I have been asking readers for their feedback on a story I posted here. No one responded until Kochav_ha_Erev suggested I post the entire thing in one spot so you could easily see it. Makes sense to me, and it made sense to Master as well. Thank you, Kochav_ha_Erev, for the excellent suggestion.
So, here it is, the entire story. Please feel free to read and provide feedback.
Thanks!
Chapter 1
When she first came to, all she was aware of was a slight mediciny smell and a pounding headache. As she lay in the dark, memories filtered back to her. Not full-fledged memories exactly, more like glimpses. Being grabbed, kicking, fighting, then the darkness.
The darkness. Where was she? She couldn’t quite think clearly. She sat up and immediately assaulted by a swimming sensation. She tried to fight it, but she lost and sank into darkness once more.
When next she awoke, the headache was much less intense. She no longer detected the medicinal substance which she assumed had been used to knock her unconscience in the first place. Remembering her last try at getting up, she slowly eased herself into a sitting position. Her head again began to swim, but she closed her eyes, and it receded. She opened her eyes once more and tried to examine her surroundings.
The room she was in was not particularly large, perhaps 12 by 15 feet. From the small bed she was laying in she could see a wooden table with a couple of chairs, a dresser. High in the wall she saw several small windows that allowed the dim light in. There were three doors that led from this room. She hoped one of them would be a bathroom.
She carefully arose and went to the doors. The first one opened into a small closet. She was surprised to find clothing in her size there. Nothing fancy, but enough that she could change. She wondered if there was underwear in the dresser. Upon inspection, she saw there was. Another door opened to a bathroom that included a toilet, sink and a shower. The necessary toiletry items were there as well. Someone apparently meant for her to stay a while.
She didn’t know how long she had been out, but she closed the door to the bathroom to use the facilities. No lock, she noticed. While in the bathroom, she heard the creak of a door. She froze. Then she realized there was nothing she could do other than be prepared, so she stood, waiting for someone to come through the bathroom door.
No one did. By the sounds in the other room, someone put something on the table, then left. When she had waited what seemed to be a sufficient amount of time, she peaked out the door. No one was there. Apparently, whoever it was had left. But on the table that had been bare there was now a tray. She cautiously made her way to the table to inspect the contents.
There was a pitcher of water, a cup, and a pot of some steaming, broth-like liquid. She supposed if her stomach were not so queasy from the knock-out drug they’d used, she might have found it appetizing. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure anything left for her captures would be wise to ingest. She turned her attention to the third, heretofore unexplored door. As she expected, it was locked. Suddenly overcome with a weariness, she went back to the bed. Before she knew it, she was out once more.
Chapter 2
When she awoke, it the room seemed brighter than before, but nothing else had changed. The items were still on the table. To slack her thirst, she took a few swallows of water. She then decided that she was thirsty and hungry enough to take more. After all, if they had wanted to kill her, they would have done so already. At least she hoped so.
After the broth and water, she felt a little better and started to explore the room. Just because she was fed didn’t mean she would stay if she didn’t have to. The windows were high in the walls, and after climbing on the furniture to examine them closer, she determined that they were made of some sort of thick, reinforced glass. She could barely see out of them, let alone break them. Even if she did, they were too small for her to wiggle out of.
She double checked the doors again. The closet and the bathroom were at her disposal, but the other door wouldn’t budge. Although it looked like wood, she wondered if it wasn’t made of some other, stronger material. It seemed to have no give to it. There was nothing for her to do but wait.
The woman’s unconscious body lay naked on the examination table. This room was much different from the one the woman had been kept in. It was a light blue in color and was well lit. There were countertops and drawers full of medical instruments, the purpose of which the woman couldn’t have guessed at even if she had been awake. Two doctors examined her, taking vital signs and running tests. Through a window into the examination room, two men stood and watched the procedure.
One of the men was both tall and broad. He had sandy hair and piercing eyes. Normally he gave the impression of someone you didn’t want to get into a disagreement with, but at the moment his face wore an expression of concern. The other man was a bit shorter and much thinner. He seemed much more relaxed under the circumstances.
“What are they doing to her?” the sandy-haired man asked.
“Relax, Jaric. They are just checking her general health, making sure there is nothing wrong with her.”
