Black, all around him. He felt like his eyes were open, yet all remained black.
Suddenly, light around him, and the world rushed back.
No, a world rushed back. This certainly wasn't the bedroom he'd seen last before closing his eyes.
Dave Kellen squinted against the sun, shaded his eyes, turned his head to look around. No, this most certainly wasn't his bedroom. Last he'd checked, there were no trees, grass, bushes, or creeks in his bedroom, like what surrounded him now. And he'd never drunk or done drugs, so this wasn't some kind of hallucinogenic.
What the hell...
He stood up to his five foot ten height to better look around. Just behind him a small, clear creek ran, looking rather appealing with his thirst. Tall, green grass around him, about waist height. Looking at the backs of his legs, he discovered marks from the impressions of the blades. Three trees in front of him, medium height, looked like maple. Trunks about a foot and a half in diameter. A small line of bushes below these; naturally placed, not arranged. Beyond that, grass for perhaps fifty meters, then a tall, relatively steep hill. His little spot was in a bend in the creek; it curved around to hug both sides of the hill.
Turning around toward the sun, he found himself to be in a relatively large clearing. Across the creek the meadow extended about half a mile square, with a few trees and bushes interspersed throughout. Beyond that, relatively young forest, open, smallish trees. Assorted hills going off into the distance.
A sound made him turn around again - a girl was standing up from behind the line of bushes. She looked a bit shorter than him, dark brown hair, greenish eyes, nice figure. Fair skin. Fit, but not overly muscular, she wore a long t-shirt and relatively short shorts.
"Hello?"
She nearly hit her head on a low branch as she jumped with a small scream.
"What are you doing here? Why aren't you dressed?"
Dave quickly checked himself - wearing a blue pair of mesh shorts, and nothing else; the standard he slept in. "Umm...that's a big 'I don't know' to both of those. This is what I normally sleep in, which is the last thing I remember doing."
"What am I doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing, but then it occurred to me you probably don't know anymore than me. I'm presuming those clothes are what you sleep in?"
"Yes. Who are you, anyway?"
"Dave Kellen. And you?"
-----------------
After a long day of hiking, and becoming a little too intimate with bugs and other nature things, all Kamry wanted to do was sleep in her nice, clean, warm bed. The last thing she wanted to see when she opened her eyes was grass. It didn't help, either, there was an extremely spiky bush inches from her nose, and the fact that her legs and arms itched horribly, probably due to the grass underneath. She wondered how long she'd been lying there.
She lay still a moment, thinking hard. This had to be a practical joke. Maybe one of the girls in her cabin had decided Kamry's bed would be softer than her own, and had therefore dumped her out the window. Besides that being a ridiculous idea, there wasn't any grass that close to the cabin, and she had never seen this kind of a bush.
Slowly, she pushed herself up on hands and knees, sat back, and looked around. A small tree with low branches stood next to her bush, the same kind as the two that stood further back. She could hear a stream chuckling nearby, the only sound. The bushes blocked her view from much else, except for the tip of a green hill off to her right. Except for the bushes, the place seemed pretty open and safe. She stood slowly, trying to avoid the branches above her.
"Hello?" A voice startled her, making her jump slightly, then shout as her head connected with a solid branch. She turned quickly to the voice.
A young man, probably about her age, with short dark brown hair and a strong-looking face was staring at her curiously. He looked to be about a head taller than her (no surprise, she was almost always shorter than guys, not that she minded) and athletic. He also had a very large amount of skin showing.
She said the first thing that came into her head, without even answering his greeting.
"What are you doing here? Why aren't you dressed?" She could have smacked herself on the forehead for that. Didn't even ask who he was, stupid!
The man looked quickly down at himself, as if he didn't remember what he was wearing. And was as relieved as she that he was halfway decent.
"Umm...that's a big 'I don't know' to both of those. This is what I normally sleep in, which is the last thing I remember doing."
Was this some kind of bizarre dream? "What am I doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing, but then it occurred to me you probably don't know anymore than me. I'm presuming those clothes are what you sleep in?"
She tugged a little at her shorts, wishing she had chosen the longer pants when she had climbed into bed. "Yes," and at last, "Who are you, anyway?"
"Dave Kellen. And you?"
"Kamry Methen." She struggled out of the bushes and stuck out her hand. "Pleased to meet you." She could have laughed at the strangeness of it all, emphasized by the normal gesture.
"Likewise." His grip was firm but gentle.
They both looked around again, she taking in the sight of the clear stream and meadow.
"Well, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore..."
"So." Dave had had about enough of looking about; curiosity was beginning to set in. "You see any socks around here?"
"Socks?"
"Socks. I was just thinking of the way socks disappear from the laundry...maybe it happened to us?"
"Do you always say such weird things?"
"Well, not always, I suppose I have my serious moments, but yes, I'm given to saying strange things."
"So I see."
