He chuckled. “You sound just like my friends. Do you know any special girls to introduce me to?”
“I don’t know anybody here. I think you might have liked Jennifer, but she is in England. She’s really pretty.”
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“As pretty as you?”
“Oh no, she’s blonde and has blue eyes and big breasts; she’s really pretty.”
“Hmm, I prefer girls with dark hair, brown eyes and smallish boobs. We’ll have to find someone else.”
She loved the way he talked with her as if she were a grownup and nervously asked him, “Freddie, if I ask my Mum and she says I can visit you, can we be friends?”
He pretended dismay. “Oh dear, I thought we were already friends? You mean we aren’t? How do we go about it?” She giggled at his teasing and he looked at the buildings on the other side of the square, lost in his thoughts. “Cherine, what do we do about you feeling me? I don’t like you having to feel sad because of me and I’m afraid I’m going to be feeling sad for a long time.”
As we sat at the taverna enjoying our meal, Meli did something she rarely does. She explained how and why she had installed different memories and ways of thinking for this Cherine and Robert. “I felt she should like her mother, as boxee Cherine does, and Marian should be nicer. Since Cherine’s Dad is alive and married, it seemed a good idea to avoid her feeling the guilt our Cherine went through. What worries me is that Freddie is too gentle, as in real life, and she might not fall in love with him.”
Dommi grinned. “It will be quite a shock for him when he realises I’m married to Roberto.”
Meli waited for us to finish teasing Dommi. “There is too much different about both of them and the people around them, I’m worried it might prevent them from falling in love. It will be a catastrophe if they end up only being friends.”
Haven said, “I could and do love Freddie, but I could not fall in love with him, he is too gentle and tender and has no oomph to him.”
Jade countered with, “Cherine is not much better?”
Robbie nodded. “She doesn’t feel the need for a father since she knows her father is alive and loves her. She’s not hungry for love.”
Meli seemed to lose herself in her thoughts. “Perhaps we’ll have to bring some drama into their lives to shake them out of the friendship they are settling into. Have you noticed that Cherine is not really cheeky? He teases her, but she doesn’t seem to feel the need to tease back.”
“Sol,” Robbie asked, “How would the Sparklers feel about some pain and anger in their World?”
“They see the need Robert. The Sparklers are not the innocents they were, it will not harm them.”
I felt alarm flood me. “No, the less we change them the better! We must find a different solution Dad.”
I felt even Meli concentrate on me as Robbie asked, “What do you suggest then?”
I don’t know why, but my eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know, I don’t have the answer to everything.”
Before Dad could react Dommi changed to an adult and pulled me onto her lap. “Shh love, we’ll all work together on this.” I liked the feeling of my face pressed into her soft breasts and wondered why Dad doesn’t like breasts. As I felt everyone, I looked up at Dommi and found her face was just as red as mine was as everyone else giggled. Dommi kept her eyes fixed on Robbie and his chuckles quickly died. Cherine came to my rescue. She sent to all of us scenes from the first time Dommi joined Robbie and her in their loving and the way she’d adored the breasts of Dommi. I felt everyone react to Cherine and looking up at Dommi I got the giggles, for I knew she would have to come to bed that night as an adult with breasts for her wives to love.
Bravely Robbie tried to change the subject. “Anybody got any ideas how we put some fire in the two of them without harming the Sparklers?” Of course we just had to take what he said the wrong way and us girls fell about screaming with laughter. It was not necessary for the imps to think up the craziest suggestions, everyone seemed to have something to suggest, only Dommi holding back. Then she burst out laughing and I pressed myself into her, my heart filled with love for her.
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That night of loving worked out exactly as I’d foreseen and even Dommi loved being loved as an adult. We all fell asleep emoting a peaceful tender happiness, so I don’t understand why my mind returned to the past to bring me a nightmare that had me screaming with fear and anger. As happens with dreams, the rape attempt by those who’d set the lioness on me got jumbled up with Campbell seeming to be the protagonist. With a scream of rage I reached out and grabbing at him I forced him to smash the platform into the ground as hard as I could. Even as it happened, I realised how wrong it was and woke up screaming. I was held and soothed as I wept, but they could not rid me of the overwhelming sense of shame and guilt that filled me. Robbie got out of bed and as he dressed he spoke to Dommi. “Get everyone dressed and into the sitting room, I’m bringing Campbell.”
