Dreams to Fire chapter 1

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Embers

“All the wisdom in the world is worth nothing if no attention is directed at it.”

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Chapter 1

Know Thyself.

161803.

Interesting license plate number with timeless advice above. I wonder who that belongs to?

Robert thinks as he walks by a green Volkswagen Beetle, sandwiched among rows of cars. His shoes scuffle over earth serving as an extended parking lot for the night, carrying him to a good time—finally. After years of sacrifice, he can enjoy the rest of his life however he’d like, and he’s only thirty-six. He lives with a financial freedom he feels everyone deserves.

Robert is tall, muscular but not bulky, and movie star handsome. He appears youthful in body, though aged in his dark brown and deep eyes. His hair is short and spiky brown, wild but not over the top. He’s wearing his favorite cologne, which is hard to place, but it’s natural and pleasant, like something from a forest filled by the smells of sap and rain. His skin is also green.

It’s a night people can wear whatever mask they’d like, and no one is allowed to tell them they can’t. It’s Halloween, and Robert, with his friend Tomas, are on their way to the “Halloween Erotic Ball.” Tomas is a party animal. Robert isn’t much more than an alien.

“I don’t know if I’m ready to do this. It’s been so long since I last danced,” Robert says.

“How long?” Tomas says.

“Since prom.”

“Than it’s time to catch up! You’ll do fine. You look hilarious when you’re wearing that big alien head, and with those six-pack abs, the women will be all over you.”

“I’m only looking for a dance or two. I don’t think I’ll find her here.”

“Really? Rob, come on man. You need to stop looking for the perfect woman. They don’t exist.”

“They have to.”

“Why’s that?”

“…We’re here.” They put on their masks.

The bouncer at the gate smiles at the goofy duo. Robert is a buff, silly looking green alien with a bare stomach and iconic big head, while Tomas is a big brown hairy Bigfoot. The bouncer laughs, and waves them in.

The club is named Max Irrational, and the place is on fire. Popular upbeat music bumps everyone into their grooves, and fitting costumes abound for the adults-only occasion. The lighting is perfect, and a full service bar offers whatever a restless soul may require.

After they enter and give the countless nice sights a good look up and down, Bigfoot playfully fist-checks his fellow wacky conspiracy theory in the stomach, and hits the dance floor. Bigfoot’s got the moves, and he’s not hiding them from anyone.

Robert goes to the bar, grabs a drink, and blooms to become a wallflower. He gazes out across the crazy scene. Every nightmare, dream, fantasy, delusion, demon, angel, ghoul, goblin, weird thing that go bump in the night, and anything else imaginations can create, are simply out enjoying a good time with each other. It’s entertaining, but Robert has always been the kind of guy more interested in education than entertainment.

The sight of a seriously beautiful woman captures all of his attention as she walks toward him—directly toward him. She’s dressed in a distinct costume, feathery and violet with black lining, revealing plenty of smooth white skin. A leg revealing skirt hangs down to her ankles. A feathery bra is not afraid to show off what she’s naturally got. Fingerless gloves run up to the middle of her toned biceps. Big enough to be noticeable, but not be in the way, folded up wings fluff off her backside in countless violet feathers. Her face awaits behind a black bird like mask, decorated with stylized and intricate violet engravings, like magical sigils. The natural way she moves reveals the eternal grace and wisdom of the sacred feminine incarnated into every voluptuous inch of her form. She’s the kind of woman a war could start over.

The smell of lavender fills his nose as she approaches—straight through his alien head mask—and when she gets close enough, her relaxing smell, her soothing presence, her comforting yet exciting energy dominates every element of what he is, despite how tall he is compared to her.

The music is far enough away they don’t have to raise their voices much. Even with her mask on this woman’s voice is angelic, yet with a piercing quality that goes right past the surface of things, making him remember the things he once had to forget, “I love the costume. It’s funny, and revealing. I’ve never seen such a buff alien.”

“Oh, um, thanks. Same to, you,” Robert manages to say from behind his alien mask.

“And thanks back to you. I was going for something unique, my own idea. A violent human-phoenix. What do you think?”

“It’s,” Did I just say her costume was funny? I’m dead already. What do I…

You’ve stared death in the face and come out alive. Your eyes have seen things few believe are real. You’ve held face after face no one could detect held a lie. And a woman has made you weak for words? Get a grip Rob.

He takes his alien head off, revealing his handsome face painted the same shade of green as the mask. His voice is strong, but it’s comforting and easy-going, “It’s beautiful beyond words. I sure hope the ‘costume’ doesn’t include an enchanting woman?”

“It certainly doesn’t. That’s very real.”

“Good to hear,” he extends a hand to shake, “Names Robert Jordan. Just call me Rob.”

