The Artist

[BadForm]

I draw.

I guess it's because I'm kind of shy that I put my energy into drawing instead of going out and doing things. I don't really have many friends - a few, such as Tommy who sometimes sells my work to galleries for me. I've certainly never had a girlfriend.

Never had one.
Always wanted one.
It wasn't that I was ugly - I was almost six foot tall and liked to keep myself fit and toned. My black hair was short and smooth, my skin lightly bronzed with the sun through the big window of my house.

I guess thats why what I mostly draw is fantasies. Women in sexually enticing poses. The buxom amazon with a giant sword held pointing down between her legs. The river maiden washing herself, the water cascading discretely over her breasts.

Last night I fell asleep working on a new piece. A beautiful maiden, slumped with her head on her knees. A torn shift covered her body but hung down off her shoulder. A manacle with a broken chain captured her ankle. She wept. Perhaps, on some level, she represented my feminine side. On the other hand, that was the kind of nonsensical pop-psych you heard on Oprah.

I dreamed that a beautiful voice, more music than words, spoke to me. It said I had been alone too long but would never have the courage to ask a girl out. It said, what you draw will be real.

I woke and shook the sleep from my eyes. Yeah, right. I must have eaten some kind of bad cheese or something to have a dream like that.

I turned back to my picture of the captive and finished shading in her flesh.

Suddenly, from upstairs, I heard a woman sob. Confused, I stood and headed for the hallway.

"Hello?" I said, as I mounted the steps. "Is someone there?"

When I reached the upper landing I blinked in surprise. The woman I had just drawn was sitting by my bedroom door, weeping against her knees.

 

[TinyDuchess]

Cold, all I could think of was the cold of the night. The way it surrounded me, clung to me like a lover in the dark. My feet ached, sore with cuts a bruises, but I couldnt stop running, I had to get away. I could hear them behind me, running, searching, their dogs barking and howling in their thristy pursuit.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity I heard nothing, the rustling of leave and twigs on the forest floor had ceased, save for those beneath my own two feet. Had they given up in their chase? I prayed to the gods above that they had. I fell to the ground, perhaps out of exhaustion, deperation or despair, perhaps all three. My eyes frantically searched the dark, I was free, but far from safe. Even the trees that surrounded me seemed sinister, their gnarled branches stretching out towards me like mighty claws.

Never had I felt more alone. I could still hear the cries of the others, pained and grave. What was to become of me now, I wondered. Frightened like never before I curled up against a tree trunk, drew my knees up to my chest, and hung my head. I let the tears that had been threatening flow freely, sobs soon wracked my body.

Suddenly the cold abated, and the eerie sounds of the forest ceased. My arm now rested against a smooth cool surface instead of rough tree bark.

"Hello? Is someone there?" came a voice, deep and male. I heard footsteps draw nearer but I dared not look. This was it, death had found me.

 

[BadForm]

It was impossible, yet I knew I could not put it down to some dream or sickness. Somehow the woman I had drawn really was here. I approached, barely able to believe what I saw. She was obviously terrified, and from the look of her she had reason to be. Her body had tiny scars and lashes as of brambles and bushes that would have been too small to show on the drawing I had created. She had been running, and from the broken manacle it was FROM someone, not TO something. I fought with my own confusion for something to say.

"Umm... it's ok, I won't hurt you..."

If she believed me she didn't show it. She remained shaking and weeping in pain and fear. I tried to think of what to do in the situation. Never mind who she was, that could wait. How could I help this complete stranger sitting in psychological and physical torment on my bed?

"Wait there," I said softly.

I ran down to the kitchen. The bowl I kept in the sink for washing up in had just been cleaned. It's depth and size would hold all the water I needed to take to her to help her cleanse her legs and feet. It was all I could think of at the time. I filled it with water, checking its temerature with my palm in the hope I wouldn't make it too hot or cold. Then I pulled it from the sink and carried it slowly upstairs to the bathroom. From there I grabbed a washcloth and dropped that in the water too. Finally, I returned to the bedroom and put the bowl on the floor by the bed. I grabbed the washcloth and rang it out slightly, leaving it damp.

"Here," I said, holding it out to her. "I brought water so you can clean up."

 

[TinyDuchess]

As he came closer, I flinched, pressing myself closer to the door behind me. My head came up, as did my arm sheilding my face from any harm. Yet still he came closer.

"Umm... it's ok, I won't hurt you..."

I turned cautious grey eyes still clouded by tears, up to him. There was truth in his voice and in his eyes, he meant me no harm. He bent to help me up, and I allowed myself to be led into what seemed to be his bedchamber. This took some time as I hobbled slowly, the burning at the soles of my feet had not ceased.