“Give her some time to recover first, Robert.” Cherine pleaded.
I felt all the blood had drained from my face, but I stared at Robbie as I answered, “No, bring him.”
When they arrived it was obvious from the emoting of Campbell that Dad had not explained. I went to stand before him, my face burning with my shame. “Arthur, it was I who smashed the platform to kill you.”
“What!”
Before his shock could turn into rage, Cherine called out to him, “Listen to the full story first Arthur.”
He looked back at me and I said and asked, “I had a nightmare. Please share and then decide. Arthur, I’ll keep my promise and ask David for the two of us to appear on his show.”
I felt him as he shared and I just wished I could disappear. He opened his eyes and they seemed to bore into mine. “I don’t understand how you could reach across realities in a dream!” He grabbed the whiskey Goldi had brought him and gulped it down. “How could you mix me up with those monsters, is that how you think of me?” I did not answer, for I was certain he knew I did not.
Haven pushed forward to stand next to me and I felt I would never need a Gnolat to fight for me as long as I have Haven. She stood with chin jutting forward. “You can sense her, you know she does not! How can you ask such a question when she has opened herself completely for you to sense? She’s never done that for anyone outside the family and you should damn well feel honoured!”
For a moment he looked outraged and then he burst out laughing, not from amusement, and looking at Robbie he said, “Your entire family is just as crazy as you are!” Proudly Robbie nodded his agreement. Campbell leant forward. “Samantha, I can’t claim to understand and the truth is I do feel hurt. I also, as Haven demanded, feel honoured by the trust you have shown me. I think there is not one of us who has not had some crazy mixed up dream we have not felt ashamed of, so I’ll have to accept what I feel from you as reflecting the truth. There are two points I must make before we consider the subject closed. You do appreciate I intend getting full political leverage out of your confession?” I nodded. “Good. It probably means that for the first time ever I’ll be more popular and powerful than Michael - wouldn’t you say so?” He grinned as he felt me struggle, but then I nodded my agreement. He grinned again. “Then it may be the right time for me to accept his offer.” For a moment I stared at him blankly and then felt joy surge through me. “Samantha, the second point which is more of a request, may I make it now?” His grin widened, knowing he’d score with everyone for showing a sense of humour at this time. “Please do not dream of me again.”
Very early this morning, they all quickly left to watch in the Sparkler World, but I needed to be alone. I’ve been wondering about the reason so many things have gone wrong for me in the last few years and I realised a lot of it is due to unresolved conflicts within me that have built up since I stopped meditating. I spent hours behind my waterfall and then shared from the girls when they returned so that I can write for you.
Cherine overslept. She had been worn down by Freddie’s misery spoiling her sleep and she was asleep before his pleasure at meeting a real psychic was replaced by his gloomy thoughts. Aware that she could sense him, Freddie tried hard not to wallow in his misery so he also slept longer than he usually does. Cherine knocked at his door at about eleven. As she entered she openly looked around, not shy to show her curiosity. She walked to the side table and stared from close at the sketch. “Can you draw me like this?”
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“That must be the best idea you’ve given me since we met! A series of portraits of Cherine the magical girl growing up. I’ll mostly do sketches but you have to promise to sit for at least one oil painting per year. Do you like Milo?”
“Mum usually makes cocoa.”
“I prefer Milo and since today is a freezing day, a hot Milo will warm us up. Would you like a slice of toast with honey?”
“Honey? Yuck, it’s too sweet. Have you got cheese?”
Bobby had only remained fascinated because of the novelty of seeing Cherine as a child. He found the idea of her splitting confusing and sometimes thought of her as being his Cherine. Freddie he already liked, but did not find him interesting enough to justify spending all day watching them. He pulled out of the sharing and went wandering around, Sparklers discretely floating over him as they watched to see what would interest him.
When Freddie opened the door for Cherine to return to her apartment, her sketch in her hand, he felt the wind gusting and it seemed to cut through to the bone. “Hold on.” He got his overcoat and wrapping her in it he dashed around the building to the entrance. An hour later Marian phoned to invite him to join them for supper.
“Cher has shown me her sketch, you have the knack for portraying her with more depth than is usual in a sketch.” Freddie winced internally at her using ‘knack’ instead of ‘talent’ because of his dislike of people using wrong words. Cherine felt him and wondered. “Are you a professional artist?”
