I was surrounded by stars as I floated in the atmosphere. Once again I was naked. But this time I knew where I was going.
Far off in the distance was a light. It wasn't as bright as the stars surrounding me. It was a dull grayish blob, and it was pulsating. It took a moment for me to realize that it was pulsating with the beat of my own heart.
Ba-bump!
Ba-bump!
Ba-bump!
Every time my heart would thrum the light would respond by growing larger. In a moment, which seemed like an eternity, I was floating right before the mass. The blob had transformed from a small pinprick in the distance into a mountain before my very eyes.
The blob was mysterious and dangerous. But in an odd way, it was also comforting.
Even when the blob was right before my eyes, I couldn't see more than an inch or two inside. In the center of the haziness was a pulsating gray light that thrummed in my chest. Slowly, that gray light was being infused with a subtle red spark.
The red was the color of blood and was very off-putting.
I tried to get closer but I couldn't move.
Gasp!
When I opened my eyes, cold sweat covered my back.
"It was just a dream." I sighed in relief. I was glad that I hadn't taken another mystical trip to God knows where. It was just the normal pointless firing of synapses during R.E.M sleep. I could accept that.
As my breath slowed, I realized that there was a warm sensation coming from the front of me. I looked down.
Beneath the covers, I noticed a stock of brown hair. The memories of the previous night flooded into my mind.
"Rhea." My voice was soft. I didn't want to wake her. I wasn't that much of a jackass.
At that moment, Rhea was fast asleep and was using me as a life-sized body pillow. Her leg was wrapped around my hip. Her face was pressed into my chest and her arm was holding me firmly.
She looked like an angel.
"Yeah…but she definitely isn't one."
Talk about don't judge a book by its cover. When I first met her, not only did I think she was younger than me, but her general aloofness gave the impression of a sweet and innocent airhead. Little did I know that she was actually going to be a professor. And while she was a bit of an airhead, she was also a walking sex demon.
I seriously don't even think she realizes what she does to other people—the way she makes them want to dominate her.
I felt my cheeks grow warm and not from the hot body attached to me.
Last night I had my way with her. I took her however I wanted to and in that moment I felt powerful. I felt unstoppable.
It felt right.
Somewhere deep in my soul, while I was dominating this trusting and sexy woman, I felt like that was exactly where she needed to be—in my bed, on her knees worshipping me.
Not only her, but everyone else, too. Women. Men. It didn't matter. They all should be worshipping me.
"Stop it Kyah. You're being ridiculous."
Before that dangerous train of thought developed any further, I decided to clear my head.
I peeled her off of me and headed over to the windowsill. There was an opened bottle of wine sitting there.
Vessel or not, I still felt a little guilty.
Not guilty enough to stop.
Just a little guilty.
I took the bottle and upended it in my mouth.
I took a large gulp of the wine.
…
…
…
And damn near choked!
It burned! What the hell?! Why do people like this stuff?! Gross!
I sat the wine down feeling disappointed.
I headed toward the tiny fridge in the corner of my room.
"Would you like some light acid to go with that grape juice, Ms. Open-Cloud? Why of course I would. I'd be delighted to drink your Devil's brew."
As I had a silly conversation with myself, I opened the fridge and grabbed a soda. Although everyone calls it 'pop' in this part of the world.
"Ah! Now that's the stuff." My eyes filled with disdain as I glanced at the wine left open on the windowsill. I think I'll stick to the non-alcoholic stuff for a while.
After finishing my drink, I headed into the shower.
Under the bright lights of the bathroom, my body looked positively luminous. I was glowing. My brown skin looked like polished bronze.
"Huh? Odd."
My eyes were playing tricks on me. It was probably the poisoned juice that I drank. The shower helped to revive me. When I left the shower, there was no more of that glowing skin nonsense.
I was oddly awake and didn't feel like going back to bed. It was just after 5AM. A bit early, but not so early that people would think I was insane, so I decided to go for a little run.
Until a few days ago, I wasn't much of an athlete. Now, it seems like my body is more athletic than an Olympic gold-medalist.
Alone under the early morning full moon, I felt at peace. I ran at a pace that was shocking to see but it felt just right for me. I ran past people driving cars on their way to work. I ran past buildings with their lights still turned off. I ran past businesses getting early morning deliveries. Eventually, I found myself running into the woods.
I didn't intend to go this route, but by the time I looked up I was in the middle of a sea of trees.
Being the desert rat that I was, you'd think I'd feel out of place. But as I stood there, beneath the towering conifers, I felt at one with everything.
Slowly, my feet stopped drumming rhythmically against the ground. I was standing in the middle of an open swath of land. The clearing was almost a perfect circle. Aside from the entrance, I was surrounded by tall trees. The patch of grass beneath my feet was brightly lit by the moonlight. Several wildflowers danced in the wind, their fragrance enchanting.
I never knew this place existed.
Why would I? It wasn't like I had any reason to explore the great outdoors.
Still, this place was serene. I closed my eyes and stood under the moonlight and felt like I was in perfect synchronicity with the world around me.
Time stood still in this place. I felt the wind moving around me and tangling in my hair. I could feel the coldness of the moonlight, which was so much different from the warmth of the blazing sun. It was different but not altogether unpleasant.
I was in a very peaceful place, which is why I was so shocked by what happened next.
"No! Don't!"
Slap!
My eyes flew open. I heard the sound of a young girl struggling, followed by the loud sound of her being hit.
I heard a quiet whimper fill the empty air.
I turned around and headed in the direction of the sound.
Let me be clear. I'm not a super hero. I'm not going to put myself in danger to help someone that I don't even know. I'm not that selfless.
Regardless, when you hear something like that in a place like this, your body just moves. You don't have time to think.
That's what I did.
I ran full speed in the direction of the voice, my toes barely touching the ground.
Less than a tenth of a mile away from my initial position was another clearing. But this one wasn't empty.
There were two people in the clearing.
One was on her back, her skirt pulled up her stomach and her panties around one of her ankles. There was a red handprint on her cheek, and a hand was wrapped around her throat. Moonlight refracted off the tears rolling down her delicate cheeks. Her lips were trembling out of fear.
Between the girl's legs was her abuser. A malicious smile covered her face as she looked down at her prey. Her blond hair was still perfect even in the throes of an assault.
Celeste was enjoying every second of the abuse she was delivering. Her free hand was slowly inching up the other girl's thigh having just removed her panties.
"Don't be like that. You came out with me. I told you we were going to have a good time. What did you think was going to happen?"
The girl trembled even more. "P-please. Don't. Please, I don't want this."
Celeste laughed cruelly. "Who gives a fuck what a little slut like you wants? No one is here to save you. You're going to be my little bitch. I'm going to fucking destroy you."