He said nothing else for the moment, but left me there, a trembling mass seated on his bed. When he returned, he carried a basin filled with water. I hesitated at first before taking the offered cloth from his hands, my fingers still shaking with fear.

"Thank you" I whispered, pressing the cool cloth upon the scraps at my knees.

 

[BadForm]

She was truly beautiful, and I could not help but admire her as she sat there naked and washing herself. It took me some time to realize I felt uncomfortable about something and longer still to realize what. She was naked and we had not exactly had the kind of relationship where there would be a reason for her to be. I was both aroused and embarrassed, and my arousal added shame. I forced myself to turn away as I felt my face burn. What could I do though?

"I... er... I don't think I have any clothes that will fit you." I stammered.

I had no idea whether she looked up but I didn't wait for her to respond. Instead I went to my dresser drawers and began pulling clothes from it. There was a chance my briefs may fit her and at least provide a little cover for her most sensitive and private of areas. I found a pair of boxers that were large enough to appear to be shorts and pulled them out. As to her upper body, I was at a loss. Shirts, tee-shirts, jerseys, sweatshirts... nothing would fit over her breasts without ripping or being entirely painful. Then I found all I could offer. A dressing gown. Still it wasn't perfect, but at least it would offer her some privacy. I took them back to her with my eyes closed, my knowledge of my bedroom allowing me to feel my way back to her.

"I umm... I th-think this is all I can offer, sorry."

 

[TinyDuchess]

I stayed silent as I washed myself clean of the dirt, blood and soot that seemed to cover me from head to foot. My hands shook with each swipe of the cloth and I shivered against the chill of the room upon my now damp skin.

I was more than aware that I was naked in the presence of a man I did not know. As though he too had suddenly become aware of this same fact he turned quickly.

I looked up briefly, only to see him rummaging through his drawers as he spoke. When he turned back to face me, he kept his eyes lowered. I took the clothing he offered, clutching it to my chest.

"Please do not be sorry..." I whispered "You have been more than kind. Might I know your name, so that I may thank you."

 

[BadForm]

"M-my name?" For some reason the question had me feeling even more shy and embarrassed. It was a reasonable question, and I knew it, but being asked by a naked woman in my bedroom was almost more than I could stand, even if I did feel awkward and a little foolish for feeling that way. "M-my n-name is Jason."

I stayed looking away from her and waited. After a while I realized she might not understand what looking away meant.

"Umm... Let me know if I can turn around, I just wanted you to have privacy while you were nak-naked. Didin't want to embarass you. Sorry."

I cursed my shyness. This was just embarrassing. I thought of how others would react to having a beautiful woman in their bed, especially if they had long since wanted it. Somehow I doubted it would be by blushing and stammering.

 

[TinyDuchess]

"I thank you Jason, for your kindness" I said quietly. "I am Neima.

Rising from the bed I did my best to quickly don the clothing he had given to me. With my body once again decently covered, I stood rooted to the spot. I noted Jason hand not turned to face me and at first I did not understand as to why. Then he spoke and I quickly understood.

"Forgive me... you may turn"

My fingers toyed lightly with the odd clothing I wore, I had seen nothing like it before. In fact as my eyes took in the surroundings there was much here I had not seen before.

My brow furrowed a bit ask I asked the next question. "Jason... where am I?"

 

[BadForm]

It was an obvious question, and the frown wrinkling her forehead told me it was one she needed answering. Yet how could I answer it. All I could do was give the name of the city, the nation, the world. That would probably mean nothing to her. I had drawn a picture, a snapshot without a background. What I had standing before me was a living, breathing, real woman. The implications of that were immense. I had heard her name before, I had titled the work "Neima Unchained." That meant at least the few details I had placed into the picture were real. The name was of Hebrew origin and meant Melody. Could it be, therefore, that she herself was from the so-called holy lands? Even if so, her reaction to the clothing I'd given her indicated that she was unfamiliar with today's clothing.

"Neima," I said, trying to carefully choose words that I knew would be disturbing to her. "You're in a place called Albany in a country called America. I am guessing you have never heard of either of them..."

The next question was obvious and would be unbelievable: how did I get here?

I could not tell her I had drawn her into existence. Instead all I could do was head her off for a moment.

"What can you tell me about where you came from?"

 

[TinyDuchess]

He was right, I knew nothing of the places he named. Could it be then that all this was a dream? Could it be that I had died and was now trapped in some strange illusion.

His soft words drew me from my thoughts.

"You mean my home?" I asked and for a moment I grew wistful. "The sands are my home. Sand as far as the eye can see, in a land where the sun kisses the earth."