“And if there is?” asked Jade, alarmed by the idea.
“In all likelihood they can fix it. Our technology is much more advanced than theirs, you know. You hired us for this. Now trust us, would you?”
“Sorry,” said Jade. “There’s just so much at stake here. At least for me personally.”
“We know that. This is what we specialize in.”
“And you’ve never made a mistake in 20 years? Never had an unsatisfied customer?”
“Never.”
The woman slept through all this. When finally she did awaken, she was back in her room, none the wiser.
Chapter 3
Jaric and his companion entered the plush office. Jaric took a seat across from a large, impressive wooden desk while the man sat on his makeshift throne and began to shuffle through some papers.
“So, Hauntly, things are going as expected?” Jaric asked.
“Perfectly,” Hauntly replied.
“Good. I want to talk to her,” said Jaric.
“Oh, no. It’s much too early for that. These things take time, Jaric.”
A little irritated, Jaric asked, “How much time?”
Hauntly looked at him sharply. “This is for a lifetime, is it not? And we want to do things right. Don’t rush things.”
“I am tired of waiting.”
Hauntly sighed and his look softened. “I know. But we have to give her time. She needs to adjust.”
Jaric made no reply. His thoughts were on the woman in the examining room.
*********************************************************************
The woman in the room noticed things begin to change. Not big changes. Little ones. Sometimes, as she awoke, she would see a fleeting glimpse of a robed figure leaving the room. At first she thought she was dreaming. Then she began to lay in bed awake, waiting for someone to come. She would hear a person quietly enter the room and put something on the table. Upon opening one eye, she could see a figure in a gray robe enter and put something on the table.
“Who are you?” she asked, bolting upright in the bed.
The figure froze for a fraction of a second, then dashed out the door.
“Hey, wait!” she shouted. By the time she got herself up and went after the specter, it was gone.
“Damn it, who are you? What do you want with me?”
Her question went unanswered.
Chapter 4
The days in the room continued on for the woman. She could tell by the coming and going of light through the windows that day turned to night and turned to day again. Her body began to fall into a rhythm of sleeping in the dark, being awake in the daytime. She awoke in the morning, did her toilet and was up for the day. Food magically reappeared each night.
Partly to alleviate bordom and partly because she needed the exercise, the woman began calisthenics. She hated them, but the pushups, sit ups and jumping jacks gave her something to do, and it made her feel she was at least doing something good for herself. Besides, there were no other options. There was not TV, radio or computer. There were no books. There wasn’t even paper and pencil. The alternatives for amusing herself were quite limited.
On occasion, she would hear the hooded figure enter the room. She would dash toward them, but they were always too fast for her. She had rearranged the room so the table no longer stood between her and the door, but then they started leaving the tray on the dresser. Whenever she rearranged the room, they always left the tray on the closest surface to the door. Once she moved everything as far from the door as possible. They had simply left the tray on the floor. She had finally given up on playing musical furniture.
Who were they? What did they want from her? At times these questions plagued her. At other times, she didn’t care. She just wanted OUT. Periodically the room seemed to close in on her, resulting in a bout with claustrophobia. But there was nothing she could do.
One day, the robed figure arrived early in the morning. The woman was awake and heard the door softly open. She bolted toward the figure. She froze when she realized that this time the figure was not retreating as it always had before. She stood up straight. Like a dog that chased cars and finally caught one, she was not sure what to do next.
The figure pulled back the hood, revealing a sandy-haired man with the most intense eyes. He studied her for a moment before saying, “My name is Jaric.”
Chapter 5
“My name is Jaric.”
She just stood and stared for a moment. No one had made any attempt to interact with her before. What was this about? Then she made sure to position herself so that the table was between them. Whoever this Jaric was, he was part of the group that had abducted and imprisoned her.
“My name is Jaric,” he said again. He wanted her to respond with her name. Screw that, she thought.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“I am here to make sure you are adequately cared for. Do you have enough food and water? Is there anything you need that is not being provided?” Jaric asked. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, being sure not to tell her too much or invite her to ask more.
The hell with that, she thought. “I NEED to go home,” she said, crossing her arms.
