Taurus: A Hearse of a Different Color

by Sèphera Girón

  “It can get lonely on the road. You’ve been so great, hanging out with me and all. It’s been a bright spot on this show for sure.”

  “It’s perked up my spring, that’s true,” Dorothy smiled.

  They sat on a huge rock, kissing and holding each other.

  “I hope that I can see you again one day,” Oscar said.

  “So do I.”

  “I’ll call you. Once shooting is over, maybe you can come visit me, or I can come back here.”

  “I’d like that very much,” Dorothy said. “I’d really like that.”

  Her heart pounded and sadness coursed through her. She knew she’d never see him again, at least how they were now. He’d forget about her. He’d have to forget about her. She’d have to erase his memory. He knew too much; the plants, the broom... But the words sounded good in the moment.

  “Have you had anymore issues with ghosts at the bed and breakfast?” Dorothy asked.

  “No. But that doesn’t really mean anything.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I wear the sleep mask and listen to music with headphones while I sleep now. So, if there’s anything there, I won’t know.”

  “But nothing’s been touching you... you’ve not felt anyone sitting at the edge of the bed or anything like that from before?”

  “No, nothing.”

  “Good. I was hoping it had calmed down. At least for now.”

  “For now... but let’s not waste our last moments discussing ghosts.”

  Oscar kissed her and she held him tightly. When they broke, he looked around.

  “How deserted is this place this time of year? Are we really alone?”

  “Luckily, it’s too soon in the year for hoards of flies and mosquitos, and it’s still pretty muddy, dark and out of the way, like, really out of the way, for tourists to find... right now. I imagine there are racoons, deer, and maybe even bears watching us.”

  Oscar raised his fingers to her lips.

  “Okay, I get the picture, Beautiful.” He turned her head towards his and he kissed her again. When they broke again, he took off his black leather jacket and lay it chivalrously on the rock.

  “We can say goodbye here. I know it’s not a very big jacket.”

  “How about my cape?”

  Oscar helped Dorothy remove her cape. They lay it along the rock. Dorothy imagined the cape floating just slightly above the rock, as if on a giant air pillow. The leather jacket folded neatly into a soft cushion.

  They lay along the floating cape, kissing once more. Dorothy imagined a giant blue bubble over the them and the rock and her broomstick. Oscar stopped kissing her as he watched the bubble take form.

  “What’s happening?” he asked.

  “I’m protecting us from bugs and other intruders.” Dorothy said. “Maybe it’ll even warm us up.”

  “That’s amazing. Now we’re in a crystal ball.”

  “I guess we are!” Dorothy laughed.

  They kissed and laughed, slipping off their clothes as they floated slightly above the rock, cozy in their bubble. Dorothy eagerly grabbed at his cock and just as she was going to slide a condom over his throbbing shaft the bubble suddenly lurched and the rock tilted.

  “What’s that?” Dorothy raised her head, keeping one hand on him.

  “I don’t know,” Oscar said.

  Dorothy realized the bubble had left the safety of the rock and was floating towards the edge of the cliff.

  “No!” she shouted. She tried to see in the dark if something was pushing them.

  “Bubble be gone,” she commanded. The bubble popped and they landed on the ground with a plop, inches from the side of the cliff. Dorothy saw a patch of fog that was darker than the others fold into itself and disappear into the woods. She raised her hand and imagined a barrier to keep the shadow-thing away from them for a while. She wasn’t strong enough to do it forever but she hoped she could hold the thing at bay for an hour or so. An eerie blue light surrounded what they could see of the woods. Then she saw a tall shadow with goat legs confronting the fog patch. She turned away. He could deal with it. He would keep them safe.

  I hope that holds it, whatever it is... wood nymph? Witch? Ghost?

  “I think we’re safe now,” Dorothy said. “Unless you want to find somewhere else.”

  “If you think we’re safe, then this is where I want to be,” Oscar said. “I’m just glad it wasn’t a bear!”

