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CHAPTER 2 - A Thin Line Sally stood beside her bed and pulled back her covers, a hand massaging
her face as she rubbed away the worries and strains of the night. Looking down at the empty bed she longed for a man’s
strong arms and warm body. Perhaps like things had been in London, she thought. Just being together, being comforted,
being safe, being… happy. She smiled to herself. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She pulled back the blanket and set her knee on the cot beside
him. He stirred as the cloth gave away her presence. Before he could open his eyes she touched her lips gently to his and
breathed in his awakening sigh. His gray eyes fluttered open. “What are you doing here?” he asked quietly,
his voice filled with surprise. “Shhh…” she sounded against his soft lips.
“It’s only a dream.” She kissed him again, deepening it gently. Her mouth moved down his neck. “Haven’t
you dreamed this before?” she whispered against his throat. “But this feels so… real,” he managed to
say. “If you don’t believe it’s a dream,”
she stated seductively, “Then perhaps you should just obey your Captain.” She pealed back his shirt to uncover
his chest… * * * * * * * * *
Daniel sighed slightly as he awoke in his dark bedroom. Someone was standing over him, and his first impression through his sleepy haze was his roommate. “Wha…” he tried to speak, but a yawn suppressed the complete question. The figure bent over him, its blonde hair curtaining its face, giving it an almost
ghostly appearance. “Sally?” Daniel asked surprised.
“What are you doing here?” The only reasons that entered his
mind were catastrophic ones; his heart began to pound. “What’s wrong?” “Shhh…” She sat next to him on the bed, leaned over and brushed
her lips against his. “Wha…” He was caught off guard as she kissed him fully. “What are you doing?” he managed to say as she slightly pulled away. “Shhh…” she hissed seductively into his ear. “It’s only a dream.” The words themselves tickled his ears as her warm breath touched him. “Sally…” he protested, trying to push her away. She looked deeply, passionately, into his eyes.
“I know this isn’t your first dream about us.” Her hand
brushed against his cheek as her thumb trailed over his lips. Her other hand
reached up to her own neck, and she brushed her hair behind her shoulders. Daniel realized she was wearing a shirt that was off the shoulders. As some men liked breasts, and others liked legs, Daniel’s favorite part of a woman was the gentle
slope of her bare shoulders; and Sally’s were very attractive to him. And
as far as Daniel knew, Sally didn’t own any revealing shirts like this one. She
looked so beautiful staring down at him, wanting him. It must be a dream. Looking
deep into her dark blue eyes, he sat up next to her. Slowly, his hand gently
trailed the silky skin from her neck down her shoulder and a loving sigh escaped her lips.
Then greedily his hands caught her head as he kissed her passionately and they fell back onto the bed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - “Every night it’s the same,” the radio sang out as the alarm came on. “I hear you callin’ my name. You’re
lyin’ next to me...” Daniel stretched and yawned. Is it six
already? He glanced at the clock. “I give
into your charms, you disappear in my arms. I realize it’s just a dream...” “Aww, George,” Daniel spoke sleepily as he sat up. “Does it have to be this song?” “But desperately,” George Strait continued to sing. “I long to feel your touch, but you left me all alone in love….” Daniel ran his fingers through his hair, and tossed his feet over the side of his bed. “And now I shake the sleep from my head. And
try to crawl out of bed. Today is just another day. I make the coffee for one. Turn the radio on. Pretend that everything's okay…” Sighing, Daniel reached over and turned the radio off.
His mind began to drift back to the dream he had. It had been about him
and Sally and…. He had never had a dream like that before, so sensual, so hot, so…. Daniel could still feel the
warmth and the passion. But it was just a dream… - - - - - - - - - - - - - It was mid morning when Sally stood in front of the mirror, her blonde hair darkened by
the water that dripped from her freshly cleaned body. Wiping away the condensation
she watched as her reflection appeared. Her eyes roamed over her body then focused
on a curved white scar. Raising her hand she traced it lightly. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Sorry it isn’t smaller,” the young man leaning over
her commented as he removed a damp cloth from her breast. “The ball was
deeper than I had thought and the incision had to be bigger in order for me to reach it.
