Part 2 of Sophia - FINALLY!
(This is a continuance of the story Sophia which was written quite a long time ago. If anyone hasn't read that, or has forgotten the jist already, please go and check out the first part--located in the archive and beginning, not titled, with the link "Nectar thoughts and the kiss of Emeralds" The title is a simple 'a story i've been writing' Thank You!!)
Sophia Part 2
It was fall. The woods were bustling with the animals getting ready for the cold winter ahead. The wind gently carried red and green and yellow leaves through the air as they fell from the trees. Sophia watched as they fluttered aimlessly onto the rain sprinkled lawn. The squirrels were out, gathering nuts and frolicking with each other. Sophia reached into the brown, soft leather bag hanging on the porch swing and pulled out a handful of hazelnuts. She walked out onto the cold grass--the thin, wet blades stuck up between her toes--and she knelt down in front of a pair of lovey-dovey squirrels sitting there. She poured the pile of nuts on the ground and watched as they quickly scurried them off. Then, Sophia wondered about Storme.
She walked around the beige cabin, dodging the humongous apple and Asian pear trees, and into the backyard where Storme stood, huge and radiant, in his stable. She gently tip-toed alongside him, slowly grazing her fingertips against his skin, then stopped as she reached the long, silky hair just above his eyes. There they stood, still and quiet, staring into each other’s eyes. Sophia smiled Being with Storme was the only time she felt happy anymore, like she wasn’t so alone. Sometimes, late at night when she couldn’t sleep, she would walk quietly outside in her nightgown, across the soft grass and into the stable, where she would curl up next to him and fall asleep. Sophia pressed her cheek against his warm skin and listened to his heartbeat, it sounded loud and strong, massive and masculine. They stood there together, with her head against his heartbeat, and watched the day go by through the stable doors. When the sky turned dark and the fog set in, Sophia said goodnight to Storme and shut down the stable for the chilly night ahead. Then she made her way around the darkroom and through the fruit trees, along the stepping stones and into the cottage.
Everything was quiet in the little cottage. The ticking of the cuckoo clock seemed to deafen just for a moment. The creaking of the rickety old walls, and the curtains rustling in the windows, everything stopped. Miss Bella softened her feathers and breathed a deep breath. Just then, the most delicate aroma of spicy smoke filled the air and Sophia heard the most beautiful thing she’d heard in, what felt like, so long. She closed her eyes.
Lie within my heart, my child
I will love you until time fails
Rest in the cradle of my warmth
And I will keep you hidden from harm
The heavens echo with your laughter
The lands flourish from your tears
Lie, my child
Upon the edge of existence
And bless the world
With your spirit
The only song she could hear in her dreams--whispers loud enough to halt any night terrors, soft enough so no one else could ever hear. Miss Bella continued chirping the dream song, and with her eyes closed and her head tilted back, Sophia pictured her mother, singing her to sleep, her long dark hair glistening gold in the moonlight. But Isabella and Lucas were gone now. Sophia opened her eyes as Miss Bella drifted off into silence. The smell of vanilla was almost gone from the linens, now only a faint smell of a mother’s presence. There was no longer sleepy tea or made-up fairytales when she couldn’t sleep. No more sounds of a strumming guitar from the worn fingertips of a wavy-haired father. There wasn’t anything. There was nothing. The kind of nothing that left the walls of the love-lined cabin, empty. Sophia felt the loss of her family come over her again.
To help the time pass, she wrapped herself in her parents’ comforter and watched their old home movies. She rummaged through shiny photos of a bump baby and a pair of star-crossed lovers, photos of an adventurous rugrat and her proud parents. She tried keeping herself busy, wandering aimlessly through the cabin searching for lost memories.
Her grandma Lilly came by sometimes, bringing things like old records and comfort foods. She brought Corn Chowder and warm, yam pie; organic turkey Lasagna and herb and garlic loafs. Once, she brought with her some of her old vintage dresses she wore in the ‘50s. A peach silk chiffon dress with long, beautiful lace sleeves; a thin, deep purple wrap dress made of creamy, fluid jersey; and a gleaming, feathery, pure white mink coat lined on the inside with vivid pink polka-dotted silk. Sophia grinned and twirled in front of the mirror. She imagined herself as a glittery starlet, parading down a crimson hall of bright lights and screaming fans. A big screen goddess. Sophia blew kisses to her movie star self in the reflection, then took a pleasant bow for her imaginary admirers.