  They returned to the rock, Dorothy carrying the cape until she was ready to spread it. This time when she created the bubble, she made sure it was anchored to the rock.

  “I guess it’s fitting we’re interrupted once more. It’s a habit by now,” Dorothy said, kissing him down his chest as she fished another condom from the pocket of her leather jacket and slid it over his cock.

  “It is...” Oscar sighed as Dorothy returned to sucking on his cock. It wasn’t long before he was hard. Dorothy kept one eye on the outside world, trying to keep her intuition honed in even though all she wanted to do was spend forever making love with Oscar. She kept glancing towards the woods, but the shadow-thing didn’t return or at least, didn’t seem to be trying to get past the blue barrier.

  Oscar kneeled above her, his eyes glistening in the dim night. Fireflies blinked on and off beyond the bubble. She ran her hands along his abdomen, stroking his thighs, urging him to enter her.

  He lifted her hips and slid into her. She gasped, loving his hot warm cock sliding in and out. She was so used to him now; she knew she was going to miss him terribly. The thought overwhelmed her with sadness, and a sob hitched from her lips. He stopped.

  “Am I hurting you?” he asked.

  “No... no, I’m fine. Sorry, please, keep going, you feel so good inside of me like that.”

  Oscar penetrated her again and she hugged him, locking her legs around his hips, hugging him as tight as she could while he could still move, trying not to cry and letting passion sweep through her.

  She trembled as orgasm spread through her and he fucked her harder. She moaned and squealed, not worrying about who might hear her.

  “Oh, Oscar... Oscar...”

  His groans grew louder, his strokes deep and rapid. He shouted as he fucked her harder, the floating cape giving him leverage.

  Dorothy came again, her hands clutching his arms. Her breath came in gasps as he pumped in and out of her.

  “Harder! Harder!” she coaxed. “Oh, yes, like that... just like that...”

  He indulged her, fucking her fast and then slow and then fast again.

  “Oh, Dorothy, I’m going to come...” he called out.

  “Come with me,” Dorothy cried. “Come with me!”

  At last, he cried out and stiffened.

  “Oh, god! Oh, Dorothy! Oh...”

  His climax pulsed inside of her, and she wriggled against him in ecstasy, slipping and sliding her clit against him for one more come. The throbbing though expected, caught her by surprise.

  “Oh, my... oh my... oh my!” she cried.

  He lay over her for a moment, catching his breath, beads of his sweat dripping down on her. She panted, squinting up at him, savouring how wonderful he felt pressed against her, and inside of her.

  He kissed her forehead as he pulled out. He sat up and stared over at the moon.

  “I’m going to miss you...”

  * * *

  Dorothy left him on the front steps of his bed and breakfast. It was well beyond midnight; they’d spent hours making love for their last time. As she kissed him goodnight on the porch, her heart ached. She turned to go down the stairs.

  “Oh, wait.” She said. She slid her hand into her pocket and removed a small bottle of her rosewater elixir. “Take this.”

  “What is it?”

  “It’s not magic. It’s just a rosewater that I make that is supposed to keep our skin fresh and youthful. A wrinkle-resistant spritz. It’s great for removing make up.”

  “Ah!” Oscar smiled. He put it into his
pocket. “Thank you, Dorothy. I’ll think of you every time I wear it.”

  “Good-bye Oscar,” she said, staring at the top step. Her fingers clacked on the railing, her other hand clutching her broom.

  “Good-bye, Dorothy,” he said. “I’ll email you soon. We won’t be apart long, I promise” He pulled out his keys and began to fiddle with the door.

  Dorothy turned back and raised her hand.

  “I’m sorry,” she said as tears rolled down her face.

  “For what?” Oscar asked. His mouth stopped in mid-word.

  She sent energy from her palm towards his head. He stood, staring at her, unblinking. He stood as if he was frozen in time. Dorothy focused on the vibrations. She rooted around in his mind, riffling through the files, searching for the file that contained her. She zipped into the source, removing all traces of her existence from his mind. Anything she had done or been with him, was gone. He never knew who she was. Dorothy the lover never existed.

