Sex Tales for the New Millennium Ch. 01

Sex Tales for the New Millennium

the

'sexual revolution'

was a wrongly named glimmer

of the quiet next phase of humane evolution

that is only just beginning...

_

Chapter 1. Sarah

(Millennium II.)

Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm two years out of high school and I feel alive, but I'm not so sure about what's around me. I'm standing by my upstairs bedroom window, my portal to the world, and I see a mixed landscape, lifewise. I love the little backyard water garden I started as a relief from high school; I wish I had time to nurture it, or expand it, or even pull the weeds. A bit further is the economy-level subdivision wall with some unsightly cracks between the bushes, followed by a sterile sidewalk, and then the deadly noisy street where my freedom to walk the earth ends.

When I am able to cross that street, in a car, I can enter "community" as I know it — the local strip mall, one of the large busy commercial structures that dominate my environment. I'm ambivalent about the mall. It seems to be the way people interact but not much happens. I'v found some neat cheap stuff to buy, but the good stuff has been ever further between. My favorite store was sold to an uncaring conglom years ago and now there's nothing but overpriced junk. The two stands selling real food each closed within months.

I sort of like the mall's art deco lines; I'm sure they were downright exciting decades ago. And they do set off the human activity. But the paint aged quickly and so did the mall. Happily in the minds of a few, the passing traffic has grown ever more frenetic. Now the mall is returning to life, where "life" means "is making substantial profit."

At least my window view is free. And tonight, the moon is near full, and that adds some interesting perspectives to this landscape I've watched since childhood.

Like the back alleys now bathed with secret light. The dramas that play out there have become more clear to me over the years. Most are dull, but some are not, and few turn horrible. But I've learned what to do, what to say, via speed-dial. I like to help people out.

Tonight, a moonbeam is streaming into my bedroom. And basking in that light is a shape so small it seems a smart aleck— my new minidress! The silvery wool threads of the outer tunic shimmer in the moonlight.

It took tons of time and hilarious failures, but I've learned to design a dress. One that fits me; that makes me attractive. My well-defined walker legs look shapely, and my petite top makes a discernible bend in the dominant verticals.

I don't dress saucy in public; in that way, I guess I'm conservative. Indeed, my life to now has not been wild. I work part time, shop for deals, and take boring classes at the local college. I've tried to keep creative juices flowing, and my sewing and design tools help. I've stayed at home because I didn't feel ready to dive into college and debt servitude. My parents work jobs they like so they are not rich, but they are reasonable and not too needy. I like my room; the view is mixed but it does seem to have perspective.

In high school I stayed on the sidelines and now, a few years out, I feel a bit of a relic. I'm still pretty much a virgin. I tried boys, but the boys around here are just so ...dull. And the girls aren't much different. At least I have an imagination, and I like this old idea I found called "self-actualization." I'm so glad Dr. Maslow was thoughtful enough to write a chapter about actualized love, including sex, even solo. I was so surprised when I first read how long joy can last! But I did research and confirmed the findings. Sometimes it seems magic. Sometimes it is the only way I know I'm alive.

But tonight I feel biological, and confident — I want to share. The day was warm and balmy and I had a good bike ride, and now I'm showered and wrapped in a fresh towel. Music is pulsing through the speakers. The night is beginning. I'm tossing off the towel and dancing in the moonlight.

I'm putting on a thong and demi bra and watching their silvery shapes in the mirror.

And now the dress... is going on like a new friend. Freedom is leaking out as legs. Youw! Black-silver flats with a precise little heel finish with a kick. I'll carry a charcoal hoody just in case. My hair is still black; I'm sharp. Will he notice?

The horn blared. I skipped down the stairs and twirled around the door; as I reached up to lock it I shimmied slightly, enjoying the sensation. My guy was standing by his pride and joy sports car. I turned to see him waiting patiently, smiling and looking good. He is handsome and rather tall and his body looks friendly. I walked to him in a friendly way. He smiled and looked at my dress and politely said "hello." He opened my door. I sat down demurely, wondering where he'd look. At his shinny new fender. Hmmm. Was the outfit too wild? Probably good I didn't ask how he liked my idiosyncratic dress. Should I have just worn the trendy fashion? No problem, it will make the party more interesting.

