by Kimber Vale
“Mmmm,” Noth hummed with his lips pressed against her temple.
* * * *
She stirred, and pulled a numb arm from beneath her pillow as she rolled over. The tingling hand went up to cover her eyes from the bright sunlight that pierced through the gap under a half-closed roller shade.
“Oh, man. Why didn’t I set my alarm?” Stella risked a slit-eyed glance at her watch and saw she had about twenty-five minutes to get ready for her first class of the day. Oh no. She would have to skip it—and possibly even Classroom Management after that—to finish the projects for the new Earth Club inductees this evening.
“Crap. Professor Cotter is gonna chew me a new one for missing.” Stella swung her legs out of bed as she spoke. Noth was no longer curled up beside her. The bathroom door was open, and the interior was dark.
“What the…?” Stella walked toward her desk with a bemused grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. Newspaper pots, neatly folded origami-style, littered the top of her workspace. They were piled up high on the floor under the desk, stacked in tumbling towers. The photocopied instructions Stella had scanned in the library rested on her chair with a sticky note stuck to the page.
I do not want you to miss your class. I will see you tomorrow after I complete my morning studies.
You are dazzling, even in your sleep.
Stella couldn’t stop smiling as she pulled on yesterday’s jeans and sweatshirt, brushed her teeth and hair, and jogged to class. She scooted into her seat just as Professor Cotter began his lecture. Although she’d physically made it to class, her mind remained on the man who had stepped into her life so unexpectedly. She couldn’t wait to see him tomorrow. As the instructor droned on about identity formation, Stella took sporadic notes while she wracked her brain for fun local activities. By the end of class, she had their date planned out, and Noth’s name doodled all over her notebook.
* * * *
Stella packed the containers of food into her backpack with growing excitement. She slid a bottle of Shiraz in beside a container of cheese slices and a box of crackers. Two large water bottles, plastic cups, and a corkscrew got covered with a folded beach towel. Finally, she managed to zip the full bag by pressing the contents into submission.
She hummed happily to herself as she worked. The last time she’d been on horseback she was eleven or twelve, but Stella had always adored the animals. Soon, she and Noth would be enjoying the desert views from four feet above the ground, swaying to the hoofbeats of one of the most majestic creatures on Earth. A horseback trail ride, paired with a picnic at whatever scenic spot piqued their interest could only be considered a dream date.
Stella checked out her butt in the full-length mirror mounted behind her door and then swung a backpack strap over her shoulder. The purple skinny-jeans she had picked up the other day had been a wise decision. Miraculously, they really did make her look thinner. With an unstoppable grin and her keys in her fist, she headed out to pick up Noth.
He sat on the concrete steps that led to his apartment building. Stella’s heart fluttered at the sight of him. A smoky gray T-shirt hugged his torso, and beneath that, dark denim teased over his sculpted quads as he stood and walked toward her. She’d never seen a man look so delicious in jeans.
How did I get so lucky?
“How are you?” he asked, as he sat on the bucket seat and folded his long legs inside the car.
“Great! I’m so excited! Have you ever ridden a horse before?”
“No, never.”
“You’re athletic. I’m sure you’ll catch on fast. And don’t worry, I’m no pro either.” Stella programmed Butterfield Horse and Mule Ranch into her GPS as she spoke. She’d been there once before for a childhood girlfriend’s birthday, but she’d never be able to find it without the map. Noth placed his hand on her leg, and Stella happily drove with one hand on the wheel, and her other five fingers twined with his.
She watched the small city with its blue mountain backdrop disappear in her rearview. It was stunning. She’d always planned to move after graduation—maybe to a big city like Los Angeles or New York. A Spanish teacher could do well in any metropolis, and she longed to be surrounded by people with open minds and fresh ideas. The Southwest felt stale lately, small and vast all at once, but a state school had been the best she and her mother could afford. Of course, during Stella’s junior year, her mother traded in her widow status and moved to Vegas with Stella’s new stepfather. They left Stella still attending college in her home state.
