John sat upright to study her closer. Her hands seemed less wrinkled as they cupped the mug closely to her chest. "A trick of the light" John thought. Shaking his head to free any cobwebs he leaned back on one elbow.
"Is something wrong, John?" She turned her face directly towards him and for the first time he noticed her dark, onyx eyes. So large and so dark, deep pools of obsidian that pulled at him and engulfed him with the mystery buried within.
Startled, he looked away. "No. No. Well, actually, yes! Could I have my clothes? I feel awkward sitting here naked like this." Again, he pulled the pelts up, closer to cover his chest.
She placed her mug on the floor beside her and slowly got up. Again, the fragility and stiffness seemed to creep into her movements as she stood. He watched her as she crossed the room, slightly hunched and murmuring quietly to herself.
It was a small room, fit for one, which held a tiny bed, a dresser and in the right corner; there was a small nook, which appeared to be a kitchen area. Besides the rocking chair next to him, he noticed only one other piece of furniture, a chair. Dried herbs hung from the beams, giving off a slightly sweet fragrance. Pulling open the top drawer, she removed a small bundle from it and made her way back to him. As she approached the light of the fireplace, her posture slightly improved. She placed the bundle on the rocking chair and then headed towards the door.
"I will go get more wood while you dress." Taking a fur pelt from a hook by the door, she draped it around herself.
John turned his upper body towards her. "Is the storm over?"
"No, it has been raging for days now. Don't worry; I keep the wood in the lean-to right by the door." As she opened the door a blast of cold air and snow rushed through the opening, pelting everything in its path. Quickly, she went closing the door behind her.
John jumped up and grabbed his clothes. They were clean and smelled sweet like honeysuckle. "How long have I been here?" As he dressed, he looked around the room for the wash bucket. He realized that he too smelled sweet. Had she bathed him? He reached a hand to his chin but found that his skin was smooth. It disturbed him that she not only bathed him, but also must have shaved the growth that had started from his few days in the woods.
The door opened and the rush of the storm once again forced its way in. Quickly, he ran to help her. As he pushed hard on the door to close it, he saw the that the snow was at least two feet deep. The winds whipped the snow back and forth creating a blinding whiteout. Shoving, with all his strength, he got the door shut and placed the latch on it.
"This storm is insane! How long has it been snowing?"
She straightened from placing the wood and began to remove her pelt. Her blonde hair filled with static and crackled as she pulled the pelt from her body. "It had stopped for two days while you slept but it started up worse last night."
"So, how long have I been here?" Clenching his fists he shoved them deep into the front pockets of his jeans, he walked towards the fireplace. "And why did you bathe and shave me?"
"Five days. You had a horrific fever, when I found you. I bathed you to bring it down. Since, I was cleaning you I decided to get your face all freshened up also. Really John, you seem to be getting a bit agitated."
"That's another thing!" He yelled. "How do you know my name?"
Laying her pelt over the rocking chair, she turned towards the fireplace and placed more logs on to it. Taking the cloth from its peg, she picked up the pot and poured more steaming liquid into their mugs, and then motioned for him to come sit. "You spoke aloud quite often while you were sick. Now come, you are still weak from the fever, sit, and have more tea."
Feeling foolish, John slumped down to the pelts. "You're right. I'm…I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I guess I am just out of sorts. One minute, I'm outside stuck in a storm the next, I'm here in your cabin." Shaking his head, he picked up his drink and drank a long slow sip. "Well, you know my name so what is yours?"
Peering at him from above the rim of her cup, her eyes twinkled. "I am Lilith."
Stay Tuned for Part Four
(Coyright 2012 E. L. Gross)
"Is something wrong, John?" She turned her face directly towards him and for the first time he noticed her dark, onyx eyes. So large and so dark, deep pools of obsidian that pulled at him and engulfed him with the mystery buried within.
Startled, he looked away. "No. No. Well, actually, yes! Could I have my clothes? I feel awkward sitting here naked like this." Again, he pulled the pelts up, closer to cover his chest.
She placed her mug on the floor beside her and slowly got up. Again, the fragility and stiffness seemed to creep into her movements as she stood. He watched her as she crossed the room, slightly hunched and murmuring quietly to herself.
It was a small room, fit for one, which held a tiny bed, a dresser and in the right corner; there was a small nook, which appeared to be a kitchen area. Besides the rocking chair next to him, he noticed only one other piece of furniture, a chair. Dried herbs hung from the beams, giving off a slightly sweet fragrance. Pulling open the top drawer, she removed a small bundle from it and made her way back to him. As she approached the light of the fireplace, her posture slightly improved. She placed the bundle on the rocking chair and then headed towards the door.
"I will go get more wood while you dress." Taking a fur pelt from a hook by the door, she draped it around herself.
John turned his upper body towards her. "Is the storm over?"
"No, it has been raging for days now. Don't worry; I keep the wood in the lean-to right by the door." As she opened the door a blast of cold air and snow rushed through the opening, pelting everything in its path. Quickly, she went closing the door behind her.
John jumped up and grabbed his clothes. They were clean and smelled sweet like honeysuckle. "How long have I been here?" As he dressed, he looked around the room for the wash bucket. He realized that he too smelled sweet. Had she bathed him? He reached a hand to his chin but found that his skin was smooth. It disturbed him that she not only bathed him, but also must have shaved the growth that had started from his few days in the woods.
The door opened and the rush of the storm once again forced its way in. Quickly, he ran to help her. As he pushed hard on the door to close it, he saw the that the snow was at least two feet deep. The winds whipped the snow back and forth creating a blinding whiteout. Shoving, with all his strength, he got the door shut and placed the latch on it.
"This storm is insane! How long has it been snowing?"
She straightened from placing the wood and began to remove her pelt. Her blonde hair filled with static and crackled as she pulled the pelt from her body. "It had stopped for two days while you slept but it started up worse last night."
"So, how long have I been here?" Clenching his fists he shoved them deep into the front pockets of his jeans, he walked towards the fireplace. "And why did you bathe and shave me?"
"Five days. You had a horrific fever, when I found you. I bathed you to bring it down. Since, I was cleaning you I decided to get your face all freshened up also. Really John, you seem to be getting a bit agitated."
"That's another thing!" He yelled. "How do you know my name?"
Laying her pelt over the rocking chair, she turned towards the fireplace and placed more logs on to it. Taking the cloth from its peg, she picked up the pot and poured more steaming liquid into their mugs, and then motioned for him to come sit. "You spoke aloud quite often while you were sick. Now come, you are still weak from the fever, sit, and have more tea."
Feeling foolish, John slumped down to the pelts. "You're right. I'm…I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I guess I am just out of sorts. One minute, I'm outside stuck in a storm the next, I'm here in your cabin." Shaking his head, he picked up his drink and drank a long slow sip. "Well, you know my name so what is yours?"
Peering at him from above the rim of her cup, her eyes twinkled. "I am Lilith."
Stay Tuned for Part Four
(Coyright 2012 E. L. Gross)
No comments:
Post a Comment