Numb

by Viola Grace

  Rekfa wanted to see what his maintenance men were going to try on a woman who had entered his temple. Jurad had gotten one reception, and Gala was getting another.

  When the teen gripped her bicep, she looked at him and he staggered back. His eyes went wide, his mouth opened and closed before he ran off through the pillars and panels of floating silk.

  She walked to the centre of the space as voices and the skidding of feet rustled in the background. Gala knelt in the contact point, and Rekfa began the process of remaking the temple.

  The energy crackled and finally faded. She thought she would run out of power, but the reserves were endless. She rose to her feet and exited the temple between the two rows of attendants who bowed as she passed.

  The first city was remade, and the wide-terraced house now stood where the temple had previously sat. The inhabitants were gathered, and they applauded as she exited her new home.

  One of the attendants of Rekfa’s home came forth. “Avatar. We grieve the loss of Jurad with you and celebrate your new arrival. It has been suggested for several years.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Avatar, may we know your name?”

  Gala pulled energy into her and lifted a few inches off the ground. “I am Gala-Rekfa. Thank you for your welcome. I hope it will be reflected wherever I go.”

  A few vid cameras followed her as she soared upward. She was off to a solid start.

  Four temple changes and introductions later, she landed in Myar City and walked through the streets. Word had spread, and there was a crowd waiting for her.

  Children threw flower petals under her feet, and she smiled as she felt the caress on her soles.

  The riot of scents and colours blended with the caress on her feet to keep the smile on her face as she paced through the streets toward her temple.

  Arez was leaning on the wall outside her temple with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and lying across the expanse of his chest. “Avatar Gala-Rekfa, you are looking well.”

  She paused. “Arez. Good day. Thank you.”

  “Aster created these for you; they are her new roses. She said you were to select one, and Gala’s rose would be crafted into a bush that she would install in the gardens alongside Jurad’s rose.”

  She looked at the flowers he was still holding to his chest. “A flower? For me?”

  “Yes. Go and do what you have to do as Avatar. I will be here when you emerge.”

  Her trousers fluttered around her legs as she entered the temple and began the renovations once again. Her stomach fluttered at the smile that Arez had given her as she walked away.

  You want him.

  She blinked and settled in the centre of the building. She whispered quietly. “It doesn’t matter.”

  It does. He wants you as well. He had to fly like hell, protecting those flowers, to make it here before we did.

  Gala smiled softly. “I don’t know much about normal courtships.”

  Excellent. Arez is far from normal. He will not do anything you do not wish him to. He can’t. You have the energy to flatten him into paste if you wish. I want you to be able to indulge in any experience you want. You have been the victim of violent crimes and that will not happen again. I am here to protect you, but you have your own mind, your own will. You can come and go as you please, but I will always be with you. Occasionally, I will have to insist on my issues taking precedence, but I will attempt to limit those events. Feel. Take the joy offered in others. I understand the sleep your senses have been in. My senses rested until the first colonists attempted to dig into my soil. That touch was my first stimuli out of my boring existence. When the ship with Jurad and Yodin arrived, I leapt at the chance to have a life among the walking and talking living.

  I wish you to take the same chances. I have never been able to observe it and am curious to how your mind will accept the thrills and dangers.

  “Dangers?”

  There are always dangers when you engage in relationships. The danger comes to the emotions, not to the body.

  Gala sensed the anticipation in Rekfa. “You want to experience this, don’t you?”

  Yes. Women flocked to Jurad, but after a while, he despaired when those he loved grew old and passed away. He gave up on life and faded away, leaving me with only his form as a memory. I want you to remain happy and strong for as long as you can.

  She whispered again, “What if he grows tired of me?”

  Then he is not worthy, and I will send him away if you wish it. This is your world now. The only ones who belong here are those who help you move forward in life. All others can be dismissed.

  “That is rather harsh.”

  My world, my rules. I can and will protect you at every opportunity. You are my link to the world, and your satisfaction comes first.

  She listened to the vibrations of energy in Rekfa’s thoughts. He really meant it. He was bristling with his intention to keep her safe. It was almost frantic.

  Gala felt the care and protection around her more than any casual touch. She breathed in and exhaled softly as the power flowed through her and out her hands and knees.

  The stone shifted and changed its shape into a terraced house with wide verandas and an open courtyard in the centre. It was a cross between pictures she had seen in travel magazines back on Terra. Places she had wished to see and would never have a chance to. When you couldn’t feel your hands and feet, travel was dangerous. Even crossing the street was dangerous. The sudden feeling of freedom and protection was going to take some getting used to.

  A fountain graced the centre of this particular temple. It was Gala’s personal touch to add to the formality and ceremony of the courtyard, but it was also pretty. A winged figure sprouted from the centre, and when Gala walked toward it, she noted that it was a depiction of Jurad as an angel. Her iconography was a little muddled as Jurad was holding a trident to the skies.

  Thank you. It is good to see a piece of him here. He had a wife here. They did not have children, but her family still resides in this place.

