Bear & Swan Ch. 01

Barrett found himself not knowing how and why this happen. He looked down to see a man lying on the ground; flushed with agony and blood bubbling from his nostrils. All the patrons at the tavern were either huddled around the battered man or staring at Barrett. At this point Barrett was disconnected everything. The last thing he could remember was sitting at the bar and a hand from behind him touching his shoulder. Before he could comprehend the scene before him, a rush of panic fell through him. Then an internal force pushed him forward.

He found himself sprinting through the tavern door, but he felt like he was being carried by a powerful current and everything around him was roaring past him. As he continued rushing forward, he noticed that he could not feel the mechanics of his body and now was moving through the woods behind the tavern. He felt as if he had become a floating head propelling through the trees. Then everything came to screaming halt.

He reconnected with his body as if he was thrown back into it by God. Out of breath, he dropped his large frame to his knees. He then noticed that his right hand was throbbing. He brought the hand up to eye level to find that he could not see the damage that was done in the dark of night. Now catching his breath, he leaned back to sit on his heels. He looked up at the clear starry sky to find a full moon. He could tell he was far from most civilization by seeing the different colors of the stars and the shade of avocado skin that was the night sky. He looked back down to realize that he had no idea where he was. Looking around him, found that he was by trees. Then in the distance he heard light splashing.

He snapped his head forward and saw in the distance a still body of water. He could see the moon being reflected in the water. The reflection was being disturbed by light ripples that correlated with the soft splashing noises. Barrett got up from his heels then knees, and slowly walked towards the sounds. As he moved, he had come to realize it was a lake. As he was about to leave the woods and step on the shore of the lake, he heard a soft giggle. Sharply looking towards the middle of the lake and the direction of the sound, he saw a young woman treading in the water. He felt his heart drop as if it was an elevator with broken cables.

He became dead still. All he could make out was that her pale skin seemed to glow in the moonlight and that there was a softness to her. She dipped back down into the lake and then started to swim breaststroke to the shore. His breathed started to get caught in his throat. As she emerged from the lake and started to walk towards the shore he realized that he was only yards away from the most beautiful and breathtaking woman in the world.

She wasn't wearing a thing but what he couldn't look away from was her smile. It exuded an unadulterated joy that seemed to emanate from her whole being. Once she reached what seems to be a bag of some sort. He was able to see her more clearly. He would guess that was either in early to mid-twenties. Her body was both dainty and voluptuous. In stature she was short; her feet were small and connected to slender ankles and calves. By her knees, they were joined by full and shapely thighs. Her hips were round and wide but proportionate to her shoulders and bust with a full curvaceous bottom. Her back bared her hourglass shape. The bottom half of her body rounded into her short, but nipped waist with a soft but level stomach that evoked vulnerability.

Her breasts were ample and robust. One could describe her as buxom. Shoulders were straight and broad with a suppleness joined to slender and graceful arms. From her womanly sternum and collar bone stood her strong and slight neck that adorned her lovely head. Wet hair cascaded down past her shoulders, he could not tell the color though it was not light or dark. Her face was round but well- portioned with a defined chin and jaw. Her lips were dark and full and her nose was strong but nowhere near overwhelming. Her large round luminous eyes of a pale color were surrounded by dark full lashes and defined by soft but shaped brows. All this was highlight by her high apple shaped cheek bones.

As he was drinking her in, he found his heart to be pounding out of his chest. She pulled out a towel from her bag and started to dry herself off. He knew he shouldn't be watching her like this, but he could make himself turn away. He was stuck. All he felt excitement running through his body and a need that he never felt before. Need to care for her, to support her, and to be the one to stand by her side. All he wanted to do in that moment was to run over to her. Kiss her with a deep passionate gentleness and hold her close to his body with warmth and security. Lost in his thoughts of her, he unconsciously shifted his weight and snapped a twig under one of his feet.

At the sound of the snap, her eyes dart in his direction.

"Oh God" she gasped in the middle of towel drying her. Registering that it is in fact a very tall and built male figure some distance away from her. She quickly wrapped the towel around her body, scoops up her bag and runs downs the shore.

Barrett starts to run towards her. He yells after her, "I'm sorry, I just..."

He stops himself both mid-sentence and running to realize he doesn't know what he could say to her in this situation. He does know that he has to see her again but in a suitable circumstance. First things first, he needs to figure out how to get back to his car from here.