I had hoped it would shrink more as it healed.” He looked up into
her eyes, fearing he would be beheaded for the cosmetic blunder. “What’s
another scar?” she replied looking down at it. She sat up on the cot, swinging
her boots over the side and hearing the solid sound of wood beneath them. “I surely thought you were a goner when you had been shot in
the chest,” he said as he handed her the shirt that had been tossed aside for the examination of the healing wound. “It’s not very reassuring when the doctor doesn’t
have faith in his own abilities,” she smirked as her blonde head emerged through the top of the shirt. He blushed slightly and turned his gaze away. “I just… I was fearful that it had penetrated your heart.”
She looked at him, sitting across from her.
His almost boyish appearance contrasted against the rest of the rough and rugged crew.
Although they had been through a number of raids together, he still seemed to keep the innocent look in his light gray
eyes, and his smile came naturally and easily. He was unlike anyone she had ever
known. "My heart is fine.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sally blinked as the memory faded into the mirror and she was again alone
with her reflection. Wrapping a towel around herself she opened the door and stepped into her room. A loud thump caused her to turn toward the windows on her left. Daniel stood in the sunlight, a look of awed shock covering his face. He
looked like he was going to stutter something but instead looked down at his feet where he had dropped the watering can. He
half bent to pick it up, trying his hardest not to look directly at the towel-clad woman who had just appeared. “I’m sorry…” he stammered. “The door was
open a bit, I didn’t think…” He laughed nervously as he tried to stop the water from soaking into the area
rug. Quickly Sally turned and grabbed another towel, raced it over to the spill
and pressed it down onto the puddle. Daniel glanced nervously up at her, trying not to contemplate what she was wearing, or
wasn’t wearing. “I…” he hesitated then the rest burst out, “I had
a dream about you last night.” Sally’s eyes rose to meet his, “Oh?” “It seemed very real,” his voice was full of concern. “Well, don’t worry… I’m not dead,” she turned
the soaking towel over. “Sally, it wasn’t that kind of dream. It was…”
Daniel took a deep breath, noticing the beauty marks on her forehead. “An intimate dream.” “Daniel…” Sally said softly as if embarrassed. “I know we’re just friends now…” Daniel just stopped
in mid sentence, his eyes looking at the woman before him. Then slowly as if not really comprehending he stated, “It
was real.” Her eyes flicked back to his. “You said yourself it was a dream.
Maybe you just want it to be real so you can have another chance with me.” “Sally…” Something was keeping him from protesting. She stood up abruptly and with her close proximity to him and her attire,
he found it ethical to stand too. “Daniel, it was your dream. Subconsciously you’re trying to tell yourself something.”
Daniel sighed, “We’re just friends.” He placed a hand
on Sally’s shoulder, his warm hand covering its bare flesh. He swallowed awkwardly. Was it the same flesh he touched
last night? Sally tenderly placed her hands upon his shoulders, giving each one a slight
squeeze as she brought her lips closer. For a slight moment their lips barely touched each other. Then Daniel felt her forcibly
shove him backward, and he stumbled as the edge of the bed hit his knees. He sat up quickly, not knowing what to expect next.
“Sally,” he protested. “What are you doing?” She caught his chin in her hands and forced him to stare into her power-filled
eyes. Suddenly, his mouth was covered by hers; her tongue forced its way in, digging deep. She pushed him backward and straddled
his lap. And with a jerk she tore open his shirt, a couple of buttons popping off in the process. Her hands began to roam
the flesh she had uncovered. “Sally,” Daniel scolded in a surprised tone, looking down at
his shirt. “This is one of my best shirts!” “Was,” she whispered, her eyes glimmering as she leaned down
over him. “I can’t believe you just did that!” But his protest was stopped by another soul-searing kiss. Despite the erotic
sensation of the towel against his bare chest, he tried to push her away. One hand grabbed his wrists. He was surprised at
her strength as she forced his arms above his head. As her other hand found its way between them and caressed him, Daniel
decided she had broken the last straw. “Sally, why are you doing this?” he called out. “Isn’t this what you want?” she replied beginning to
kiss his vulnerable spot under his ear. “Sally the last time something like this happened, something was
wrong. Is something wrong?” “No,” she said between kisses. “Sally, damn it, look at me when I’m talking to you!”