She takes off the mask on her physical face, to reveal beautiful power with natural full red lips, and a pair of enchanting green eyes that must be cut from the gemstones of another world. Her face is the sight, and her voice is the sound, of benevolent seduction, “Erica. Erica Caroline.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Erica.”

“Likewise. Rob, might I be so bold to say, there’s something different about you. Something… authentic.”

“You can. And the feeling is mutual.”

Her sight seems to see every secret he holds. “Good to hear. So what do you do for a living?”

“I was involved with Military R and D, but I’m retired. Early. I put in my time and now I’m just looking to find my way in this crazy world.”

“Aren’t we all?” Erica says.

He glances out across the plethora of people still wearing masks. “I guess so. What do you do Erica?”

“I’m a model.”

“Oh? What kind?”

She moves closer to him, this irresistible expression of both pleasure and purpose. Next to his ear passion pulsates in her voice, “Erotic.”

“Oh, is… is that right?”

Her face is a smiling delight as she moves back in front of him. “Yup. I started out with fashion stuff, but then I wanted to display the beauty of the female form more. So I did some work in bikinis, but then I decided, why not? I love my body and have nothing to hide, so now I do nude modeling. I say there is nothing wrong with sex, in and of itself. The problems are found in people’s choices—not with the sex itself. The real shame, is that so many people are so quick to look down upon those that express the joys and beauty of the human body, and of sexuality.”

He slowly squats down, until he’s looking up at her. She looks down at him and laughs.

“You’re as funny as you look.”

His playful green face grows worried, and they laugh together.

Erica says, “You wanna dance?”

“I’d love to. But I must give you fair warning, it’s been a long time since I danced.”

“How long?”

“Uh,” he looks away. “Since prom.”

“And how long ago was that?”

He looks right at her and stands back up. “Too long.”

“Than let’s catch you up. Just follow my lead.” She grabs his right hand with her left, and leads him to the edge of the dance floor. He gazes into a gracious green that reminds him of life beyond work and survival. A green his eyes have craved for years. “I know what I am doing.”

They hit the busy dance floor and Erica gets the alien dancing, eventually. She knows how to spark the desire to just let loose. The rhythmic music pumps in invigorating beats as the center of the dance floor is apparently owned by Bigfoot with all of his crazy-good dance moves—but a secret government agent in his dark shades and black suit has something to say about that.

Imagination dances upon the strangest of floors created by the many hands of humanity, as it warms life anew, again and again.

Erica and Rob enjoy some time on the dance floor, before stepping away. “You can dance well enough for me Rob. But, we’ll still work on it later.”

“Sounds good, I needed that. You wanna get some fresh air?”

“I’d love to.”

A calm temperature fills the outside night. The breeze seems interwoven with a fateful feel, as if it were whispering words everyday minds can never hear. Trees sway in the darkness of caressing winds, beyond the unmoving field of cars. It’s a time people can go out and become whatever they’d like to, wearing whatever mask they want. Even none at all.

“I’m so happy I moved to Oregon. All the nature here is wonderful,” Rob says.

“It sure is. Wanna play a game?”

“Alright. I like games.”

Erica grins as she shifts some red hair behind an ear. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’m going to look at all these cars, and guess which one is yours. Then, you guess which one is mine. First one to guess right wins a prize,” she places a casual hand on her hip and does a sexy little pose. “And you can start looking early.”

He does. “Sounds like fun. What’s the prize?”

“I’ll let you know if you win.”

They both gaze out across the multicolored metal sea of cars.

Erica points and says, “There, the big purple truck, dually.”

“Nope.”

“Damn. Okay, your turn.”

“Do I have a time limit?”

Beyond the vixen before him, within her eyes, is a woman wise beyond her years. “No.”

“How long are you willing to wait?” Rob asks.

“As long as it takes,” Erica states.

A confident grin arises on his handsome alien face, like a colorful island of hope rising in an ocean of black and white bleakness. He walks over to a green Volkswagen Beetle, and she follows him. When they arrive, he turns around to face her.

And stands before the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, in both body and mind, in both flesh and psyche, in both vision and feeling. As their eyes sink into each other, they bare mutual witness to something they can’t understand, yet are infinitely thankful for.

“The Phi Ratio huh? And two words that some say are the most important words ever spoken or written in all of history? That’s an interesting license plate Erica.”

Her face lights up. She’s discovered a treasure she’ll value more than all the world’s gold. She says with a level of authenticity Rob hasn’t heard in years, “Thank you.”

“So what’s my prize?”

She moves to her car door, unlocks it, and reaches inside to grab a pen and paper. She writes her number down and hands it to him. “Another date. One where I’m not dating an alien version of yourself.”

“Would I still be dating a beautiful human phoenix come down to Earth from somewhere divine, to remind me how wonderful it is to be alive?”

“That depends. How long are you willing to wait?” Erica asks.

“As long as it takes,” Rob states.

Chapter 2