I smiled, my words bringing thoughts of my family forth. My father his laugh as rich as any sound on the earth, my mother her hair as black as the night sky, my brothers, my sisters and my love for them. My smile faded, as I realized I would never see them again.

"Our camp was attacked, men and women slaughtered." My eyes clouded over, and as I spoke there was a tremor in my voice. "Somehow, I was separated from my family and I was taken, made captive."

I paused long enough to draw in a deep yet shaky breath, "We were on the move for what seemed like days, perhaps it was weeks. There were others, young women like me, all scared some even wept. We were headed north, I was certain of it. Eventually the sands seemed to slip away, and instead there were fields and green pastures, those changed to forests."

I was shaking now, my eyes unseeing as I stared ahead. "It was in the forests that we were ambushed. There was so much screaming, so much madness all around. Somehow in the chaos the chains were broken. My captors were eventually able to fend off the brigands... and while they tried to regain order, I took the only chance I had, and I ran. They must have seen me, for it was not long before I heard them. They were close, so close behind me." My breathing was ragged as though even now I was being chased, "I didn't stop running, not even when I fell, I clawed my way along, scrambled to my feet and kept on. When I could no longer hear them, I stopped to rest beside a tree."

For the first time since I had started speaking I turned to him, my eyes, now red rimmed and filled with tears that threatened to spill over, upon his face.

"When I opened my eyes, you were standing before me."

My brow creased deeply, for I knew nothing that had happened could possibly have led me to this strange place. I hesitated before asking my next question, fearing the answer, "Ja...Jason, how did I get here? Why am I here?" The tears in my eyes flowed freely now, and i did nothing to hold them back.

 

[BadForm]

Her description of her homeland was poetic, the brevity of her discussion of her capture horrific in its absence of detail. This woman was evidently a captured slave and from all she said and the way she looked I guessed she was from a middle-eastern nation. That made it strange that I could understand her. Of course, the whole situation was strange.

The question she asked was fair, yet impossible to answer it seemed without telling her she was a figment of my imagination in an all too literal sense. I couldn't explain without referring to magic. Then it struck me that what I said about magic was largely up to me.

"I do not know if they have sorcerors in your homeland, Neima," I said. "Yet I have gained the ability to draw things and make them appear. It's a form of magic. This morning I completed a picture of you and it conjured you to me. I can only assume it was your plight that allowed my spirit to sense your need to escape."

Much of that was essentially true, but how much of it was believable was another question.

 

[TinyDuchess]

I stood there, unmoving as I tried to make sense of his words as they played again and again in my mind. One word amongst all others stood out like the fresh green of a desert palm amidst the sands, he had said sorcerer.

I remembered my father had once said sorcerers were dangerous men, not to be trusted for they were tricksters who tried to make truth from illusion and lies. And yet I had heard no lie in this man's voice. His words had been gentle, cautious, as though he feared they would cause me distress.

Something else had sounded in his tone, notes of uncertainty as though he himself had trouble believing what he had said. And who would, his words though seemingly sincere, were the words of a madman. I could not bring myself to believe his words, I would not. For if I did that would mean I was here simply because he wanted me here, but furthermore his words suggested I existed, only because he willed it so. But then again there was no other explanation for my being in this strange place, at least none that I could see readily.

I closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them once more I would find that all this was a dream. Such was not my luck for sure enough as I opened my eyes I was in the same place.

Taking a steadying breath, I spoke "H... How... I am not sure... magic you say."

My words made no sense at all, but then again nothing about this situation made sense.

"Jason" I said softly looking at him, my eyes still full of tears. "I'm frightened."

 

[BadForm]

Frightened? I was shocked, confused and even terrified, but frightened seemed too mild. Still, right then what I had to do was control myself. But how could I reassure her? Then the dream voice's words struck me. Perhaps if I drew something else that too would become real.

"Neima, I promise I won't harm you. I'm just glad I could save you from being hurt further. Look, I don't know how your people think of sorcerors but I swear, I'm a nice one. Please, wait here and I will try to prove it."

I left the room for a minute to grab a pencil and paper then returned. What to draw? I did not know what might reassure her from her own land, but I knew what helped many young women in ours. Stuffies, something soft to cuddle. Or so I was told.

"Watch," I said. "Let me draw you something soft and safe and summon it from wherever it is."

I began to draw, sketching at first but then adding detail as quickly as I could. It wasn't a perfect drawing. The teddy bear had a lopsided face with one eye an inch above the other. However, as I finished it, the bear appeared on the end of the bed. I picked it up and gave it to Neima.

"A gift," I said. "I hope it helps oyu see I don't want to harm you."