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Sometimes, I wish I didn’t go so overboard with my old customs. But, as often, I felt overwhelmly satisfied with my pursuits. There's nothing better than letting some steam off after the usual turmoil in the orphanage than walking to the most uninhabited areas in the world: the delicious no-man’s-land between colonies.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDWYxh9LJt
But, once again, I ended up totally exhausted after hours of climbing up and down hills, weaving through trees, getting lost, and collecting all kinds of herbs. Even if I have another bad day at work, I had enough medicines to brew now with all the samples I collected. I would be busy for months after this huge haul. Nothing could make my day better.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffdIDRJqzS
Or so I thought.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpjtOyI0ox
Just when I was ready to resume my long walk back to the Home of the Stork orphanage, I heard something strange. During all my days on Earth, I'd managed to hear the roar of a bear, the howl of a wolf, the skitter of a rat, and the subtle pattering of a rabbit hopping. I was able to distinguish the cry of a cargo ship engine from one of a cruiser. I was familiar with all kinds of sounds…310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnPMUXclw7
…but this one was an entirely different story. Whatever it was, it wasn’t something a human could do; or an animal, or a plant, or anything I could recall. That mix of roar, rip, and tear that shredded all reality…I could only describe it as “otherworldly”, as ironic as that sounds coming from me.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7T8l3yVn36
I searched for its origin. It didn’t come from the ground, nor from the forest itself. It wasn’t until I raised my eyes to the sky that I got the chance to see what was creating that alien scream.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYcJnnXN1G
Then, from out of nowhere up in the sky, something appeared out of thin air and, from there began to fall.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntvPXQTV95
Does the tumbling tree make a sound when it falls if there’s no one to hear it? I don’t know, but I was pretty sure I was the only person around to witness the arrival of something completely supernatural. From my position, I could tell that it was red, black, and bronze, and hurtling directly toward me, completely out of control!310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMupoveOjCy
I decided I should hide, that I shouldn’t be there, that I had to flee. My legs were ready for the jump and my body trembled in anticipation, but my mind had other plans.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtyN95N91N
It's not that I wanted to see what was falling, I needed to.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb4iXG9zGN
And then, the meteorite descended down to the highest branches above me, slowed down suddenly, and…310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP60ux1VZ1y
“Ow!”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfr27jHv0t
Less than fifty meters away, there was a woman laying on the ground, now trying to get up. Bronze skin, a long, wavering black mane cascading down her back, and revealing red clothing that someone might wear for laughs, or maybe to attract eyes. It showed so much of her well toned skin that, even though I had only been watching her for a second, I was already flustered.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6ANz4x2jM
“Where the heck did that idiot send me!?” aaaaaand she had a silver tongue. Not that I blamed her, after falling from the sky in such chaotic and disgraceful manner.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MKnaw7yY8
She grumbled for a while as she looked around in all directions. When she glanced in my direction, I ducked promptly and she didn’t see me. As far as I could tell, she thought she was alone here. So far, so vulgar, for someone who came from out of nowhere.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKekcuApzFt
Then, she did something unexpected: she sat down on the ground, relaxed her body for maybe two seconds, and, poof, some practical clothing appeared in front of her.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06TSFETDOd
Yes, I wish I could say something like, “and then a big light shone down from the sky and an angel brought divine clothes for her to use as a choir of cherubs sang in the background.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75Ctby5AOW
But no, it was a no-frills, mundane event. No smoke, no lights, no shinnies… For me though, who had survived far worse places than this tame forest, it was spectacular. That so, I couldn’t avert my eyes when the woman nonchalantly undressed herself, showing all her beautiful features to the nearby butterflies, worms, birds, and a fairly excitable young woman who was watching, fascinated by those spectacular shapes.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfpb5BKFcy
And so, I would have remained invisible if it weren’t for, when she finished dressing in her new, more common clothes, she turned around and, finally, crossed gazes with mine. She didn’t seem amused by my peeping. She just kept her eyes on me for a second, and in the most vulgar manner, shouted,310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvF2BhM0WzP
