“Yep. You need to hold my hand though so the system will recognize you as my guest, to prevent security measures…..and don’t worry, I’ll let you use as many of my five items as you want. I get to shop here every day, after all.”
“Ok, I suppose if you put it like that….” Emily did not even care about grabbing his hand now. The thought of five free purses was driving her mad. She was never able to afford even one of those handbags, let alone five!
She slipped her hand into his open palm and immediately felt a rush. Her head felt lighter, her arm felt stronger, a fire seemed to be coursing through her entire body. The noise of the mall seemed to silence. Urges overcame her instantly and, for a moment, she never wanted to let go. As they stepped through the entrance, she forced herself to release him. Wow….what was that…She looked at him in silence for a brief moment.
She then turned her attention back to the reason why she’d touched him at all, purses. The handbags in the store rested on pure white shelves with glowing lights underneath. The entire place screamed of wealth. Emily’s eyes were overtaken. She wanted them all, every last one. Hm….it seems choosing five items will be far more difficult than I expected…Emily took her time browsing around, picking up one item then placing it back on the shelf to grab another. Finally she made her decision.
“What are you going to do with five purses anyway?” Ethan chuckled at her silliness.
“Are you kidding me? Every one of these has a different color scheme. How on earth am I supposed to match my purse to my outfit unless I have a variety?” Emily was insistent on this fact. Carrie thoroughly educated her on the rules of fashion. Carrie….I wish she was here…
“I don’t get it though….they always say black, tan, and brown are neutral colors….shouldn’t they go with anything?” A smirk seemed to cross Ethan’s face as he asked the ridiculous question. Emily could not tell if the man was truly ignorant or simply attempting to keep the conversation alive.
“Generally speaking yes….but, for example, one cannot wear navy blue pants with a black purse….that would completely clash.” Emily knew she was right and decided to prove her statement. Grabbing his hand again, she exited the store and returned to the mall’s main passageway. She forcefully threw his hand from hers and scanned the window mannequins for an example specimen. Finally she identified one. Without missing a beat this time, Emily quickly grabbed Ethan’s hand and led him into the store.
“Oh getting aggressive now, huh?” Ethan winked.
“Gosh, don’t let it go to your head…I just want to prove my point….” Emily knew she was only telling a half truth. She rather enjoyed the fiery sensation that shot through her at his touch.
“Here, this will show you…..wait out here….” Emily plucked the navy blue dress off of the hanger. She then proceeded to quickly grab a pair of tan stilettos and disappeared into the dressing room. Emily failed to consider the difficulty of changing clothes with an injured arm. She was halfway through the difficult process when she heard Ethan’s voice on the other side of her fitting room.
“You know I can see through doors, right?” He laughed enthusiastically.
“How dare you!” As she yelled the words, Emily half opened the door, holding the dress over her partially unveiled body. Ethan was standing right there looking down on her, clearly trying to see what rested beneath the cloth. She slapped him hard across the face and slammed the door closed.
“Hey, come on….it was just a joke….shesh, lighten up….” Ethan’s voice rang through the door as he rubbed his reddened cheek.
Lighten up…..how dare he….who does this guy think he is….ugh…Emily finally stepped out of the dressing room, sporting the lovely navy dress. The look on her face enforced that Ethan was not forgiven for his rude comment. She hastily plucked the black purse out of the bag he was holding for her, determined to make her point.
“I’m sorry, ok?.....and if it’s any consolation, you were right…that purse doesn’t match at all.” Ethan attempted a half smile, clearly hoping for a calmer response.
“Exactly….I told you...” Emily was going to continue with a smartass remark but was immediately distracted as she turned towards the mirror. Hm….I actually….look kinda cute…
“You should definitely get that.” Ethan’s reflection behind her was obviously staring at her legs now.
“Nah….I don’t really like dresses much….” With that, she proudly spun and returned to the dressing room, nearly falling in the heels. Well that’s a definite no to those shoes… As she slowly changed behind the closed doors, Emily couldn’t help but wonder if there was a salon in this mall. After all the douche bag did mention something about a stylist….hm…I wonder how that would work with a five item limit…..would it be the number of services perhaps…..or maybe the number of hair strands one could have worked on….that could certainly take awhile to complete…She finally decided asking the difficult hunk was her best option. “Hey Ethan, is there a salon in here?” Her voice started out faint, but as she finished the transformation into her normal attire and opened the door, she was practically yelling in his face. “Whoops….sorry.” Wait….why am I apologizing to this pig….ugh…Emily was certainly having mixed feelings about this entire shopping experience. On the one hand, Ethan was clearly an arrogant, horny jerk. On the other, as she scanned him from head to toe again, Emily wondered if she even cared.
“It’s okay….and yes, of course there is a salon….follow me…” He reached out for her hand once again as they approached the exit door. As they walked out, Emily realized she did not chose any items from the store.
“Wait….I thought I only had to hold your hand upon exciting if I was getting something….”
“That’s right…..I just wanted to that time….” He winked again and smiled as he led the way around a corner.