Daniel commanded. Sally sat up abruptly, and swung herself off the angry man. Then she turned
her back to him and sat at the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong?” Daniel pronounced each syllable of his
concern as he crawled over beside her and dropped one leg over the side of the bed. “Sometimes I don’t think you loved me as much as you said you
did,” she mumbled and stood from the bed. “If I couldn’t believe you then, how could I believe you now?”
“Don’t give me that crap,” he shot at her. “We
established our friendship because we loved each other. Don’t you remember?” He paused. Then he said, more or
less to himself, “Of course you don’t: you’re the one who keeps breaking the rules.” He ran his fingers
through his hair, and then looked down at his bare chest, lamenting his shirt. Reaching down, he repositioned it onto his
shoulders. His eyes then found Sally standing by the window. He walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder, giving
it a comforting squeeze. “Sometimes, I think I don’t belong.” Daniel was caught off guard. “We all feel that way sometimes,”
he said, hoping it would bring her comfort. She turned to him and looked straight into his eyes. And for the first time, looking
into those same eyes he had once found so familiar, he realized he didn’t know her half as well as he thought. Sally caught the look on his face and knew exactly what he was feeling.
She blinked and turned from him, heading back into the bathroom. Daniel stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Then he picked
up the now empty watering can and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sally blew some disobedient strands of hair from her face as she lowered her sword, the
battered dummy the only witness to her training and anger management. Turning
she walked over to the sword stand and returned her dull fencing foil to its proper place. Picking up the hand towel, she
wiped it over her face and across her neck, sighing. She walked into the gallery and took another glimpse at the new sword she had purchased
a few days ago. Retrieving it from its case, she once again awed at how good
it felt in her hand. The leather wrapped handle seemed to be formed to her hand,
and it was the perfect weight and masterfully balanced. And now that it was cleaned
and sharpened the metal shined brilliantly in the light. She smiled as she produced
a few jabs and parries then reluctantly set it back behind the glass and closed it carefully. Facing back toward the fencing room a board creaked at her movement. The late morning light streaming in through the windows illuminated the room in visual beams. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ With the light visually penetrating the dusky room, the young man stood
beside the window, his arms crossed across his chest. He did not turn as the
moaning door opened or as the floorboards creaked as the woman entered. “Something I can help you with?” she said casually as she
strode to the desk. He continued to stand in silence, watching the waves outside the window. “Lærd?” she asked again.
He turned toward her slowly. His face seemed to have lost its childish
qualities and he seemed older. “It wasn’t a dream, was it?” The words were more
of a statement in his somber tone. She straightened and gazed at him, her expression not confirming anything
and leaving him with more doubt. He stepped toward her. “Tell
me,” he said as he walked up to her, “that last night was not a dream.”
His eyes seemed to burn into hers. “If it was, then an angel must
have come to me in your form.” He raised a hand to millimeters from her face as his gray eyes searched it. “I want to touch you again.” She stared back at him. “Don’t
you dare touch me,” she managed between her gritted teeth. “The last
man to touch me gave his life for a fleeting feeling,” she hissed. He slowly
pulled his hand away. “No more of this nonsense now, we have plans to make. The Fort at Luis Anna will not be easily fooled.” “Don’t lie to me, Valkyrie Dødmann. I know it was real. Why won’t you admit you came to
me?” An evil smirk crossed her face.
