David woke... to find herself completely clothed in someone else's pyjamas. She sighed. It was always weird when their clothings changed like this. She took it off, and placed it in a basket. Honestly they had swapped and shared so many different clothes now, that they were starting to just forget who owned what when this happened.
She's ended up with socks, shirts, even a dress at one point from her sisters and if she took them off, and someone else reset their clothes, whoever had taken them off would become the owner of those clothes. Because of how crazy it could get, it was pretty much accepted not to bother with trying to re-claim ones own clothes. It was a shared ownership system they had to deal with. David herself had lost a few jeans and her shoes to someone. But it would eventually come back.. it always did.
Today was the day... she was going to go to that church. The one that made her into this... weird angel. It shouldn't be dangerous... but still... she was glad Rachel was coming with her.
She should be here soon, and then they can go together.
"What was he like?" Asked Zoe curiously.
"It's not like that!" Jon repeated.
"You can tell me. I want to know"
"We- I mean we met in school.. and we just hanged out. That's all," Jon replied adamantly. Her mother had an expression as if wondering if she needed the talk while her sister was grinning looking to gleam more details.
Jon shook her head quickly. "It's nothing like that... really." She repeated. "What did you do? I didn't see you all weekend."
"Oh, I just spent time with Athena. She's a scorpion- er scorpion-taur" She said trying to explain it as simply as possible.
"Really?" Jon had a bit of trouble picturing that. "So she has the torso of a human.. on top of a scorpion?"
"A giant scorpion," She explained. "It would have gone well with my wardrobe," She chuckled a bit dryly.
Once again, Jon had trouble picturing that. This 'goth' thing was not something she ever understood. What exactly did it mean to be a goth? Just to dress in black? Why would a scorpion suit the look more then say.. herself? She thought Zoe would grow out of it eventually though. Didn't they all do crazy things at that age?
Then again, there might be real creatures of the night out there now...
She made it seem so easy.
A jump.. another... another... all perfect, all to suitable ledges for them both... and all impossible. Yet here she was doing it repeatedly for his benefit.
He glanced at the sky. It had not changed from what he could tell. Did that mean he still had time? He was starting to get the feeling that time itself was taunting him. Perhaps to tease him with the feeling of just enough time and then to take it away at the last moment.
That was a paranoid thought. If there was something. A force, a will... something very subtle that has orchestrated all this. But what did this intelligence what from him? And... was it this woman? It just didn't seem possible... what was her angle in this?
He caught himself realising, he was dangerously close to considering a deity was involved and he certainly did not believe in them. He had to be on guard against that. If this woman was part of some kind of 'cult' and Jenny was connected to it, he truly feared for the child's safety.
They paused again on another ledge. He lost count on how far up they were now. When did a hill become a mountain? It had to be over 200 feet now...
"You know... since we seem to have the same goal... could you tell me your name?" He asked.
She glanced at him. "You'll... find out eventually," she said.
"Why not just tell me and save us both the trouble? I'd give you mine... if I had one to give," He said a bit annoyed. Did she know he had no name to give? Since she never asked, it seemed possible.
"I can't tell you my name..." She repeated. "This one will be a longer jump, try not to move."
This almost seemed like flying, he thought. What the hell was this woman! And... how could she carry him like this with no effort? He winced at the landing as it was hard on his shoulders. He was more concerned for the woman's legs.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
She didn't say anything, gauging her next jump. He didn't ask again until they made it to another landing. How many jumps had they made? Why did it feel difficult to know if he was still climbing or falling?
Gravity itself seemed to be pressing upon him now. He steadied his breathing, even as it became shorter. Was every force in nature dead set against his climb? His... presence? The woman did not seem affected at all by the change in gravity... she held him tightly and he could feel the four mounds of her crowded chest on him.
He was trying hard not to think about it.. but he was also aroused. He couldn't help it. He hoped she wouldn't notice. He glanced at her to make sure she wasn't... eyeing anything- but she roiled her eyes at his very subtle look.
Did she know?... best not ask. They paused on another ledge, so he took this as an opportunity to calm himself down. He took a moment to rest his aching body. His clothings had rubbed his skin raw where she had grabbed him, and his muscles were sore from the climb. He must have grazed his torso, as he could feel two distinct itches just under his chest. He scratched them slightly and it felt a little better.
"So... are you... Jenny's mother?" He asked quickly, taking a breath.
The woman looked at him.
Realisation dawned on him. "You're... you're not are you." It was an answer he already knew- but he didn't know why he knew that. "How... do I know that?" The image of Jenny's mother... indistinct yet somehow...
"It would be best you not... think about it" she said delicately.
"You want me to stop thinking for myself?" He said distrustfully. She was trying to make him lower his defences... that had to be it.
"No... but I want to ask you something now. Why do you want to help Jenny?"
It was enough for him to shake his thoughts. He reacted by deflecting the question back. "Why do you?"
"I need to."
He frowned a bit. She wanted an answer, and he didn't want to come off as some kind of creep. He decided to be honest. "I- I don't... know." He admitted ,looking upwards at the long climb. "I'm no angel."
"And if you were?" She asked looking at him.
What a weird question... well.. no matter. "A kid's in trouble. Can't a guy help?"
The woman paused as if considering those words. "Hm... I think you are fortunate in having a chance at all," she said in the end.
"A chance for what? to have my soul saved?"
"Just a chance..." She said. "You didn't have to save Jenny before... you could have taken that deal. You did not. Jenny brought you here... saved you."
"Saved me? I thought I was saving her," He said confused.
"It's... complicated. However... you did not have to choose to help her then... or now."
Damn.. was this woman a mind reader? It was like he knew his thoughts before he did. It was very uncomfortable at this. "I-I don't know... okay? I guess... she seems like a sweet kid," He tried to explain. "Someone's got to help her out. Don't want her to think she's alone in this weird place. We came here together..."
The woman gave a little secretive smile yet it was also sad at the same time. A strange serenity to it all.
The one certain memory returned, but he couldn't place any image to it this time. "Okay... so you are not her mother. I know that. Are you one of those weirdo's changed by the sunlight? Did.. the sunlight bring you here like me?"
"I can't tell you..." She said softly. Taking a slightly annoyed look at being called 'weirdo'.
He sighed. "See, I heard a few cults sprang up after the sun changed. Didn't believe any of the nonsense they spewed." He shook his head.
"It's not.. like that," She repeated. "And... we are here now."
He was sat down to the edge of the cliff.
"On that ledge... is the light," She explained. "If you really want to help Jenny... that's the only way."
He frowned a bit. This was it. He had come all the way up here, forcing himself... all for the sake of this one girl. He wasn't sure why she was important.. she just was. He wanted to help her, but how to know if this was just another trick? He needed more information. "What... would happen to me, exactly?"
"All your sins will be taken away," She explained.
"The light of the Almighty, eh?"
She just gave that look again.
He wasn't having it this time. This was possibly his life on the line. "I want to know the truth! Don't you understand? I-I don't want to die... to disappear." He said staring at her. Couldn't she understand that?
"I don't know what will happen to you..." she admitted. "It depends on you..."
"WHO ARE YOU!" He demanded. "What gives you the right to give me these vague instructions. For all I know this could be a trick to commit suicide! I just... don't understand." He leaned his back on the cliff face, holding his face in his hands.
Why did he feel so weak and confused.. vulnerable to a force he just didn't understand. It made no sense! Where was Jenny? She was supposed to be here...
The woman approached and held him closer, her four breasts felt onto his torso. He glanced down... calmed slightly, if a little alarmed by the feeling.
"The choice... is yours now. But hurry and make it... you have but a moment left..."
"Alone?"
