The Garden of Evil
Chapter Two: After the Portal
Based on the Forbidden Game Trilogy
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Aniah
AniaHope@aol.com
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Wahey. It's 3:45am and I'm bucketing boring! Bored! Shazz! Bang! Writing Julian makes me sane? We shall find out.
Disclaimers:
I own nothing but my mind and what lives within.
Fifteen reviews, not including my hard drive warning, for the next chapter.
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"Listen, I REALLY need to clean up," Jenny sighed, looking at her grimy outfit. I'm going to take a shower, k?" Julian was up against the wall, near the portal.
"Sure," he replied. "Would I leave any of my worlds without the basic utilities of a mortal's life?" Jenny had to stifle a giggle.
"You mean…Shadow Men don't need to go to the bathroom?" At this she burst out laughing, and headed upstairs. The bathroom door locked behind her, she rummaged through the counter and came up with some groady, yet usable shampoo, crème rinse, and bodywash. "Sweet," she exclaimed, placing them on the shelf within the bath/shower combo.
Gingerly peeling off the offensive clothing from the night before…was it really only twelve hours ago?...she stepped over the tub rim and into the shower. The water took a minute to get going, just like it had when she and Zach had stayed there as young'uns. The water was even a bit rusty, but it washed away as it warmed up.
Jenny felt tired. The warm water was so relaxing…it was easy to let her mind drift as she took her hair down and combed in the haircare products with her fingers. She smiled, eyes closed, and let the warm water play over the grime that had collected. Yawning, she turned off the shower and groped for a towel…
…there was none. She groaned, exasperated, and looked frantically for a replacement. "Need this?" She jumped, and peered around the curtain. Julian held up a fluffy, embroidered towel, just like the ones her grandma had had.
"Come on," she pleaded, "I belong to you. Get over it. Everyone needs their space." She took the towel and closed the curtains again.
"Well, it's not like you had anything to change into," he answered, "but of course I fixed that." Wrapping the towel around herself, Jenny looked at what Julian had provided.
"You think I trust your taste in lingerie? You've got to be kidding. Well, whatever." The material of the long nightgown was silvery-black, and Julian obligingly turned away from his bride's nudity.
"You know," he said quietly, "we aren't completely removed from society, we just can't participate in it unless something like this goes on. You're really lucky, Jenny. I always thought some philanthropist or a do-gooder would be the object of my affections, but in my lifespan you are the only one whose light was innocent, and unintentional. You drew me like a mosquito to a citronella candle," he turned, knowing she was dressed, and drew her unresisting form into his strong arms.
Julian's kiss was just like it had been in the game, only there was no restraint. Jenny wanted to fall to her knees, curl up in a ball, or punch him in the stomach. But, she reasoned, the only thing worse then an enamored Shadow Man was a lustful, pained Shadow Man. When they came up to breathe, she yawned.
"I'm spent," she declared, and wandered into what had been the guest bedroom. (A.N. before I tried to sleep, I was watching Austin Powers) Taking off the Amish-style quilt, Jenny curled up in it and stretched, preparing for sleep. Despite them being in some void or other, the sunlight coming from the window seemed natural enough, and when Julian came to draw the curtain, she was just coherent enough to ask: "So…are we in YOUR world now, or mine?"
"It doesn't matter," Julian replied, "because I have you, and we're together." He drew her already-sleeping form into his arms, and smiled.
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OK. Now it's 4:05am, and my damn dog is STILL snoring. And I can't sleep! WHYY?