“Me… come to you….” She chuckled at the thought. “Poor
boy, I may not be a moral woman, but anyone can see that I could have my pick of the litter, so to say. Why would I choose a pup like you?” “Because you love me,” he replied boldly. “Disillusioned schoolboy!” she shot at him. “There is no such thing as love, only pain. My whole
life I’ve been surrounded by men. None of them have shown me that there
is a thing in this world called love; you only take what you want and move on.” The doctor shook his head and turned to leave. But the captain took hold of his arm. With her other hand
she grabbed hold of the back of his head and brought his mouth to hers, kissing him wildly. He tried to push her away, but her hand moved from his arm to around
his waist and held him fast, pulling his body closer to hers. He tried to protest, breaking the kiss as her hands groped at more
sensitive areas. “You’re a man, isn’t this what you want?” she
growled. “I am a man,” he shot back, breaking free of her grasp. “But
all I want is your heart, if there is such a thing.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sally sat in the den reading when Tonya came hopping in. “Hey, Sal,” she chirped as she made her way over to her friend.
“So, what happened to Daniel’s shirt?” She cocked an intrigued smile as an insinuating smile transformed
her face. “He lost a few buttons,” Sally stated lethargically. She threw her arms around the blonde’s head and began to smother
her. “I knew you’d get back together!” “Get off me, Tonya,” Sally warned. “No,” she protested in a childish voice. “My head.”
“Tonya,” Sally’s voice was very stern. “Get off!”
She pushed her friend away. “No!” Tonya refused, thinking they had begun some sort of game.
She wrapped her tail around one of Sally’s legs and she reaffirmed her grip by surrounding Sally’s shoulders with
her strong arms. Sally kicked and pulled until she finally had a hand free and began to
push her friend away, unsuccessfully. Suddenly a heavy book that had been lying on the end table hit Tonya in the back. “Ow,” she cried. “GET OFF OF ME!” Sally yelled, her face contorting in fury.
The braided girl let go, her lip stuck out in a pout. “You’re
no fun,” she whined. “Good, then leave me alone,” she glared back. Tonya stuck out her tongue as she left the room, her tail carefully massaging
her injury. - - - - - - - - - - Sally found herself staring out the window again, just watching the trees
sway in the Kansas wind, her mind somewhere else. She blinked and turned back to her bedroom, all the familiar things seemed
different. Somehow she felt detached from the life that was hers. Walking over to the bed, she sat down upon it then lay back.
Her head turned and she noticed Paul sitting by the pillows, grinning and asking for a hug as always. A chill came over her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The world seemed cold and frightful as the little girl wandered
across the icy earth, snow pelting down upon her delicate exposed skin the tattered wool dress refused to cover. Her small
body trembled with chills as she staggered onward, anywhere would be better than what lay behind her. Her breath materialized
on her face, crystallizing in the wintry air. In one last step she stumbled, falling into the fatal frozen fluff. Her blue eyes blinked open, her small body feeling warm once
more. Although she was only five, she had never hoped to feel secure, safe again. Surrounded by soft, creamy, fur, she reached
out her small hands and touched it, twirling her fingers through it. The whole white world around her shifted as a
large black nose turned toward her. Her wide blue eyes stared up into large brown ones as the animal began to bury its nose
into her chest. A small smile spread upon her face as the giant allowed her to run her small hands upon its large flat head.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Abra Pirata heard the woman scream as she strode down Polar Avenue. Her
head turned quickly and she bolted in the direction of the disturbance. She jumped up to the rooftops and leapt from building
to building. When she arrived, a surly man was kneeling over a woman holding a knife to her throat. Abra landed on the ground behind him. He swung around at the noise of her
boots on the concrete and as a surprised look crossed his face she let out a strong right cross which contacted on his lower
jaw with a sharp crack. The man’s head turned awkwardly with the noise as he stumbled backward. The woman screamed again
and cowered against a dumpster as her attacker hit the ground with a thud. The man moved groggily and moaned, blood spilling
from his mouth. He coughed and gagged on it. Rolling over, he vomited blood upon the pavement. Abra unsheathed her sword and
stood over him, placing the blade upon his throat. “Doesn’t feel too good to be on the receiving end, now does
it?” she asked. The man looked up at her with pleading brown eyes. “I can’t hear you,” she said. “U-uh,” he managed through the pain in his throbbing jaw. “And you,” Abra pointed to the cowering woman, who hid her
face from the advancing pirate. “Don’t ever use alleys after dark, again.” The woman nodded nervously, tears
falling down her cheeks. Abra sighed as she returned her sword to her belt. Then she stepped from
the alleyway and back onto the street. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “You didn’t report it?” Techno asked. “What were
you thinking?” “I got the bad guy and rescued the girl, what more do you want?”
