Chapter 1
I slide the book down the table before me, next to the one from last night and the night before. Not long were they. But long enough to send me into a state somewhere between wakefulness and the unconscious state of sleep. Usually at this hour of the night I blow out the 3 candlesticks that faintly illuminate the oval library in my grandfather’s home and find my way into my quarters across a long hallway. Tonight I completed my perpetual task of turning the candles off. I drag myself through the room and in the lethargic state of the night I lay once more on the long beautifully upholstered lounge facing a window I’d seen a thousand times prior. The room holds nothing but a deafening silence. The only words in this chamber exist within a numerous amount of books sat quaintly upon dusty bookshelves. They have already spoken to me and therefore have no words left to say. Moonlight touches me. It gently covers my body and leaves a silhouette in the wood grain of the floor. In a paced manner, my senses become dulled and everything seems to become even quieter than once before. Leading me into a deep sleep.
My head awakes in a slightly shifted position from before and my eyes only partially open. My consciousness is not fully regained and my senses remain dull. Squinting below at my shadow, the moon has shifted as well. I lay still, feeling a lingering presence nearby, captivating the room. For the past year or so, I seem to have a- well how do I put this? Whenever I forget an item in my purse, it always is mysteriously packed even though I am sure I never packed it. When I wash my clothes in the evening, the next morning they are hanging up on the line outside. After my grandfather forgets to put away dishes, or even wash them (due to his old age) I always find them tidy and away. You could say I have gods favor with me, or maybe I am just blessed. I personally believe I just have my own angel, a being that has chosen me. Maybe it sounds crazy, maybe I am but I know in my heart, it’s watching over me and it always has been.
A whistle of wind flows through the ever changing leaves just beyond the walls. It comforts me knowing that just as us people change so does the nature we are surrounded with. The breeze continues and again once more I begin to fall asleep.
This time I do not awake from my own turmoil, but something else disturbs me. I am still very deeply into a trance-like state. What is imaginative and what is tangible has no separation in this likeness. I no longer feel the velvety fabric of the lounge. My sleepy eyelids lifted a peek. Tilting down, something is on my leg. It appears to be a hand, followed by an arm underneath. I note the other arm around my shoulder. I don’t understand what is happening, however I am so exhausted that the only thing I manage to do is nothing. I curl into myself a bit more and lean on the figure attached to the arms. I can fall asleep right here, can I? Until the figure started moving, walking.
I do not know what this is or what is happening entirely. But I recognize the tall arched windows that cover the hallway. Moving slowly this phantom creature holds me in its arms. I cannot bring my eyes to know its face out of fear. Moonlight floods the scene and our bodies moving within it. Its fingers are long and slender and it has nails that could effortlessly rip any animal to dust. Its skin seemed to glow due to its lack of color, white almost like snow. My white night gown which originally lays at mid-thigh length rides up my leg revealing my lace panties I have underneath. The only thing I have underneath. Do I dare to look at its face? It wears a black shirt but in the light I still see strands of its long black hair. The strong creature holds me up a little tighter as I adjust my arms. I listen to its calm breath, understanding that it have not even a bit of malicious intent.
Sensing we are near the end of the hall, it pushes the door open and in a second I am laying on my bed. I noticed it sat upon the edge of the bed. Fear captivates my body and I can’t decide if I should look to its face. But a rush of curiosity takes hold and I bring my head to see the head of this white creature.
I expected to see a monster of a being, a disfigured beast. My eyes met a face with the most pale white skin I had ever laid eyes upon it was smooth and oddly perfect, it had eyes that were onyx fixated on the window and strong cheeks, its nose was large and had a bump on the middle but looked normal on a face like his, its hair flowed down beautifully. Yet I noticed, this being was much larger than I imagined, taller, much larger frame but appeared human like. It was a man, not a human man, a being other worldly. With a most peculiar face and striking eyes. Anyone would have the fright of their life but all I could see was an indefinite beauty.
He turned his head to meet my eyes. I would be a liar if I said it didn’t startle me. He looked at me and I to him. I had a hundred questions but not a single word came to mind. He shifted himself and took a breath.
“Eve” he whispered
I shook my head not accepting that he knows my name while I still examined his unnatural look.
I was still a bit shook by his presence in my bedroom. What was he? Why is he here? How does he know my name?
“What are you?” I asked
“What do you think I am?” he said in reply quietly, it was still deep into the night.
Before I could even think anymore I reached out and put my finger in his hair. He put up no fight. I touched it, soft and smooth like silk. I moved my fingers to his face, touching his cheekbones, tracing his abnormal nose and chin. His skin, unnaturally smooth. He made no noise and no movement and just admired me as gently felt his original face.
I was nervous he would do something to me, maybe he was a serial killer but I got no bad feelings from him. He was so captivating, his eyes and face. I grabbed his hand and examined his arm, it was the same smoothness. I could see the blue veins through him and the strong arms that carried me.
“You are so very strange” I trailed off
When I let him go, he touched my arm and looked at my skin. He touched my night gown, and felt my hair and my ears with such curiosity. It was like he’d never touched a human being.
“You’re. . . beautiful.” I confessed
He said nothing and looked at the window.
“I must go” he said
He got up and walked away and I noticed his tall stature
“Stay” I said, dazed by this uncanny creature
He turned contemplating his choice.
Exhaling, implying he would stay.
He seemed to have understood our silent agreement. I slid into my bed. He came closer and looked at me with intensity. We both stared at each other’s foreign faces, both understanding the peculiar beauty within each other as I slowly drifted into sleep.