“I do most of my work for the internet, I work for a Greek company designing web sites.”
“At Cherine’s school the head master commented on the fact that a large number of children are planning to enter the computer business as programmers. I suppose you will soon have a lot of competition - it is just as well you got in early.” Freddie realised that Cherine was sensing how he was reacting to her mother’s poor English and ignorance of the web so he consciously made an effort to control himself.
By the end of the evening Marian relaxed and she decided Freddie is harmless, deciding he is gay and therefore of no interest to her and not a threat to Cherine. When he suggested that Cherine visit him when she is bored of sitting alone in the apartment she agreed, without feeling the need to warn Cherine to be careful.
As Freddie opened his door, Cherine walked in, speaking. “I’ve decided we have to look for a girl for you. You made me have bad dreams last night. Do you like Greek girls? I’ve noticed most of them have big boobs.”
Freddie didn’t know how to react since she was provoking opposite emotions within one breath. He tried to use humour. “Perhaps I should wait for you to grow up?”
She looked at him as if trying to decide. “Mmm, I don’t think so. I prefer blondes with blue eyes. You also don’t have muscles.”
He smiled. “There you are, you’ve summarised my problem, most girls want tall, blonde and handsome guys, so I’d be wasting my time trying to find one. Anyway, I’m too much of a loner to want a woman in my life.”
“Why? Don’t you like sex?”
“I think I need a coffee, would you like something to drink?”
“Tea?”
“I don’t have any, remind me to buy some when we go out. How about a very weak coffee or Milo?” He moved to the kitchen as he continued with their discussion. “I like sex, but I don’t think the subject is appropriate for a girl of your age.”
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Cherine was silent for a while so he stuck his head back into the living room to check on her and she asked, “How many times have you had sex Freddie?”
“None of your business.”
“A hundred times?”
“I’m not answering.”
“I can sometimes feel ten people having sex each night; sometimes more and sometimes less. Much more if I try to feel them.”
He brought their coffees. “You’ve made your point Cherine, but I still feel uncomfortable talking about sex with you. If your mother hears that we do, she’ll stop you from visiting. Talking of that, we must set up a few rules or else I’ll lose my job. I’m not like other people, I don’t work from this time to that. If I’m sitting and talking to you and an idea comes to me I’ll have to cut short our conversation to capture the image I have in my mind. Until I’ve done so, you must not talk to me or else I might lose my idea. Agreed?”
She looked at Dommi’s sketch and giggled. “Do you get your ideas when you are having sex and stop to draw them?”
He laughed. “You’ve got sex on the brain!” He smacked his forehead. “Do you mean she stopped loving me because of that!?”
Freddie was careful after that to lead their conversation in other directions.
The Sparklers warned us that Bobby is walking within Athens. Robbie grinned and told us to let him be and asked why shouldn’t he have his own adventure. My problem now is that I have two stories running simultaneously (if Bobby does have an adventure).
Because this Marian receives a monthly amount from Cherine’s father, she is not as hard pressed for cash so she invites Freddie over for a meal more often. He, in turn, invites them out for meals at the closest tavernas or restaurants. The weather changed suddenly and now it was warm enough to walk in the evening or sit in the square to watch the crowds. Freddie likes to sit at the top corner because that patisserie sells the best pastries. Cherine tasted one of his favourites, the mini chocolate eclairs and she was hooked.
Marian leant over to whisper to Freddie, “The man facing us at the table to my left has been staring at you, do you know him?” Freddie looked and with an apology for leaving them, went over to greet him. A few minutes later he returned with the man.
“Allow me to introduce you, this is Mr Georgiades, the owner of the company I work for. Kyrie Alki, this is Marian Blake and her daughter Cherine, neighbours and friends of mine.”
Alki greeted them and then said, “Freddie, you must bring your friends over to my house this Friday evening, I’m having a small party and at least half of my guests are from England. It would be a good opportunity for all of you to make friends. I’ll send my car for you at nine.”
Freddie hesitated, “I doubt it would be suitable for Cherine…”
“No, no, bring her, there are a couple of other families with children.”
Once Alki had returned to his table Freddie spoke softly to Marian. “I’m not certain it would be a good idea to go, his friends are all extremely wealthy and their kids are bound to be little snobs.”
