The Book (PM until opened)

[scribe_m]

Zebras. Zebras, to be precise. I realized I hadn't seen any horses back at the dreadful carnival, only black and white striped zebras that seemed out of place. I heard the sighs behind us too. But as I dipped my hands in the pool and slacked my thirst, behind us came a woman, riding a zebra and leading another. Her skin was thinly covered with a brownish fur, and her eyes were pupil-less, like the misshapen creatures that accompanied us. She smiled at us, holding a wine sack in one hand, and succulent plants in the other. It was certainly a change from the dry bread and food we had in our bags.


Scribe.

 

[WindDancerBlue]

I once heard that if you hear hoofbeats, you should look for horses. How likely is one to be trampled by a herd of zebras in a lifetime?

It was plain eery how behind this ... (here we go, what does one call another, um... species?) woman was an identical threesome of zebras.

Now, I've also heard zebras are like fingerprints, no two alike. In which case, I'm certain these must have been cloned. Not one hair color different. They even batted their eyes in unison, stamped their feet together. It was worse than being drunk, I thought...

I had to fight a smile. If what showed up around us was a part of our respective dreams, and I had thought of animals to ride, James and Ariadne had likely each thought of food and ... well, what fantasy would produce this furry ... woman?

James? You sly dog...

And before the thought had even ended, I felt the fur of a much larger animal than the Zooks, which had scattered like flies - a huge grey wolf.

The "sly dog."

Oh, this was just too weird.

It nuzzled my hand, but I could feel large teeth beneath its muzzle. My eyes met its ("I'm a his," it said - I mean HE said. whatever ....)

"You are?" I said, amused.

It - he - smiled and sat on its - his haunches.

"Friend or foe?" I asked, much to the astonishment of my traveling mates, who were only slightly less taken aback by the wolf's appearance than the Zooks.

"If I were foe, we'd not be discussing it."

The phrase "crunchy and taste good with ketchup" came to mind.

"Yuck. Mustard maybe," he said.

Terrrrrrific, a psychic wolf. I rubbed an ear.

"Little lower, please," he said.

I looked up at James and Ariadne. "Let me guess. You don't hear him talking?"

They swapped glances then shook their heads.

"Great, just tell me you see him??"

 

[shadowoftheheart]

I watch Casey closely.

"Umm.. Casey. I see a dog. I see you petting the dog. I don't hear anything though."

This is still not the realms I am familiar with. It is imitating that realm. Imitating any number of realms. Very strange ....

 

[scribe_m]

The woman crouched next to her canine companion and spoke to him. "What do you say? Taste? Indeed, I think they would taste fine. I do enjoy sampling new wares." The little furry Zoogs began to gather around the trio, their noses sniffing at their feet, the little tentacles sensing the strangers, their needle-like teeth occasionally showing.

The woman addressed the party. "But you are my guests. Already, my companions have set up a table for us. She led them into the glade. Strewn in front of them were many plates of food, some recognizable. Odd fruits, raw plants, and curiously fermented bread were recognizable. The twitching insects, colored slimes, and bits of... Zoog?? James decided to not think further of the even less describable. He at least recognized the wine. Alcohol, the universal drink across dimensions. The woman seemed to drink it down without reservation, and even the canine had no problems. Not wanting to seem rude or foolish, James picked up his cup. Smelling it, he detected a fruity fragrance that made his body tingle just a little bit. Sipping it, he was rewarded by a delicious heady sweet taste. Drinking it, he was slowly becoming aroused, as the liquid dribbled down his cheeks.


Scribe.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

I walk slowly around the table, looking at everything on the table. I squint, and watch as James picks up his cup, drinking deeply of his wine. I see some of the red liquid dribble past his lips and down his cheeks as he greedily drained the cup.

I picked up a cup also, and sniffed it. A fruity aroma. Very heady. I let a small amout dribble past my lips. I tasted it, swirled it around my mouth, analyzing its deep, profoundly sweet flavor.