But maybe it wasn’t so bad here. Stella looked over at the hunk in her passenger seat. They didn’t get views like that in New York City, anyway.
They followed the afternoon sun down I-10 for half an hour before they turned north. They listened to a rock station that kept fuzzing out, and Stella filled Noth in on their agenda.
“This place has over a thousand acres with trails all over the area. You’re gonna love it. I looked up all the local attractions online. There are abandoned settlements we can check out, and rocks painted with Native American art, cool caves. Just a ton to explore.”
“That sounds interesting.” Noth squeezed her hand. He could have been watching the gorgeous desert scenery, but his eyes were glued to Stella every time she glanced his way.
“Oh, it will be.” Stella followed a sign off the main road and turned into the parking area. She found an empty spot and pulled in. Dust swirled around her suddenly stopped vehicle while she reached into the back seat for her bag.
“Woops. I almost forgot. I got you something.” Stella pulled two baseball caps out of the front pouch of her bag. “Not that I want to cover up that fantastic haircut—by the way, you should cherish that hairdresser of yours. She’s a genius.” She adjusted the fit and tugged it on his head before threading her ponytail through her own pink breast-cancer-awareness hat. “That sun can be brutal.”
Noth pulled his off again and examined the front.
“Gone Squatchin’?” he read aloud.
“Sorry, the tractor store didn’t have a lot of options. It was that or Master Baiter Pro Shop, and you didn’t strike me as a fisherman.” She winked at him, and his face wrinkled in confusion.
“Forget it. I’ll explain some other time.” Stella leaned over and placed a quick kiss on his frowning lips. “Come on. Let’s go pick out some horses. I hope they have a white one!”
They checked in at the desk, and were led to the stables by a middle-aged man with a pronounced limp. A tag on his faded blue shirt read Jim.
“We’ve got a number of animals to choose from,” Jim said as he opened the barn door and ushered them in.
Stella saw her horse immediately. The gorgeous white with a sooty muzzle called to her from the doorway. She placed a hand on the big mare’s neck and stroked her. “This is the one.”
“Maggie May? She’s a love.” Jim pulled a saddle off the wall and slid in beside the horse. After spreading a pad on her creamy back, he heaved the leather saddle on top with a grunt. Maggie tossed her mane and gave a soft snort. Stella was enamored. She turned to Noth, who stood back with his arms crossed on his big chest as he surveyed the selection.
The horseman yanked the saddle girth taut behind the mare’s forelegs and called over to Noth.
“See one you like, sir?”
“This black animal wants to run.” Noth nodded at a big black stallion with a white blaze forking down his nose.
“Goliath? He always wants to run. How’d you know?” The man chuckled and finished cinching Maggie’s halter and bridle. “He’s the right size for you. Be over to tack ’im up for ya in a minute.”
Stella scooted out of the man’s way as he exited the stall. The guy handed her the reins. “She’s all yours. That is, unless you two need a guide or a beginner lesson.”
“No, we’ll be fine,” Stella answered, smoothing the velvet patch between her horse’s nostrils. Hopefully Noth would be an instinctive rider. She didn’t want a third wheel for this date. Jim dresse
d Noth’s black, and they walked their mounts out into the sunlight.
“We rent for two-hour shifts. I’d advise you stayin’ out no longer’n four. Don’t wanna be out there when the sun goes down, alrighty?”
“Sounds good,” Stella answered.
“Here’s your maps.” Jim handed each of them a folded paper. “And all the trails are clearly marked and color-coded, so shouldn’t be tough to find yer way out and back.”
“Great. Thanks so much.” Stella watched the man hobble back toward the main house. When he was out of earshot, she spoke to Noth.
“I hope you didn’t want a lesson. I can teach you what you need to know.” He nodded, and Stella moved to the left side of the horse, placed her left foot in a stirrup, and hauled herself up. Noth watched carefully and duplicated her actions, grabbing tight to the horse’s mane when Goliath danced a bit under the new weight.
