"What do you think? What's your idea of a perfect day?"
"It would start out with a warm shower after sweaty passionate lovemaking with my shadow lover, you know, the one who provides sex and warmth with no annoying habits."
"I like it already," Suzanne smiled with pleasure, imagining her own shadow man.
Melanie continued, "The rest of the day would be guilt free shopping and drinking iced cappuccinos with the two of you, followed by an evening of drinks and a seven course meal with Jimmy; I guess I better work in my husband for part of the day."
"I hate to cut this dream fest short, but Julia needs the car for work," said Christine.
"That makes two of us. I better get going," said Suzanne. "I'll talk to you soon, Melanie. Remember to call us for those iced cappuccinos if you ever get lucky." They laughed and left her to enjoy her last sips of coffee and the daily crossword puzzle.
She turned around when a voice out of nowhere gave her the last clue in the puzzle: "mariner."
"Mariner?"
"Yes, the answer to the clue is mariner. Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote the haunting poem about the ancient mariner. Have you forgotten your British Literature class?"
A little startled, she wondered how he could have seen the newspaper from the next table and felt too shy to ask him. "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" suddenly brought up visions of studying the Romantic poets. She glanced at this person and found him attractive, not her shadow man, but definitely unusual. There was something she liked about the way he moved his head with his thick heavy black hair falling into his dark brown eyes.
"Do you find me good-looking?" he asked softly.
"Why would you ask me that? I don't even know you." Her shyness disappeared in the face of such a bold question.
"You don't have to know me. In fact, that would take a very long time. I couldn't help hearing your remark about your shadow man. It gave me a good laugh. Sometimes those shadow men can be more trouble than they are worth," he said.
"You were certainly enjoying our coversation," she said, “but I haven’t invited you to join me."
"Excuse my manners but I did have one more comment. What if you could have that shadow lover and anything else you ever wanted.
She grabbed her purse, her only thought was to escape from such craziness.
That night in bed she thought of the rude stranger who talked in such wild ways. She didn't know why she was even thinking about him and his absurd questions. The only thing that made any sense was his comment about how sad she looked, as though he had peered into her soul and seen something she didn’t want to face. She looked over at Jimmy as he breathed through his mouth, taking in loud and unending gasps of air, and hoped she would get some rest.
Sleep finally surrounded her in a storm of dark pictures of the moon in its fullness, of black haired men who lured her with precious secrets, of dead children with no eyes, their corpses hanging from the moon. Touching their helpless bodies with the warmth of her own hand, she saw the displeasure in the eyes of the men and immediately released her hold on the children. But the gesture of life was met with one small, gentle voice:I look to my soul to save it from the darkness,
to guard it from the one who seeks to own it;
I shield my body for it preserves my soul;
My skin is alive with a fine ash of firelight.
I breathe in the essence of cinnamon
making the sign of the cross on my brow;
From the four corners of the world that encircle my life
My prayer beseeches the powers to grant me one more day.She awoke to Jimmy breathing with a quieter rhythm but she still popped in her earplugs and moved a little closer to his side of the bed.
Several hours later she opened her eyes to the morning light. Sitting on the edge of the bed and trying to remember what she had planned for the day, she wondered why she felt so uneasy.
One week passed and she avoided her favorite coffee shop, afraid to see the stranger who had seen her sadness. Yet, a reasoning crept into her mind and made her wonder what could possibly happen in the middle of a coffee shop, drinking a cup of gourmet coffee and eating a raspberry nut muffin? The fear had turned into curiosity about this man who pointed out his own good looks. If she didn't like what she heard, she could simply get up and leave. She couldn’t help thinking that it was the same fascination with the unusual and strange that drew her to him.
She didn't see him at first when she sat down with a cup of Irish Creme and her unending pile of short stories, getting ready to add comments in the margins of the stories. Almost forgetting her reason for being there, she jumped when he pulled out the chair across from her and looked into her eyes, saying nothing. He smiled and ran his tongue slowly across his lips.
"I wondered if you'd be back. You see, I don't have much time left. Places and towns bore me after a while and the wanderlust starts to take shape, but don't worry. I'm here right now ...with you, Melanie."
"I don't know if I should be happy or sad that you are still here," she said trying to sound in control. "I can't figure out if you are real or if reading these horror short stories has finally brought me to some new level of insanity."