Marian put her arm around Cherine, “She’s fully capable of giving as good as she gets. I haven’t been to a party for ages, you’re not talking me out of going.” She frowned, “My only problem is, what do I wear.”
Cherine had been sensing Freddie all morning so she entered with a smile. “What’s wrong?”
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“I don’t own a suit. If I buy a suit then I have to buy shoes, socks, a shirt and tie. It’ll cost a fortune just to go to the party.”
She giggled. “Mum is moaning about the same thing.”
“It must be worse for her, clothing for women is more expensive and she also has to buy something for you. Would you like to come with and help me choose what to wear?”
He soon regretted inviting her. Cherine has good taste and she insisted on the best, plus her choices were too modern for Freddie. As they walked back with his clothes, Cherine walked with her arms swinging deliberately to accentuate that she is not carrying anything - making fun of Freddie. Suddenly she stopped to stare at a shop window. Freddie stopped to wait for her and he soon realised she is in love with a party dress.
“Would you like it?”
She could not find it in her to say she does not. “Mum will buy me something.”
He nodded with a grin, “That’s it exactly, she’ll buy you ‘something’ but this dress is not ‘something’, it is special, it suits you. Come on, it’s my birthday gift for you.” One of my asides: The dress was designed and made by Jade for her.<.i>
“I’ve had my birthday.”
He placed his packets on the pavement and knelt before her, placing his hands on her shoulders as he sorrowfully said, “Oh Cherine, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you only have one birthday.” Just like our Robbie he laughs at his own joke, spoiling it. “I insist, I want you to be the prettiest girl at that damn party.”
He nearly had a heart attack when he found out that her tiny dress cost as much as all he’d bought for himself. He realised Marian would be upset if she learnt how much it cost, so he made certain that Cherine did not find out. Then he realised she needs shoes and she wanted tights that had tiny silvery stars, so he tried to pretend he was happy as his money evaporated.
As soon as they arrived at his flat, she ran with her clothes into his bedroom and closed the door. She took a long time to come out, but when she did his eyes widened. “God! You look beautiful!” she preened and showed off, enjoying sensing him and then she hugged him. The phone rang.
“Freddie, Alki. Could you handle an extra web site this month? The customers are demanding that you design it.”
“As long as you don’t invite me to any more parties this month.”
For those not directly involved or part of either family, this must be turning into a boring event. Not many people enjoy watching an adult man and a little girl becoming friends. For the rest of us, I’d say we were fascinated for exactly those reasons. Neither of them was showing even a hint of sexual interest in the other and even when Cherine had tried to discuss the possibility of her having sex she had not imagined Freddie as being her partner. She had vaguely visualised a boy a little bit older than her. None of us knew what history or background Meli had given Freddie. For instance, had he gone to Amsterdam; had he visited a porn shop and seen child porn? From the way he was behaving, it seems not - and of course Meli refuses to say. The night before the party, Robbie talked in privacy with Meli and she seemed amused.
This was the first grown up party Cherine had ever been to and she was excited and nervous. Freddie had gone to their apartment so that he could escort them to the car when it arrives, so he enjoyed watching both females showing their excitement. The buzzer rang and Marian told the driver they were coming. The moment they walked out of the entrance, the driver gave a small see-through box to Marian and Cherine. Inside was a beautiful corsage, an orchid imported from South America for Marian and for Cherine a specially designed corsage made out of delicate pink flowers. Once they were in the car, Marian slipped on the corsage for Cherine and then concentrated on fixing her own.
7736
All three of them were awed when they arrived at the house. There were lights everywhere and men in uniforms helping the guests out of their cars and music could be heard from inside. Marian cringed when she saw some of the women wearing clothes that must have cost more than she earns in a year and she had a warm smile for Freddie when he gallantly told her that she is the best dressed woman from what he can see.
Alki was waiting inside the entrance to welcome his guests and both Marian and Cherine blushed with pleasure when he greeted them by name. He promised to join them later and they walked into the main room. Freddie forgot everything when he saw the paintings and he walked around the room identifying the artists. They were all by famous Greek masters and he did not even want to try and imagine what they are worth. He stopped in front of a painting depicting an elderly woman washing a small child in a basin.
“You recognise the painting? It is one of the best the artist painted and art museums in Athens are dying to get their hands on it. I’m sorry, may I introduce myself and my son? I am Robert Brown and this is my son Bobby.”
