He shrugged and put his face into his hands. “Sometimes. All the time...”
“Why?” Adele put her hand on his shoulder.
“Lonely, I guess. I don’t know anyone here. It makes me sad.”
Adele hugged him. “You have me. And you met some people tonight.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Adele. You give me strength and hope. You encourage my art. You don’t know how many people aren’t encouraging.”
“You wanna bet?” Adele laughed. “I’ve been around a lot longer than you.”
“So you know what it means. To be encouraged. Or not.”
“I certainly do.”
Devin stared at her. “You’re so beautiful.”
Adele looked into his blue eyes and thought that in that moment, he could ask her anything and she’d willingly give it. She leaned forward to kiss him. He kissed her back. She pushed him back on the couch, sprawling on top of him, wriggling into him while keeping her lips locked on his.
His hands reached around to grab her ass cheeks, pulling her into him. They humped and necked like drunken teenagers until Adele pushed him up.
“Hang on,” she said. “A bit dizzy.”
She reached for her water bottle and took a big gulp. Devin sipped some more wine, staring at her with longing.
“Are you ready for more?” he asked.
“Always.” She smiled.
“Good,” he said as he took off his shirt. Adele reached over to touch his chest. He unbuttoned his jeans and slid them off.
“Nice.” She smiled as she pulled off her sweater and vest. She slipped the caftan back on again.
“Cold, you know,” she said.
She took off her pants and panties, laying them on the couch. She handed a condom to Devin. In the meantime, he pushed her thighs apart and buried his face in her pussy. She moaned as his now-familiar tongue licked and suckled her quivering clit. Her head was spinning from the wine and from his urgent tonguing. She spread her legs wider, and he pushed two fingers into her vagina. She sighed as he pulled them out again, his tongue still dancing on her clit.
“Oh, yes,” she moaned. “That’s so good.”
His fingers slid in and out a little faster, her juices making them slip easily. She pushed against his mouth and his hand.
“Oh, my God,” she sighed. “You’re delicious.” She closed her eyes, letting him work his magic until she was throbbing and moaning, squirming under his touch. “Yes,” she cried out, letting the pleasure course through her. “Oh, God, Devin, yes.”
When she finished twitching, Devin raised his head and looked up at her with big blue eyes. His mouth and chin were slick with her juices.
“Mmmm, let me kiss you,” she said, pulling him up to her. They kissed and she tasted her sweet pussy as their lips and tongues met and parted.
Her hand reached for his cock, and she pulled on it, coaxing it harder. When at last he was hard, he rolled the condom onto it. Parting Adele’s legs, he pushed into her. She sank back onto the couch, lifting her legs up so he could fill her deeper. Her muscles tightened around him, and he gasped with pleasure.
“I love how you feel inside me,” Adele whispered.
“I love it too.” Devin kissed her again, pulling out and plunging back in. The more he pumped into her, the quicker he went. Adele held her knees as the couch shaking while he drilled into her. Her breaths came in gasps, and soon she was coming.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she cried. Her legs trembled and her pussy twitched, and still Devin continued to pump.
“I’m going to come.,” he cried out.
“Come in me,” Adele encouraged.
Devin had arched his back, readying himself for one last round when Adele felt him stiffen. She opened her eyes.
“What is it?” she asked, but she didn’t have to. They were in dark, dank Harmoni.
Devin’s hard-on instantly softened. Adele looked up at him, and he slowly pulled out. He took off the condom and wrapped it in a Kleenex.
“Holy shit,” he said, looking around them.
Holy shit was right. The clouds were low and heavy, a violent purple and gray. The grass was dried out and crusty. The trees looked as though they’d been singed from a forest fire. The wind was nearly as cold and bitter as it was in Hermana.
“What’s going on here?” Adele stared at Devin and saw the disturbing black aura around him. It was thick and reeked like the ocean-bathed body she had seen the other day. That and the wretched rose incense he had taken to burning. She shuddered and for the first time wondered how she could get back on her own.
