the waterfall fell from. He gestured grandly to the palace in the distance,

“This is my kingdom Elaine, you should think about what you will miss out on if you refuse me. I’ll give you till sundown tomorrow to give me an answer.” I looked at him with wonder at what could have turned him this way. He dragged me over to his large white, winged horse and placed me upon her back before climbing up himself and sending her into the air.I hugged his waist from behind and leaned my head on his back. He seemed to like this. His pegasus flew to the orange palace and landed on a large spire with a circular top. John dismounted and pulled me off. He held out his arm to me, I took it. There was no spark when we touched, no magical moment. Perhaps it would take time for me to understand this new John. Maybe I would learn to love him too. I walked with him, still damp, past servant after servant who stared at me, some dropped what they were holding. I wondered what made me so odd, before I realized that all these people had straight blonde hair and bright orange lips. Their garments were long and flowing layers of thin materials. We reached a door that John opened for me. I stepped inside and found a gorgeous room of blue...everything. A blue floor, blue walls, a blue crystal chandelier, blue tables, blue soft chairs, and a large blue canopy bed with blue sheer drapes. I turned to face him and saw him looking at me with a calculated look on his face. He took my hand and kissed it. I blushed a bit. 
“I’m sorry for my rudeness, he said, “I have been under a lot of pain without you here. I’m afraid that my hunger for you has made me temporarily forget myself. I shall leave you to get changed and freshen up. I shall return in a few hours to present you to the court.” Then he winked at me, turned on his heal, and was out the door. I stood there for a moment before I heard a rustling sound behind me. I spun around and saw a woman were standing there, in a white dress with long, fine flaxen hair. She looked at me and stepped forward to tug on my red curls. I must be an oddity here because of my hair.
“Have you never seen red curls before?” I questioned. The woman shook her head and said in a high voice,
“Everyone here has hair like mine. I shall have to do something about yours.” I clutched at my hair.
“You will not changed my hair, I like it this way!” The woman looked taken aback, as though I was mad. She shook her head and stepped back. Bowing slightly she receded and opened a large closet and stood aside so I could examine it’s contents.

(12) A New World

“John!!” I called out, but it was no use. He was gone. I looked longingly into the pool, tears rolling down my face and sobs wracking my body until I was reminded of the ancient earth tale of Narcissus who stared into a pool so long he was turned into a flower. Granted, he was in love with his own reflection, but I realized that I was no use to John just staring at what I had lost. I had to move on. I stood up straight and pulled away from the glassy surface of that cursed pool, the moment I did it vanished. I fell to my knees and buried my face in my hands as I cried. No. I had to get a hold of myself. For John. That was enough. My determination enabled me to dry my eyes and calm my hysteria.

I really looked around my new environment for the first time. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. The colors were so lush and bright that they didn’t seem real. The sky was a bright robin’s egg blue, the grass a lush, bright green. There were two suns in the sky, so I must be in a different solar system from my home world of Terrafima. It was the second colony earth made, but the planet had been invaded by the beasts and the war had ruined a lot of the planet’s beauty. This place, was so different. The trees snaked up in spiraling pink curves and had plump, colorful fruits hanging off them. Crystal clear water rushed over a riverbed made entirely of clear quarts stones ranging in size from pebbles to boulders. Large clear bubbles rose from the river instead of foam wherever the liquid hit a large rock. There was a path near the grassy patch I was standing on that was cobblestoned with rose quartz. Butterflies flitted to and fro and small birds with colorful plumage darted around overhead. I was on a plain and saw that the stone path stretched far into the distance where a building rose up against the blue sky. It’s tall, orange spires stretched high, and I felt, perhaps instinctively, that I should go there. In a way, I felt it calling me there. I inhaled deeply of the sweet smell of this strange place, it smelled of peppermint, fresh peaches, sugar crystals, and sunshine. Then, simply placing one foot in front of the other I started down the rose quartz path my eyes trained on the orange palace before me.

After walking for several hours I grew hungry. The succulent-looking fruits hanging heavy on the trees I passed called out to me and soon I could think of nothing else. I stopped and plucked a large, ripe purple fruit that hung in an upside down pear shape. I studied it closely, sniffing it. The sweet smell was so inviting and the smooth skin was so think, but a veneer—the only think separating me and it’s juices. My teeth broke the skin and the sweet juice flooded my mouth and dripped down my chin. It was delicious. The taste awakening a ravenous hunger I gulped it down in a second. In a frenzy I snatched and devoured a dozen of the fruits before I stopped. I could not find the words to describe the flavors of these fruits. Their colors were so bright and their tastes so unique. The blue ones were tart, the purple were quite sweet, there was an unusual tanginess in the yellow one and the red one, it was the best: a mixture of sweetness and tartness that balanced perfectly. 

I looked down at my hands and saw that they were dripping with a rainbow of colorful juices. My tunic was splattered and stained with the same nectar. I felt the stickiness dried on my face all around my chin. Laughing a bit I made my way to the river and found a small puddle near it which proved a fine mirror for me to see my comical appearance. Giggled bubbled out of my mouth uncontrollably. I managed to clean a good bit of my arms with the clear water, but I was so sticky and hot from the twin suns I decided to take a bath. 

