Until Forever (1st draft)

Part the Twenty-First

"What the hell, Steekbunk? How dare you!" Geneva was furious! She tried to storm towards the hairy egg-man but stumbled and almost fell on her face. Whatever that fragrant powder was that had knocked her unconscious was still causing a disconnect between her brain and her body. She could still catch whiffs of it from a covered canister about an arm's length away next to the discarded hood. It made her eyes water and her ears pop.

"Geneva Maxwell must stay with me to remain safe and fulfill her destiny," came the reply.

"Safe?" she bellowed. "Safe? Nellaf is a complete bad ass! And his home is a friggin stone fortress! You think I'm safer back in this damn treehouse with you?" She slumped back onto the cushioned bed where she had been sleeping for who knows how long. She massaged her temples in an effort to clear her foggy brain.

"I can't believe you brought me all the way back here," she groaned. "Nellaf was going to bring me to Cloya the Spinner."

"I will bring you to Cloya the Spinner," Steekbunk answered.

"How delightful," she said sarcastically, "but I don't want to go with you. How about you let me decide for myself who I'm going with? How about you stop this competition to keep me as a prized possession like...like one of these ridiculous gemstones you collect!" She waved her hands at the shelves of colored orbs.

"It is my purpose to protect you," Steekbunk said calmly. It wasn't a motivational plea, he was simply stating fact. "I live to help you fulfill your destiny. Then I will die because of you."

"Oh will you stop saying that!" Geneva yelled exasperated. "I hate when you say that! I don't want you to die because of me! I don't want anybody to die because of me! I just want you to leave me alone!"

"I cannot."

She took a deep calming breath and sighed at his stubborn response.

"I wish you would get that powder out of here," she said in a more relaxed tone. Yelling was making her clouded brain hurt. She picked up a cushion and fanned the air in the direction of the canister.

"Listen, Steekbunk," she continued, "I don't know if you honestly believe that you're going to die because of me, or if you're just saying that to manipulate me. But here's the thing. If I get away from you and go back to Nellaf, then you don't have to worry about it. Right?"

"I do not fear dying. It is my purpose to—"

"Yeah yeah, I know what your purpose is. But if you're not around me, then you won't die because of me. Do you see what I'm saying? I need you to bring me back to Nellaf."

"No."

"No?" Geneva was dumbstruck. Steekbunk was the most giving and accommodating person she had ever met, so why would he deny her request? Why could he not see the simple logic behind what she was saying? There was only one possible explanation. He was jealous. Jealous of Sir Nellaf Wark and their developing relationship. She was well aware that certain personalities can become obsessed stalkers, but she had never had one herself. This scared her a little, but it angered her a lot.

She stood up abruptly and strode straight to the canister. Steekbunk watched with naïve curiosity, never anticipating what happened next. In an instant Geneva snatched up the jar and heaved it in the direction of the hairy egg-man. The lid flew off and a cloud of powder engulfed him.

"I'm leaving!" she shouted. Her own eyes began to water and blur so she quickly turned away, pulling her shirt up over her head to cover it. She stumbled blindly to the farthest end of the room and sunk to the floor, taking only tiny breaths as she clung desperately to consciousness. Eventually the overwhelming fragrance began to diminish in potency and she dared to pull her shirt back down into place. Her eyes were swollen and streaming, but she could see enough to crawl over to the door. The fresh air brought resuscitating relief to her lungs, like the breath of heaven.