As they passed a chocolate store on the right, Emily could feel her mouth salivating in response. She looked away from it and instead stared into the glass window of another shop. Her reflection stared back at her. You’ve really come a long way…Emily felt proud of the figure she’d developed. It had certainly been quite a journey, but it was worth it all the same.
Alas, Ethan now stopped in front of what was a seemingly prestigious salon. One lone hairdresser stood inside. She was positioned amongst numerous rows of machinery and styling tools. The salon looked equipped to hold at least twelve employees; yet she was there alone. “What can I do for ya, sweetie?” The woman blinked her eyes exaggeratingly toward Ethan.
“My friend here would like your services.” Ethan pointed to Emily standing beside him.
“Oh my goodness, you certainly need my help, don’t you?” The woman started grabbing at Emily’s hair, a scowl crossing her face at the sight. Emily’s before smooth straightened hair was now frizzing up all over, her nature curls demanding their presence be known. “Well hun, what would you like done?” The woman clearly enjoyed using pet names.
“I would really like some red highlights if that’s possible….” Emily had mixed feelings about this character already. After all, within a few moments of meeting her, the woman already insulted her. Could it also be that I’m jealous…She looked over at Ethan as the thought crossed her mind.
“Okay, well, we must start off with a conditioner treatment first….your hair desperately needs it….follow me.” The woman’s comment alleviated Emily’s doubt. Nope….this woman is just truly a bitch…I just hope she’s a half decent stylist...The woman led Emily to one of the many available salon chairs and instructed her to sit down. She proceeded to take Emily through an array of treatments and then finally finished up with the highlighting and straightening processes. The process took several hours. When she spun Emily around to reveal the finished product, she could not believe it.
“Wow….damn, I look good.” Despite her distaste for the woman, Emily could not deny that she loved the final result. Her hair sparkled with red streaks throughout the black base and shined brilli
antly. “What do you think?” Emily asked the question as she stood up and turned toward the chair Ethan was waiting in. He sat there half slunk over, passed out.
“Huh what?” He lifted his head up rapidly then calmed and rubbed his dreary eyes. “Wow it looks lovely…..if I may make one comment though?” Ethan was clearly tentative to state his opinion now. It seemed he learned better than to piss Emily off.
“Yes?” Emily placed her hand on her hip.
“Those clothes really don’t justify that lovely hairstyle of yours…” He smiled, obviously trying to be encouraging.
Hm….that’s not so bad….maybe he isn’t as much of an ass as I thought…..then again…Emily could not decide how she felt about the guy, but looking in the mirror at her plain jeans and black t-shirt, she knew he was right. “Yea, let’s get me some new clothes.” Emily smiled, satisfied to agree with him for once. She started to walk toward Ethan and the door when the hairdresser spoke up.
“Um excuse me….how are you going to pay for that?” She crossed her arms now and tapped her foot on the ground.
“Pay?...but I thought…” Emily clearly missed a memo.
“Sshh, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.” Ethan reached out his wrist and the hair stylist scanned it, clearly satisfied with the credit. With that, he proceeded to walk out of the salon and Emily tagged along behind him.
“Wait….so salon services are not free?” Emily wanted an explanation, especially if she was even going to consider staying in this place….Am I actually considering staying…That thought was a novel one.
“Did you notice how there were no actively working citizens in the other stores?” Ethan was scanning the mall now, clearly looking for something.
“Well….not really….but yea, actually I guess you’re right…” Emily didn’t know where he was going with this.
“Services, such as mine as a doctor, or hers as a stylist, anything that requires an actively participating citizen receive a form of credit for every bit of work they do. You see this is not only an ID, but it also holds all of my available credit, much like a bank where you’re from." Ethan was pointing to the strange number on his wrist again. “Ah, here we go!” He clearly found what he was searching for. They now stood in front of a well known designer clothing store. Ethan reached out his hand for hers again.
“I guess that makes sense…..” Emily suddenly felt hesitant about the entire process and guilty that it had actually cost Ethan something. As they walked into the store, Ethan did not wait for her to take the lead this time. He quickly approached a shelf and selected an outfit from it. Emily’s expression of guilt must have shown.
“I know how you can make it up to me…..” He was smiling mischievously again, holding up the items. Emily grabbed them and rushed over to the dressing room. She emerged from the fitting room a new woman.
“So, what do you think?” Emily was twirling with confidence in a pair of sparkling designer jeans with a brilliant, red top. She always lacked confidence. Somehow though wearing these clothes, spinning in front of Ethan and the mirror, it was as though she realized all her accomplishments in an instant. I really have lost a lot of weight….I mean a size 29 waist….damn, I look good…
“You look sexy.” Ethan’s eyes fixated on her, as though she was some form of prey for him to feed on. Emily dropped her eyes in an almost embarrassed, modest fashion. She wasn’t feeling modest at all though. She felt on top of the world. Wait why am I playing coy with this guy now….Emily, come on….you know why…As an internal battle ensued in her, Emily’s eyes drifted back to him. His arms seemed to be bulging in his shirt, his eyes staring at her with a fiery passion. She wanted it; she wanted him.
Ethan clearly picked up on the vibe. “Would you like to see my favorite part of this mall?” His eyes sparkled with a secret trying to scream its way through.
