《HAVEN ✔ ( UPDATED )》Thirty-Seven
Advertisement
The sky is a mural of purple and gold when we step out onto the roof. The sun sits just below the horizon, wispy clouds suspended in the allure of twilight. It brings the gold in Luke's flaxen hair to life.
It is beautiful, and perfect. I feel a world away from the events of this morning.
But this is the same sky, the same trees and hills that we share with the rest of the world. We breathe the same air. Here on this rooftop in the expanse of space, I begin to see how we are all part of the same ecosystem, existing simultaneously.
I turn, wanting to share it with Luke only to find him fiddling with the latch to a small dome-like building projecting from the roof. When the door opens with a creak, he glances at me with that dimpled grin I can't seem to get enough of.
"Ladies first," he invites, and I practically skip over, curiosity taking the reins. I slip by him and enter the room. The ceiling above is vaulted, curving over our heads. Luke flips a switch and a bar of lights circle the room, casting us in a cool glow.
"What is this place?" I ask breathily, trailing my fingers over the rows of upholstered seats, most of which are moth-eaten. Out of all the strange places I've encountered in the Outlands, this is the most alien.
Luke motions for me to follow him up onto a dias where a long cylindrical instrument stands. When Luke pivots it carefully and reaches to adjust a knob, I finally recognize it.
"I've never seen a telescope so gigantic!" My smile is audible in the words.
"Want to try it out?" Luke asks, and I make no delay to move to his side. The instrument is cold to the touch, made of old, thick metal. I blow some dust off of the tube, the motes dancing through the air.
Advertisement
"One more thing," Luke says, striding over to a lever on the wall. He turns the handle over and over, cranking the gears. Before I know it, a panel of the roof opens up, sliding back to reveal the quickly-darkening sky.
"It's like we're in a spaceship," I giggle, recalling the settings from some of my favorite books. "You're not going to abduct me, are you? Steal me away like some space pirate?"
Luke winks. "Maybe I will. Pirates like to keep the valuables for themselves." A peculiar tingle climbs down my spine at his words.
Then, he walks over to me and places his arms on either side of me, leaning in. For a moment, I can't breathe, can't think about anything except that he's close enough to kiss. I can smell him, all pine and salt.
Then, as if remembering himself, he steps back, and something inside me shrinks. I attempt to shrug it off by focusing on the telescope. I pivot it as he did, making sure the angle is just right before leaning over to peer through the eyepiece.
There is nothing but a blur at first, but then my hands find the knobs, adjusting the lens until specs of light shine through.
"The stars," I murmur, panning, hoping, wishing. What else could there be out there? I imagine a shooting star. A falling comet. I step back, a stupid grin on my face. "Your turn."
Luke takes over, expertly panning and twisting until he lets out a satisfied hum. I watch him work, taking him in while he isn't looking.
Even bent over, he is taller than me. The muscles of his back are prominent under his dark shirt, sleeves hugging those arms I crave to be around me once again. He could overpower me if he wanted to, yet, no one has ever made me feel so safe.
Advertisement
"Take a look," he says, gently pulling me in front of him to view what he focused on. Busy trying to steady my breathing, I don't realize what I'm seeing at first. The swirling bands of red jolt me back to science and astronomy lessons. I remember sitting before the pictures of the planets in our textbooks, impossibly distant in our expanse of the universe.
But here it is, right before my eyes.
"Jupiter," I voice in quiet amazement, mesmerized by the rusty whorls.
I suddenly feel so small, a mere pinprick of life in all of the cosmos. At the feel of Luke's hand on my back, an unexplainable feeling swells within me. The two of us, we exist alongside these magnificent celestial bodies. There are infinite things larger than us, infinite possibilities, yet we are lucky enough to be a part of the same constellation.
"This is amazing, Luke," I whisper, straightening to meet his eyes in earnest. "Thank you. I've never seen anything more..." the words stick to my cheeks, unwilling to come out. Beautiful, I want to say. Fascinating. But I have seen something far better.
I've seen the journey of a weathered boy and a coward girl. I've witnessed two people come together despite perpetual obstacles. I've felt growth within me, and looked at how far we have come. I've witnessed the wonder of the stars with a man who, at one time, didn't exist in my life. That is the most extraordinary thing I have experienced in my few years on this blue-green planet.
I help luke close the dome and we exit the observatory. It's full dark, but my eyes have adjusted. We sit on the roof, under the jet black blanket of night, the moon and stars the only light as far as the eyes can see.