I swallowed, and felt it burn its way down my throat and into my chest.

I frowned, and set the cup down in front of me, at a chair that I was tenatively claiming as my own.

"A very sweet, heady wine. Quite powerful. Quite delicious. Casey, our friend James has consumed his a little too ... rapdily. I'd suggest you do as I am, and sip it."

 

[WindDancerBlue]

I, too, had scanned the table and seen things I could neither identify nor could say I had any interest in eating. However, I was smart enough to know that when in Rome, one does as the Greeks.... or however that cliche went.

I picked up the cup, a heavy, almost stone-like material. Heavy, looking something like granite. The fragrance was strong, fruity, like plums and blueberries. I lifted the cup to my lips and only tasted it with my tongue, but it was bitter to me. Without thinking, I jerked the cup away as if I'd smelled cyanide, which I could indeed identify.

"Nothing here will harm you," the woman said, stroking the neck of the zebra she'd ridden. "If you take another drink, you will find it quite ... pleasing, I think."

I did so, and the taste had changed to something like a sip of my grandmother's best blackberry brandy. I did not, however, take more than a sip.

It left a warm trail down to my stomach, like a fine Scotch.

 

[scribe_m]

Little zoogs began to approach the table. They nibble on the fruits and insects, a peculiar intelligence and manners they had. The canine also exhibited a grace unknown to most animals.

The woman walked behind the guests at her table. "I thank you for appreciating the wine. Does it not taste good? The wine tastes delicious, but it also takes and enhances the flavor of those who touch it. Let me show you." The woman dipped her finger in the wine and put her finger to Adriane's lips. "Here. Does the wine not taste a little differently? How does this make you feel?"


Scribe.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

"I thank you for appreciating the wine. Does it not taste good? The wine tastes delicious, but it also takes and enhances the flavor of those who touch it. Let me show you."

I shudder lightly, glancing at her finger, as it is offered to me. I am aware of the sinuous sensuality of the woman, for all her alien-ness, and without entirely being aware of why, I part my lips, allowing her to slide her finger into my mouth. I close my lips softly, and my eyes close. The taste of fruit is sweeter, tinged with faint taste of honey and subtle spices. i suck gently on her finger as she pulls it out from my lips slowly and languidly.

"Here. Does the wine not taste a little differently? How does this make you feel?"

"Yes, it ... spices ... sweetens it. I feel ... my body tingles. I can feel my dress sharply. It is faint but ... I can feel more ... intensely. It enhances ... everything."

I smile thinly, raising the cup to my lips and take a longer sip, moaning softly as I set the cup back down. I feel a small dribble of the wine run down my chin, and hear the woman chuckle softly, feel her soft fingers slide across my shoulders, as she walks around behind me. I shiver to feel her directly behind, feel her other hand lightly touch my shoulder.

"Drink."

I raise the cup to my lips again, drinking deeply and feeling my inhibitions and the rational, analytical part of me melt gradually away ....

 

[scribe_m]

The woman wipes the wine from Adriane's chin and tastes it. "Delicious. You indeed must be from far away. I have not tasted such a wine in so long." The woman began to massage Adriane's shoulders. She slowly worked her way to her chest, gradually pushing down the top, exposing Adriane's beautiful breasts. The woman then dipped her fingers into the wine, rubbing it into her firm flesh. "You companions", she said. "Let them taste you as well." She touched the back of Jame's neck, and coaxed him to one of Adriane's breasts. He closed his eyes and began sucking the wine from one of her bountiful globes. The woman touched, too, Casey, and led her to the other of Adriane's wine covered breasts. James began to harden. Adriane's breast was of a warmth and texture he had experienced in the dream, but the wine tasted entirely different, of delicious sweet fruit. He sucked on her nipple and licked harder, desirous of the sensous taste in his wanton mouth.


Scribe.