World of Make-Believe: Khirsten's Story

It's A Castle

He felt his body sinking. He couldn't open his eyes, something stopped him. Try as he might he couldn't take in his surroundings. It caused a slight instinctual panic before his training and evolved brain set in. He took a deep breath, relaxed and reached out to his other senses. He couldn't smell anything, or hear anything. He could feel though. And oh what he felt! The fabric of something rubbing against him, surrounding him- but he didn't feel suffocated. It was an odd, relaxing, floating sensation. He could process the feeling- silk? No. Velvet? Ew, no. He closed his eyes tighter in concentration. Satin?

No, he squeezed his eyes harder, water?

"It's alright human."

Holy-! He felt himself jolted backwards.

"Shh." An androgynous voice whispered into his ear.

Not my ear, it feels so much closer, more intimate... like my very-

"Soul, yes." It finished his thought for him, "But do not worry, human. You are still safe at home in your bed sleeping. I am talking to you because I know of the tempest that rises in my daughters heart. She refuses to talk to me, listen to me. But you must. I know her love for you. I know she will listen to you. So you must relay my message, for you see, she will die if she does not return to me. There is danger lurking there on land. It threatens her, wants her blood in its stomach and her flesh about its neck."

The voice rose and fell, with it the water he was being carried in.

"You have to bring her to me."

But why? How can I trust you?

"She is my daughter! How can you afford not to?"

He paused, his mind racing. How do I know you'll give her back?

"Someone has already paid the price for her freedom. She can come and go from me as she pleases."

Why do the Unseelie want her?

"Because she has all the access to me that they could ever want. She is my biggest danger." The voice paused, though the unspoken intent was lingering between the two.

What do you intend to do with her once you have her in your kingdom, within your grasp?

The voice didn't respond, the atmosphere grew heavy. "I will have to deal with the threat one way or another."

The pure brutality, cruelty in the voice caused Joe to open his eyes in shock.

For a moment the two beings just gazed at one another. Then Joe screamed, and screamed, and screamed...

"Joe!" Khirsten yelled as she shook him, laying beside him, "Joe!"

Her shaking subdued as his screams quieted and stopped. Khirsten looked back to Lisa who stood in the doorway behind her, though her hand still rested on the sleeping mans chest. The worry the women shared was tangible and thick.

"What was that?!" She gasped, her hand over her heart.

Khirsten just shook her head, running a hand over his forehead. She paused, "He's... wet?" She shook him again, "Joe!" She slapped him this time and received the desired affects.

"Auhg!" He shouted as he turned violently, falling off the bed. Khirsten winced at the thud of his body hitting the floor.

"Hot damn!" He spat, rubbing his cheek, "Did you hit me?!"

"Yeah." Khirsten shrugged. "You wouldn't wake up. You were screaming-"

"Why am I wet..." His voice faded as his eyes brightened with sudden clarity.