Jaric looked at her with those piercing eyes, but offered no response. Okay, she thought, let’s try another tactic. “Why have you brought me here? What do you want from me?”
For a moment she thought he would refuse to respond again, but then he said, “In time, I will answer all of your questions. But for now, it is important that you are well cared for.”
Hitting this brick well, and she felt suddenly tired. She wanted to slump down on the bed, but she didn’t dare. This Jaric was a big man, and capable of God only knew what. She wasn’t about to let down her guard.
“Is there anything I can get for you?” he asked again.
“Since you aren’t prepared to give me what I need, or even to explain what’s going on, well, I’ll have to think about it,” she said, raising her chin in defiance. Perhaps if she asked the right questions in the right way, she would get some answers. Maybe she could even use this Jaric to escape somehow.
“I will visit you periodically. Your comfort is important to me,” he said. They studied each other for another minute or two, and then Jaric, keeping his eyes on her, slipped out the same down he had entered. When she heard the lock engage, the woman collapsed back onto the bed.
“That was a disaster,” Jaric said. He was once again seated in the chair in Hauntly’s office. “She hates me already.”
“Nonsense,” said Hauntly. “It actually went rather well. I have seen amaratas actually attack their keepers. Remember, you know what’s going on and the end result. She does not. She is confused and afraid right now. You must win her trust first and foremost. Under the circumstances, that will take some time. That fact that she talked to you and dealt with you in a civilized manner is a good sign, indeed. A very good sign.”
Jaric said nothing. He looked away and hoped that Hauntly was right.
Chapter 6
Days went by, with the woman contemplating her situation and how things had changed with the introduction of the man named Jaric. How could she use this to her advantage?
Jaric did not come back the next day, or the day after. She wondered how long it would be until he reappeared. She began to get ansy. Perhaps, finally, things would change, but she needed him to make that happen.
Finally, on the third day, as she lay in bed she heard the door open. She watched as the robed figure entered the room, left the tray on the table and backed away to the door. He stood there, seeming to wait for her. She sat up.
“You’re back,” she said.
“Yes,” said Jaric, removing his hood. “I said that I would return. And you said you needed time to think about what you required. Have you thought about it?”
“I require information,” she replied. He was silent. “You won’t tell me anything?” she asked.
“There are many things that we will discuss in the future, when the time is right.”
“Why am I here?” she asked.
“Because it is where you belong.”
“What do you want?”
“Your happiness,” he said. And mine, he thought.
“Okay, so what do you expect of me?” she asked.
“Be yourself.”
That was a bizarre answer. He had answered all of her questions, yet had told her nothing. This Jaric was frustrating, but also somehow strangely alluring. She decided to change her tactic.
“You have asked me what I need. I need out,” she said.
He raised his eyebrows at that. “Why? What do you think is out there that you need that cannot be provided in here?”
“How about a change in scenery? For weeks all I have seen are these four walls, this cramped little space. Think of all the places that you have been, the things that you have seen in that time. I am tired of this dark little cell. Have I been put here because I am being punished for something?”
“No,” he answered quickly.
“Then let me out. Let me see the sunshine. Let me walk in the bright lights. Let me DO something but be trapped in this cell!” She realized she was beginning to lose control. She stopped herself and took some deep breaths. There was no way she was going to become hysterical, especially in front of this man.
“I will have to work on that one,” said Jaric. “Arranging it could be…complicated. In the mean time, is there anything else? Do you need anything here to help you pass the time, since, as you say, you spend so much time here?”
She thought about that. “Could I have something to read? Maybe a TV or radio, some news of the outside world?”
“What do you like to read?” he asked.
“Newspapers, magazines, books.”
“What kind of books?”
“Mysteries, crime dramas. Something to pass the time.”
“I think I can find those for you.” Jaric began to reach for the door.
“You are the only person I’ve talked to,” she blurted out. “I am tired of being alone.”
Somehow, that seemed to please Jaric. Softly he said, “I will try to make my visits frequent. You need not be alone all the time.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter 7
Jaric returned the next day with a package.
“What’s in the box,” she asked.
“Several things that I hope will help you to pass the time.”
“I’m not to get out of here?”
“Eventually, yes, but not today.”
