by Smith, Skye
For hours they instructed her to move this way and that, while their special camera captured her form. Stand, raise a hand, now the other. Bend the elbow, now the other. Bend the knee, walk, walk backwards. Sit down, stand up, rah- rah- rah. They had a script they were working from and they kept telling her to move to it while the cameras did their magic.
When she took a break and looked at some of her video she had to laugh. The computer had made her look like a robot. Ted and the other technicians were quick to defend their work.
"We were just logging your movements," Ted explained. "We have other software that will build an animated three dimensional world around your model. We also have other software to flesh out your model with skin and hair and clothes. We have an editing module that allows us to link it seamlessly into the ordinary filming."
Mike walked by. "Show her the vampire. He's almost complete."
Ted clicked and clicked and clicked until he found what he were looking for and then he played the video. She recognized the actor that played the main vampire she was supposed to be killing in this movie. As she watched, he spread his cloak and then began to fly like a bat, and as he was flying he slowly morphed into a bat.
"Hey," she said, "that's pretty good. And that was all done by the computer?"
"Most of it is done by the computer, then we have to touch it up using some old-fashioned human skills so that it looks more realistic."
"Amazing," she said skeptically. She had made three films in three years and each one had used fewer human extras and more computer-generated extras. Eventually movies would be just another form of video game.
"Not so amazing," said Mike, "our audiences are already getting tired of it, just as they are now tired of plastic boobs and clown lips on actresses. It's one thing to computer animate some alien monster, but it is another to animate all the moving flesh of a sensuous woman."
Ted defended his stuff. "Our lab is already working on allowing for imperfections."
"Huh," she said. This was boring, and she had to go. No, really, she had to go, which meant she had to get to the washroom and out of this bloody body suit.
"Well, the reason all these animated figures look fake is because they are too perfect. Too geometrical. The skin, for instance, has no wrinkles and flaws. That kind of stuff is what we still put in manually."
"Three years, three movies, and so much change. I wonder if we'll need a director on my fourth movie?" She enjoyed playing with Mike's head. He was actually a very serious guy.
* * * * *
* * * * *
MAYA'S AURA - the Awakening by Skye Smith
Chapter 13 - Three years earlier in Kitsilano, Vancouver
The south Asian male cab driver kept leering at her in the mirror. She pushed her knees tight together and pulled her plastic raincoat closed so he couldn't see her outfit. She had splashed out for the cab because she thought it would be safer at night than the bus. Yeah, right. She had forgotten that the transit buses in Vancouver would jump through hoops to keep the women riders safe. They would let women off mid-stop or even call ahead and have a transit supervisor or even a cop meet you at a stop.
Next time she would take the bus. The driver was leering again. At the next red light he turned around and said, "I know guys that would pay you big money for a date." She looked away. "No, I mean it, especially dressed like that. I'm talking a thousand a date. I would only charge a hundred to hook you up and another hundred if you wanted me to hang around and take you home safe."
"Not interested," she said in an imitation of the squeaky little-girl voices that all young Canadian women seemed to subject everyone to while they drank expensive frothy coffees at BigBucks coffee shops. She always wanted to yell at them to stop being so irritating and to use their big girl voices for a change.
"No really, at least a thousand," smirked the man. "I could get you two thousand, but that would be for the whole night, you know?"
"What about hidden cameras?" she said in her little-girl voice.
"Hey, these are classy guys. Rolex classy. Suits, not hard hats. No problems."
She started to cry and couldn't stop herself. She should have accepted Gerry's offer to stick around and give her a ride home from the casting audition. The audition had been obviously straight, with moms lining up with their daughters. She had sent him away. She blubbed and blew her nose.
The driver stopped at the next red light and turned back to her. "Hey, I didn't mean anything. I didn't know you were a real student. I thought you were a working girl. I was just trying to help out. Hey, stop crying. I was out of line. I apologize."
It seemed like a long ride, though it wasn't really. She had him pull over a block shy of her house.
"Sixteen bucks," he told her.
She got out and looked in at him. "Yeah, so you only owe me four. It's twenty for leering at me and insulting me. Keep the change."
"Hey lady, I'll call the cops!" he yelled angrily.
"Yeah, well I'm already dialing. They are combing the city for guys like you right now." She slammed the door and he peeled out, swerved around a parked car and careened off into the traffic. She waited until he was just specks of tail lights and then she ran the last block home. There was a black Jetta in the short driveway.
She opened the door and yelled out, "Hello, the house!" Three heads popped up over the back of the couch that faced the TV. Interestingly, Emma was sitting between Karl and Erik. That woman was working every angle to 'save' one of them right into a wedding. It was Emma that ran towards her.
"Where have you been? We've been so worried. Haven't you been watching the news?" Emma sounded exactly like her mom, and for a moment, Maya thought she might cry again. She took a deep breath.
"I told you earlier. I had a casting call. I got a part, thanks for asking." She took off her cheap plastic raincoat and hung it up.
"Oooh," oozed Erik after seeing her school-girl look. "Bend over little girl and I will show you my big dog."