  “I am glad it brings you joy. I know you are still grieving.”

  I will always grieve for him. He was part of me, and I part of him. Now, I have joined to you, and I will feel the same for you in time. We are still in early days.

  “I know. Well, this house has been remade in my image. Time to go and enjoy my flowers.”

  Rekfa was silent, but she could feel him watching as she tentatively left the temple to look for Arez. He was right where she had left him but sitting on the ground with the flowers in his lap. They looked just as fresh as they had when she had entered the temple.

  The crowd watching rubbed their eyes and stood up, applauding as she came out.

  “My name is Gala-Rekfa, and I am your Avatar.” She inclined her head to the crowd.

  Arez smiled. “May we go in so that you can examine the gifts Aster sent?”

  She beckoned him, and they returned to the interior of the temple.

  “Nice job. It is much more you. Jurad was a traditionalist. This is much more accessible.”

  Gala chuckled. “Thank you. It is somewhere I always wished I could go when I was back on Terra. Now, it is home.”

  He smiled. “A lovely home it is, too. I think it needs flowers. Choose.”

  She reached out and took the bouquet from him with a shy smile. The scents overwhelmed her. The flowers were a rainbow of blended colours. She sat on one of the benches in the courtyard and pulled out a single flower that reminded her of honeysuckle and orange but looked like a bird of paradise.

  With Arez watching, she lifted the flower to her cheek, and she rubbed the petals against her skin. They were crisp and strong...not her at all.

  She smiled and set the flower aside, reaching in for the next one. This selection was a floppy orchid.

  After three flowers were rejected, Arez asked, “What are you looking for?”

  “I am looking for me.�
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  “What?”

  “I am looking for the flower that represents me. I know what I am right now, and while I may evolve in the future, that is not what this is about. I am looking for a representation of me.”

  He looked at her and cocked his head. “May I make a selection? I have had a little more time with the flowers, and I believe that I know what you are looking for based on Aster’s conversation about you.”

  Gala held the bundle of flowers out to him. “Please.”

  He quickly searched through the stems, and when he found the texture he was looking for, he tugged it free.

  The flower was partially encased in a hard green shell, but when it was turned, there was a tumble of soft, fragrant petals in a vibrant purple with white highlights. The stem was straight and as hard as the shell.

  A tiny spark of bright gold was deep in the heart of the petals, and the soft fragrance was notes of rose and lilac with a hint of cardamom.

  “This is it. This one feels like me.”

  Arez grinned. “I thought so. It is a work in process. I had to yank it out of Aster’s hand before she finished with it. She got mad, so I collected the other flowers and took off.”

  Gala smiled softly and closed her eyes as she stroked the petals over her cheek. She shivered, and her nipples tightened at the light caress. She gasped when the petals grazed over her neck, and her eyes opened wide at the throb of her clit. That was new.

  Arez was watching her with heated eyes. “You appear to have sensitive skin.”

  “It is a new phenomenon. I am getting used to feeling things around me from the fabric of this shirt to the caress of my own hair.”

  He blinked. “So, Aster was right. You have not been able to feel the touch of anything.”

  “Not until Rekfa fixed me. He repaired the defect that I was born with and helped my body interpret the signals that my nerves had been sending. I was missing the switch box that let my body know what the signals meant.”

  “What have you touched so far?”

  “Stone, flowers, you.” She blinked when that last came out of her mouth. She cleared her throat and continued. “The wind, the sun, pain and the slide of fabric along my skin.”

  “You have only begun to experiment. May I take you on a tour of your new senses?” Arez smiled.

  Go with him.

  She lifted the flower and smiled at it, setting it on the bench when she rose. “Please. I am interested to see what you come up with.”

  He offered her his hand, and he led her out of the reformed temple and out into the crowd waiting to meet her. It was time to learn what normal people felt on a daily basis. The temples could wait.

  Alone in the swirling power left behind by the Avatar, the flower chosen by Gala swelled, blossomed fully and seeds were carried away on the wind.

  Chapter Five

  Eating at the food stalls was fun. When she licked the weird combination of ice cream and jam, she ran her tongue around the surface and laughed as Arez stared at her.

  “What? Is it on my chin?” She could feel the slick substance running down her jaw.

  He smiled and leaned in, licking away the mess she had made before using his tongue to taste her.

  She held her hands clear of him so that she wouldn’t smoosh the small cup on his shirt.

  She shivered as his tongue delved deeper. Conversation near them ceased as they kissed. They had spent an hour meeting the city folk, and the dessert was her reward for good behaviour.

  When she leaned back, he followed her for a moment before he backed away a few inches. “You are right, that is good.”

  She blinked, her eyes wide. With her gaze fixed on his, she brought her small bowl back to her mouth and lifted the paddle to her lips once again. She didn’t spill any this time, and he looked disappointed.

  He sighed. “So, where do you want to go next?”

  “Well, I have turned down clothing, footwear and hair jewelry, so maybe some kitchen supplies?”

