I stand frozen for a moment, but this is different than my other freezing spell. This time, I am trying to push down the memories that only get stronger the nearer he gets. Dante Nativen. I slip into a fighter’s crouch and hiss,
“ What are YOU doing here? For that matter, what have you told Jeff?” He smiles; That smile only enhances the memories clamoring for my attention.
“ I’ve come to take you home, of course. Jeff misses you; when we get back, I might just let him share you with me. As to you second question, I’ve only told the truth.”
I bark an approximation of a bitter laugh. “The truth? From you? What truth is this?”
“Only the truth that you are mine and misguided, that he is what we are, and that you must be brought back at all costs.” Most people would have to be shouting by now, as I’ve been slipping away from him in quick bursts. I’m now close to my table and the laptop on it. I bring my hand to rest on the keys and let it lie there.
“And what have you told him about me? About what you’ve done to me?” I ask cautiously. While he appears to be thinking of an answer to that, I open a special program. This is something I only became aware of my ability to do after my Change.
“I told him that you are my Beauty and that’s why I Changed you; that you are confused and need gentle care, and that we need to get you home to be taken care of.” As he speaks, I prepare to start the program, but stop when I hear what he’s said.
“What ‘gentle care’ do I need?” I scoff. I’ve done fine on my own in my meadow. Plus, I’m pretty sure that any ‘gentle care’ he would give would be delivered blow by blow. I give the order to start the program and watch as all my belongings are digitized and sent into the computer. A fake image is left behind. I’m left holding a laptop and nothing else
My meadow moves all by itself, but if I want my stuff to come to, I need to use this program. I designed it myself. I use the laptop’s built-in scanner to scan all inanimate objects and the program harnesses my power boost abilities to store them in the computer. I don’t have any explanation for the meadow; It’s a mystery.
“You need to be eased into the reality that you are my to do with as I wish,” He jolts me back to reality with his answer. Now I need to drive him off so I can move.
“ What if I come in two days of my own free will? It’s a full moon, very symbolic. Come to the meadow then and I’ll be ready” I say, thinking fast. If he agrees, this could be my chance to get to Jeff. Of course, that would mean submitting to him, but if I get to Jeff and he sees the truth, he could rescue me.
“We have a deal. In two days, I will stand here and you will come home to me.” He nods goodbye and zooms away. I stand there for a moment, absorbing the enormity of what I’ve just done. Then I stride over to my willow. I sit in front of the pool like before. This time I call up an image of the meadow, but moving. I set the image down in another forest 10 miles away. 10 miles isn’t far, but it’ll have to do. It will at least confuse Dante until I can come up with a plan.
Suddenly the meadow shifts. It took me a few shifts to get used to the sensation. I head out and rerun the program. My worldly possessions appear in their old places. I set my laptop down on the table I carved for myself. I change clothes and lie down to think. I can’t really sleep, but sometimes when I pretend to, I dream. Not in the same way as I used to, of course. Now I dream of things that have happened or will happen.
Tonight my dreams are memories. Sweet ones, of Jeff and me as children. –I wish those days would come again, I think as I sit up. My eyes burn, and I think, -and