Of Another Dimension

by Jeanette Lynn

  Once I'd made it some distance into the dense and slightly creepy, safety of the woods, I looked around for a good place to hide and make an impromptu camp.

  It's either this or the demon people, I thought tiredly.

  I didn't even need to think about it.

  The woods it is!

  ****

  After a few hours, wandering deeper into the woods, I found a tree with a hollowed out section, big enough for me to fit in and decided that would have to do for now.

  "Can't really be picky right now, can I?" I groaned tiredly and climbed in.

  My stomach protested, growling loudly, letting me know just how hungry I've become.

  I dug through my still dampened and now completely filthy coat pockets and gave myself a mental pat on the back when I found a small package of crackers and some stale, age unknown, licorice.

  The licorice was tough as leather from sitting in the plastic bag inside my coat pocket for so long, but nothing had ever tasted better.

  Chapter 3

  The smell of food eventually caught my attention, tickling and teasing my nose.

  Soooo hungry…

  Cautiously, I carefully followed it to a tiny, less densely packed area.

  There was a small spit with a little animal roasting on it.

  My mouth watered and my stomach growled loudly.

  Food!

  I'm so hungry, I thought as I cautiously approached the tiny camp.

  There was a rustling in the bushes and I froze, ducking down as a demon came out of the woods from the opposite direction as me.

  He was carrying kindling in his arms and I watched quietly as he tended his fire and checked on his dinner.

  I studied my new quarry, noting every little thing he did, watching him avidly.

  I wonder if he eats people…

  I contemplated this as I weighed my options here.

  Kind of silly to assume he eats people, Lil.

  …So far, I’m the only ‘people’ around here.

  Maybe he just eats other demons… or other creatures, I corrected.

  It's been three days since I'd escaped demons tweedle dee and tweedle dumb and two days since I'd last eaten.

  My stomach feels like it’s ready to eat its self!

  I’d settle for tree bark right now if I thought it wouldn’t possibly poison me, I’m so hungry.

  I don't know anything about the plants and berries out here and you can forget me catching my own dinner.

  I lack the general knowledge and skills to pull off such a feat.

  Then there's the fact that silly little me is extremely squeamish about things like that.

  I don't think I could kill a little innocent creature and eat it.

  Kill it, shudder, skin it, gag, then cook it…

  If it’s already dead? Sure, why not, that's a totally different story.

  ...but having to actually kill it...

  No.

  I shuddered again at the thought.

  Look on the bright side, Lil.

  Where’s the lining in your rainbow?

  Rainbow…? Lining?

  What rainbow? I mocked myself. I don’t see a god damned rainbow.

  I sighed silently, scrubbing at my face.

  Well, at least I haven't been thirsty.

  I don't know if I'm going to regret it or not, but I've had plenty of water to drink.

  I'd found a stream my first morning, in what I am affectionately calling 'Hell'.

  Oh, there’s no place like Hell! There’s no place like hell.

  Pfft!

  There was a crackling noise as the demon in front of me put more kindling on, the flames dancing and flickering as it took and crackled.

  I glanced at my unaware companion, giving him a good once over.

  The demon tending his fire was much smaller in stature, closer to a human sized six foot, and more youthful looking in the face than his counterparts from the other day.

  His horns were smaller on his head too, I noticed.

  I wonder if that signifies anything… Like maybe he’s more of a vegetarian or something?

  Now wouldn’t that be nice?

  They came out of his forehead, but didn't curl back towards his head as much as the horns of the other two demons that I'd encountered had.

  I also observed, as I watched him, that his horns didn't curl back around to point at you at the ends like the other two's had.

  They just jutted towards the back of his head and ended in two sharp, straight tips.

  The demon started singing quietly as he worked and I listened to the cadence of his voice as he sang some haunting melody in a soothing tenor.

  Pretty, I thought distractedly, taken in by the song.

  There was a loud noise, like the mewling of animals and he jumped up suddenly and hurried towards the racket.

  Yes!

  I crouched, ready to spring.

  This is my chance!

  One last quick glance around confirmed he’d left the premises and I made my move, hesitation a distant memory as I eyed my prize.

  I ran out from my hiding spot and snatched the animal off the spit, trying to grasp the least hot parts of the stick as I ran like a bat out of hell and hurried towards my hollowed log.

  Victory!

  Ohhh! Ah! Hot!

  Hot food! Hot food!

  But still…. Victory!

  I grinned the whole way.

  ****

  Stomach full, I let out a happy sigh, almost tempted to lick my dirty fingers, but not quite that desperate yet.

  "Sorry, mister demon man," I whispered quietly as I pulled my dirty coat tighter around me, "but it was either you or me."

  Hey, he can go get another one. I can’t.

  I don’t think it’ll be too bad for him anyways. He seemed… capable, right at home even.

  He’ll be fine.

  I grimaced, cringing at myself inwardly.

  Just listen to me, I thought, irritated with myself, my current situation, everything.

  How the hell has my life gotten so...

  I can't even think of a word for it!