"If we can't find a cure, if it doesn't work," I quaver, "What will happen?" I avoid looking at anything but the sky. "What will your father do when his plan doesn't work?" For the first time, I allow myself to explore other outcomes. If I can't give Summus Aspen what he wants, will he release Markee? Will he be angry, and take it out on Luke?
Luke is still as the night beside me. Only our breaths are heard in the small space between us.
"I will find a way."
Advertisement
Limitless Adaptation
Jamie, 19, was walking into the kitchen for dinner when he suddenly found himself walking down a street in another world, a world with a game system. There, he meets a half-dragon, half-human named Adam, who faces adversity in most places, because of his parentage, and not long after they meet, the two of them are forced to leave town, due to Adam's beast nature. In the world of Tielmar, there are species of all varieties, a Class exists for nearly everything, and Skills come in quite a few forms. Jamie starts off with a Skill called "Limitless Adaptation", which supposedly allows him to adapt to any need, but is it really as powerful as it sounds? And more importantly - can it help him survive in a world where his first friend is a reject in all communities? Will Jamie, Adam, and the other friends and teammates they make in their journey find peace, allies, and love? Or will they fall to the powerful Adventurers that soon begin to hunt their team, to claim the bounties on several of its members, a bounty Jamie himself quickly finds on his own head? All of Book 1 is now posted, and Limitless Adaptation is officially done with the decision to rewrite. Credits for the cover go to me. That duck decided it wanted to nest in the flowerpot in front of my bank, so I took a picture of it.
8 213Menastel's Guide to World Travel
World travel is a tragic mess. It is outlined by misunderstanding and a blindness to risk. Few are aware of the danger and fewer are equipped to face it. House Caelum was unfortunately neither as they escaped their dying world, the once powerful clan scattered across the ethereal. Sidrick and his eldest sister Layla find themselves on Linea, a world ruled by monsters the size of small cities and the men that can match them. To rebuild their House and survive in their new home, they'll need to get much, much stronger.
8 195The Hand of Sigmar. A Warhammer Fiction.
Adebar von Bolstedt was a normal young Aristocrat once. Third son of the middling von Bolstedt line of Altdorf, capital of the prestigious Empire at the heart of the Old World, but when a quarrel with his brother escalates he decides to leave his pampered home, and soon finds himself stranded in the countryside. When confronted about his presence he claims to be led by the God-King Sigmar, but with the name of the Protector of Mankind come his responsiblities. Soon Adebar finds himself tasked with ridding a town of a mad killer, and settling some lethal family quarrels.Word from the AuthorGreetings! The Hand of Sigmar plays out in the much beloved Warhammer Fantasy setting (owned, of course, by Games Workshop). Do not fret, however, as I've made it a point to make the story digestible even to the uninitiated, and maybe even be a good introduction to the setting. This work will be shorter overall, partly because its born out of a sudden passion, partly because I thought I'd try my hand at a more comfortable story than the grim darkness of the 41st Millenium (psychotic murderer and fraudulent holyman included). Depending on how this does and my time allows more adventures may be coming.While I cannot claim the places, concepts and gods etc. mentioned within as my own, the story and all characters flowed from my own fingers.
8 101Dragonslayers reacts to ships!!!! :v
Everyone: We will we will React with you! React with you! Everyone: Hope you enjoy dragonslayers out!Mira: Im not a dragonslayer but whateverLucy: I wasn't either but now I am!
8 177Can A Random Dude From A Village Defeat An Overpowered Demon Lord
The lives of two best friends unfortunately ended one sudden day just because of a simple mistake of a certain someone but because of that they find themselves in a new world slowly regaining their memories of their past lives. Due to the cruel reality of the world an event reshapes their entire lives as we follow them through their adventures
8 134Hurt People Hurt People | {Sanders Sides Angst + Slight Prinxiety and Demus}
Remus and Roman are two brothers that constantly bicker and argue with each other. They both have bruised egos at the end of everyday. When will it stop?Patton and Logan love each other, but their differences make it hard to see that they both have feelings for the other. Will it stop?Janus and Virgil both have the tiring struggle, burden, and stress of keeping their boyfriends happy and alive. Not to mention that it gets pretty ugly when they try and point the blame on the other. When will it all stop?Written before SVS Redux Status: Incomplete/Discontinued
8 186