“The house,” Devin whispered. His blue eyes grew dark as he stared toward the mountains. Adele reached for his hand. His flesh was cold and limp as she wrapped her fingers around his.
“I think we should forget about the house. This place is creepy and cold.”
“But we need to go to the house,” he protested and began to walk. Adele kept pace, tripping over weeds and tree stumps that seemed to slither like snakes across their path. As Devin led them toward the woods, the trees bent in the wind, long, dark limbs beckoning to them.
Devin walked quicker, his head cocked as if he were listening to something she couldn’t hear. The wind picked up, cold against her, and with her free hand, she searched for her obsidian ball in her pocket. It hummed soothingly as she stroked it.
“What are you hoping to find?” she asked, trying not to trip over the writhing roots. Branches blew down, snatching at her, tangling her vest and tweaking at her hair.
“Stop it,” she told them. Devin pressed on silently, urgency in his step.
“I don’t like this, Devin. I want to go back,” Adele insisted, looking around. It wasn’t hard to imagine glowing sets of eyes from unknown creatures ready to pounce on human flesh.
Or spirit. Or astral-projection juice. Or who knew what...
“Why is heaven turning into hell?” she asked.
That caught Devin’s attention. “I told you a hundred times, I don’t know.”
But you do know. “But that was back in Hermana. Maybe you remember now.”
“No,” Devin said curtly and resumed his brisk walking.
Adele silently clutched his hand and decided to pay attention to getting through the woods and, indeed, the whole Harmoni experience intact.
They emerged from the forest and crossed a meadow. Adele didn’t remember seeing it before, but everything was so different now. The grasses vacillated between singed and weed ridden.
Devin broke into a run.
“Hey, wait, bare feet here,” she panted. She gave up trying to keep pace and slowed to a walk. It was easier to jump the wriggling roots in her own gait than try to match his stride. Devin barrelled ahead as if he didn’t even remember she existed.
He disappeared into the next ring of trees. Adele shuddered. She would have to go through them and hope for the best.
Never mind. A few groping trees won’t kill me. She hoped. His aura bobbed through the tangled web of branches that snatched at her as she followed him.
Duck and cover, she sang to herself. Was she dodging an enemy or misreading a plea for help?
Waves of sadness ebbed through her, and she slowed her step. She fingered the obsidian ball in her pocket and imagined that the disturbing feelings were flowing into it. It grew warm in her hand, and soon she had the strength to forge on.
The woods thinned until she reached another meadow. Devin was standing on the edge of a crisp, whitish field of something that looked like corn. The icy, white plants were dense, easily twice his height, with thick clumps of silver, oval-shaped leaves that sprouted from spindly stalks.
“Come on.” He waved with a grin. His aura swam and swirled, a dark tornado of obsession that engulfed him from his crown to the soles of his feet.
Adele emerged from the woods, not daring to look back. She shaded her eyes with her hand as she squinted toward the shimmering field. Plump, plum-colored clouds swirled in grow
ing circles above her, creating a cool wind that rattled the plants. A tinkling noise filled the air, and, in the distance, a drumroll of thunder rumbled.
“I don’t want to go in there,” Adele called out to him as she walked closer.
“Listen, don’t you hear? We’re supposed to go this way,” he said urgently, holding his hand out to her. She took it in both of hers and tried to look him in the eyes, but they were icy-blue, reflecting from the fields. She stared at his hand.
“Devin, we’re in danger. I can feel it. Can’t you?” she asked earnestly.
“All I feel is a sense of joy, of wonderment.” He tilted her head up so she’d look him in the eyes. A sharp pain shot through them, and she closed her eyes tightly.
“Pain,” she said. “All I feel is pain.” A deep trembling surged through her as tears rolled down her cheeks. The vibrations were coming from the fields. Something bad was going to happen.
“We can’t go in,” she pleaded.
“We’ll be okay. I know we will,” Devin said confidently. “Look, we’ve made it this far and have seen nothing.”