  Bad... horrible... desperate?!

  Ridiculous... crazy! Unheard of!

  I swear, if I ever get back home, I'm going to wring Mr. Clem's scrawny, old, scientific neck and then I'm going to fire up his doo hickies and send his ass over here!

  I tried to wipe the tears that had begun to leak from my eyes, but couldn't find something to wipe them off on.

  But I won’t get back home, will I?

  And I know it.

  This… is my life now.

  Living in the woods in an unknown place… stealing for food…

  I cleared my throat, trying to reign myself in, not give in to such thoughts, looking for a welcomed distraction.

  One glance down at myself sufficed as far as distractions go, my current state enough to distract anyone.

  I brushed the dirt off my coat as best as I could.

  I should probably find a different stream and clean myself off... but I'm terrified of being caught, so I haven't ventured too far from my tree.

  I really need to, though, I thought as I gave myself a little cursory sniff.

  Whoa!

  I jerked and slammed my coat shut, my nose wrinkling in disgust.

  Yuck!

  Tomorrow, I told myself. Definitely tomorrow.

  ****

  The sun rose high in the sky and I woke up as the rays hit my eyes.

  I stretched and yawned, relishing the cracking and popping as my bones settled.

  I did exactly as I'd planned last night and was lucky enough to find a small pool of water, not too far from my tree.

  My clothes are so filthy, I thought distractedly as I walked to the water's edge.

  I nudged it with my foot and was delighted to find it wasn't ice cold.

  Grinning from ear to ear, I tossed my hat off, sending it flying towards where I’d set my boots, glancing around repeatedly
.

  Looks like it’s just me and the scenery.

  With one last long look, I jumped in, trench coat and all and swam around under the water for as long as my lungs would allow.

  My head popped up and I gasped for breath, feeling refreshed from the cool water.

  Reaching back, I pulled my hair band off and unbraided my hair.

  It felt good to let it free.

  I dunked under the water and came back up, delighted at a bath after so long. Even if I don't have any soap to wash up with.

  "Well, Lil, looks like you're gonna have to swim around until you're clothes are dry."

  I pulled my clothes off and washed them the best I could, scrubbing like a woman on a mission.

  Hands sore from my efforts, satisfied that my clothes were as clean as they were ever going to get, I wrung them out and hung them over a purplish tree branch to dry.

  Then I spent the better part of an hour swimming around.

  I was still cautious, trying to make as little noise as possible, just in case some thing or someone might hear me.

  Just because I haven't seen any humans yet doesn't mean there aren't any around here somewhere and that's the only intrusion I felt eager to welcome.

  A strange sound caught my attention and I waited as I heard it making its way towards me, eyes wide, face suddenly ashen.

  Oh, no!

  I swam as quietly as I could towards the edge of the water by my clothes, but a strange looking animal came lumbering out, snuffling away and I relaxed.

  It walked right up to the water and stuck its trunk in, then began to slurp it up eagerly.

  Huh.

  The thing looked like a wooly elephant, a cow and an aardvark had been spliced together, making one funky assed creature.

  It was uuuglllyyy, but what can I say, maybe the thing thought I was just as ugly too.

  Not everyone likes a bigger girl or pale skin, but I'm not changing myself just to please other people, or ugly spliced animals, so phooey on them. Ha! Ha!

  The lumbering animal grabbed at some of the grass by the edge of the bank and started grazing on it.

  Oh, good, it likes vegetation, maybe it only eats its veggies, not weird naked humans who go traipsing around in small pools of water until their clothes dry.

  Studying the weird looking animal, I marveled at the crazy tone of its skin. It was a maroon color with speckles of purple and blue patches scattered everywhere.

  Its feet were hoofed and it had small horns jutting up from its skull, a light greenish in color.

  What's with this place and horns?

  It’s like a running theme around here.

  Give me a set and maybe I’d fit right in.

  The creature’s ears were just like an aardvark’s and it had beady little black eyes.

  There was a wealth of hair all over its body that matched its skin tone perfectly and it had an oddly shaped, thick trunk with a tiny mouth on the end of it.

  Guess it has two mouths, I discovered, as I watched it shovel grass into both its trunk and its mouth.

  Several minutes passed as I watched it, fascinated, before there was another noise off to the side where the first creature had stumbled through.

  I fully expected to see another one come crashing out of the brush, ready for a drink.

  Maybe it’s a mated pair.

  The demon from the night before came over to the grazing beast and we both froze at the sight of each other.

  He stared at me with wide eyes and said something to himself quietly.

  "Aww, shit!" I mumbled and tried to make my way back to my clothes.

  The demon snapped out of it and called something out to me from across the pool.

  There was no anger or anything in his voice, just what sounded like awe and curiosity.

  Ignoring him, I jumped out of the water and ran to my trench coat. I threw it on and shoved my feet into my boots.

  He called something out to me again and I glanced back at him.

  He hadn't moved an inch from his side of the bank, but instead stood there gaping at me as if he'd never seen a woman before.