Noth patted the horse’s neck and he immediately calmed.
“See, I knew you’d be a natural.”
Stella explained how the bit and reins worked and how to urge the horse forward with a squeeze of the thighs. Before long, they were following the yellow trail toward an abandoned settlement and playing Noth’s usual brand of twenty questions.
“What is that called?” He pointed to plants as they slowly wound around the base of a small mountain range. Stella identified Mexican hat, Indian paintbrush, and mullein, but got stumped on a vibrant blue flower. She pulled her horse to a stop and slid down beside the bloom. Noth reined his stallion in and joined her to scrutinize the orchid-like blossoms set atop a two-foot spire. Stella leaned in to give it a sniff, as if its scent would jog her memory.
“What the heck is that one?” She shook her head. “I know it’s poisonous… Shoot! It’s on the tip of my tongue!”
Noth’s shot a hand out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her to face him, and Stella let out a startled squeak.
“Spit it out!” His voice cracked with authority.
“What? I can’t remember what it’s called!” Stella shook her head at him, at a complete loss. She was even a sliver frightened by his vehemence. Was it really that important he know what monkshood was? Monkshood!
Stella was about to tell him. She opened her mouth to speak, but Noth’s fingers gripped her cheeks. Faster than a racehorse out of the gates, he squeezed and pulled her chin down so her mouth gaped wide. She could only stare, dumbfounded, as he seemed to inspect her dental work.
“I do not see it! Did you swallow it?” he yelled in her face while he peered inside her mouth, his other hand ready to reach down her throat, by the looks of it.
“Hah! Hah!” Stella yelped a laugh with her jaw still held open by her knight in shining armor. Noth released her, clearly shaken and baffled by her reaction. Stella massaged her cheeks with her fingertips as she tried to explain the mix-up.
“No. I didn’t swallow it. It was never in my mouth. It’s just an expression, you big silly.”
His eyes narrowed. “An expression?”
“A common phrase. If something is on the tip of your tongue, it means you can’t quite remember it. Like, you want to say it, but you can’t.”
She watched his dazed demeanor unravel as understanding emerged, and his fantastic smile slowly lit up his face.
“I am sorry. Did I hurt you, Stella?”
“No. I’m fine. I’ll just have to be careful what I say around you.” She grinned up at him, and Noth reached toward her face once again. This time he smoothed a thumb over her cheek. Stella turned to place a kiss on his palm. Goliath stamped his foot impatiently behind him, but Noth’s eyes became focused on a point past Stella’s shoulder and she turned to find the object of his interest. He walked past her, off the rock-rutted path and through a clump of mesquite, only to return with a picked flower.
“And the name of this one?”
“Those are cosmos. One of my favorites.” She fingered the fuchsia petals.
“Are they poisonous?”
“Nope.”
Noth tucked the bloom behind her ear. Stella reached up to feel the flower poking out beneath her baseball cap. She probably looked ridiculous.
“Beautiful,” Noth said and placed a kiss on her nose that managed to steal her breath away.
“Come on,” she said. “I want to get to that abandoned mine town before we run out of time.” Stella pulled her map out of her back pocket and pointed. “Right here. Looks like a good place for linner.”
“Linner?”
“A meal between lunch and dinner, of course.”
They mounted their animals again. “You … Americans have some odd expressions,” Noth mumbled.
“Bet your ass,” Stella returned. Noth rolled his eyes at that, and they urged their horses into a trot.
The small mining settlement was nestled near the base of the Rough and Ready Hills. Stella wasn’t sure what she expected, but the forlorn feeling of the abandoned homestead had her thinking they should have eaten elsewhere. It felt like a place only ghosts visited anymore.
They spread the towel over thatches of patchy grass, and Stella set the food out. Noth was intrigued by the corkscrew and examined it after the bottle popped open. He was still flapping the little metal wings as he gazed around at the dilapidated shacks nearby.