“Nothing but tunnelling roots and trees that grab you like in The Wizard of Oz. I was just waiting for one to yell at me.”
“Nonsense,” Devin said. “You have such a great imagination.” He squeezed her hand and pulled her toward the field. “Don’t be afraid. I’m going to take care of you.”
She held her breath as they pushed their way through the icicles. It was chilly enough to be ice. The stalks made sounds varying from light tinkling to smashing glass. With both of them pushing their way through, a cacophony of disharmony would notify any creature that might be hunting them.
Any minute now, Adele thought, and something is going to jump out at us.
But amazingly, nothing did. The sense of sadness had left her and the fear began to subside as they stepped out into another small field. The sky had grown even darker, and in the distance, streaks of red and blue zigzags slashed through the clouds.
“There it is.” Devin pointed with joy. Adele followed his finger and dread filled her as she saw the house.
She fought to shake off the dark foreboding and fingered the obsidian once more.
“Don’t you think we’d better go back? You found your house, now let’s go,” she said, pulling him.
“Are you crazy? I came all this way to go inside. And this time, I’m going,” he said, marching ahead like a petulant child.
Adele followed him. “Fine. I’ll come and see whatever it is you’ve been looking for all this time.”
“Good. I want you by my side. I love you, Adele,” Devin said, holding her closer. He leaned toward her, kissing her. “I promise to take care of you.”
Adele raised her eyebrow and drew back. “If you say so,” she said carefully.
They held hands as they walked toward the house. Adele swore she saw one of the tattered window shades flutter, but she also knew it could have been her imagination.
Maybe being in Harmoni was like taking acid. Everyone experienced something different. If so, Devin’s trip is a helluva lot better than mine.
When Devin reached the bottom of the stairs, Adele stood back.
“Aren’t you going to come?” he asked.
“I don’t know if I should,” she said. “Or you.”
“Come on, it’s fine. Doesn’t it smell good?”
Adele realized he was right. The wind had grown even stronger, but through it she smelled the warm, inviting scent of freshly baked pumpkin pie.
“Oh, my,” Adele sighed as her stomach rumbled. “Pumpkin pie is my favorite in the world.”
“How can something bad happen when someone’s baking pumpkin pie?” Devin asked. Without looking directly at him, Adele knew his eyes were wide and earnest. In a way, she was glad she couldn’t look at him, because she would have melted under his gaze. Instead, she was able to keep a healthy dose of skepticism.
“All right, then. I’ll follow your instincts, instead of mine that say, ‘Let’s get the hell out of here and go home and fuck.’”
“Atta girl.” Devin smiled.
They walked carefully up the creaky stairs. The wood was splintered and nails popped out farther with every step. Adele checked the windows to see if anyone was watching. She didn’t see anyone, but she knew someone was there.
With every step, her fear shifted, and soon her body was trembling with pulsing energy. The lure of the house was unmistakable. Its call surged through her, and she realized the sensation must have been the one that had called Devin so strongly.
She clutched Devin’s hand as he reached for the brass door handle. As soon as he touched it, a surge of electricity ran through him and into her. Her first instinct was to run, but the fragrant smell of pumpkin pie enticed her.
“Did you feel that?” Devin asked as he opened the door.
“I sure did. I hope it’s not a bad sign,” Adele replied, bracing herself for whatever might happen next.
They walked into the front entrance. Warmth embraced them, a welcome respite from the bitter wind blowing outside. Devin shut the door.
“Hello?” he called.
There was no response. Adele clutched his hand as they carefully stepped from the front hallway into the sitting room.
“That’s the chair that lady was sitting in,” Adele said, pointing at a chair with burgundy cushions.
“You’re right,” Devin said, looking from it to the window.
“Where is she today?” Adele asked.
“It’s a big house. She could be anywhere,” Devin remarked, his gaze darting around the room and landing on the stairs. He cocked his head thoughtfully and smiled. “Let’s keep going.”