Abra asked. “If the victim hadn’t have been thankful for your weird sense
of valor, she could have filed charges against you, too. She did report she was scared half to death at the sight of you and
your…,” Techno recalled the report on the screen, “your ‘barbarianism.’” She shrugged, as she removed her mask. “It’s not like the police aren’t already trying to lock
us up for what we do. You can’t just go around waving your sword all over the place. If you ever step out of line again…”
“Is that a threat, Techno?” she pronounced every word as she
glared at him, fingering the hilt on her belt. Techno’s one eye glared back and he erupted in fury, "Get out of
my cave.” - - - - - - - - -
Daniel sat at one of the large tables in the MacMickle library. It was covered in papers and photographs, arranged in a chaotic order as he tried to make up his mind. Teri sat across from him with her chin propped up by her hand. She moved her other to point to a picture of a tall maple. “How about this one?” she asked impatiently. “I don’t know…” Daniel stated doubtfully. “C’mon,” she rolled her eyes. “This is just a fun project, not
a life or death decision. Pick one already.” He sighed in reply. “Why don’t we take a break,
that ought to loosen our minds a bit.” “Yeah,” he gave in, pushing his chair back.
“I’ll show you around.” - - - - - - - - - - - Sally stalked through the forest that surround the MacMickle estate. Her mind was racing and the unquenchable restlessness was ever rising.
She felt like she had to do something to release it, but she didn’t know what.
The new voice within her gave demanding orders and tempted her to do things she never would have done. Rubbing her head, the girl tried to make sense of all the thoughts that were running through
her mind. They seemed like memories, but she knew her life was nothing like the
one she saw flashing before her eyes. A line from a song came into her thoughts: Oooo, there’s a thin line between dreams and memories. I’ll be loosing my mind… She sighed, hoping she wasn’t losing her mind.
She felt like she was no longer in control, she wanted to cry. She felt
rising anger, she wanted to hit something. A memory she knew was her own came
back to her. The woods of MiddleEarth, the rush of battle, the sweep of her
sword, the jerk of her foe as he felt the blood-warmed steel. A wicked smile
curled on her lips as her fists clenched and a hunger for more arose. Suddenly
she lashed out, burying her fist into the trunk of a large maple. - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sally walked into the library, looking for her notebook.
I swear I left it in here. She looked around on all the tables. The papers and pictures that covered one table caught her eye. This must be that project of Daniel and Teri’s. Tilting
her head slightly she read the print on one page next to the laptop computer. The
cottonwood is a prestigious Kansas tree, being found commonly throughout the state….
