Hauntingly Beautiful Girls

"New Problems"

On the plane of existence where the large fox spirit lives high in a temple; the two grannies were right there. In the pool when something happened. A splash, a sound,

One granny had the correct sense. The soul was gone. She called the husband that night after the medical team collected the comatose woman. She was not expected her to recover from the coma, no matter what the doctors said.

On the other plane, the new body was completely human, completely woman. The brown hair fell straight down the length of my back.

There were two grannies with me. Stern and glowering, but they helped me get dry and put on clothes. Unusual clothes. A loose shirt and loose slacks of fine white material held together by string cords.

They are dubious of everything I say. Especially, "I am not a fox".

When I tell them my name 'Lauren Cooper', they laugh. It is best fake name they heard from me. How I never give the same name twice, ever in my life.

'I am Lauren Cooper.'

They pause and stare. I am firmly led to a door I did not know about. The air outside is incredibly dry.

The two grannies hold me and make sure the thick door to the pool is tightly closed.

I am firmly made to kneel on a square of cloth. Several strides across from me a young man kneels on a square of cloth.

There are dozens of people standing off to the side. They all appear to be waiting for me, but waiting for what?

When I ask a question "What am I supposed to do."

The man answers. His eyes are focused at the floor a few feet in front of him.

It is a mild voice, with that tint of fatalism I know from women of wealth. Nothing in their lives was ever something they had chosen.

"You are the first of those assembled to question me. I will answer in honesty and obligation."

I asked what the purpose of the questioning was. That got a loud bit of murmuring whispers from the crowd.

"Through questions and proposed conditions. It is to establish a head household of my noble house. I am the sole heir and being a man; the house needs a wife to answer the demands of civilization."

My questions were simple. His replies were calm, modest and ordered.

Was I suitable to be for the role?

Was I likeable in his eyes for the role?

Would it something that might please him?

When the big last question 'Would you accept it, then?' is answered, there is a loud murmur.

The man stands on the cloth. Keeping his head bowed and eyes down, he holds his left hand out.

I take his hand and we walk away from the crowd. Away from the buildings, and out onto a desert trail.