“Frederick Teller, call me Freddie.” He looked around and saw Marian and Cherine close by. “Bobby, would you like to keep a girl of your age company?”
Bobby slipped up. “Cherine?”
Robbie quickly said, “Alki told us about her and asked Bobby to keep her company.”
Freddie drew Robbie aside. “Are you certain your son wants to? He looks sort of sullen, I think he hates the idea - not that I blame him, boys of that age are not keen to be seen playing with girls.” Robbie explained that Bobby has a problem, pretending it is a rare kind of genetic disorder and Freddie quickly went to explain to Cherine and Marian.
Cherine did not enjoy being with Bobby. She could not sense him, he looked as if he hated her, but acted as if he loved her and in some ways he was too familiar, confusing her. Luckily for her, Freddie is a loner. After politely greeting people he tends to move on once he finds the conversations he is listening to mundane, drab or boring. The evening was pleasant and he could smell the resin and thyme scents despite the pollution from the city reaching out to mask them, so he sat outside. A waiter brought him a plate of mezedakia with his drink and the dance music played by the orchestra inside was at just the right volume to accompany his thoughts. He wished the garden lights were off so that he could see some stars, since he does not leave the inner city often and has not seen any for a long time. The moon glinted from between the boughs of a fir tree as he saw Cherine with the boy threading their way towards him. They were still with Freddie when Marian came to gather them for leaving.
Note: Marian had to be blocked from her real life, as Cherine would sense anything false. Alki had to have enough blocked or controlled by him that he is not sensed by Cherine. However he has to recall enough to ensure he says and takes the right action when necessary. He did keep a hint for himself that he should pay special attention to Marian - and Alki is one of the few Normals who has always trusted his intuition. They began to go out for drinks or a meal and sometimes Cherine went with them and sometimes she stayed with Freddie. Our Robbie had fun putting on a show of being exasperated by Freddie’s obtuseness - as he called it.
“I hardly dared dream of the time when my Cherine could sleep in my arms and without him trying it’s offered and he does nothing!” Just so as to get our Cherine in the mood for revenge, he pretended to offer, “What if I help him out by taking his place for a few weeks, at least his Cherine will soon be in love with Freddie.”
Freddie opened the door for Cherine, switched on the telly for her to find a children’s program and went for a shower. When he finished and stopped in the kitchen to boil water he stuck his head around the door to ask what Cherine would like and heard the discussion being broadcast. It was in Greek so he was not alarmed and only prudently went to change the stations. Cherine objected. “I can’t understand everything, but it is interesting. Did you know that some grownups only have sex with children? They talked about a six year old girl that was raped and she had to go for a big operation.”
“Let me get my coffee and I’ll discuss it with you.” Relieved that the station presenters had done half the job of warning her of the dangers, he allowed her to listen to the rest of the talk. He sat close to her. “Your Greek must have improved a lot. So, what did you learn from the show?”
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“They lied. They said it always hurts the children and they said afterwards children feel used and ashamed and miserable. That is not how I have felt it.”
“What have you felt?”
“The same as with grownups Freddie. Some are afraid, some want it and some it hurts.”
“You mean some children have sex without it hurting them?”
She nodded. “I like feeling those, because it feels like the adult is trying to be like me; they try very hard to guess how the girl feels so that they only do what she wants. Some people are not like that Freddie, they only care about what they want.” She leant over and kissed his cheek. “You would be one of the nice people.” He put his arms around her and held her tightly, touched by her. She felt not only the need for love in him, but also the physical need to hold and be held by someone. She rested her head against his chest to listen to his hearts beating, enjoying both her own pleasure at being held and his. (Note: In case it is not obvious, certain changes had to be made for the two of them. As far as they are concerned, all Terrans have two hearts - it has always been so for them.)
The days passed slowly, but there was a sweetness in them for all of us to share in. The love between girl and man was growing deeper so that the roots of all they mean to each other spread throughout their hearts and as gently as the lightest drizzle on an upturned face, their minds began to meet and share the gifts of Cherine. There has never been a Cherine such as this one and there never will be again, for she too shall change and grow. For this time though, Freddie is blessed with all that is finest in any Cherine and his heart responded so that they both grew in tenderness and love only. Almost unnoticed by us, they discovered the loving of their bodies and the loving was only another aspect of their hearts merging.