The smell of pumpkin pie grew stronger as they made their way through a second sitting room, then a dining room with a table long enough to comfortably seat ten. Adele stopped to look at it.
“I wonder if they’re planning a dinner party or if there’re always ten people at the table,” she said.
“It’s a big enough house for twenty people,” Devin said.
“Well, maybe for you young, bohemian artist types,” Adele laughed.
“Sure. Heck, maybe even forty people. I bet you could lay out twenty people in these three rooms head to toe in sleeping bags and still have room to walk around them.”
“You’re too funny.” Adele smiled, patting his arm with her free hand.
The house was too comfortable, too welcoming, like the forced smile of a clown in the circus. Each room seemed bigger than the next as they walked, searching for the crying woman.
They passed through another dining room, then an entertainment room. It was strangely out of place with its giant flat-screen TV and several rows of leather chairs with small coffee tables between them. Everything was coated with a fine layer of dust.
“It looks like no one has been around here in a long time,” Adele said.
“No.” Devin walked up to the TV set and blew a cloud of dust from the screen. “Can’t watch TV with all that blocking the way.”
“It’s so weird that there’s a TV here at all. It’s the first modern thing I’ve ever seen in Harmoni. I mean, I’m sure there’s no electricity here.”
“Then how are we seeing? It’s not as dark in here as outside.”
“There are no lamps,” Adele pointed out. “Or lights on the ceilings.” They both looked up. “Yet there’s light to see by. Like we’re on a movie set in one of those scenes where you can see the people, yet you know you shouldn’t be able to see them.”
“Maybe we’re in a painting. The artist drew it light enough so we can see,” Devin joked.
“We are in the painting, in a way. We went in where you drew it.”
“Yes, the meadow,” Devin said.
They continued on down a hallway. The walls were coated with dingy, faded, pink, peeling wallpaper stained with rust. Portraits of strange people with dark, piercing eyes glared at them as they passed. The smell of pumpkin pie was
fading, but they hadn’t found the kitchen yet.
“How big is this house?” Adele finally asked. “We’ve walked forever. It was certainly not this impressive on the outside.”
“No,” Devin said as he took her hand. “But I know we’re going the right way.”
Adele stopped and pulled at him.
“How do you know? You’ve been here?”
“I’ve painted it. We just went through this. Everything is just as I dreamed.”
“This is so weird. This astral-projection stuff or whatever it is we’re doing is messing with my mind.” Adele started walking again, newly examining every framed, painted portrait on the walls. She didn’t recognize anyone, nor was she surprised. Why would she know who anyone was?
Yet there was something rather familiar about the faces.
“I don’t get it either,” Devin was saying. “Did I dream it? Is this my dream? Are you really in my dream as I am in yours?” He waved his hands at the paintings, staring at one in particular. Adele noticed the portrait looked just like the woman who had been crying, except in much younger days.
“And these? Who are all these people?” Devin said. “Did they live in this house? Are they important people from all over?”
“So many questions,” Adele said, pacing up and down the hall.
“You aren’t the one with the visions. Is this a vision? How can we be somewhere that I only thought about? How can you be here with me?”
“Astral projection, I guess. Lucid dreaming. Molecule splitting. I sure don’t know,” Adele said.
“I want to know. I’m more confused than you are.”
“Well, why don’t we go home and talk about it there? I’m tired,” Adele said, raising her eyebrow hopefully.
Devin spun on his heel. “Hell, no. We’re not going anywhere ’til we find her.” He reached back to take her hand and forcefully pulled her along to the next door.
They discovered an enormous ballroom covered in gold trimmings and raised murals from floor to ceiling. Although parts of the room were in dire decay, other parts were as glorious as the day they were built. The floor itself gleamed as if freshly waxed. Adele twirled in a circle once, letting her caftan fly out around her. The air rippled, dancing with her, luring her into itself.
Pisces: Teacher's Pet Page 15