Jaric opened the package and began to set several books on the table. She examined the volumes and noticed that all of the writers were unfamiliar to her.
“I read a lot, but I don’t know any of these authors,” she said.
“Try them. If you find one that you like, I will bring you more of his work. If none of these please you, I will find others,” he said.
She set the books aside and peered into the box. “What’s that?” she asked.
“These are carez cards. There are several games you can play with them.” Jaric proceeded to show her the 5 suits of the cards and how they went from values of zero to ten. He showed her a game similar to poker. After half an hour, she began to get the hang of it, although she didn’t beat him often.
“I have to leave soon. I hope you like the books and cards.”
“When can I leave this room?”
“I don’t know, but I am working on it.”
He left her then. She picked up one of the books and started to read.
“Impossible,” Hauntly said from his large, comfortable chair.
“Necessary,” replied Jaric.
“Eventually, of course, but not yet. She has not been here nearly long enough. You are rushing things.”
“She is my amarata, and I know what she needs,” Jaric insisted, his eyes flashing. “I have been very patient so far, but it is time to let me take some control. She needs to get out of that room for a while.”
“She has been, several times,” muttered Hauntly.
“Visits to the medical facility don’t count. She was unconscience.”
Hauntly sighed. “What do you have in mind?”
Chapter 8
“You know you still haven’t told me your name,” Jaric said.
For a moment she said nothing. Jaric had returned every morning for a week. He would bring her books and games and a variety of things to amuse herself. She had asked for some weights and a jump rope as well. She thought he might refuse those things, since they could be used to hit or bind him, but he had provided them without hesitation. Who was this guy?
“Why do you care?” she asked.
“In time you will come to understand that I care more than can be put into words,” he replied. Then he fell silent.
“Lora. My name is Lora.”
“Okay, Lora, you have wanted to leave this room for a long time. I have managed to arrange it, but there is a condition,” said Jaric.
“Condition? What kind of condition?” she asked.
“You must hold my hand. I will not let you go.”
“What on earth for?” she asked.
“I don’t want you to try to run away. I want to hang on to you.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. She was, frankly, confused by her feelings. She knew she should feel offended by the requirement, but he was right. She had been thinking of trying to run away when they were outside the room. But, more, bewildering was the fact that she looked forward to his touch.
He seemed to read her confusion as reluctance. “Do you accept this condition?” he asked.
She lifted her head and looked him in the eye with what she hoped would be a look of strength and defiance. “Yes.”
Jaric seemed quite pleased. “Take my hand.” She did. Jaric opened the door, they stepped through it. Lora was so shocked by the view outside her door that she nearly stumbled and fell. Jaric caught her before she hit the floor. “Are you alright?”
Lora didn’t answer. She just stopped and stared. Her room was small and rustic, making her think of a cabin. She had believed that she would step into woods or perhaps a field when she finally left her cubicle. Instead what she saw was a long, well-lit corridor. She was inside some sort of hospital!
Chapter 9
Lora stood still and looked up and down the corridor. It was painted white and brightly lit. There were doors alternated on both sides of the hallway, but they were spaced widely apart. There was no one else in sight.
Jaric waited while she took it all in. When she was ready to move, he led her to the right. They walked down the corridor, making several left and right turns through connecting hallways. Soon Lora was completely lost. She suspected that was the point. Eventually they arrived at an elevator. They entered and Jaric pushed the button for floor 13.
When the doors of the elevator opened, Lora was confronted with more open space than she’s seen for many weeks. Although she was still inside, she was in an arboretum of some sort. She walked out to find herself surrounded by many different plants and flowers. She and Jaric began to walk down the path that wound through the garden. Jaric continued to hold her hand snuggly, but not uncomfortably so. She tried not to focus on the feeling of holding hands with this man.
Lora looked this way and that in the garden. She didn’t know much about trees and plants, but she didn’t recognize any of the varieties in this garden at the top of this hospital. The temperature was pleasant, somewhere in the 70s, so these must not be tropical plants.
The path led around to a little clearing with a couple of benches. The two of them sat. For a moment they were both quiet. Then she said, “Am I sick? Do I have some sort of disease or something?”
“What?” he said, obviously confused.
“I’m in a hospital.”