"That's not funny, considering," Emma scolded him. "I'm so glad you are home and safe."
"What part did you get?" asked Karl, "What's the film?"
"I'm a school girl, but I actually have some lines. Of course, I had to copy the Social Insurance number of the girl next to me. We were about the same age. I'll be finished and paid off before they realize they have made a mistake on the number."
"The film, the film," Karl urged.
"It's called Raven's Roost. It's a teenage horror film about a girls' private school, with lots of big black birds that turn into vampires."
"I thought bats turned into vampires."
"Well maybe, but I saw the cages of ravens. They are really big."
"Come and sit," said Emma, "we are waiting for the news, I'll get you some tea." She walked into the kitchen. "I see you got some milk. You should have put it in the fridge. Oh, I see. The carton is leaking so you left it in the plastic bag."
"What's on the news?" She decided to leap over the back of the couch like a real school girl would. Her kilt ended up around her waist, and Erik helped to pull it back down. She slapped his helping hand, which was silent because of her gloves.
"We caught another predator," Emma announced. "I just spent an hour interviewing him. He is out in a paddy wagon as we speak, showing the police where he has two girls stashed. I hope they're okay."
"Don't count on it," Maya whispered to herself.
"What did you say?"
"Shhh, here's the news."
The reporter was out in a field. The willow park. "We are at the scene of an attempted childnapping earlier this afternoon, here in the exclusive Kitsilano district of Vancouver. The van the kidnapper was trying to escape in has been towed away now, but it was a van like this one. Our news-on-the-spot van. And here is the hero of the day, Mister Tim Li. Mister Li attacked the suspect before he could escape with his latest victim, and then held him for the police."
"That, that's just up the street!" yelled Erik. "That's
Mister Li who owns the grocery on the school side of the park. You know. The old guy that teaches Tai Chi in the park on Sunday morning."
"Shhh."
"Mister Li, can you tell us what happened?"
"The bad man was pretending to have lost a little dog. He got little girl to help him look. When he get to van he throw her inside. I save her."
"And what were you doing in the park, Mister Li?"
"My shop is over there." He pointed and the camera swung around and focused on the shop front. There were mothers and children and police all talking. The camera swung back. "Every day at home time for school I sit in park and watch children in playground. You know, watch them until mums arrive. Make sure they are safe."
"And what was different today?"
"Man with little white dog. Big angry man, cute little dog. He not match dog. Something fishy, I think, so I watch him."
"And I am sure there are many mothers and teachers who want to shake your hand today, Mister Li."
"The children are my customers. They buy much candy in my store. I must keep them safe. It is duty to customer."
The talking heads came back on. "We interrupt this recording to bring you late-breaking news at the police station." The TV flicked and the new scene was a podium where three uniformed police officers stood. The woman officer spoke. "We are pleased to announce that this afternoon's kidnapping suspect has led police to a rescue of two other children. Those children are alive and are on their way to Children's Hospital."
A voice from the press called out , "Has he admitted to other kidnappings? Is he leading Police to gravesites?"
"I cannot comment on that as it is still under investigation. I can say that police are eager to talk to another school girl, a senior, who helped Mr. Li capture the suspect. She is believed to have been walking across the park with a liter of milk at the time. Of course we cannot describe her in public, so we are just asking for her to contact the closest police officer."
Karl clicked the TV off. Maya looked up from where she was warming herself in Erik's arms. Three sets of eyes stared at her. "What?" she said.
"You have to call the police," Emma said.
"Did he smell charred?" Erik asked.
"No, I don't. Yes, he did," she replied.
"Shit, shit, shit!" screamed Emma. Karl grabbed hold of her to calm her. "Don't you understand?" she continued, "it means there will be gravesites." The tension of the day broke and the men found themselves holding two sobbing women.
"Emma, why don't you spend the night?" Karl offered. "You shouldn't be alone tonight. Not tonight. You can bunk with Maya."
"I'd rather bunk with you," she sniffed. Karl and Erik shot each other glances.` They both blushed.
"Lucky you," Maya said with a shaky breath, and a wobbly smile. "They are blushing. That means they are thinking about it."
Erik looked at Karl and Emma and finally said. "Both of you must first promise me that there will be no sex. If you promise that, then I will sleep on the couch."
"Bitch," whispered Maya possessively under her breath.
Erik heard her. "Maya, I have a present for you." He stretched his long reach to the coffee table and handed her a small gift-wrapped box. Her face lit up and she tore at the wrapping.
"Oh Erik, you found it, thank you." It was her scent. Literally her scent. Lily of the Valley. She grabbed a tissue and sprinkled some on it and then passed it around. She grabbed another tissue, doused it and held it to her face. She felt suddenly calm. She could feel her mind clearing.
Erik, then Karl took turns sniffing. "That's you, all right. A milk white aura with a hint of Lily of the Valley."
Emma took a sniff. "Someday I will know your aura, Maya." She turned to Karl, "Mine is brassy gold with honey overtones."
"I can't wait for bed time," he replied and squeezed her hand.