"Oh, I'm real. Chances are you'll never meet anyone like me again. I'm far more alive than any of the demons in those stories," he said. "I have some business that might interest you if you remember what we talked of last week. I suggest you read this to help you understand what you are entering into. It's only fair."
Melanie untied the black ribbon that held a rolled up piece of fine white paper and read the words written in red:I, Melanie Dorien, of sound body and mind agree to the terms of this contract. This agreement allows me to make three wishes once a year on the date of August 1. The contract is binding for the rest of my natural life. Additional terms are as stated:
1) I agree not to wish to destroy the powers of evil
2) I agree that once a wish has been made it can not be undone or altered until the following August 1.
3) I agree every day for the rest of my life to say the chant of protection that is included in this document. Failure to do so will result in the forfeit of my physical body and my living soul.
I look to my soul to save it from the darkness
to guard it from the one who seeks to own it
I shield my body for it preserves my soul.
My skin is alive with a fine ash of firelight
I breathe in the essence of cinnamon
making the sign of the cross on my brow;
From the four corners of the world that encircle my lifeMy prayer beseeches the powers to grant me one more day.
Signed ____________________________
"Who are you?" she managed to whisper. "How did you know..."
"My name is Gebron. I know many things. That's why I chose you, not your friends, not anyone else in this room or in this town. My powers are unlimited and I sense when a person needs fulfillment in her life. But it's apparent you're upset. Don't give me an answer now. Think very carefully about signing this document. Come back tomorrow with questions if you like but there is no time after that. If you say no, you will never see me again. Tomorrow, Melanie." He stood up to leave her.
"Wait, I do have a question," she stammered. "Will the wishes have consequences and what if I get sick and can't say the chant or if I'm in a car accident and I slip into a coma."
Patiently he answered her, "There is always a risk. You get up in the morning and who knows what evil or good or imbalance of the two will occur during the day and night. The stipulation is if you do not say the chant every day for the rest of your life then your body and soul are mine. My intents are not pure, Melanie. I will ravish, abuse, and use you in every way imaginable if you become mine. ....And remember, everything has consequences.” He got up suddenly with one final thing to say, “I hope to see you tomorrow."
Another question formed in her mind but he was gone, disappearing out of the shop. See you tomorrow. It was like drinking a glass of Cabernet with the devil.
She did not want anything to eat in the morning and she kissed Jimmy hard on the lips, something she normally didn't bother to do. Melanie dressed carefully, slipping on a sleeveless black summer dress and putting in her favorite sterling silver hoop earrings. Not too much makeup. She liked a more natural look during the summer months. She took a final glance at her mauve colored nails and wished she had time to put on another coat. She had surprised herself with her decision, but with luck asking for foolproof things would bring no harm to her or to her family.
He was dressed in a black fitted short sleeved shirt and soft tan pants. She smiled as he arose from the chair and said, "I'll sign it. Does it need to be in blood?" she half joked, hoping that it was a joke.
"No, I don't think so. Your red pen will do just fine." She wrote her full name on the indicated line, Melanie Miriam Dorien, carefully dotting the i's, pausing as she came to her last name with a quick glance into his face and into his eyes, looking into a darkness that she could not decipher. A small trembling started in her fingers. She signed her last name and put down the pen. With her fingers still touching the pen, she felt the pressure of his long slender hands on hers when he asked:
"What are your wishes on this first of August, a day of celebration."
She didn't quite know what he was talking about and dismissed it concentrating on her list. "I want to become a best selling horror author like Stephen King. I'm sick of editing others' stories. I want to write horror short stories and novels, be famous and be read by all."
"Easy enough. Anything else?"
"Of course, I'd like my shadow lover to become real, not to stay hidden anymore but to become my lover."
"Oh, yes, that's interesting," he looked at her shapely arms and sighed.
"This one sounds a little silly, but I want to be able to eat anything without gaining a pound. Do you think that can be accomplished?"
"Why do you even question me? Is that enough for today, Melanie Miriam?"
He looked steadily into her eyes as she said, "Yes, that's fine for this year. Does this mean I won't see you for a whole year? How do I contact you if I need you?"
"I'm not your shadow lover, so I don't think you'll need me."