I looked for a good spot and saw that a small waterfall was nearby surrounded with bright blue bushes bearing yellow berries and small white flowers. Looking around I saw no sign of any life form for as far as my eyes could see. I began to undress by the bank of the waterfall. I stepped into the water and felt a chill run up my spine. The water was quite cold, but it felt so good, so I plunged under the surface. Part of me hoped I would appear back in my world, but I knew that what had transported me here was more magical than this simple waterfall. My red curls swirled around me and the fruit juices, after much scrubbing, left my skin and ran off my body in little colored rivlettes. 

As I swam about, enjoying the water, I forgot to keep an eye out for anything approaching my pool. I looked up after I had burst upward through the water, flinging my hair behind me in a long, wet mass, and I saw him. He was standing there watching me with an amused expression on his face.

John!

(11) The Pool

The moment was magical. I wanted it to last forever, but nothing on this earth lasts forever, not even joy. The two of us could not stop looking at each other, drinking in each other’s presence. Every second was more magical and precious than the last. John put his shirt back on, eventually. He looked so strapping in his white tunic with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms. His black belt was made of a tough leather covered with gold studs creating a planetary pattern that drew the eye to his ornate holster where his ray gun was snuggly stowed. His fitted pants were tucked into his worn, black leather boots covered in a similarly planetary golden pattern. His long, deep blue coat, which was made of a thick material, looked, well, cool. That was the fact of John. He exuded coolness. With a casual flick of his hand he rumpled his black hair so it was momentarily lifted off his forehead. A green jewel I hadn’t noticed before, caught my eye as he did this. I reached up and pushed his hair back to see the small, teardrop-shaped, smooth gem dangling from his ear. It was attached to a gold chain that snaked up the outer edge of his ear and wove through it in several more places. “When did you get this?” I asked. He reached up as though he had forgotten and then looked at me with a gleam in his eye.

“I got this the day we said goodbye. I never wanted to forget the way I felt you had been woven into my life and the shade of your eyes.” I blushed. He was so sweet. I looked down at my long, forest green tunic outfit, completed with brown tights and worn leather boots. I hadn’t realized how simply dressed I was. I tugged at a stray thread on my hemline and looked back up. John was still smiling at me.

“Come on”, he crooned, “I want to show you something.” He held out his hand, and I took it. This was the first time we had held hands. It was as though a spark started where our hands connected and flowed through the rest of my body like an electric current. He took me through the trees and I felt as though I wanted it to be like this forever. Walking hand-in-hand with John. Eventually we reached a clearing that took my breath away.

It was secluded, surrounded almost completely by trees. As we entered, the sunlight dancing through the leaves and floating pollen illuminated a small pool, clear as glass and smooth as stone. The grass was springy here and the air smelled sweet with the hundreds of wildflowers blooming all over the small clearing. It was like something out of a fairytale. John turned to see my reaction; it must have been good because he let out another dazzling smile. I walked slowly over to the pool, but John was feeling playful, probably because of his satisfaction at my reaction. He fairly skipped beside me, casting his coat behind him, where it landed perfectly on a tree branch. How did he do things like that? Was this boy even real? He reached out to grab me, but I decided to play too so I danced out of reach. He loved it. He cocked an eyebrow and got ready to pounce as I sprinted through the flowers. He lept toward me, his hair flying behind him, and I sprang just out of reach. His smile was so devastating, how did I not just give in? Oh, but I loved to tease him. As he lunged forward I jumped straight in the air and hovered above him.

“Not fair!” he shouted, looking put out, but with a sparkle of fun in his eye. “You are so much like a fairy, I don’t believe you aren’t descended from them.” He called playfully. “I don’t have wings”, I protested. My ability to fly was one born of me naturally. I was simply able to fly, to bend gravity to my will, but I couldn’t go very high. I danced through the air while he followed beneath me. Suddenly he found a rock and lept high enough to catch hold of my foot. His unexpected weight pulled us both to the ground where we landed in a tangle of limbs and a shout of laughter. I jumped to my feet, but he grabbed my waist and began tickling me. I detested it when anyone else did this to me, but I loved it when he tickled me. I was giggling uncontrollably when I stepped backward and fell into the pool. The cold water engulfed me and I sank straight to the bottom; the laugh still suspended on my lips.

Then I fell sideways. It was the strangest sensation. I broke through the surface of the water and landed on the soft ground, but in a completely different place. It looked like a completely different planet. I stood up and looked at the pool, it shimmered to my left, suspended in the air, floating perpendicular to the spongy earth. What kind of pool does that? I peered around the edge of it and saw that it was as thin as paper and the only thing on the other side was more of this strange world. I looked through the pool and saw the glen I had just been in. John was looking in the water frantically trying to find me, suddenly he caught sight of me and reached out trying to grab me. I put my hand in the pool, but was unable to. My hand just made ripples on the surface. I pressed my face against the strange pool and looked longingly at John, panic now filling my stomach, where only mirth had been before. He couldn’t seem to penetrate his side of the pool any more than I could. He seemed to be talking to me, but I couldn’t distinguish any words. He jerked his head back as though someone was coming behind him. He shouted at me and I heard his muffled voice say, “Don’t worry Elaine, I’ll find you. I love you!” before he snatched his coat off the tree and ran out of my line of sight.

I was trapped in another world, without John.