“Heya, girl!”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtouepxfbob
I didn’t respond, staying completely frozen in place. Sure, I could reply, but I didn’t want to. After all, what could I say to an incredible miracle worker like her?310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6fhovKPy0
“So, do you need some help?”, “Hey, I liked how you fell from the sky without breaking all your bones,” or “Could you undress again so I can see that fantastic view again?”… how I wished to bash my head against the tree trunk in front of me to stop having these stupid hormonal teen ideas.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5NHfjC2QM
When I noticed her again, the woman was right in front of me, looking me intently in the eyes with all seriousness.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0sMBLBWs8
“I said, ‘heya, girl’” she reiterated. Now, I could see that she was dressed in practical clothes for navigating the forest, but at the same time, a large, weird cloth covered her mouth and neck, seemingly without any practical reason.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJy376YAi8
She probably noticed my sudden shyness, so she didn’t seem that impatient. But if I wanted her to remain for the time being, I needed to raise my voice.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWUokcZijG
“…he… hello…” well, ‘raising my voice’ is a strong expression in this case. I felt so suddenly intimidated by her mere presence that I couldn’t gather any more strength to reply.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8R1STMenJ
She appeared to not like it, so when I came to notice, she’d kneeled in front of me, searching for my eyes. She didn’t look like an insistent person, but she definitely had a strong attitude.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIFWyHtClj
“So, are you from around here?” I don’t know what got more attention from me, her bright yellowish eyes or the juicy cleavage right in front of mine.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEHbTnprjZ
“…yes.” Finally, after getting some air in my system, I could muster a decent reply.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafiHipeNS2
“Could you tell me where I am? I don’t know where I’ve ended up, and…” I cut her off as I got a second mouthful of air. Now, calmer than before, I was able to start acting like a person instead of the nervous wreck I had been throughout the last minute.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhndewGyW7
“This is Earth’s Colony 32” I thought giving the most formal answer would suffice, but the look in her eyes told me a completely different story. “Right now, you’re just in the no-man’s-land between colonies. And wherever you come from, even I can tell you’re not from here at all.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0cqKI8Wol
For the first time, she was the one who was taken aback. But, still, she smiled back at me.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHSYteXdd5
“Look at you: you can talk!” frank and direct. She again looked me in the eyes and now, her words were delicious to my ears. “I’m Anaissa. And you are…?”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuycp8eQmpB
“Renate,” I replied, now with as much determination as she. No time to be shy if she was this confident. “And, somehow, I know you didn’t understand a word of what I just said,” also, to be a bit sarcastic.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoa1ts2UZv
“Well, I’m from Earth… one Earth, at least. Not this one,” she replied. I wonder what she meant by that. “It’s my first time seeing a dome thing like that outside of a sci-fi movie. Aside from that, I don’t have any idea of where310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CXIa8QRUF
I am.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiNnunFnmw
“Do you have a place to stay?” Didn’t she just say she didn’t know where she was? Despite my newfound bravery, my heart was pounding so hard it was difficult to think straight.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbr055yJij
“It doesn’t matter if I have a place or not. I can live wherever I want and any way I want.” She got up and started walking towards Colony 32.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRGodpK0mL
But she didn’t notice something about me.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMgcqki7C6
“I can live wherever I want and any way I want.” That phrase hit me hard. Really hard.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyflgN6K5v
I could say I lusted over her body. That wasn’t wrong, and the fact I couldn’t remove my eyes from her swaying hips was too much for me to deny.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyNQJY1Rfx
I can confess that her attitude was really attractive to me. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one charmed by her concealed smile or her overconfidence.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyn5asQNKtn
But, with that small innocent phrase, she’d won me over completely.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53uz0NruIU