"That's not what I meant. What if things go wrong?"
"Remember, actions breed reactions. It's your life now. I'll miss you, but a year is only a year." He got up to leave and leaned over, getting close to her ear. "Oh, did you say your chant? If you forget, that's one way to see me earlier."
In the next year the ideas for her horror novels came from her dreams, conversations, and twisted unknown places and the novels seemed to write themselves. She was more than pleased to find out that Anne Rice read her novels. When Stephen King mentioned her name on a talk show remarking that she was one of the upcoming horror writers, she knew she had succeeded. The year passed and her life became busier and more complicated with agents, editors, publishing companies, book talks and book signings.
For some reason she avoided the coffee shop where she had first met Gebron. She frequented out of the way cafes and coffee shops and took delight in the fact that she could order and eat anything she wished. The pounds literally flew off. She could eat chocolates, chocolate biscottis and drink cappuccinos while she revised her stories, even eat to her heart’s content at fancy dinners put on by her agent without ever gaining a pound.
As far as Enrico was concerned, he was a good lover but she should have paid more attention to his personality when creating him; he had no bad habits but he didn’t have much of a personality either. A man made only for romance... a nice thought at the time, but it brought on the giggles thinking about Enrico's attempts at conversation outside of the bedroom. She needed something more from a lover. A combination of intellect from Jimmy, and groping hands from Enrico with a dash of Gebron’s erotic looks would be an ideal package. Gebron... never too far from her life. The image of Gebron reminded her to say her chant.
She awoke with a startled feeling and looked at the clock to see the hands at four o'clock in the morning. Another dream of the moon and this time, vampires. She thought that it was pretty bad when a person couldn't leave work for even a good night's rest. She settled her head back on the pillow and looked at Jimmy who had not touched her for several months. Too tired. Too upset about the constant delay with his latest project at work, but she didn't mind. Enrico's attentiveness left no room for Jimmy anyways. The words began to form, the words of the chant...I look to my soul to save it from the darkness.. as she realized what she would say to Gebron when she saw him today.
"I've been thinking of our meeting for quite some time, Gebron, and I wish to undo one of the wishes. I don't want Enrico around anymore. He's beyond boring. Just get rid of him if you would. "
"I'm not surprised." Gebron 's voice filled the room with a welcome sound and made it easy to continue. "Instead of Enrico, I have someone else in mind." She faltered for a minute but decided that she wanted to go ahead with her idea.
"To put it simply, I want you to become my new lover. And close companion." A darkness changed the welcome on his face, his black eyes turned into caverns of unknown depths.
"That’s a first. You took me by surprise. You’ve got to be kidding. I always knew you were brave and fearless. And imaginative." She hardly listened to what he was saying. She needed to make sure she remembered all of the fine points.
"And to add to that, pregnancy is out of the question. Who knows what we would produce and I don't want to be responsible for that."
Responsible? She felt responsible at this moment. He had created a monster.
"Yes, I think… it would be possible."
"Possible? You sound unsure, Gebron, aren't you excited about being my lover and friend? Oh, and I forgot to add, you need to be a sensitive and gentle lover. No cruelty. No kinky stuff. Well, at least, not much, but nothing that physically hurts me."
He looked at her with softened eyes and found her proposition both appealing and repulsive. Gentle and sensitive? Close companion? He glanced at the fullness of her breasts, felt the hardness in his groin and thought a little gentleness would be a new experience for him. But maybe she was just having some fun with him.
"Yes, I'm beginning to like your idea," he said slowly. "But beware that I may be difficult to keep happy. A whole year could be a very long time for you. I'm not like Enrico."
"I know you're not." Her serious manner puzzled him.
"What about Jimmy? I don't want any other lovers in your life. I want to be in your bed in your home without him in it." He figured he better add a few demands of his own.
“I think Jimmy needs a new love interest, maybe Suzanne. Do you recall her vision of a lover the first day we met? We'll make it so that her shadow lover looks a great deal like Jimmy. This could be a free wish, don’t you think? It doesn’t have to be one of the three wishes.
"You have it all worked out, don't you, and in such a short time." He shook his head with wonder, looked into her waiting eyes, and hoped that it would be a very good year.
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graphics by Grapholina.