One morning as she brushed the hair out of her eyes and stretched her limbs onto the wood floor, Sophia heard rustling through the window. She slipped out of bed, put on her long, white bath robe and slyly stepped outside to see what was causing such a stir. The sun was rising through the fog, flickering glitter amidst the trees, and the morning dew sparkled on the tips of the grass petals. Sophia stepped barefoot onto the wet grass, her eyes peering into the bushes where the mysterious sound came from just a moment before. The bushes shook, the twigs crunched and crumbled on the ground, and just then, Storme stepped out of the trees.
Sophia breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to him. “Hey big man,” she said as she brushed the silky hair on the back of his neck.
Just then, something else stepped out from the trees. His head was tilted downward and his eyes sparkled green, his cheekbones lit by the new light. He reminded Sophia of a cat, a leopard, quiet and sinewy, stalking through the jungle. His skin was taut and dark, ripped and strong--the glitter sun made his skin shimmer like diamonds--and he was barefoot. He didn’t say a word, as he stood there staring fiercely into her eyes. Then Storme turned his head to look at him, the green-eyed jungle-boy, and his tail swished back and forth behind them. The jungle-boy reached his hand out and gently placed it on Storme’s ribs. It was strange to Sophia that Storne let this jungle creature touch him, that he didn’t seem startled at all.
The jungle-boy looked back at Sophia. “Your stallion seems to have taken a liking to me,” his voice was deep and smooth, silky, like warm mocha sliding down the back of your throat. Sophia wondered why Storme was so comfortable with this jungle-boy. Why he acted as if they’d known each other forever. After all, it had just been the two of them for so long.
“Yeah, it’s a bit strange actually. It’s just been me and him in this big old forest, all alone with no one except my grandmother for visitors,” Sophia said.
“Maybe I’m special,” said the boy with the emerald eyes.
Sophia smiled. “Maybe you are.” Storme looked up, huffed a deep but gentle breath, and quietly walked away.
“My name is River,” the boy said. “I’m sorry if I startled you there at first. But, I mean, just look at it.” The boy looked up and scanned the scene, a sort of content smile appeared on his face. “The forest is absolutely mesmerizing this morning, and I just had to go for a walk.”
Sophia looked around. It really was oddly beautiful this morning. The sun was playing peek-a-boo between the trees and the birds were singing a sweet melody. The day felt strange. She could feel something stirring. She could feel something was happening, but she didn’t know what.
Then Sophia remembered the dream. The dream she had the day her parents died. Waterfalls and lilies, Sinatra frogs, mercury water, Storme and the blooming tree. The silhouette of the man with the leopard jaw and masculine shoulders, hands that induced powerful emotions. She looked at River.
“I know you,” she said. “I dreamt of you once.”
River smiled. “I know,” he said. “I dreamt of you too.”
Sophia felt her heart start to race.
“In the dream,” he said. “In the dream, you were a forest nymph, naked, with leaves and twigs in your hair and flower petals over your breasts. You were riding a massive white stallion and spoke a language only the animals knew. In the dream, the dawn sun caught your hair and turned it into calla lilies, then your fingernails were diamonds. You caught my eyes and I saw your smile, and just as I was about to come to you, a strong wind blew, and in my heart, I felt something tell me ‘not now.’ As if something was giving me a glimpse into the future. So when I saw you just then, walking barefoot through the grass, I knew it was you. I knew you were the woman from my dream.”
River took his mocha hand and gently touched her cheek, she could feel the almost-crippling heat he exuded from underneath his skin. Then he dropped his hand to her chest, turned his palm toward the sky, and softly placed her hand on top of his.
Sophia felt her stomach clench. ‘Was this real?’ she thought. She wondered what it could possibly mean if it were real. And Storme. They had both dreamt of each other and they had both dreamt of Storme. It was him that brought them together that morning. ‘But where was he now?’ Sophia wondered.
With their hands linked together, they walked barefoot over the dewy grass, through the dancing fruit trees and around the bushes, into the stable. Inside, it smelled of sweet hay and wood, the dust twinkled in the light shining through the windows. But when they walked through the gate, Storme was not there. All there was, was a single, silky white hair and the faint, airy smell of spicy vanilla smoke.
The End...for the 2nd part, and for now.