She eyed another page. This oak, located in Northeastern Kansas, is
the oldest in the entire state, boasting more than 200 years. She saw the
picture of the tree paper clipped to the page. Cocking her head a bit she eyed
the old oak, its surroundings were a wide Kansas field that seemed so familiar… - - - - - - - - - - The girls sat down in the cave as Techno went over the briefing as usual. He kept glaring at Sally as she sat slouched down on the couch, paying no attention to his words. “Don’t you think we should spend a little less time daydreaming?” He
finally asked, tired of not having her attention. “Well, it seems the last time I did my job I was reprimanded for my unconventional
approach,” she said, sitting up and leaning forward. “Gee, a little pissy aren’t we?” Sebastian asked. “Must be that time of the month.” Sally leapt up from her seat so fast that the dark haired man barely had time to jump back
in surprise. The sword lying across
the room zoomed into her grasp and in one stroke the man’s hair flung widely through the air as his head tumbled to
the floor. But instead, she glared at him, inches from his face, “The last time a man said such
words to me he never got it up again.” Oooo, Dee thought to
herself, Gotta remember that line. The blonde turned toward Poopsie. “Go
ahead, want to know if I’d really do it? You can sense that I would.” “That’s enough,” Zarbon and Techno said at the same time. Sally turned and stalked up the stairs, leaving the rest of the crew in stunned silence. Jessica set a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. Tonya turned to a rigid Poopsie, “You okay?” The half-elf was gripping the arms of her chair tightly, a scared look on her face. “You don’t want to know what I saw.” “It can’t be worse than when I was possessed by Kuwi,” Tonya said. “But you were possessed… it wasn’t you.
This was Sally…just…not like we know her.” “Perhaps a multiple personality?” Dee suggested. Poopsie shook her head slowly, not really knowing how to describe what she had encountered
in her friend’s mind. “It’s not like Sally to lash out at all,” Jed said. “Maybe harsh words, but… not like that.” “Maybe the stress has finally gotten to her,” Sebastian added. - - - - - - - - - - “Going somewhere?” Bowie asked as he entered Sally’s room. She was stuffing things into her backpack. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, Bowie.
And I’ve got to figure this out by myself.” She zipped up
the bag and shouldered it. She patted him on the head and climbed out the window. “Why
are you going out the window?” he asked, but she was already gone, just as the sky gave way to rain. - - - - - - - - - - “Did she say where she was going?” Jessica asked Bowie. He shook his head. Tonya came into the room. “Tracking
won’t do us any good, it’s started pouring. And it looks like she’s
taken that new sword of hers.” T frowned, rubbing the short whiskers on his chin. “Is that a solution I see forming in your mind?” Zarbon asked him. “Just a thought… that would help us in no way.” “Please share,” Dee urged, “Anything is better than nothing.” “Well, remember Wyatt? He had been in
Sally’s mind...” “What?” Poopsie interrupted. “What for?” Tonya asked accusingly. “AS I was saying…” T continued, “He told me that her mind
was very complicated and parts of it were sealed very tightly. Perhaps…
this part of her personality is what she was keeping locked up. Her… ‘inner
pirate’.” “And something’s let it loose?” Jed asked. “It’s just an idea.” “What was he doing, poking around in her mind?” Tonya pried.
- - - - - -
- - - Sally
crawled under a jutting slab of limestone, shivering against the coolness of the summer rain as it evaporated from her skin. Bringing her knees close to her chest, she hugged them, staring out at the night rain
as it fell upon the prairie. ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pure white flakes fell silently as the little girl watched
peacefully from the warmness of the small cave. Soon she grew excited as she
heard the familiar crunch of padded feet on the snow. The first sign she saw
of her large friend was the big black nose swaying as she approached. The large
white animal was directly in front of the opening when it suddenly turned and roared angrily.
Frightened by the loud uproar the girl cowered in the
cave, hiding her face. She began to hear voices shouting words she did not understand. They mingled with her friend’s yells of pain and anger and fright. The huge head turned once more toward the girl, and she peeked between her fingers to see the large caring
eyes one last time before the huge body fell and the snow turned red. Suddenly she was grabbed by hands and among people she
did not know. They put their hands upon her, felt her fine white hair, then carried
her off, her big blue eyes watering as she watched the fallen form of her best friend fade away in the snow as hunters crouched
around it. - - - - - - - - She stood upon a wooden platform, splinters trying to
dig themselves into her bare feet. People came and put their hands on her again. They squeezed her arms and legs. They
put their fingers in her mouth as they pulled back her lips. They ran their fingers
through her hair. Then they shouted out strange words and she was pushed toward
a man with a handsome build. He grabbed her hand and led her through the small
town to a large ship where she was loaded beneath the deck with other women and children. ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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