Sylvie Monroe (A Children of the Hunt Short Story)
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''Do you want anything to drink?'' he asked her.
''No, I'm fine.'' She didn't turn around as he approached her. ''I'm not Sylvie…so what exactly do you expect from me?''
For a moment, Clay didn't answer her. He simply stood beside her, looking out at the lake. ''I've been so obsessed with Sylvie for so long, that she's all I think about. Even when I tried to write about something else, it seemed she was still there haunting me.'' Clay turned away slightly and said softly, ''Last night I dreamt about drowning for the first time in ten years. I thought it was more about Sylvie than me, but now I know I was wrong. I haven't been able to let go of what happened because I never understood what I saw that day. Creating Sylvie only helped me cope with it. But now I know the truth and it's just as crazy as what I created. That's not exactly comforting.''
''You still haven't answered my question,'' she commented, moving just her eyes to look at him.
''I…I just don't know. I was only fifteen back then, but I was very attracted to you. If you'd been younger, or I'd been older…'' He stopped and turned to look at her. ''I would have liked to actually get to know you. I didn't want just the fantasy I'd created in my head.''
Jamie gave a slight smile. ''It wasn't a bad fantasy in the end, what you created. The world loves Sylvie Monroe.''
''Sylvie isn't real though. You are.''
''Are you going to ask me out, then, Clayton Thomas Coolidge Jr.?''
Clay's mouth was suddenly very dry and he took a sip of his scotch. ''Jamie MacKenzie, do you think you might like to have dinner with me tomorrow?'' He looked at his watch. ''Make that tonight.''
Jamie turned to him and gave him the full force of her smile. ''I'd like that very much, Clay.''
''I'd like to ask you something else first though.''
''What would that be?''
''Could I…could you…could you show me what you look like?''
''In wolf form you mean?''
''Yes.'' Clay knew he should feel nervous right now, but for some reason he didn't. ''I want to know all about you, but I think that should be first.''
''Good choice.'' Jamie opened the door out to the deck and took his hand to lead him outside. Clay followed her willingly, knowing that the reality would be much more interesting than any fantasy he could create.
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About the Author:
Emme Wesson is a native Rhode Islander who decided to move north in 2000 and never looked back. She works full time doing computer tech support, a job she's done in some variation since 1987. Emme currently lives in south western New Hampshire with her husband and one small dog.
To find out more about the Children of the Hunt series, please visit Emme at www.emmewesson.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EmmeWesson.