Of Another Dimension (5 page)

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 m
arveled at the crazy tone of its skin. It was a maroon color with speckles of purple and blue patches scattered everywhere.

It
s 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 sleep
ily 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 weird 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 uncomprehending
ly.

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?

I studied him and dismissed the latter.

If he was going do something to me, he would have done it while I was sleeping and most vulnerable.

Plus...

He
does
have food...

Hmmm... maybe I could hang around with him for a few days and figure out what's edible and what's not.

Who knows, maybe I'll even learn to catch my own meat and eat it.

Not really strong on options here, Lil.

I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet.

He looked surprised at my height and chuckled as he patted the top of my head.

I slapped his hands away and glared.

"I've seen two others like you
, mister, and I wouldn't be so quick to mock someone for being shorter than you. You're like a runt compared to them! I'll have you know that where I come from five seven is tall for a woman!" I huffed and gestured for him to lead the way.

He chuckled, amused at my outburst and took my hand again, leading me towards where I knew his little campsite was located.

I went along.

Not like a lamb to the slaughter, exactly, I’m completely on alert and wary, but I don’t think I’d match up against him if he
did
want to do some damage.

Well, Lil, he’l
l either kill you, maul you, or something equally as frightening if you’re wrong.

…
but… if you’re right…. We may have just found a good teacher on how to survive out here. A crash course on Hell’s survival 101...

Guess my dumb ass will just have to wait and see…

Oh, the joys of talking to yourself!

Yay me!

****

I gave the demon, who I'm guessing is named Kieve from the way he keeps pointing to himself and saying it, a thumbs up and licked my fingers happily.

He smiled and offered me more food, but I was too stuffed and declined.

The night was getting colder and I was contemplating going back to my tree to get my things when Kieve poked his head into his make shift tent and pulled out a blanket.

He held it out to me slowly, careful of my reaction as he cautiously approached me.

I reached over and took it from his outstretched hands, going back to my spot before I put it on and sighed from the warmth.

I don't know what this thing is made from, but man is it warm.

Kieve gestured for me to go inside the tent.

I shook my head 'no' and pointed to right where I am.

"Kieve," he said and pointed to the fire, "Lil," he said and pointed to the tent.

Oh, I don't trust you that much, buddy
, I thought a little caustically.

"Lil," I said adamantly and pointed to my spot.

He grumbled under his breath at me, but left it at that.

I smiled triumphantly and after a while Kieve started singing the same haunting melody from the other night.

I soon found myself falling asleep, getting groggy, lulled by his voice.

Wrapping my blanket around myself tighter, I hoped I hadn't just made a stupid mistake by trusting 'Kieve
, the camping demon' and restlessly fell asleep.

Chapter 4

I woke up nice and toasty, snuggled up in warmth. I jerked as I felt warm skin pressing against my back through my nightgown, my snuggler breathing deeply in sleep.

Wide awake now, I tried to scoot away, but an arm came out to block my progress.

The body behind me scooted closer and mumbled in his sleep.

It was Kieve. T
he sneak.

So much for him not having boundary issues.

It could have been worse, though, so quit bitching,
I told myself.

At least it
’s warm in here… and cozy.

How the heck did I get in here without waking up?