Part 2 (1/2)
”The rest?”
He faced away from her, then quickly got out of his clothing. She saw just the shadow of his lean bare backside. What was he up to? Then he jumped into the river and disappeared.
”Ryver!” she cried, bobbling the water ball. ”Where are you?”
His head appeared, rising from the surface. ”Here's my head.”
She laughed nervously. ”And the rest of you, I trust.”
”Not at the moment, exactly. Feel.”
”What?”
”Put your hand down in the water. Feel where I should be.”
”I can't do that! You're naked!”
”Not exactly. Feel.”
Bemused, she held the ball in one hand and put the other down to feel his neck under the surface.
There was no neck.
She felt further. There was no body. Just the head.
”What is this?” she asked, growing alarmed.
”It's me. I'm made of water.”
”Made of water!” Realizing that this must be a trick or illusion, she put her hand under the head and lifted it up. It came out of the water, like a s.h.a.ggy ball.
”At least, when I enter water,” the head said.
”Oh!” She was so startled she dropped the head. It splashed into the river and dissolved.
Then she saw it form again, downstream. This time it came out of the river by itself. His body was under it. She turned her eyes away, lest she see something she shouldn't, even in the darkness. Actually she was old enough, and was a member of the Adult Conspiracy, not that it did her any good. But she lacked experience, because of her appearance.
In one or two moments--certainly no more than two and a half moments--Ryver had recovered his clothing. ”So you see, I'm not a regular man. That is, not when I'm in the water. Originally I was all water, and I longed to become flesh. When I became Lacuna's son, I became flesh--except when I get too close to my origin. I thought maybe you should know that, when you're beautiful, before you come to--to--”
”To have a relations.h.i.+p,” she finished for him.
”Yes. This--this has turned off other girls. So if you don't want to do it, I'll understand.”
Cube looked at the water ball in her hand. He was indeed not a regular man. But was it worse than the way demons were? He just had a more serious relations.h.i.+p with water than she had realized. ”I think I can handle it.”
”That's great!”
They returned to the shelter. On the way, she thought of something else. ”You gave me something. I should give you something. But all I have is--is something you might not want.”
”What is it?”
”A rear-view mirror. But I have to tell you, it's not quite what you think, and you can't get rid of it unless you give it away to someone else.”
”That's okay. Let's see it.”
She fished the mirror from her pocket and gave it to him. ”It's what it shows.”
”Seems like a regular mirror to me.” He held it up before his face. ”Say--what's that?”
”Your derriere,” she said delicately.
”Isn't that something!” He changed the position of the mirror, getting a better view in the dim light. ”I like it. It reminds me of my early life.”
”How does it do that?” she asked surprised.
”When I look back, to see how it was and how it became, it's a rear view. Not quite the same as the front view other folk see. The mirror's like that, maybe.”
She was relieved. ”It's yours, as long as you want it.” She glanced at her ball. ”Is it safe to set this down?”
”No, not exactly. Keep it with you, or with something that's yours, like your clothing. If it leaves you, it will revert. That's why folk will know I gave it to you; no one else can touch it.”
”That's sweet.”
”So are you. I hope you get beautiful.”
On that nice note, they went to sleep. Maybe if she got beautiful she would get to sleep in his arms. As it was, she was satisfied to have their agreement for the future. Maybe it wouldn't work out, but at least she'd be in the game. That would be far more than she had ever had before.
In the morning they took turns using the sanitary facilities, then had a breakfast of milk and honey pies. Then Ryver went his way, and Cube went her way. Her determination to get beautiful had been reinforced; now she knew exactly what to do with that beauty. Until then, she could dream.
Outside the camp was a warning sign: DO NOT LAUGH. Cube looked at it and shrugged; she hadn't been planning to laugh anyway.
As she set forth, a shape looked up beside the path. ”Come here and I will really send you,” it called.
Cube realized it was a male demon. She knew better than to leave the path. ”Where will you send me?”
”To Mundania,” he said, chortling. ”I am Demon Port.”
Demons generally had a simple translation code, except for Metria, who evidently hadn't gotten her word quite right. Demon reduced to D, and the name. That would abbreviate to D. Port, or deport. ”No thanks.” And suppose she had laughed? Would she have fallen into the demon's power despite the protection of the path? Now she appreciated the sign's warning.
Another figure appeared. ”Come to me,” he called. ”I reduce things to simpler forms. I am Demon Volve.”
Which would be D. Volve--devolve. Cube did not want him either, so she kept walking, with a straight face.
A third demon appeared. ”I am Louse. I hate bugs.”
That would be D. Louse--delouse. Cube did not find that funny at all, because of her talent. Bugs could be very beneficial on occasion.
A demoness appeared. She was absolutely lovely as she preened; she looked like a G.o.ddess. She sang a brief melody, and her voice was divine. Then she paused. ”Well, aren't you going to applaud?”
That surprised Cube. ”Applaud?”