“Not a hospital. A facility.”
“There’s a difference?” she scoffed.
“Oh, yes. There’s a big difference.”
“If I’m not physically ill..”
Jaric smiled. “You aren’t crazy, either. You are quite healthy, both physically and mentally.”
She chewed on her lip and considered that. Suddenly she froze. “Oh, my God. I’m part of an experiment. I just a rat in a maze!”
“No, Lora, no.” He looked into her eyes and seemed to bore deep into her soul. “I promise you, this is no experiment.” For some reason, she believed him.
“What is this place?”
He sighed. “Do you believe that everyone has a destiny, things they are to do in this life? A path that they are destined to travel?”
She blinked. She didn’t talk about it much, but that is what she believed. “Yes,” she said, “yes, I do.”
“The purpose of this facility is to help you along the path that you are meant to walk.”
Chapter 10
Lora got no more answers, although she asked many questions. Jaric simply continued to say, “Eventually, you will understand all.”
After a few hours, they left the arboretum. They went down in the elevator and snaked through the bright institutionally white hallways again. When he stopped her in front of a door, she hesitated.
“I know you don’t want to return, but I promise things will get better.”
He opened the door, and she began to step forward. Then she froze again. Everything was different.
“It’s a different room. I thought you would be more comfortable here. All of your things have been brought from the old room. If anything has been forgotten, just let me know. I will take care of it.”
The room actually was more like a small apartment painted in a pale yellow that reminded her vaguely of sunshine. The door to the corridor had opened into a small kitchen, including a range, microwave and refrigerator along the left wall. A small table with two chairs stood to the right. Just beyond the table a door to the right opened into a bedroom, but Lora did not inspect it. The kitchen opened into a space that looked like a living room, and she continued forward. There were a couple of stuffed chairs and some bookcases full of volumes for her to inspect later. A couch stood against the far wall. But what really got her attention was the large picture window above the couch.
“You are free to rearrange anything you like,” Jaric said. Lora barely heard him. A window! How long had it been since she had seen the outside? Lora sat on the couch and stared at the view, which gave a view of a small courtyard. There were trees and flowers grass and sunshine!
“I thought you would like the window,” Jaric said. It does not open, and the glass is unbreakable. Even if you were to get through to the courtyard, there is nowhere to go other than back into the facility. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the view. “
Lora sank into the couch and just stared at the garden outside as Jaric quietly left.
Chapter 11
Lora didn’t know how long she spent looking at the outside world. The arboretum had been nice, but somehow this small courtyard was more real to her. She had been locked inside so long that she almost felt like she had a view of paradise.
Eventually, however, she turned from the window to explore the rest of the apartment. Jaric was right; all of her things had been brought from the other room. Her clothes were in the closet and dresser in the bedroom, the books were in the bookshelf. She noticed that there were more clothes and books then just the ones she had left behind. The kitchen was also fully stocked with food as well as pots pans, plate and silverware. Apparently she would was expected to start cooking for herself. That was fine with her. Having at least some control over what she ate and when was something she looked forward to.
Lora took a long bath, dressed, pulled out a favorite book and sat by the window to read.
Lora tried to busy herself in her apartment as much as possible. She cooked and cleaned. She continued to work out and stay physically active. She still had no idea why she was here or what she might be called upon to do. Or when a chance to escape might present itself. She needed to be prepared.
Jaric continued to visit her daily. Sometimes they took walks, hand in hand, through the corridors. The few people that she saw on their walks were generally dressed in white. She still felt like she was in some sort of hospital, although Jaric denied it. The people they passed said a polite hello or simply nodded before hurrying on.
Sometime she and Jaric would cook together in the apartment. Afterwards they would it and clean up together. It felt just like a small family. When she started thinking that way, she would chide herself. Don’t fall for him, she thought. He’s keeping you prisoner here, for God’s sake. But, try as she might to deny it, she was becoming more and more attached to this mysterious man who called himself Jaric.
Chapter 12
One day as they were finishing supper, Lora asked, “When can I go outside?”
“Where do you want to go?” he asked.
“How would I know? I don’t even know where I’m at!” she said.
“Okay, fair enough. Wait here.” With that, Jaric turned and left the apartment. She remained seated at the table, stunned.