Eight months have passed and it is time for the two of them to return to us. This time we cannot use one of Meli’s pre-set appearances or phrases to release memories, for Cherine has none, but those Meli and her Cherine gave-shared with her. She will have to learn that their present life was a lie, a fantasy, without their love being a lie. We had to be careful who we sent as it would not be good to have Freddie fall in love with even one other girl. That which he shares with his Cherine is still too new, innocent and fragile to be risked by any but the coldest and unfeeling heart.
A new game was begun and only Cherine was allowed to play. She was taken in her dreams to mind worlds to play and laugh and through small slips of the tongue she came to realise that another world exists and slowly some of the memories that had lain formless in the dark of her past came to tease her with sights and sounds she knew she had never experienced. She spoke of her dreams to Freddie, but there was nothing in them to jolt him back to our reality and he wondered at the beauty her mind is capable of conjuring.
Once Meli decided Cherine is ready she contacted Alki and Marian, releasing their memories. The two of them went to talk to Freddie and Cherine. A key phrase released Freddie’s memories and since Cherine was already eager to believe and with the memories of boxee-Cherine released to her now, she was excited about meeting all of us and yet also terrified of the changes waiting for her.
We are taking it very easy to give little Cherine the time she needs to grow into her new life. We are not allowing Freddie to run FTS as it is important he is by the side of his love at this time. The first time Cherine was told that it is her Freddie who runs the spaceship we could have died from laughing at her disbelief and then the look on her face as she came to believe. Our Cherine has decided it is time she shares her memories with her. Freddie pleaded for an extra week or two for loving his little girl as she is, so we waited.
We’ve all tried to put ourselves in the shoes of new Cherine (using our empathy), but the truth is that I doubt any of us can appreciate how weird everything must be for her. I think most children would have been terrified also. Our Cherine tells us that the strangest adjustment for her would be the discovery that her Freddie has so many powers that she still has to grow into.
“My love, it is time I return to my job. Today I only want you to share with me and try to sense how it is for me being the spaceship. Whenever you are ready, I’ll help you come with so that you know from direct experience. After that, you can join me whenever you want and I want you to know from now that I will not mind if you prefer not to become a part of me very often. I’ll be just as happy having you to watch over while I’m away.”
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That first day, Freddie only took over for a couple of hours. The next day he stayed longer and gradually returned to watching over us for half the day and night. The other fragments of Robbie’s soul have had over a century of doing their job so it is not really necessary anymore for anyone to be in control all the time.
Robbie warned us that we will be having a party after performing a small ceremony for Freddie and Cherine. We loved his idea and knew how happy it would make Cherine, so everyone came to the party expecting to feel happiness. Robbie has given to the new couple our ‘plantation’ house. Despite Cherine crying and crying, it was a very happy party.
I’ve asked that we find a new name for Freddie’s Cherine since she will be living here permanently. The two of them came to the taverna and after the meal we invited them to our home. Cherine was told about the problem of having so many Cherines and we asked her whether she has any idea what she would prefer to be called. She does not like the idea so we’ve shelved it for now.
Freddie informed us that Cherine has agreed to marry him. She likes the idea of marrying him at the party so we’re leaving. It feels so weird! We’re returning to Cherine’s birthday party where for everyone else only an hour or so has passed since we left. Of course someone had to ask whether Cherine considers all this time in FTS and the Sparkler World as having been her birthday, she answered that she does, so that led to many jokes. Robbie was the only one to answer in all earnestness that Cherine is right, her birthday had been suspended for the period we’ve been away from the party. Even Cherine laughed when we pulled faces at Robbie being so earnest about something we knew - our knowing has nothing to do with our right to turn it into a joke, or so we think.
Lucy told Cherine about Arthur going to a website for paedophiles as ‘Cherie’. She knows what the word means in French, so she volunteered to use that name - enjoying the idea of everyone having to call her Cherie. Once we’d cooled down we decided we did not like it and Goldi more or less made up a name for her - Cherise. It sounds like ‘cerise’ which is a cherry red colour, but Cherine likes the name and has agreed to be Cherise from now on.
A couple more things I should point out quickly before we arrive: Cherise recognised Bobby and sharing from boxee-Cherine she too loves him now - which makes him very happy. As seems to happen with most who split, boxee-Cherine and Cherise have grown very close and feel like mother and daughter.
