Liquid Dima

Chapter One: Darla's discovery

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible!'" - Audrey Hepburn

The street buildings are casting their shadows over Benji's desk again, reminding him that Darla is late. Taking his work over to the window he begins to contemplate calling her for a third time, but instead sits down and peers at the dismal wet street below, knowing that it would only irritate her more to have to tell him where and how much longer she will be. Benji gently pulls his glasses off and rubs his thumb and forefinger between his brows in order to settle his nerves.

One would say Benji Oleta was a worrisome man at first sight if they were to peer up at him now, seeing the wave of anxiety pass from one eye to the other as Darla's absence increased. Worrying, however, is not a part of Benji's personality...unless it includes Darla. Darla. The name brings a momentary smile to the young Oleta's face despite his worry. They had been dating for over two years now, ever since Darla passed the age of sixteen and was allowed to travel from her mortal homeland to the world of the Never Dead. The world of the Never Dead is the world where immortal humans live, yet, unlike Benji, she is a mortal human and so she comes from the world of the Living. Benji chuckles now as he recalls the time they first met. It had been The Ancient's one hundred thousandth anniversary of breaking the separation that held these two worlds apart and thus establishing peace between the mortals and immortals. Darla was new to the world of immortals and so when Benji overheard her asking some immortal freshmen about The Ancient's blood, he couldn't resist trying to get a better look at her.

Witnessing her for the first time, Benji had been lost for words. Standing in front of him, beaming at the freshmen around her, was the most beautiful mortal Benji had ever seen. She had thick auburn locks that fell just below her collarbone, reminding him of the kind of copper you find at the bottom of a shallow stream, reflecting the early morning sun. Looking her up and down he had noted how short she was, not uncommon for a mortal human, but also how delicately feminine a physique she had. Smiling like an angel through her frost blue eyes and snowdrop pearl teeth, Darla had repeatedly questioned the wide gaping Benji if he was okay? The younger Benji had simply felt like a complete fool. How rude of him, he reflected, to have stood staring bug-eyed at a girl he had never met. Of course he had to redeem this outrageously embarrassing behaviour by introducing himself to the young girl and engage himself with her on the topic she was discussing. Shaking her soft coppery hair out of her eyes, she had asked him whether Liquid Dima was as powerful as legend said it to be, in which Benji had full-heartedly answered.

"Why, it's the very blood of The Ancient himself!", Benji had enthusiastically stated, all the while gazing into the pretty girl's curious eyes. "It most certainly is as powerful as legend says it to be, otherwise you wouldn't be stood here right now talking to me."

"Yes, I know that, but I am sure there is more to it. I mean, come on!" cried Darla with evident excitement, "I just don't see how one man's blood can be powerful enough to allow us to live amongst you immortals without dying. I have been taking it daily for two weeks now in order to come here, but it's not at all how I expected it to look!"

Amused, Benji had asked the sweet girl what made her think that? to which she replied that she had expected it to be gold, or shiny, or something amazing that makes it stand out from any other person's blood considering that it held the power to let her, a mere mortal, move from her homeworld to the world of the Never Dead without dying. "Ahh", said Benji, "but appearance doesn't mean everything. Take a look at that fellow over there", Benji had pointed to a short mortal with brown mouse hair and big glasses that immediately screamed 'nerd'. "Why, one could assume him to be just an ordinary guy who likes to read a hell of a lot". Darla grinned at this, dimpling her cheeks and making Benji's heart flutter. "Yet underneath all that appearance he could be the world's best artist! Yet who would think that when looking upon someone who appears to be a nerd? Creativity is not often associated with those who love the academic life". Darla appeared to have been considering this idea and returned her gaze to the heart-fluttering Benji.