  She lowered her hand.

  Oscar blinked.

  Dorothy stared at him.

  He looked around, startled by where he was.

  “Oh, why am I ... what did I come... huh...” Oscar said, as he patted his leather jacket and looked around. He noticed the keys in his hand. “Ah, there they are.”

  Dorothy watched as he fumbled with the key in the lock as the porch light was rather dim.

  He turned back towards her.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Were we talking about something? I’m suddenly very tired and I’m... not myself.”

  Dorothy shook her head.

  “No. I was just leaving, I was visiting a friend who’s staying here. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Hermana. I watch your show now and again.”

  “Oh, you do? How nice. We’re leaving in a few hours to the next location. I tell you, the film life is often like a travelling circus. Just picking up our stakes and moving from town to town.”

  “Sounds like quite an adventure,” Dorothy said as she walked down the stairs. “Have a good night, Mr. Dominion.”

  “You too... Miss... ?”

  * * *

  Dorothy walked down to the end of the road. Her eyes were filled with tears. She thought her heart would break into a million pieces. But she’d done what was best. It had been a fun fling and really, it could never have been anything more. She sighed, staring up at the stars with tears in her eyes.

  Thank you, Universe for sending me time with Oscar Dominion. I am grateful and appreciate it.

  She whispered her gratitude three times then continued her walk down the streets of Hermana. The town was far from empty despite the late hour: some of the bars were still open, although most were closing up, releasing a flood of patrons into the night. People were making their way home or perhaps wandering on to more parties. As a tourist town, once spring hit, there were almost always people around on the streets.

  Dorothy carried her broom and pondered whether she should go have a beer somewhere. As she passed by A Hearse of a Different Color, a voice called out to her from the fog.

  “Hello, Dorothy,” he said.

  The voice momentarily startled her, and she stopped. She’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts that for a moment she thought maybe the sound was Oscar... or a ghost. But it wasn’t. It was Aloysius.

  “Oh, hi,” Dorothy said, quickly wiping away her tears.

  “Heading home?” Aloysius asked. Dorothy could tell that he’d been imbibing or perhaps still was. He held a wine glass and a vaporizer. Yet, even though it was late, he was as well put together as always. His fresh scent wafted towards her. What was it today? Old Spice? Musk? Something else?

  “Would you like a glass of wine? Perhaps a hit of Lemon Haze?”

  Dorothy was about to decline. Her heart ached over the loss of Oscar.

  “Why not?” She faked a smile and hoped her voice wasn’t cracking.

  She climbed the stairs and went over to the little table and chairs. She sat down in one of the antique wrought iron bistro chairs. She carefully set her broom down. She took the vaporizer from Aloysius’ hand and had a puff. As she exhaled, she watched the vape smoke merge with the fog.

  Aloysius went into the building through a little side door that led out to the side porch and quickly returned with another large wine glass. He half filled the glass with red wine from a bottle he had on a little table.

  “Coming home from a party?” he asked as he handed her the glass.

  “You could say that. Just dinner with a friend. It went late,” she said.

  His eyes were dark and large in the streetlights. His skin so pale he could be a ghost. His musky aftershave made her smile. What was it today? A type of clove?

  She took another hit of the vaporizer.

  “And you, why are you out here, drinking alone?”

  “Better than drinking alone in there!” he said. They both chuckled. “Really, I love patio life. In New York, I sat on the patios day and night when I wasn’t working, just watching the people go by. Sometimes one or two will stop and share a drink with me, as you’re doing now, sometimes, I remain alone.”

  “Are you going to make this a café, maybe for the bereaved, there’s room...” Dorothy said as she looked around the patio. There were a couple of bistro chairs and tables set up, several planters with very young flowers, and even more flowerpots hanging overhead.

  “Oh, no. No, not at all. Anyone is welcome to come out here and sit in the chairs, look at the gardens, the street, the cars, the people... but I wouldn’t dream of charging to sit here and watch the world go by. Besides, my hands are rather full just dealing with clients and the... you know.”