Cherise is to be linked by our Cherine just before midnight. During her time in FTS she did have certain gifts opened within her by B-Cherine and she has shared her memories in full. Over the last weeks before returning to the party she could not hide a growing conviction that she has the best Robert of all of us. Since she is still only a nine year old child in almost all ways, none took exception and even love her more for loving her Robert so much. Freddie finds it awkward and touching that Cherise has the same needs to protect her Robert as B-Cherine has. Our Cherine senses them, including the need to protect, but she keeps her thoughts to herself, only giving Robbie secret little smiles that seem to tie them closer to each other, so that his love for us flares at the oddest moments.
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Our Cherine pulled a trick that has astounded everyone - probably her also. In private she made a request of Allan and he passed it on to the other Allans. When she was about to link Cherise, all the Allans formed a circle around them and we thought it was sweet of them to be forming a symbolic guard of honour. When Cherine linked Cherise we found out the truth, as did every Cherinian all around our planet. Cherine had asked that they concentrate on amplifying the moment of linking while also concentrating on directing it towards Arthur. His crass observations above prove that part of Cherine’s plans did not succeed, but it affected every Cherinian in our reality - of all species. Just for the briefest moment it was for each of us as if Cherise was in our minds fully sharing all she is - with hints of what she will grow to be. We did not try to keep it a secret from the Normals that we were affected, so Dommi explained as well as it is possible to explain something like that.
Claudia dashed home and on returning she secretly passed on something small to Freddie. His eyes filled with tears as he hugged her to him. She had given him her wedding ring so that he would have a ring to slip on Cherise’s tiny finger during the ceremony. Since all Allan’s are feeling extra close to Cherise, our Allan sensed what had affected Freddie and taking off his ring he passed it on for Cherise to have a ring. Robbie secretly told both of them to pass on the rings to Freddie’s best man. Freddie chose Dimi (Hettie’s son) as his best man, as Dimi is deeply loved by him and over the years they have often spent hours walking within FTS talking and sharing thoughts. Even when at our home reality, Dimi will at times jump to FTS and ask Freddie to join him at the taverna for a drink. It is a sort of funny relationship, mixed up as so many Cherinian relationships are - Freddie loves Dimi as a son and Dimi loves Freddie as a brother, unlike the way he loves our Robbie (like a father).
Robbie asked all the guests to move away from a part of the roof and a light shimmered there for a minute and then the ruined chapel of Politia took form. For a moment Freddie had a broody look to him as he stared at the chapel where ‘he’ married us and then he grabbed Robbie to him for a tight hug. Alki officiated at the wedding and we were touched when the local churches in Athens all rang their bells at the end of the wedding. Champagne was poured and everyone toasted the happy couple (I could not help wondering whether any paedophile will try to use in court the pictures of their leaders toasting a nine year old girl at her wedding…now that I think of it, I’m certain it could help ‘prove’ that the accused did not think it was illegal since it is unthinkable that the leader of his country would toast them if it was so anathema to their society. Robbie’s emoting turned inwards when he ‘read’ what I wrote. I also worry, but I accept that we cannot alter who we are and we have to spend more time watching that nobody uses us to hurt a child in any way.)
The prime minister of Portugal asked where the couple would be going on honeymoon and would they be taking FTS with them. Robbie and Cherine and most of us pestered Freddie for what he wishes, but he refused to speak, promising to visit us at our Athens home within a couple of days.
Since Cherine’s birthday party ended at midnight, people everywhere claimed that they had to start all over again for the wedding party and wanted more drinks and food. Millions of food machines all over our planet worked very hard that night and the last parties to end only died down at ten o’clock in the morning.
Cherise, at that time still Cherine, was with her mother and Freddie was in his apartment reading and I was bored watching them. It crossed my mind that I could return to our home in Freddie and catch up on some things I’m busy trying to understand. The idea of going on my own did not feel right, even if there are always thousands of people there, I need to feel that either someone from my family is close or else someone who is almost family, because we love them so much. From there my thoughts went to those who are keeping Freddie going. Even the best ones can only do what we do - keep the shields going, see to it that the water circulates and avoid allowing any drift from bumping Freddie into a moon and so on. None can keep a watch on the land and all the plants and creatures. Those thoughts reminded me that Fisiti has been left on her own. I decided to visit her and if she did not want my company I’d go home.