“For now I just want to explore that city a bit.” For an instant I had forgotten that she was moving away. I promptly followed her. “I don’t know what kind of place I’ve been sent to, and there’s no better way to learn than through experience.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMBCLswyhr
“Well, I can say you’ve been sent to the most boring place in this corner of the universe.” ‘But at least, you don’t have to kill half a planet to survive here“ I told myself. “You can visit the streets, bars, the trading post, the platforms, the space elevator... aside from that, the constant temperature all year long gets old pretty fast.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkLBSPAfu8
“And that’s why you wander this ‘no-man’s-land’, as you called it.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugcWS4JL3c
“I came here to gather some herbs.” That was the objective truth, but I preferred that she didn’t suspect why I had chosen to walk with her. “From eucalyptus leaves to some wild sage, I have raw materials for a good number of nice remedies here.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9nFRP20SZ
She glanced for a second into my backpack. Whatever she saw, she raised an eyebrow.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaYqyBoh1d
“I’m almost afraid to ask you what your job is.” I could tell by the tone of her voice she was joking, but she really had seen something that put her guard up. The wild sage? The nuts? Or the mushrooms? Yeah, probably the mushrooms.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNS1F8xgSb
“I’m a simple caretaker at an orphanage.” And a good one at that. “I clean the building, read stories to the kids to get them to sleep, I take care of basically any kind of affliction they have.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzT8RX8UaG
“So, you stopped getting your herbs to follow me, because…?”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ317N9oeyVB
“I don’t find a mysterious lady falling from the sky every day.” Again, objective truth. I wasn’t ready to confess the whole picture. “Neither have I seen anyone make clothing appear from nowhere, so…”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiWMVNJ6X3
“So?” She suddenly stopped to look me in the eye, but I wasn’t as impressed this time.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4OTbmPWId
“So,” she asked, because she suspected I wanted her to create something for me. But I didn’t want anything from her. I wanted her. To get to know her better, maybe be able to get near her without my constant inner turmoil getting in the way.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlouhImTjR
“Rule number one of curiosity: stick to the thing that caught your attention.” Another ‘rule number one’ in my collection of number one rules. They worked with the kids of the orphanage. I just hoped that she bought it too.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxZgGwbF4N
“I’m not a lion in a zoo, you know?” She may look annoyed, but Anaissa sounded satisfied with my answer, so she kept walking nonchalantly.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoUX94YLVF
“What? No! You’re special!”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12nIlbHsEv
And it was in that very moment that I knew I screwed up to the moon and back.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJV7dmNJP3
“You.” It wasn’t a funny ‘you’. It sounded menacing, almost dangerous, and purely violent. Few times in my life had I felt such hostility directed at me. “One word.” I felt confused. What she was talking about? “One word. I’m giving you the chance to correct yourself: What. Am. I?”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡka9JRLkXxF
She made herself very clear and, at the same time, I didn’t get her at all. Why’s she so furious from the best compliment I could give her? Why’d she tense all her muscles, ready to attack me, to give me everything except a hug and a kiss? The hard breathing, the clamped fingers, the half flexed knees ready to leap…310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlWytxm5sL
I had to think fast! If I remained silent, she’d go away and probably wouldn’t let me get near her again. If I speak and say something she doesn’t like, a beating would be the least of my problems. I had to risk it…310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3TPVIqjHM
“…beautiful.”310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUfkJOB4x6
The truth. Not only objective, but pure and unbiased. Maybe she could be special for me, but she was, first and foremost, the most beautiful person I’d ever met.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSA1xBTbvQ
I wanted to touch her for her beauty.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVZGNQ11zj
I wanted to know her better for her beauty.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16YV60BfXD
And, above anything else, her sense of freedom was her most beautiful feature.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFme3XQBhPv
All of that I tried to convey with that single word.310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GMhOWEyXd
Then, just like that, she relaxed her stance, took a deep breath, and resumed her walking as if nothing had happened. And, as if nothing had happened, I followed her. 310Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWWNHAC7f7
