“I understand. Any animal? Even extinct?”
“I haven’t seen someone do that, but for safety, I would stick to still around.”
“I know just the one,” she said.
X smiled and then she did something so unexpected that X was at a loss for words. She hugged him and planted a kiss on his lips.
“Relax. Something spontaneous to thank you, for the trust and opportunity.”
He smiled again but gave her no other words as he walked away. She had disturbed feelings in him that he had long crushed. He never got sexually involved with any participant because of his wedding vows. His wife was a monster now, but he still kept faith in restoring her humanity.
Melissa watched X leave her, and she drove home. Thoughts wondered about which animal to choose and if this was wise. She technically had a day to decide, but by the time she pulled up to her cabin, Melissa had decided.
Inside the door to her cabin, Mellisa followed her routine. That meant immediately pulling her black dress over her head and hanging it on a hook by the door. Mellissa preferred to be naked, and if she could, she would be naked in public and all times. It was the native dress of humanity, and she hated that there was such a negative connotation with it. At least she was able to be naked in the woods, but when the family with children moved down the street, it had diminished the opportunities for that. Her heels joined the many that were on a shoe rack, and she headed to the kitchen.
Her cabin wasn’t very big. It had a kitchen and a living room which were across from each other and divided by a hallway. At the end of the hall was a small laundry room on the right and on the left was a staircase that led to the second floor. On the second floor was the lone bathroom of the cabin and two bedrooms. On was her sleeping quarters and another was a room with bean bag chairs and filled bookshelves. When Melissa had moved into the cabin, it had been a blessing that she was able to get the internet. That allowed her to order many books online and kept her busy writing when she could.
After filling a glass of water, which always had a tinge of a copper taste, Melissa went to the living room with the glass and pill. On her couch, she considered all of the possibilities of taking the pill and all of them without. What sealed the deal is that not taking the pill would continue the lonely life that she had. That was something she wanted to avoid, and so the shimmering blue tablet was washed down with a gulp of water.
Melissa sat on the couch for a long while, nervous and almost in a panic thinking that she had made the wrong decision. So engrossed in thought that, she ended up passing out on the couch. The room filled with the sounds of cracking and pulsing glows in a hue of bright blue.
Pounding and shouting awoke Melissa. She awoke confused and realized that the pounding was on her front door, and the shouting sounded worried. Groggily, she got up and made herself decent before opening the door. She was greeted by her neighbor whom she had the crush.
“About time. I was about to call the police,” he said.
“What? Why?”
Then he just stared at her, like her question was out of left field.
“Well, there was a weird light out of your place almost a night ago, and I saw you with that guy at the bar. I was worried.”
“Oh, well I’m all right,” she said. The shyness she had still present, but Melissa was taken aback by the fact that the man she was crushing on had even noticed her.
“So we haven’t talked before. I’m Randy.”
“I’m Melissa. Would like to come in for some coffee Randy?”
“Ma’am, it is almost six. Coffee would be a bad idea this late.”
“How about dinner then?”
The request surprised them both. Not that Melissa minded making it. She had plenty of food for two, but when he accepted and told her he’d be back in an hour, she almost leaped for joy when the door closed. It took her nearly half of the time to get ready. Each minute left her with butterflies in her stomach, but she didn’t mind.
For dinner, she prepared a walnut caramel apple-glazed salad with feta cheese and many different types of vegetables. She found that as she made the salad, it was almost impossible to keep her hands of off the walnuts, and she found herself consistently eating a handful of the unshelled nuts. The wine was poured, and she looked to figure out what else to make.
She decided on some pasta and rosa sauce. No meat, though, being that Melissa was working on being a vegetarian. She hoped that wouldn’t be an issue with Randy, but as she ate another handful of walnuts, she notices that her nails were darker. X’s words of how pill takers began to anthropomorphize the more they became aroused went through her head. It was cause for panic, but a knock on the door made her push the panic to the side, and she opened the door to a handsome looking Randy.
“Wow, you look beautiful,” he said to her.
“You’re good looking too,” she replied. He laughed, but as Melissa closed the door to her cabin, she couldn’t but stare at his attire. Tight Jeans, Red flannel buttoned shirt and hiking boots. He was hot, and Melissa almost attacked him. There was so much going on with her that as that sat at the table chatting, her thoughts were more of sex.
“So you don’t do meat?” he asked.
“I try not too. I love animals.”
“Ah, well the salad is exquisite.”
“Oh I love walnuts,” she told him. Her fork sunk into the flesh of one before she popped the tasty morsel into her mouth.
“So take it that’s why you are up here in the woods?”
“The love of nature? Oh, yes. It’s so peaceful and allows me plenty of time for my interests.”
“I like woods because of the remoteness. Not a big people person.”
“Me either.”
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