I think I’d expected to find her miserable and bored. What I discovered was a Fisiti full of life and emoting glee. When I felt her I decided to keep my arrival a secret and watched her. I soon learnt that she’d realised that with Freddie gone she can indulge her need to kill as long as she gets rid of the evidence before we return. She had captured a squirrel and was trying to force the splintered end of a dried twig into the skin. I made a noise to distract her and while she was not looking, I sent the squirrel for healing to the Elipians and projecting myself as the squirrel I took its place. I warned my healer of what is about to happen and why I need its help.
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Fisiti turned her attention back on me and pressing the jagged end into me she pierced my skin. She then turned the twig and pushed for it to enter my body at an angle so that it travels under my skin without piercing any organs. She intended causing as much pain as she could for as long as she could and I allowed the pain for seconds only before having to order my healer to desensitise me. She must have found it disconcerting when the squirrel stopped struggling and making noises of anguish, only staring at her.
When I thought it would make sense I ordered my healer to make me seem dead. After prodding and digging the twig viciously into the body she dug a hole and buried me. I projected my body as being about one third larger and with sharper claws and teeth and burst out of the earth, facing her and in an obvious rage. I attacked her and before she could kill me, I got in a few bites and painful scratches. This time she took a rock and smashed the body to a pulp before burying it.
I grew by ten percent each time I returned to life and my bites and scratches were also incrementally deeper and larger. By my second return to life Fisiti felt as if she were caught up in a nightmare and tried everything she could think of to destroy my body beyond repair. By the fourth return she tore my body apart and ate part of it before burying what remained in five holes tens of metres apart. When a larger and even more vicious squirrel returned to life with a red rage of hate in its eyes as it advanced on her, Fisiti panicked and ran. Within seconds I caught up with her and jumping I attached myself to the back of her thigh and bit and tore into her with my claws. As she fell she managed to grab at me and in desperation she smashed my body until it was pulverised.
She tried everything she could think of to prevent my returning to life, the one time keeping my heart in her fist, convinced that if I returned she only had to squeeze the heart and I’d die. I refused to play along and she nearly lost the fight and for the first time she bore an ugly tear from jawbone to the side of her mouth to her ear. She was in such terror by now that she hardly felt the pain.
The Elipians had sensed my mind when I sent the squirrel to them for healing. Once it was healed they tried to query how it could have been injured. They lasted one cycle in my mind, sharing my vicious attack and death and they fled. I had just returned, bigger (about one third the size or mass of Fisiti) with claws about an inch in length and curved and I intended this time tearing into her with wounds that would leave her incapable of fighting back, when a group of Akiard kids appeared. They used their powers to immobilise me and turned their attention on Fisiti. Urgently I ordered them to not heal her and demanded they let me go.
Fisiti was sitting on the ground, dazed by her pain and loss of blood. I straightened as far as I could on my rear legs so that my face was within inches of hers. My teeth touched and tore through the skin before I pulled back. I gave one last swipe, tearing across her chest with my claws, and then I turned away. A few metres from her I turned to look at her and she cowered. I disappeared into the foliage and called the Akiard kids to meet me by the taverna, reminding them they must not heal her. They insisted one of them must stay with her, so I agreed, as I do not want to damage them.
I explained what she had been doing, let them share my first death and then explained why I had turned myself into a nightmare. “From now onwards there will always be one of us watching her. Anything she kills will return to life bigger and more vicious. None of us will help her immediately, she must first suffer her pains for a few hours. It is the only way I can think of teaching her to control herself. You all know what has been tried to convince her she is not allowed to hurt or kill any lifeform, but I’m convinced only her fear can teach her.”
Our lovely Akiard kids spent hours debating the matter with me and in the end they understood the logic, but could not accept it as a solution. It was worth my softening my plans for Fisiti, just to feel how it removed the pain I was causing the kids. I let them feel that it was love that won the argument for them and they filled Freddie with their joy.
When my family returned I shared with them in ‘private’ - it is the only way I could prevent them from showing what I did in a telling. Robbie agreed with my plan and Haven volunteered to continue the lessons. The life Fisiti takes from now onwards will return, much larger and vicious enough to hurt her once before leaving. Since she admires Haven and the Akiards, they will do what they can to turn her thoughts towards empathy.
The result of my actions that day led to my being chosen by all my loves as the special for the night.
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
- posted: 22nd Jly, 2020
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