Emily hesitated a moment. She was not yet sure which side of her mind’s war would be victorious. Well it’s just a mall after all….how bad could the place be? Remember to play it cool though girl….you still need more answers…“Sure, but I doubt it can compare to these other shops.” Emily smiled proudly as she yet again gripped his hand to exit the designer store.
“Oh it can compare, you’ll see.”
Ethan lead them down the main passageway of the mall. Looking ahead the way to the upper levels struck Emily as odd. Instead of escalators or a massive staircase, there was a giant twirling ramp that led to every floor. It was composed of solid concrete and reminded her of a parking garage ramp. From one side to the other, it expanded at least ten feet wide. Wow they certainly account for massive shopping traffic here. She pictured rows and rows of shoppers crowding the ramp, each one rushing to their destination. To her pleasant surprise, the ramp was not crowded at all and there was plenty of room to spread out. Despite this fact, Ethan remained extremely close, walking less than six inches from her, his hand accidently bumming into her backside more than once. Though Emily still did not trust the man, she found the action rather flattering. Yea….he knows I’m hot…wait….what am I thinking…Emily was not feeling like her typical logical, defensive self at all. Something was changing within her and she liked it. Perhaps she enjoyed it too much.
They were about halfway up the ramp before Emily started to feel tired. She would not let this show of course and instead simply decided to inquire about their destination. “So are we going all the way to the top or what?” She giggled at the ironically metaphorical representation. The name brand purse, fresh hairstyle, and designer clothes were clearly going to her head.
Ethan raised a brow and smiled. “Yes, actually…”
As they passed the 6th floor, Emily’s nose was tickled by an incredible array of scents. “Wow that smells amazing….” She continued to sniff the air, pausing in place as she did so.
“It’s a perfume shop. Would you like to go take a peek?” Ethan stopped beside her now, bumping his hand into hers. He clearly wanted another opportunity to grasp it.
“Well we can always come back, right? I’m curious to see what your favorite place is…” For once, Emily was telling him the absolute truth. Ethan simply smiled and continued onward up the ramp.
They were now crossing the 9th level and the path narrowed drastically. It stretched only three feet wide here, and Ethan’s closeness was suddenly a blatant necessity. As they reached the top floor, Emily realized everything was different here. She only saw one person walking along the halls and in place of the shops were entirely different structures. Tinted glass covered every section where the storefronts rested below. It suddenly looked more like a hotel or an apartment complex than a mall at all. There were doors spaced at least twenty feet apart that appeared to require some kind of card swipe to grant entry. Not unlike those one would see in a high security office building.
Emily remembered a time when her and her father visited one of his Army friends on post. The man was of a significant rank and his office door employed a similar locking system. As they approached the third door down, Ethan produced such a key card from his pocket and paused just before scanning it. As though for dramatic effect, he remained there a moment. Then, smiling brilliantly, he finally opened the doorway and spoke. “Welcome to my lounge.”
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20. THE MYTHICAL TREE
Renee and Sam played on the rope swing for some time. Then, Renee’s attention was drawn to the waterfall slide gurgling above. “How do we get up there?” She pointed to the top of it.
“Oh boy….it’s a bit of a climb…sure you’re up for it?” Sam was teasing her again. She took it as a direct challenge, something she almost never turned down.
“Let’s do it.” She laughed wildly at her own dramatic tone.
“Ok, follow me.” Sam returned to the shore where the rope swing rested. He then looked back to the shoreline on the opposing side. Renee followed his eyes to the bench where Miria had been waiting for them. She was gone.
“Hmm, where’d s
he go?” Renee allowed the wondering thought to be expressed aloud.
“Eh who knows, she’ll be back though….she tends to do this sort of thing….let’s go.” Sam pushed her onward. Looking at the sight in front of her, Renee knew Sam meant business about the climb. It was not unlike the opposite side she and Miria recently ventured down. Trees stretched upward across a sharply angled hillside. Only this time, they were making their way up instead of down. As challenging as her previous climb was, it did not even compare to this. She and Sam both moved at a snail’s pace, slowly resting one foot against a tree then following with the other. It was certainly a tedious task.
“Whew, you meant it about this climb, huh?” Renee was nearly out of breath. That’s odd…I didn’t even feel out of breath when I was running before…hmm…
“Yea, it’s intense. We’re getting close to the top though….and I promise it’s worth every second.” Sam smiled brightly, almost slipping as he did so. He stopped talking after that and watched his feet very cautiously. Renee followed suit, staring toward the ground.
As they finally reached the top, Renee could see the truth in Sam’s words. It really was magnificent. There was a clearing just as they reached level ground. It was a blank, lovely field with tall grass waving in the wind. In the center rested one lone tree with bare branches.
That’s odd….a bare tree…it’s only the beginning of fall…All the other trees surrounding them displayed an array of colors. Some of their leaves even clung to the remaining green tone. Of course, the pine trees were an absolute exception and retained their normal status. “What’s up with the dead tree?” Renee pointed to the tree standing alone as Sam finished his final step toward the flat ground. She had nearly yelled the words simply to be heard over the gurgling waterfall slide to her right.
R.E.M.: The Hidden World Page 11