He returned a few moments later and showed her a key.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“It opens the window,” he said. “Let me show you.”
Jaric went to the right side of the window and showed Lora a slot near the bottom. He inserted the key, jiggled it, and the window swung in toward them. The smell of flowers and non-filtered air entered the room. Lora just stood, transfixed. Jaric held out the key to her.
“You can keep it,” he said softly. “There are no other openings in the courtyard, nowhere else to go anyway. You might as well enjoy the fresh air and the outdoors.”
He helped her through the window into the garden outside. She brushed against trees and bushes, marveling at the feel of them. She lowered her face near the flowers and took a deep breath of their sweet fragrance. More than anything she just enjoyed being outdoors once again.
After that, Lora wondered around in the courtyard every day. The enclosure was small, no more than 50 feet square, but it was still outdoors. She inspected every inch of it. She knew every bush, tree and scrub. She also knew the walls. They were white brick and completely smooth. There were no cracks or indentations that would make footholds. There was no way to climb the 12 feet to the top and escape over the roof. There were no windows or doors or openings of any kind, save the window into her own apartment. There weren’t even any stones of any size to stand on. Jaric was right; she wasn’t going anywhere.
Chapter 13
The music played softly. The lights in the apartment were dimmed, and Lora was vaguely away of the faint fragrance of roses. But her attention was focused more on Jaric.
Jaric was holding her lightly, effortlessly, as they swayed to the music. Dancing, holding each other close, Lora gave her feelings for Jaric free rein. She leaned into him, head on his shoulder, holding him just a little tighter. He responded by nuzzling her hair. The nuzzling turned to gentle kisses on her hair, forehead, over her eyes. Lora enjoyed them, turning her face up toward him. Their lips found each other. The kisses became long and deep and hard. Lora gave herself up completely.
She sat up with a start. A dream. A dream. She lay back down in the bed. What did it mean? She knew what it meant. Her feelings wouldn’t be denied much longer.
In his room, Jaric awoke from the same dream. He smiled in the darkness.
Chapter 14
For a couple of weeks Lora enjoyed her private garden. The weather remained temperate, although there were days of light rain or cool temperatures. Sometimes Lora would sit outside and read. Sometimes she did calisthenics. She even began to do a little gardening, pulling out weeds and picking up sticks. In the evening she sometimes watched the sunset over the top of the walls. It wasn’t the stunning view one would have from a beach, but to her it was beautiful nonetheless.
The garden was one of the few things Lora had. She had noticed that there was no TV available to her, no radio, no computer, no newspaper, nothing to allow her to connect with the outside world. All she had were the books, games and puzzles Jaric brought her. She spent a lot of time reading, as well as figuring out the different games he taught her. She spent many hours on thinking puzzles and riddles that he provided. She hoped they helped keep her mind sharp, but after all of this time she had no idea what was going on in the real world. For her, it almost didn’t exist anymore. She was sometimes afraid that she no longer existed for it, either. Sometimes she felt certain that everyone she had known before had gone on with their lives and she remained for them only as a memory.
To keep her mind away from such thoughts, Lora would try even harder to remain physically active. After a long day of working in the garden and a glorious sunset, Lora went to the bedroom and drifted peacefully off to sleep. She woke up a few hours later to a strange noise. It reminded her of a klaxon or alarm or some sort. She sat up in bed and listened. It WAS an alarm! But for what? She got up and quickly dressed, thinking she’d better be ready for anything. She went to the living room/kitchen. She didn’t see anything wrong. But as she approached the door, she noticed a strange odor. What was that? It smelled like…smoke! She went to the door and put her hand near it, careful not to touch. Her fears were confirmed. It was warm. There was a fire. And she was locked, trapped inside her apartment!
Chapter 15
Okay, she thought, think clearly. What should she do? What could she do? She carefully approached the door again, touching it gingerly. The heat stung her hand, despite the fact that she only touched the door for a fraction of a second. Even if the door would open for her, going out that way was simply not an option.
Lora began gathering towels. She got them wet, then used them to stop up the cracks between the door and the wall, hoping it would delay the smoke and fire from getting into her apartment. She put a blanket in the sink to soak with water in case she needed it later. That was done, she began considering her options.