My friend started the car and we were underway. He was trustworthy, and he could talk intelligently if the topic interested him. It was a long drive to the party and I kept up the superficial conversation. I inquired about the event and it sounded like there could be interesting people there. When I asked him if hot babes would be available his profile smiled with delight.

He fiddled a lot with the stereo but his line of sight seemed to stop there. At least his taste in music was good. The high end system played its darkness with resonance. We were leaving the city; the dark country we were entering seemed strangely inviting. I stretched and relaxed as buildings became few and far between. We were being swallowed slowly by a deep woods, and the foreboding atmosphere was amplified by the gothic beat.

Were the nonverbal signs saying he was lost? And just as I began to figure out how to bring the possibility up, the engine spit and began to sputter. Then it sputtered more, and coughed, and the car coasted to the side of the road. Then he sputtered, a string of obscenities as he got out. Hood up, fiddle fiddle fiddle. I turned the music back on and the dark tune seemed so right.

"Nothing we can do with this damn thing and the cell phone is out of range. We've got to find a phone," he said in droning tones through my open window. I laughed — there was nothing outside but dark jungle! But I opened the door and hopped out of the car. I was ready for something, and it felt good to transform the tension of sitting into energy. It was a nice night for a walk and my legs were free. He wanted to head back, downhill, but I convinced him we had seen nothing for miles. Wasn't he looking at anything?! Uphill was the only way and he was too sullen to argue.

My shoes sounded nice against the gravely edge of the road; I could move in my new dress, and my hoody was just enough security on this dark night. The air was warm and oxygenated, and my lungs drunk it in. But my friend was slow and grumpy. To use my ready energy, I took silly high steps and looked around.

Just before the pace got annoying, I spotted a good sign. "Look," I pointed. It took a minute but then he could see them. They were small, still a distance away, but arranged over a large expanse — soft lit high windows, suggesting a large old house, obscured by woods and jungle. And a path opened up from the roadway, looking like it led to the house. I said "let's bushwhack!" and I assumed he followed.

It was up and down but at least the path was clear, mostly stone. The moon provided enough light to feel the footing. And thankfully, there was very little brush to scratch my bare legs. And wow, they looked great in the light. The shoes worked well, gripping the rocks and earth precisely. I was in a rhythm bounding from rock to rock. Step step, hop hop, my legs knew where to go. What fun! And then he leaped into my mind. I looked back and saw darkness. I couldn't abandon him, or at least shouldn't. I bounded back downhill, and soon found him, slowly picking his way, eyes stuck worriedly to the ground.

"I'm fine" he grunted, "don't worry about me."

"Ok, I will be just ahead," and I turned to bounce forward again, slipping back into the rhythm. I paused at a view and light perspiration tingled my bare skin. I was glad to not be overdressed; I unzipped the hoody. The path was grand and I resumed my dance, bounding faster and faster across luscious steps.

As I reached a local pinnacle, an amazing sight lay out before me. It was quite an elegant castle, probably stone, arranged in lovely lines, set nicely in an expansive landscape of courtyard and garden. The castle looked stately in the moonlight. Between me and the castle was a dark ravine; as I listened, a brook gurgled sweetly from the unseen center. I spun with delight.

The path went down gradually and then appeared to go up the brookside easy, presumably to the garden. But there looked like a deeper path that went down and up steeply, twisting around with incredible steps. I looked back and he was still struggling, with a cranky posture. Time for extreme sports! I would ride the gravity before me and hopefully would find all the steps. Oxygen was energizing my muscles and they wanted to go.

But first I turned to face the moon. Wow, it really lit my dress. So I pulled it up a bit to let the panties peak out. They shinned too! I wiggled.