  Arez laughed. “You cook?”

  “When there is no other option. I have had to depend on calibrated thermometers. While I can’t tell when something is hot, but my body still registers burning, I use digital thermostats for everything when I am at home.”

  “Home is here now.”

  She put her hand to her lips in surprise. “Right. Sorry. I am still getting used to it.”

  The light touch on her mouth made her smile. She put the paddle of iced sweet into her mouth and giggled as she enjoyed every moment of it dissolving on her tongue.

  Gala tasted the creamy sweet, and she smiled. “I have to admit that the sense of touch is more than I expected. If I had known what I was missing, I might not have made it this far.”

  Arez scowled. “What do you mean?”

  “Those folks with my previous affliction tend to die of infection. If I had known what life would be like with touch, I would have died of despair. Just let an infection take me.”

  He bristled with anger. “Do not say such a thing.”

  “Why? The only way I got by was by living day by day. I had to check and recheck my body for injury every moment of every day. It was exhausting, and only my urge to focus on a future that would not take shape kept me going through the long, boring cycle. I was losing my focus. My friends kept me grounded, but it was hard.”

  They were standing in the market near the stall where Arez had bought the desserts for them. The locals were watching them, and every now and then, Rekfa looked out from her eyes and nodded to his people.

  “So, do you think that they would comment if I bent you over the table and caressed you until you screamed?”

  She blinked rapidly at the shift in topic. “What?”

  “If I lifted you up, laid you across the table and stroked your sex until you orgasmed...do you think they would approve or be appalled?”

  “As there are children in the market, I do think that appalled would be the correct selection.”

  Arez smiled slowly. “Would you care for company on the rest of your journey?”

  “Um, I suppose so.”

  “Good. There is a festival at the next temple, and I believe that your presence would be welcomed.”

  The festival is to celebrate the pregnancies brought about by Aster’s arrival. Where she goes, fertility follows. I will do the flying.

  Gala finished her snack and disposed of the cup. She licked her lips to remove the sticky residue. “Ready when you are.”

  He escorted her to the centre of the market, and with a nod, they both took to the skies.

  His flying style was more violent than that of Rekfa. A whirlwind surrounded him, and she glided along at his side with Rekfa controlling her path.

  Damroon City was only a gathering of a few hundred. All the cities of Rekfa were built from the same pattern, no matter their population. The large city with the spaceport was the only difference. It had to be expanded with hostels and other lodgings and amenities for the aliens visiting for political purposes.

  They landed at the edge of the city and walked in. Women and men were fairly equivalent in population. There were no children present, but several women were showing signs of that changing very shortly.

  They bowed quietly as Gala-Rekfa and Arez walked down the now-familiar pathway to the temple. The entire city had the serene feeling of being part of the temple itself.

  Arez remained outside while she entered and reshaped the building to her own personal taste. The perfect image of serenity and welcome in her mind.

  When she emerged, she smiled at those who had gathered. A meal had been arranged, and she and Arez were invited to sit and join the locals for a celebration.

  She paused after starting the meal to ask the woman nearest her. “So, when are you due?”

  The woman smiled. “We are all due at the same time. We got pregnant during the Yodin festival. Aster arrived, and they joined near the temple.”


  She looked to Arez, “Joined?”

  “Fucked.”

  “Ah.”

  Arez nodded. “When Aster and Yodin get together, there is a fertility wave for five miles. With Rekfa’s blessing, they have been screwing all over the globe.”

  Silently, Rekfa confirmed it. He wanted an indigenous population, and breeding it was one way to get it. The variety of species on Rekfa were not normally compatible, but the energy put out by Yodin and Aster was a potent mix that managed to fuse even moderately compatible genes into a working biology.

  “Interesting technique for building a natural population.”

  Arez grinned. “Isn’t it?”

  The mix of foods was heavy on the vegetation, but there was enough meat for Gala’s taste. With each bite, Rekfa played out the image of the plant or animal she was eating.

  Silently, Gala asked why she didn’t just get the information in a download from the world itself.

  I do not wish to overload you with information. It is best that you absorb information organically. Learn as you go.

  She smiled and took another serving of vegetables in a light oil and spice dressing.

  “That is an amused smile.” Arez ate next to her.

  “It is. I am talking with Rekfa. He doesn’t want me to stress myself.”

  She crunched into the vegetables and enjoyed the texture.

  “It will be odd.” He observed quietly.

  “What will be?”

  “Pursuing you with a planet’s consciousness in your head.”

  The locals who could hear them were fascinated.

  “You plan on chasing me? I can guarantee you that Rekfa is not a fan of running.”

  “I used to drink and whore with Jurad. Knowing that part of him is still in there is a little off-putting.”

  “You seem pretty sure that this is a line of pursuit you want to engage in.” She glanced at him through her lashes.

  “I do, but given your lack of experience, it is difficult to come up with a means and method for beginning.”

  The locals were staring at them as they spoke softly.