"Actually, socks wouldn't be handy right now so much as other clothes. It's sure nice out now, but if it gets colder, I think we're both in trouble."
-----------------
Nathan Green was as confused as ever. Last thing he remembered was falling asleep after a hard night at his old high school’s homecoming and he woke up here . . . wherever ‘here’ was. Rather than being in the middle of the 8 AM drag to his college Philosophy 101 class, he was in the middle of nature in nothing but his flannel pajama pants.
It was a nice day out, at least there was that. He tried to find his bearings, thinking maybe he had sleepwalked for the first time in his life. This thought was highly unlikely but he was otherwise out of possibilities.
Climbing over the crest of a very green hill he spotted two other people who, in some twisted sense of relief to Nathan, also seemed to be in their sleeping clothes. Misery loves company, he thought.
“Hello there! Is this where the pajama party’s being held?” he called. The other two looked at him and the young man smirked a bit at the lighthearted comment.
“Actually, no. Neither of us planned on being here. Can I take it you’ve had the same problem?” he asked.
“You could say that.” Nathan replied, “My name is Nathan. I uh . . . had a bad night last night. This isn’t my punishment is it?”
"I wouldn't think so," Dave answered. "I mean, normally it's the good nights when you do stuff to get punished for, right?"
"True enough, I suppose."
Dave couldn't help himself. "There any socks over on your side of the hill?"
"Are you going to use that joke all day?" Kamry rolled her eyes.
"Hey, settle down, my dear. I see no reason to assume this is only going to be a day. You might get to hear that joke for...hell, could be years."
Kamry looked desperately to the newcomer. "Please, tell me you're not as bizarre as he is."
"Umm...you two know each other already?"
Dave laughed. "Nope, just fast impressions. And I call just about any girl 'my dear'."
Kamry just sighed. "So, what's your name?"
"Nathan Green. Pleased to meet the two of you, I suppose."
"About time you woke up," a bored voice above them said. Three pairs of eyes looked into the trees, & found a girl sitting on one of the branches. She wore the colors of the forest; greens & browns. Her hair appeared to be the color of the sun, blazing gold around her pale face. Shockingly blue eyes looked back at them as they stared. She swung herself around & flipped over the branch, legs hooked around it. From her upside down position she crossed her arms & smirked at them. "You humans have a funny way of talking to one another." Then, she looked them up & down, ignoring Kamry completely. "Dressing too. Very odd indeed." With a yawn, she said, "You'll do."
"Do for what?" Kamry demanded, annoyed at being ignored. She crossed her arms over her chest. "And who are you?"
She rolled her eyes & heaved an overemphasized sigh, muttering, "Questions, questions..." before she dropped to the ground. She landed feet first, in a crouching position, then turned, hands on her hips. She was half their size, they realized, & very thin. "The name," she stated with distaste, finally looking down her nose at Kamry, "is Bianca." She sauntered toward them, eyes on the rather interesting specimen named "Dave." In a blink, her wide eyed gaze shifted to "Nathan." Her tiny pink lips, like the bud of a flower, curled open into a grin. "Yes, you will do."
The little pixie managed to irritate Kamry more than anyone else ever had, even her little brother. Which was no small feat. Her violent thoughts surprised her, which ranged from rubbing mud in that too-perfect blond hair, or just shaking the pompous little thing. She settled for poking her.
"Are you what they call a bug here?"
Bianca frowned & held up a hand. Kamry instantly froze, mid-poke. "Tsk tsk tsk...no poking your guide. I could leave you here, my dear human girl, but you all have intrigued me." Her impish smile returned. "Some more than others...but leaving you would hardly be fun. No...we shall get along. But you..." she pointed at Kamry, who relaxed as she unfroze "...all lookie, no touchie, if you please." She took a step back to distance herself from the humans, who watched her with raised eyebrows. She grabbed herself & giggled, then whirled around. "Welcome to my home!"
"Honestly Bianca, can you never be serious?" A second voice came from above the group.
The body of the voice dropped down from the tree, using no special tricks.
Bianca rolled her eyes.
"Honestly Bella, can you never have some fun?" Bianca mimiced.
"How many times do I have to ask you to use my full name? And no, not when we have buisness to do." Belladonna replied.
Another sigh, & a rolling of the bright blue eyes. "You never were any fun, Belladonna." She folded her arms across her chest, & said to the humans, "I think she was created without even a smidge of humor in her."
Belladonna stalked up beside Bianca, & looked over the humans. They, too, looked at her. The exact opposite of Bianca, Belladonna had jet black hair, & eyes so dark they could have been black as well. Her pale skin was clad in the colors of the sky, mostly blue & gray. They were of the same height, & approximate weight. Belladonna's small red mouth turned to a scowl. She ignored Bianca & looked over the newcomers herself. "This is what we were sent?"
"I like them," Bianca returned.
"Of course you like them, you're you." Belladonna replied.
"At least I'm not you." Bianca replied.