Then I took a deep breath and turned and skipped down the path to the brook, two slow steps, and then faster and faster, my feet juggling a faith in momentum. At the brook my feet skipped horizontal quickly and stayed dry, and then the muscles pushed upward into the twisted staircase, not a bit of force lost. The stones guided my feet and body twisting up the spiral. Breathing was intense but I kept going. My eyes crossed the top of a slate platform as I rose. Momentum still with me, I leapt and turned above the last step in a spiral above the platform. The moon kissed me as I whirled in the the night landscape. I landed perfectly balanced on my two feet, looking directly into large dark windows reflecting my being. The castle was still about twenty feet away. But wow, I looked good, like a bundle of energy poised at the center of this tremendous scene. I turned sideways and had a nice petite profile. I felt alive, and I grinned. It felt good to be close to somewhere. Again I leaped and twirled a full rotation, landing with sonic precision.

And then I looked again into the reflection, and I wondered, should I have waited for him? Did he see my silly little dance? What would he say? Indeed, what if someone inside the castle was, watching, laughing? Filming?! I looked down at my shoes and there were splatters of mud.

I looked at the castle. It was definitely stone, and probably old and cold. But it had simple clean lines. It qualified as the haunted mansion type, although it would be on the elegant side of those designs. I tried to appreciate it. I was battling a shiver starting to run through me. Anxieties were trying to form in my brain and I was trying listen to something else. And then a flash opened in my mind and I looked into it. This estate really did look like a place where vampires would live. Old cold exterior, somehow ageless. These vampires obviously had good taste, or at least vision. Much better than the creatures pervading popular culture. If I find soap-opera melodrama in there, I'm running back to nature!

And then the dilemma crystalized. If they were decent vampires, would I accept their invitation — everlasting death — or would I return to "life" in my town?! I laughed at the new perspective and the obvious answer. Now my vulnerability felt good. My pose got saucy. "I'm here!" I waved with my arms up in the air. "There's mud on my shoes." The night air felt so good.

But some instinct told me I should be more practical. I should play the "good girl" and run back to my guy. I would probably find him coming up the easy way. And he might even protect me, and keep me safe from anything radical.

I started to turn, but just then the castle door opened and a glimpse of an interesting man slipped into the corner of my eye. I kept turning and did a full rotation, finding the glimpse again on the other side. He was a ways away, but he seemed to be watching and smiling. His relaxed posture made me feel ok. He was dark and rather handsome.

His medium voice resonated across the stone. "Nice moves. Can we be of assistance to you?", as he continued to look at me with a friendly gaze.

As I realized what he could have been watching his friendly look helped ease my embarrassment.

I said "Yes, you can assist us, I think" with a loud voice. "I am standing here because my friend is coming up the easy path. His car had broken down, and we were looking for help. And we found this lovely pathway!"

"Thank you. We have several nice pathways. Did you see the spring at the bottom? — no, I guess it was too dark. But the water is delicious. And inside, we have a comfortable place for you to rest. Would you like to come in?"

I took a deep breath, and started walking over, a gesture of faith. As I continued I asked if we could leave the door ajar for my friend, and the man said "oh most definitely."

When I got closer I stopped to look back for my friend and take a breath.I thought it would be a big step to go inside; I really hoped it wasn't a slasherfest. But something made me feel comfortable. My host was watching gently, and he looked nice, dressed in dark comfortable clothes. Something told me he would let me be me. I went forward, and as I got close he still seemed pleasant, so I continued steadily through the massive door, into a dark elegant entry, and then a largish room, softly lit.

People were seated around in quiet conversation. They were not in slasher mode, at least not yet. But their eyes did all shift to me. There were two more men, and two sexy but friendly looking women on the right. Their shinny notice caused some tingling.

I said "Hello, I'm Sarah," and one of the guys said "Welcome."

I took a half-step into the light and looked around the room, letting them check me out. The room was nice, and the first man explained our situation. Their looks felt nice. When I slowly turned back to them, my attention was captured by the handsome man in the center. He was seated with a pleasant smile, nice dark informal outfit, and dark glasses.

"Please look around. We hope you like our home," said dark glasses.

I moved my eyes past him and pretended to look more around the room while watching him watch me out of the corners of my eyes. The artwork was interesting but I was feeling my dress sizzle. If he was a vampire, I liked my destiny. I turned around to continue my "examination" and my pose got a little spunky. Was cool air rising from the floor to kiss my cheeks?

