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Scene #19
Prologue
There is a society that walks among us.& nbsp; They are neither all good nor all evil. They intermingle with the government and the civilian population at will. You can not distinguish their members from those of us not belonging. They live with us, die with us, they are us. They are the "Tzifba" of the Astral Plane. The Astral Plane is the realm between dimensions where our laws may or may not apply, where our physics may or may not apply. Time and space are subject to the individual "Tzifba's" will and can be bent when they desire while in the "Plane".
Are the "Tzifba" as a whole to be feared? It is not known. The individual "Tzifba" is his own conscience or lack there of. Each story is his to be told.
Xander is among the youngest of the "Tzifba" and most renegade. He lives believing himself above all, ignoring both his society laws, elders and the laws of our own reality.
"Astral Plane"
Book One of the Tzifba
Chapter One
The haze was denser today than ever before. The last ten days feelings and emotions were being misinterpreted and unsure. Gabriella normally drifted, laughed and enjoyed every second of her time here without conscious thought. Time and life just flowed.
Without a true name, Gabriella called it her dream world, but it was so much more than that she suspected. She decided long ago not to question the wonders of this world; she accepted it for what it was. It was here and now.
The "Dream World" was an alternate reality that Gabriella had visited for all the life she remembered. The only person who had ever questioned her and seemed interested in its possible existence was her Mani Essie. Even as that was so, Mani discouraged Gabriella from telling others of this world. She said "guard this secret my quela and it will serve you well one day". Gabriella had not understood that cryptic statement, but never again had she talked of her other world. The world she now shared with Xander.
Tonight as she lay in bed, walking in her mind through space and time, a foreign haze closed tightly around her. Tonight, unlike other nights, sh e was wearing the bedclothes she lay down in. In the past clothes were automatically suitable for play or the other wonders of this world. Gabriella had been taught the rules of dress for many occasions by Xander.
The emotions were different as well this eve. There was an undertone of urgency and Gabriella began to chew her bottom lip. Footsteps quickened of their own accord and she felt a thin bead of sweat breaking on her brow and lip. It was not hot; something was just off, not in harmony.
The need to find Xander became foremost in her mind and she suddenly began to cry out his name. The haze became tighter around her and she could not see ahead or behind. The name of the only person she trusted completely with her life came to her lips raggedly again and again.
A strange growling noise came from behind. Gabriella knew this was a dangerous place, or it could be if one was not aware of the animals and natural dangers. Xander had spent a lifetime teaching her and exploring the area with her so she would know how to survive.
Without being able to see the animal that the sound was coming from Gabriella became more frightened and she began to struggle forward. Trees became stumbling blocks as she ran careening up and down short ridges and ultimately into chilling water.
It was in the water that she went down exhausted ready to give up to the animal pursuing her when two strong hands grabbed her. The hands gently but firmly shook her as the voice attached to the hands said "What in the hell are you doin g out here in your night clothes"? "You are nearly frozen and scared to death". "Have I taught you nothing at all in our time together"? Has this all been for naught"?
Tears of relief and embarrassment rolled down Gabriella's face. Never had Xander spoken to her in this tone. It would not due to cry. It served no purpose and Gabriella dashed the tears harshly from her scraped and bug bitten cheeks. Xander looked into her grey eyes and immediately felt contrite for a reason he could not fathom.
Gabriella had long ago given up on tender feelings for, or of being Xander's lover. Tonight though; that too seemed different. As Xander carried her up the steps to the main room of the loft area his eyes held a heat she had never seen before.
The oppressive haze was as deep in the cabin as it had been outside. Here too there was a disruption that could not be touched, only felt tonight. It was distracting and made all things feel at odds.
Sharp needles snapped Gabriella's head around quickly, to realize that she was naked, being held by Xander, standing in the small, but beautiful shower with seven shower heads pulsating warm water over her. The needles pelting her were torture but not even close to the torture of acknowledging the man holding her was NOT naked, but fully clothed, talking of shock, looking at and touching her!
The medical definition of shock is not what she felt at the moment. She felt=2 0her face was 150 degrees of red hot embarrassment. Never a fan of her body, Gabriella knew she was not tall, but neither was she short. She was not fat, but she certainly was not thin. She knew she was not beautiful.
Gabriella had a woman's full breasts, rounded hips and tummy, soft and firm as well. Her beauty was of a woman who looked like comfort and love if she could have seen herself clearly. Years of fashion ads and nasty remarks had sadly clouded that view.
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