"Yes at least you're not me. You couldn't be serious for five minutes." Belladonna retorted.
She walked around the small group, studying them.
"I guess they'll have to do." Belladonna sighed. "Pity."
"Umm...excuse me," Dave cut in, "but just what the hell is going on here?"
__________________
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag. - Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
Kamry was tired of being talked about as though they weren't here, AND she was disturbed that there was another one of the small creature. Thank goodness the second wasn't as irritating as the first. At least, not in the same way.
"So what are you two again? And where is this home? Does it have a name?" She added to Dave's questions.
"What we are is of no concern to you at this point," Belladonna stated. "We'll need to get you somewhere safe."
"But there isn't any place," Bianca giggled.
"...and some clothes..." Belladonna continued, ignoring her.
"But I like what they're wearing." Bianca pouted.
Belladonna raised her eyebrows at the males. "Indeed..." she muttered. "At any rate, we need to get moving." She began to walk, Bianca trailing behind. When she realized that the humans were not following, she stopped & turned around, Bianca running into her. "Bianca!" She pushed her out of the way then looked at the newcomers. "Are you coming?"
__________________ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Nathan stared at the two others, blankly. Looking at Belladonna, his eyebrows knit together tightly in confusion and a bit of annoyance. “What? I have work to do: term papers, philosophy lectures to attend, I’m teaching a class at youth group on Wednesday! Everything was fine ‘bout a few hours ago.” His southern accent became thick as his insistence grew. “I ain’t goin nowhere till someone tells me where I am and why I’m here!”
__________________
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to understand." Hebrews 5:11
The sprites looked at one another. Belladonna heaved a deep sigh. "Go ahead, Bianca."
Bianca sidled up to him, growing as she did until she stood nose to nose with him. Literally. With one hand, she stroked his reddened cheek. The other tangled in his hair. Her big blue eyes met his, mesmerizing him. In a soft, sweet voice, she said, "Why, you're here with me...& I want you here..."
__________________ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Nathan’s cheeks got red but he wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or anger. Her slender figure close to his made him loosen up a bit, but he caught himself and steeled his will.
“I just met you, woman. As tempted as I am and as beautiful as you are, I still want to get out of here.”
__________________
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to understand." Hebrews 5:11
Bianca raised her eyebrows at the human. Her face went blank. She stepped away, shrinking as she did so, & said, "Fine. But get used to disappointment."
"And pain," Belladonna muttered.
Bianca glared at her companion.
__________________ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Nathan smirked, "You don't get turned down very often do you?" he said. Dave gave him a sidelong glance and jabbed him in the ribs before motioning for emphasis at Bianca.
"Are you blind? I'm guessing no."
__________________
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to understand." Hebrews 5:11
Rather amused, but not willing to attract the sprite's attentions to herself (who knows what might happen!), Kamry stood off to the side a bit, trying to find her bearings in this new world. The woods seemed the same as back home, with a few additions, such as the flaming flower meadow, that didn't really seem to be on fire but had smoke nonetheless.
Suddenly, she felt eyes on her. Watching. She could feel something listening to the bickering between the sprites and the boys. And the feeling wasn't pleasant.
"Um, what was that again about getting out of here?" her voice rose over their loud voices.
__________________
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should get used to the idea.
~Heilein
Belladonna gave the human girl an appraising look. "You feel it too. Good. That will do you well here." Taking them all in with one gaze, she said, "Are you ready to follow yet? Or must we discuss it more?"
__________________ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
__________________
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag. - Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
"This way," Bianca suddenly blurted, beginning to run. The others followed, but stopped as she stopped. She turned to them, putting a finger to her chin. She looked around, frowning for a moment. "Or was it that way...?" She pointed in the opposite direction.
__________________ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
"Does anybody have an idea what's going on or what we should be doing??" Dave demanded.
__________________
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag. - Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
Dave picked a direction, and took it. "Come on, people!"
__________________
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag. - Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
"Excuse you!" Belladonna snapped after Dave. "Who put you in charge, and how is it that you suddenly know your way around?" She added as she ran after him.
Grabbing Dave by the arm, she pulled him in the exact opposite direction, then to the right, then the left, she repeated the zig-zag pattern for a goodly amount of time before stopping quickly. Bianca stopped just as swiftly, but the humans had to skid to a stop to keep from running into them.
"There, you're a little more safe." Belladonna nodded.
"A little?" Kamry moaned.
"Yes a little, which is why we still have to get you to a safe place." She turned on her heel and began walking quickly.
"Come along." she called over her shoulder.
__________________
"Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory." - George S. Patton
"How 'bout explaining a few things on the way? Like, where are we? Why? What the hell was that growling thing? Why was it different that I felt it?" Kamry stopped, temporarily out of breath and questions. Then she thought of one more. "Will this place have clothes I can change into? I'm starting to feel a little...underdressed..."
__________________
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should get used to the idea.
~Heilein
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