The God of Storms and His Wife

Chapter 17: Promise to Keep

     "Hold this." King Enkimdu throws me the satchel. I catch it and he picks me up into his arms again. He disappears us to a beach cabin sitting over ocean water. The waves crash on the wooden support beams below. The sound is so calming. I drop the satchel on the floor and hop in the bed. "What's that thing that's in the bag?" I ask him."It's the future for us." He says and walks to the window.

"He'll find us. No matter where we go-"

"If he could find this place quickly, I'd be impressed. By the time he figures out where we are, we will be long gone." He laughs.

"You're horrible." Tears blur my vision a bit.

"Asher, Asher; Asher. You should be the last one to look for your husband right now. It's not like it's going to be comfortable for you to have a pregnant sister-wife that is also your clone. Unless this is something you've secretly always wanted?" I roll my eyes and wipe tears off my cheeks.

"Oh shut up. It's obvious that I haven't ever wanted a sister-wife. You ruined everything-" He crosses his arms.

"That's water under the bridge. For now, you're stuck with me. I'm sure you're not looking forward to sharing your husband. So... Forget about him. I didn't impregnate your clone and you don't have to share me." He winks at me and smiles.

"You're annoying."

"In time, you'll grow to love me." He winks again at me.
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Night has taken over the sky and there's still no sign of anyone finding me. Maybe I should just give up. Maybe this is how it's all supposed to play out. Those other dimensions existed for a reason. "Hey Ash. Asher?" King Enkimdu says. We are both laying on the bed but I am turned away from him practically teetering on the edge of the bed. "What?" I ask.

"Can I show you something?"

"Like what."

"Just let me touch your..." He breathes heavily.

"The temples of your head."

"With what?" I turn to him.

"Obviously my hands." I roll my eyes. It's not like I have anything else to lose.

He pulls me close to him in the bed and caresses my black strands. "What are you doing?" I ask. "I was moving your hair out of the way." He replies. Then he gently places his index fingers on each side of my head. His hazel eyes shine like the stars in the sky. "Your eyes..." I say. He chuckles. "You just noticed that. That's for my night vision." He says. The room blackens around me and the interior of a wood cabin on a breezy day fades into my view. I get out of the bed in a long, white nightgown. I walk to the window with intricate metal supporting it. Through it I see a lonely cherry tree with bicolor flowers sitting in a freshly cut patch of grassland.

Far behind the patch there are rows of other trees not in bloom or standing in the direct rays of the Sun. I leave the cottage and glide over to the tree with one side of its flowers white and the other side pink. I touch the trunk of it and sink deeper into another vision. The edges of it are cloudy like a memory. I see a light tan boy with wavy, tawny hair run to the center of a woodland in the dead of winter. He touches the snow on the ground and it melts to reveal a small patch of dirt around him.

He digs his fingers into the hard dirt a bit then gives up. He looks down at the seeds in his hands. "I just want a playmate." He says and silently cries. "Hey, what are you doing out here by yourself?" A little girl's voice asks. He wipes his tears and his hazel eyes scan the perimeter. A little girl stands at the edge of his dirt patch with an orange dress and brown sandals. Her dark brown skin and black curls stand out from the white, frosty background.

"You're not real. You're just a figment of my imagination." The boy says. She rolls her eyes.

"No, I'm not. I was playing with my Dad's portal and saw you sitting out here by yourself. You're a child like me. So where's your parent?"

"I don't have any."

"What? How? Everyone has a parent."

"One day I woke up and found myself existing."

"I just have my Dad. Maybe your parent abandoned you or something. How long ago was it? You know. When you woke up?" She scratches the end of her dress. "I don't know. So many nights have past. I lost count after five-hundred billion."

"That's a lot of days. That would make you really old but you look like a kid like me."

"I think my age is based on how well I wield my power."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. What's that in your hand?"

"Friends that haven't sprouted yet."

"I have an idea. Scratch me but don't cut deep!" She holds her arm out.

"Ok." He lightly scratches her wrist. She smears crimson blood on one of the seeds in his hands. "Maybe this will work." She says. He laughs. "If you're putting your blood on it I'm going to put my blood on it too." He says and she shrugs. He lightly scratches his arm and nothing happens. He digs his sharp nails deep into his arms and drips a white gooey liquid onto the seeds in his hand. He buries them all in one spot in the dirt patch.

A green sprout pops up out of the ground. He steps back and it shoots far above them and turns into a cherry tree with its green leaves dancing in the winter air. "Is it supposed to do that?" The little girl asks. He nods and abruptly turns to her. "I want you to marry me. Will you? Will you marry me?" He asks her.

"We're both kids and I don't even know your name."

"When we're older and we look older. Will you marry me then?"

"I guess I'd have to since there's no else around to marry but... That's a bridge we'll cross when we get there. Let's go. I want you to meet my Dad."

"I've already met him. The next time the primordial gods meet. I will let him know that we will be getting married some time in the future. During our time a part I'll get better at wielding my power. Ok?"

The vision fades back out and I pull my hand away from the trunk. I turn around and see King Enkimdu with his hand on his chest and just light pants on. His tan chest is chiseled and lean. I look away from him.