Options. Right. She only had one. The courtyard and the garden. Lora unlocked the window and poked her head outside. Clouds of smoke rolled over her head, coming from a fire in the building. The smoke roiled up from behind her. The fire was definitely in her vicinity, and most assuredly large. Lora picked up a chair from the kitchen table and put it outside in the courtyard. This made it easier for her to climb in and out the window, checking on the progress of the fire from both venues.
Within minutes, however, Lora realized she could not stay in the apartment, Despite the towels, smoke was seeping in, filling the rooms, taking over the breathable air. The swiftness with which it overtook the apartment surprised her. She grabbed the blanket from the sink and climbed through the open window. She considered for a moment, then shut the window behind her, hoping the hold the foul air inside for a little longer.
Outside, she rapped herself in the blanket, hoping it was protection from heat and flames that she wouldn’t need. She sized up the walls of the courtyard. No, escape was just not possible. She looked back at the window and was surprised to see flames among the dark billows of smoke. The apartment was on fire.
She looked up at the sky, watching the smoke flow overhead. She caught the sound of an explosion and glass breaking as the force of the blast from the apartment propelled her forward. She barely registered falling face down on the ground before she blacked out.
Chapter 16
Jaric stood with Hauntly on the other side of the ruins, looking at the smoking mass.
“We have to go get her,” said Jaric. “She’s still in there.”
“Jaric, I’m so terribly sorry. We lost several amaratas…” said Hauntly.
“She is still alive. I know it. I can feel it,” said Jaric. He faced the other man. “We have begun to bond. “
Hauntly looked at him sharply. “When? When did you….?
“We didn’t. Nevertheless, are minds are joined. We shared a dream.” Jaric told him about the dance dream.
“Did she tell you she dreamt the same as you?” asked Hauntly.
“No,” Jaric admitted. “But we did. I know it.”
“Jaric, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. How would she have survived this?”
“She did,” Jaric insisted, raising his voice. “If you don’t send professionals in to look for her, I will go myself.”
Hauntly said nothing more. He just gave Jaric a sad, sympathetic look before making arrangements for the ruins to be searched.
Chapter 17
Lora came to, coughing. She was covered in her blanket, although it had long since been dried by the heat of the fire. She could smell the soot and ash. She tried to turn to look at her apartment, the sky, but turning her head caused such a sharp pain that she blacked out again before she saw anything.
When next Lora came to, she rolled slowly on to her back. The smoke no longer rolled by overhead; the smoldering embers of the ruined building produced only ribbons of smoke now. Sitting up carefully, she took in her surroundings.
Three walls continued to stand straight, although they were blackened by soot. The fourth wall, the one to her apartment, had been blown from the inside out. Some of her books as well as pieces of what was once her furniture littered the courtyard. Lora got up and took a closer look at the damage. Eventually, she might be able to pick her way through the ruins, to find a way out, but she knew that a fire could smolder for days. She didn’t dare try it now. So, here she was, trapped in her ruined, smoke-filled garden. Still there was no way to escape. All she could do was wait. She sat on the wall farthest from her decimated apartment and leaned back. Eventually she began to drift off to sleep.
Her rest was interrupted but a sound coming out of the ruins. Lora jumped up when she realized she heard footsteps. In what used to be her apartment she could see three figures approaching. They wore suits that reminded Lora of space suits, bulky, covering everything. They even had helmets over their heads and reflective visors that obscured their faces. Their gray suits were smeared with grime and soot. Lora backed away, unsure of their intentions. One of them faced her, seemed to notice her for the first time. He gestured, and the others turned toward her as well. They began to advance.
They fanned out. It looked to Lora like they were trying to corner her. She looked around for a way of escape. There was none. There was nothing but the singes shrubbery.
“Stay back,” she said. “Leave me alone.”
The three hesitated. The two on the ends looked toward the one in the middle. He gestured for them to continue.
“I said get back,” Lora said, grabbing a branch. It was a dismal weapon, but all she had.
The one on her left lunged for her. She swung the branch, breaking it over his helmet. It didn’t seem to phase him. Meanwhile, the one on her right had grabbed her from behind.