The first man said, "Am I correct that you like our decor?"

"Yes," I replied simply.

"We're glad," said the thinner woman, "You obviously have good taste. Where did you get that amazing dress?!"

I turned into her smile. "Design by Sarah," I said with a smile as her compliment went through me. Did it put me in her power?

"The lines are so right. It is stylish, and original. You have a real talent. Did you design that all by yourself?"

"Well, I borrowed from other designs. But the combination is mine." Parts of me wanted to show her the inner layers.

"I am so amazed. I want to hire you, any price."

"Thanks. But I can only promise one thing — exclusive."

The thin woman chuckled and said, "That's the way all fashion should be." I was beginning to like her.

"Can we look at your dress more? I mean, could you take off your hoody and turn around for us?

"It's like a fashion show," she added. "You could stand over here, to catch the moonlight."

So I laughed lightly and tossed off the hoody and walked to the spot. I guess they liked moonlight too. I turned a circle slowly and lifted a foot off the ground. I finished the circle to see them all starring and smiling. God, that made me feel hot.

The fuller woman added her review. "I love that tweedy silver tunic! Its like armor with its glisten. Yet, the cotton base must be comfy. What a smart design."

"Well, it is my first real success."

She finished the topic. "The contract is sealed. Sarah, please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. I'm so glad you happened by!"

"And Blane, could you get a soft wet cloth? I think Sarah's steps splashed mud on those perfect shoes."

I stepped around to the empty sofa and sat down. My legs stayed together, but somehow I felt exposed and maybe even appreciated. Their expressions were all so pleasant.

The first dude returned with the cloth and slowly bent down to clean my shoes. He politely looked straight down but his head came so close I wanted to scream!

Then my guy knocked, and I explained that it must be him. To beckon him in I turned, still feeling the dudes eye so close by. The crowd welcomed my guy in and asked him to take a seat.

I moved over a bit to make room. But he stepped towards our sofa and hesitated, and then passed me by, to sit in the chair between dark glasses and skinny woman. A quick wave of embarrassment flowed through me. Ok, both of the women over there were very hot, and skinny was the cultural icon.

But I realized that most of them were looking at me, with a friendly appreciation. My warmth returned, mixed with a wave of freedom. I relaxed and enjoyed their attention. Cleaning guy got up as some kind of energy fanned my flames.

The guy with dark glasses spoke. "We have an excellent mechanic, and we would be glad to call him, although it may take some time because of the hour. Would that be helpful?"

"Sure," said my guy.

The first guy asked if we'd like snacks and got up to go after my quick "Sure!"

Then dark glasses inquired about us. My guy spoke first in his self-serving way. They responded pleasantly and asked some obvious questions. Then I gave a brief history and ended talking about the trail.

Dark glasses said he appreciated my eye for design, and that when there was time he would love to show me the garden. Something about that was exciting.

Then the fuller woman spoke.

"Are you two engaged, or just friends?"

My guy responded quickly; "Just friends. We've known each other for some time." Then he explained that we were looking for this party, and dropped a few names.

"Hm, have not heard of them," she said.

Then the drinks and snack arrived. I was impressed! Wonderful fresh treats, fruit and grain bars just sweet enough for a nature nut, and a choice of teas. There was also some sweet stuff, and some unlabeled sodas I ignored. I leaned forward and started eating. I was hungry.

I gave my enthusiastic review — "wonderful mixture of fruit and grain and honey — freshness blended with lightly toasted grain."

They appreciated my comments and told me the honey was local. I washed the food down with the tea, perfectly brewed with a lively body. And then I commented on the lovely estate, and they responded nicely, explaining their updated neomodern style. I was on the front of the seat and I could almost feel their happy pleasant liking. The food was energizing my brain and my body, all of it! I smiled at each one and they smiled back. As I turned my head up to finish the tea I felt vulnerable. It was too much, I sat back.

Then my guy brought up his car, dropping specs. They were tolerant but I wasn't and I let my mind drift.

This really was an elegant place. Lot's of deep woods, stone table tops, and high ceilings. The floors were thick wood planks with scattered modern rugs. It smelled pleasant and clean.