  Well, dummy, he's probably never seen a lily white arsed human running around butt naked before, I chastised myself.

  He didn't seem as hell bent on catching me like the other demon had and I was happy at the thought that not all of them were like that.

  Gotta be grateful for the little things in life sometimes.

  We stared at each other, taking in one another, in a sort of strange stand still.

  He saw my hands shaking and his brows furrowed.

  He asked me something and motioned towards them.

  Not understanding a damn word, I just watched.

  What do I say? I don’t frickin’ know.

  He motioned for me to come over to him.

  I shook my head.

  His eyes bore into mine for a moment and he gave a slight nod, acknowledging me declining him.

  My rejection didn’t faze him and he continued to watch me curiously.

  Even though he couldn't understand me, I gave him a grateful smile, the rest of my belongings bundled up in my arms.

  "Please don't tell anyone you saw me," I whispered pleadingly, nodding at him before I took off, giving him a quick wave.

  I looked over my shoulder to see him giving me a quick wave back, disappointed when he saw I was leaving.

  I turned back around and ran off, shaken a little from the unexpected visit.

  ****

  Two days later, it was boiling hot and I’d ditched my jeans and coat for just my nightgown, boots and hat. Everything else, I left in my little hollow tree.

  I had been looking around for something edible for hours and the lack of food was starting to take its toll on me.

  Wow, this is my life now... not that mine was very interesting before... quite boring actually... but this three sixty turn around to outrageously uh... interesting, and not in a fun way, is not what one would have had in mind to spice up their life!

  "Food, I need food," I mumbled, stumbling around a little from my lightheadedness.

  Yep, lack of food will do that to ya, Lil, I thought morosely and plopped down to lean against a tree trunk in the shade.

  I’m sure it doesn’t help that I’d tried to eat some of the local vegetation and made myself puke my brains out in the process.

  Hey, I was hungry and it had seemed like a good idea at the time…

  "Just a little rest and I'll find food, just a little," I mumbled sleepily and let myself drift off.

  ****

  The crunching of leaves was the first thing that woke me. The second was the feel of a warm hand pushing the hair off of my cheek, a voice murmuring to me softly.

  My eyes snapped open and I came face to face with the demon from the pool.

  He was studying me openly, a curious expression on his face, his big brown eyes taking me in from head to toe.

  I tensed up, my body coiling tight in case I needed to act quickly.

  He must have seen something in my expression to give him pause and backed away, sitting down a few feet in front of me.

  He said something in his language and waited for me to answer him.

  I frowned at him when he tried again and nodded his head.

  I shook my head 'no' and he scratched his head, puzzled. He tried talking to me again.

  "Look, I don't know what the heck you're saying, okay. I don't even want to be here," I admitted, my breath hitching a little as I spoke.

  I hugged my knees to my chest and pulled my nightgown over my legs.

  "I don't know where I am. I'm tired, I’m sick of being dirty all the time and I'm really, really hungry." Wiping my face, I pointed to my stomach and my mouth, shaking my head to communicate. "And I hate camping. I just want to go home."

  He pointed at me, then his stomach, then his mouth and nodded at me.

  "Uhmm..." I began, but he reached into a bag by his side and pulled out something from a weir
d looking container, almost a soft pouch with a round lid.

  He offered it to me and I backed away a little more, shaking my head 'no'.

  The demon sniffed it and took a bite, then handed me a piece and waited, hand outstretched for me to take it.

  I reached my hand forward cautiously and snatched it up quickly, pulling my hand back fast, just in case it was some kind of trick.

  I sniffed it too.

  Biting off a tiny piece, I chewed it slowly, eyeing him warily the whole time.

  It tastes kinda like beef jerky, I thought, a little relieved.

  He smiled at me, pleased with himself and handed me another piece.

  "This… uh, isn't made from people or demons, is it?" I asked him, ready to throw up right now.

  He blinked at me uncomprehendingly.

  I reached over and touched his arm, pointing to his skin, then the dried meat. I kept doing it, alternately pointing at myself too, until he figured out what I was trying to say.

  He looked disgusted for a minute and shook his head 'no', then pointed at one of the grazing beasts from the other day and nodded, then pointed at the jerky stuff.

  I slumped down, relieved.

  "Oh, good," I sighed and took a big bite.

  They're like their version of cattle, I think.

  Just pretend it's beef, Lil, and eat it. Can't afford to be picky right now.

  He smiled at me tentatively and pointed at my hair.

  "Huh?" I mumbled between bites, chewing fast so I could fill my aching stomach.

  He pointed to himself and then his own short black hair and then mine. He ran his fingers through his own hair and mimicked running his through mine.

  I shook my head 'no' and he seemed disappointed, but didn't push me any further.

  Finally, a demon without boundary issues.

  After I'd eaten my fill, he got up and held his hand out to me.

  I stared at it for a minute and had a little internal debate with myself.

  He wants me to go with him…

  Should I go with him?

  Is it safe?

  Is he just playing a game to win my trust and then he'll pounce?