“No!” she screamed. “Let me go!” She kicked and fought with everything she had, but she was no match for the two suits. They pinned her arms to her sides and immobilized her. The third suit opened up a bag and took something out. It was a syringe! He was going to inject her with something.
“Stop!” came a voice from behind the men. Jaric!
The three hesitated and looked at each other as Jaric came through the ruins and rushed to Lora. He was wearing no protective clothing, and he was singed and smeared with ashes. He looked like he had run through the ruins. He grabbed her pushed her behind him, positioning himself between her and the three suits.
“I mean it! Put that away and back off,” Jaric barked.
The man in the middle seemed to stare at Jaric before he put the needle away.
“It’s alright, Lora. It’s over now,” he said.
She collapsed into his arms and wept.
Chapter 18
They spent two hours making their way through the rubble to the other side. The three suited men followed until they were on the other side of the debris, then they left them. From her vantage point, Lora could now see that she was not just a building, but a complex, with several buildings of various sizes scattered about.
“What is this place?” she asked.
“It’s time to tell you everything,” Jaric replied. “But first we must go where we can talk”.
As Jaric led her to another of the buildings, Lora looked around. She saw several strange vehicles, and people seemed to be dressed very strangely. There were many people in the suits of the men that had found her, but many others were dressed in tunic type clothing of various colors. The clothes seemed functional, yet with added colors and accents that seemed to be up to the individual wearing them. Where am I? she thought.
Soon Lora and Jaric were seated in large chairs in an office. They sat facing each other, across from an empty desk. Jaric took her hands in his..
“Remember I told you that this was about finding your destiny?” asked Jaric. “Well, this place is called Interlace. Its function is to…well, do you believe in soulmates?” asked Jaric.
She was taken aback by that question. A soulmate was something she had always hoped for, but never seemed even close to finding. “I…I don’t know,” she said finally.
“Well, here we not only believe in soulmates,” Jaric said, “but we work hard to seek them out. Interlace’s purpose is to identify the soulmate of an individual, and bring that person here, to be united with their other half. That is a person’s greatest destiny.”
“That’s why I was brought here?” she asked. “I am meant to be someone’s mate?”
“Much, much more than that. Maybe soulmate isn’t the right word. When the two people who are supposed to be together come together, a bond forms. This is a spiritual bond that the two people were destined to share. Without it, neither individual can ever be complete.”
“I have never heard of such a thing,” Lora said.
“No, because we are not exactly from the same place,” Jaric said. He let that sink in.
“Are you telling me you’re from another planet???” she asked, finding it nearly impossible to believe herself.
“Not another planet, exactly, more like another dimension. Our worlds are very similar, but not exactly the same. That’s why you never received any newspapers, TV or computer, although our world has equivalents of those things.”
Lora thought back on the strange vehicles and clothing she had seen as she walked between the buildings. “If I had, I would have realized I was in a completely different place.”
“That’s right. But now it is time for you to understand that.”
“So, when do I meet this supposed soulmate of mine,” Lora asked.
“You don’t know?” Jaric asked. “You can’t already feel the bond? Do you not remember the dream? The one we shared?”
“The dance,” she whispered.
“Yes, the dance,” he replied.
“I have been brought here to be with you,” she said.
“Yes. Interlace is just a holding facility, allowing you to learn about and accept your amorato.”
“Amorato?”
“Soulmate. At least, that’s as close a word as I can come to. I am your amorato. You are my amorata. We are bonded together. Because of that bond, I knew you had survived the fire. I also knew when the firers found you, because you were so scared of them. I felt your fear. I came for you.”
Just then, a tall, then man dressed in a dark gray tunic and slacks entered. He seemed to be struggling to find the right words. Hauntly cleared his throat. “I’m glad to see you were right and your amarata is okay. We, ah, can find another room…”
“
“No!” said Lora. “I don’t want to be locked up in a room again.”
“No, Lora, that’s over.”
“Really,” said Hauntly, “I think…”
But Jaric held his hand up and stopped him mid sentence. “That’s over,” he repeated.
“Now what?” Lora asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
He stood up, held his hand out to her. “Now we go home. To our home. Together.”
She looked at him for a moment, then took his hand. Together they walked out the door.
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