* * *
Maya sat on Erik's lap in the hot tub, getting a full body hug and listening the creak of the bed in the master bedroom above them. "Yeah, like, no sex" she muttered possessively.
"We both knew she would. That's why we both blushed. As soon as the full length of her skin touched his, we both knew she would be drawn in like love at first sight. Please don't tell her it was a mercy fuck."
"I expected it with Alicia, not Emma," Maya whispered and then kissed his cheek and the corner of his mouth. He was almost inside her, but she knew from her one high school love affair in her mother's crude cedar hot tub, that tub sex hurt. It seemed like a romantic idea, but don't go there. Like doing it on a beach with fine sand. It was painful. She shifted her weight and cursed herself for not yet having figured out how to curb the power in her hands.
"Alicia is fully busy with the senior class of Engineers," Erik mentioned. "Oops, I didn't mean it like that. I meant that she is having lunch with a group of them every day, and I think one of them has actually become brave enough to ask her on a date. I'll give you five to one that she is engaged by Christmas."
"I hope so. Her family, like, don't have enough money to keep her at U.B.C., and I doubt she can compete with marks for scholarships against, like, all the Asian students."
The bed squeaks were now joined by two voices moaning. She kissed Erik again. That was as horny as she could be with him. Kisses in a hot tub. She wished she could sleep with him, make love to him, but it was too risky. Not without more experimentation. She had to spend more time with either Alicia or Emma and figure this all out. She was turning into a prune, so she stood up and sat on one side of the tub. He sat on the other side.
Waves of delicious nothingness and softly perfumed scents surrounded them. They let it happen until the barnyard noises from above became too disturbing. They stood and walked apart and yet together, inside, and to separate beds. "It's not fair," she told him. "The two men I most want to curl up with are, like, the only two men on the planet that I can't curl up with."
Later that night he crept into her room. She was snoring softly and half uncovered. He took off his robe and laid it over the end of the bed. He watched her for a long while in the half light of the moon. She was so sweet and girly, with all that silky blonde hair spread out on the pillow. She didn't stir. He came closer. She still didn't stir. He was in the bed and beside her before he felt her aura. While she was sleeping, it slept, or almost slept.
He fell asleep close to her but not touching. He woke hours later feeling completely bathed in white light and the scent of flowers. It was so wondrous that he felt like he was floating above the bed. He wondered how many years people had to practice transcendental meditation to achieve this level of nirvana and oneness. He stopped thinking about it, and tried to empty his mind so he could just accept it.
She dreamed long and peacefully that she was sleeping with Erik. She was caressing him with her aura and then both of their auras were rebounding and caressing her. She had never felt so at peace, and so healthy. She didn't want to wake from the dream so she fought the sound of fog horns in the harbor and pretended they were the lowing of cattle.
The fog horns woke him abruptly. It was Fogust, that month between mid-August and mid-September when the winds were very still and the fog could swirl around at any time. He lay there and listened to her breathing, ever so softly. It took gigantic effort for him to leave the cozy warmth of her white light and sidle over to the edge of the bed. He went back to his lonely lumpy couch.
She came back into the bedroom from washing her face and brushing her teeth and other morning habits and noticed Erik's robe draped over the end of the bed. She went downstairs to see if he was still on the couch. He was curled up in a blanket looking very uncomfortable. She put the kettle on and then went back to the couch and stood looking at him.
She smiled mischievously and went to the front hall closet and exchanged her silk robe for a ski jacket and put on the girly gloves she had worn yesterday to the audition. Back at the couch she softly and slowly uncovered him and became his blanket. Starting at his chest she kissed his skin, lower
and lower until she found his morning wood, and then she kissed some more. He woke moaning in ecstasy.
That was how Emma found them. She was wearing Karl's robe and looking quite bedraggled, and in search of coffee. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll go back upstairs."
"No need, I'm finished, or rather, he's finished." She giggled when she saw Emma looking at her ski jacket, and hurried to the closet to swap back into her silk robe. Together they made tea and coffee and toast with blue cheese spread on the slices and dollops of guava jelly on top. Emma was so happy she was almost bubbling with joyfulness. This was a very different Emma from the deeply serious psychiatrist that was specializing in psychopaths. The one who had been so distressed last evening.
They left the men sleeping and went outside to warm up in the hot tub and have breakfast. The fog was thick and icy and it was as if they were no longer in the center of a huge city because they could see no further than the neighbor's house. "So how was the no-sex?" Maya asked.
"Omigod, do people have sex like that all the time?" Emma said trying to keep an errant slip of blue cheese from escaping her mouth. "Where have I been? What have I been doing?" She giggled and bumped shoulders with Maya, and they both started to giggle. "How was yours?"
"Oh, we really did have no-sex, well except for me like, milking him this morning. My mother always said that the key to a successful marriage was a morning milking every day. That's probably why hers only lasted like, two years. I mean, like, she never takes her own advice."
"Oh Maya, I am so in love."
"No, you're not. You are feeling his aura. It is never so strong as when you have full skin contact. Don't go getting your heart broken. He is gay and in a longtime and thoroughly loving relationship."
"But he, well he. It felt. And...."