  “Are they back?” Dorothy asked. She watched a drunk couple emerge from the swirling fog, then walk by, arm in arm, stopping to kiss every few feet. She sighed jealously and sipped her wine again.

  “Things seem calm still... for now,” Aloysius said.

  “For now...” Dorothy nodded.

  In the distance, there was a foghorn. The waves crashed, rolling in and out with thundering force. A bird screamed. Another foghorn. Cars honking, people chattering... so much noise. Dorothy put her hands up to her head. A wave of sadness hurtled through her, as forceful as the saltwater ones on the beach. She struggled to hold back her tears.

  “Are you okay?” Aloysius asked.

  “Yes, yes... I’m fine...”

  He looked at her closely, taking her face into his hands.

  “You look sad. You are sad. I’m sorry... here I am going on and on...” Aloysius said.

  “No... it’s...” she looked at Aloysius again. His face was so earnest, his emotion sincere. His hand reached for hers and his chilly fingers curled around her hand. The spark was there once more, the brilliant blue light leaping from their fingers. She watched it pop and then the trails left in the night sky glowed for a few seconds before winking out.

  “Again!” Aloysius said with wonderment. He held her hand tightly. They sat, holding hands, drinking their wine. People continued to walk by, late night chatter echoing through the alleys. The noises continued to grow in her head. The talking, the cars, the waves, the foghorns, the birds, the distant siren songs of the mermaids... and Oscar’s last words. Oscar’s last touch... their last moments of lovemaking.

  Dorothy stood up, pulling her hand back.

  “I’m sorry, Aloysius,” she said. “I have to go... I can’t right now... I need to think...”

  “No pressure, Dorothy,” Aloysius said. “I have all the time in the world. And I still owe you dinner.”

  Dorothy grabbed her broom and skipped down the stairs. She hurried around behind the building. With trembling hands, she straddled her broom.

  “Take me home,” she commanded.

  * * *

  Dorothy flew on her broom, a bag hanging from the handle, high over the ocean, cutting through the fog. Tears still streamed down her face as her heart and stomach ached with the idea of never seeing Oscar again. Not like what they had, at any
rate.

  When she was far out to sea, she pulled the Oscar’s gym towel and comb from the bag. The mermaids had even taken the plants that the towel had been wrapped in. She held it gently to her cheek in the moonlight. The wind whipped wildly around her. Below her, waves folded in on each other noisily even though there was no land for them to crash against. Shrieks and wails echoed through the night sky; the mermaids and other creatures sang their songs.

  First, she dropped the comb into the sea.

  “Hey, mermaids, now you can comb your hair.” She tried to chuckle but her grief was too intense.

  Dorothy held the towel out, letting it ripple in her hand as she sped through the night.

  She let go of it.

  “Goodbye, darling Oscar. Thank you for our time together.”

  She circled the towel as it danced in the wind, caught from one current to the next as it tumbled through the air. At last, it landed on the water, where it pulsed in the waves. Finally, it sank.

  She turned the broom back towards Hermana and her home.

  No use being sad about Oscar. I had a great time with him. But it’s over. It could never work in this timeline. I’ll get over it, I always do. And now...

  maybe I should go to dinner with Aloysius...

  Her tears turned to laughter as she flew through the night sky with a new dream to realize.

  Read an Excerpt from

  Gemini: Starseed

  Book Six in the

  Witch Upon a Star Series

  Chapter One

  “More... more!” Gwen moaned to the muscular man who lay on top of her, fucking her fast and deep. She pushed her pelvis up to meet his while she gnawed on his shoulder. “More!”

  It was a late Wednesday afternoon at one of Toronto’s more popular sex clubs, Paradise Lagoon. The club was located east of the downtown core in a renovated Century building. The outside was unassuming red brick and dark wood. It looked pretty much like the rest of the old renovated Heritage homes that lined the busy street right down to wrought iron fencing and security cameras in prominent display on the porch.