“Where are the people?”
“No one’s lived here for ages. It was a mining town that must have been deserted once the gold or silver ran out.”
“Gold or silver?”
“Gold.” Stella held up the floating heart necklace her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday. “You know, the precious metal that’s worth a lot of money?”
Noth held the small pendant between his thumb and forefinger, leaning in close enough so that Stella could feel his breath on her cleavage.
“Yes. I know this metal. We have this one.”
“Of course you do.” Stella took a sip of her wine. “Did you try this yet?”
Noth made a face to answer the question.
“Well, at least I don’t have to worry about you having a drinking problem,” she said with a chuckle. They finished their light meal, and Stella re-corked the bottle and packed her bag. If she’d had any thought of a romantic make-out session while they were out, the creepy crumbling foundations had killed the mood and made her anxious to get back on her horse. She was glad Noth was here with her. They walked back to their tethered rides, and Stella glanced in the yawning doorway of a one-room building with a collapsed roof. Mounds of rusty tin cans spilled from the opening and filled the dark space beyond in piles higher than her waist.
“Let’s get out of here. This place is so weird!”
Noth wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders, and she sank against him with a sigh. With him nearby, the ghosts couldn’t touch her.
*
Noth rode alongside Stella. These creatures they had borrowed were noble. They reminded him of the yalps back on Artanos, only smaller and with fewer eyes. His black horse wanted to move faster, and Noth had difficulty concentrating on Stella’s words with the beast constantly begging for more slack on his rein.
He would have liked to give it to him, but Noth wasn’t confident he could hold on if Goliath broke into a hard run.
They took a different route back to the ranch, and Noth considered Stella’s revelation about the element she called gold. Had he realized it could be used for commerce, it could have saved the surrogacy planning commission much work. Instead, they had spent time and effort to acquire a sample of the American paper money and then duplicated the bills to fund Noth’s stay. What a waste.
A dry lake bed followed along the path, cracked and dotted with spikey plants. Stella pointed it out on her map.
“I wonder how long ago that dried up,” she mused. “I can’t imagine a lake right here, can you?”
“No.” It was hard to picture a huge body of water in the spot, especially on such a warm day. Noth was thankful for the head-shield Stella had provided. The se
tting sun still made him squint as they rode toward it.
“Look! A painted rock!” Stella pointed to a boulder with faded red lines slashed across the surface.
“Is that writing?” Noth asked.
“Yeah. Native American writing.”
“American? You are American. Why is it different from yours?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard of American Indians, right?”
Noth shook his head.
“I guess it’s pretty narcissistic of me to assume they teach U.S. history over there. Realistically, except for all that cold war stuff, I guess we don’t learn much about you guys either.”
Noth waited for her to explain. Stella sighed.
“The Indians were the first people to live in our country. Then people came over from Europe. Mostly Spain, France, and England. The new settlers drove the natives off their land. They killed or cheated them, and infected them with deadly diseases. There are still some Native American groups in this country, but most of them were displaced from their original land.” She gave a sad shake of her head.
“They did that to their own kind?” Noth was surprised. Artanians had made interplanetary war, but had no history of large-scale battles within their own species.
“Terrible, isn’t it? Our history books have some pretty awful stories in them, that’s for sure. I wonder what kind of tale these markings tell. It’d be interesting to know. Hopefully a happy one, huh?” Stella nudged her horse around the stone to examine the other side.
Noth’s head jerked up when he heard her cry out. Without warning, Stella’s mount reared on its hind legs. The look of terror on Stella’s face stabbed at Noth’s heart. Maggie came down on all fours with Stella fortunately still holding on, but the horse turned and raced off across the powdery lake bed.
“Run.” Noth grabbed his stallion’s mane as it took off after them. The horse’s excitement warred with Noth’s dread and mingled with the mindless panic he read from Stella’s white. He tried to call the animal back, but an image of a long, legless creature coiled in the dirt overwhelmed the horse’s mind.