Chapter 8
“Sam are you going to need anything?” Dad asked.
“I could use a phone number where I can get a hold of Kathy in the morning. Dad I haven't shared a room with anyone since my special forces training and even then the people I shared a room with weren't there when I was and visa verse,” I said.
“Sam you don't owe us an explanation. If you don't feel you can share a room it's your choice,” he said.
“I do need to explain though. I talk in my sleep and because of that I can't share a room. Jeff doesn't have the security clearance to hear what I might say in my sleep, and like I said I haven't been sleeping well lately and if I have one of my night terrors I could wake him,” I explained.
Dad gave me Kathy's home phone number, and her work phone number. He asked if I was going to need anything else and when I said I would be okay and that I'd see him the next day he told me he loved me and gave me a hug.
I went in the lobby and stood there waiting since there wasn't anyone behind the desk. As I waited I started reading the front page of the local newspaper that was laying there. The main headline read something about a battle that wasn't and I smiled thinking about how many lives had been spared all because I shot one man and the enemy had no idea where my shot came from, or how many men there were ready to shoot any of the officers still standing there.
“May I help you?” the clerk asked coming from a back room.
“Sorry I didn't see you come out. I need a room for the night,” I said.
“All we have are singles I hope that's alright,” he said.
“That'll be fine. Is there any chance of getting it away from your other guests. I tend to have night terrors lately, and wouldn't want to bother anyone if I have one tonight,” I said.
“I could give you a room at an end but I can't promise there won't be anyone in the room next to it,” he said.
“I understand, and that'll be fine,” I said.
“So you're in the military?” he asked.
“I'm in the Air Force,” I replied.
“Have you been over there yet?” he asked.
“I just got home from over there. Part of the reason for the night terrors, I'm afraid,” I said.
“So you've seen action? I guess it looks a lot different from an airplane then the real action,” he said.
“Yes it does, but I don't fly fighters, bombers, or cargo planes. I'm attached to a special forces company,” I said.
“That was special forces that got those army guys out of that mess not long ago wasn't it?” he asked.
“Yes, I believe it was,” I said.
“You weren't involved in that were you?” he asked.
“My room?” I knew if I carried on the conversation any longer the questions would continue and all I wanted was to finally be able to lay down and get some sleep without worrying someone might try killing me.”
“I'm sorry if I offended you. It's just it gets kind of lonely here at night,” he said.
“I'm not offended, its just I haven't gotten much sleep in the last couple months, and I'm tired. I've been cooped up on airplanes for the last thirty-six hours,” I said.
“You weren't kidding when you said you just got back then?” he asked.
“No I wasn't kidding,” I said.
I picked up the key and headed for the room hoping I wouldn't have anyone else want to talk about the war and my part in it.
I put the key in the lock and started to open the door when I heard someone coming as though they meant to sneak up on someone.
“Give me your wallet,” a guy said.
“Excuse me? Do you really think this is a good idea?” I asked.
“Just give me your wallet,” he said again.
“There's no money in it, and I doubt my driver license or military ID will do you much good,” I said.
“You got money I saw it when you checked in, so hand it over,” he demanded.
“You know if you really want to get into this kind of work you need to lose the fear, it could get you killed,” I said.
“What do you know about fear? I ain't afraid of you,” he said.
“You should be. I know about fear because it's an everyday part of my life. I know about fear because I've been trained to instill fear in even the most fearless opponent,” I said.
“Look I got the gun not you. Now hand over the money,” he said.
“Or what, you'll pull the trigger? If you were going to shoot me you would have done so already. You're terrified even though you're the one with the gun. So why don't you just put the gun away and we can forget this ever happened,” I said.
“Give me the money and I'm gone. Keep talking like you been doing and I will pull the trigger,” he said.
I reached out and took the gun away from him before he even knew I moved. I dropped the clip out on the ground and slid the chamber open ejecting the shell in it, and in one deft move had the gun in several pieces making it worthless as anything but a club, and not much good for that either.
“I'm sorry, but I think you have a lot to learn about your chosen profession. First you might not want to get anywhere near someone wearing ribbons and medals like the ones I'm wearing, if they can reach you they'll do just what I did. Secondly don't threaten to do something you're afraid to do. I could have stood here an hour arguing with you and you still wouldn't have pulled that trigger. For the record, I know what it's like to pull the trigger, I know what it's like to kill someone, and it isn't an easy thing to live with, even in the situation in which I've done it. Now here's twenty bucks, why don't you get cleaned up so you can find honest work,” I said.
“Twenty bucks? And just how am I supposed to get cleaned up with twenty bucks?” he asked.
“The twenty bucks isn't to get cleaned up it's so you can get something to eat in the morning before you go out looking for an honest job. If you want you're welcome to take a shower in my room and even get a nights sleep in a bed, and not worry someone might come along and take whatever you have,” I said.
“Why are you doing this? Who are you anyway?” he asked.
“I'm doing it because I can. As for who I am if anyone asks just tell them I'm the White Rose,” I said.
Why would I say that? Sure it was the name of my recon unit, but from what Kathy told me it was impossible for me to be the White Rose, the White Rose was a woman and... I didn't believe in magic or magical creatures, and the White Rose was most definitely a magical creature.
He gave me a strange look and I thought of taking back what I said, but found all I could do was smile and open the door to let us in the room.
In the morning I sat there watching Bruce sleep on the bed I intended to sleep in and just smiled. He had a chance if he was willing to just reach out and take it. I knew there were many who wouldn't, but I was sure Bruce wasn't one of them.
He rolled over and opened his eyes.
“I...” he started.
“Bruce I'll pay for this room for a couple weeks and even give you a hundred dollars, if you'll promise me that you'll look for an honest job,” I said.
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“Because I can. Because I'd rather do this than what the military wants me to do. Because you didn't ask for the circumstances you find yourself in,” I said.
“Nobody does something like this without asking something in return,” he said.
“I am asking something in return, Bruce. I'm asking you to look for an honest job, one that pays an honest wage,” I said.
“How do you know my name?” he asked.
“The same way I know about your current circumstances. You talk in your sleep,” I said.
“You mean you been sitting there all night, not getting any sleep?” he asked.
“I got a little sleep, but the events of the last month kept creeping in and stealing sleep from me since living through it once was more than enough,” I said.
“You've been in the war I take it,”
he asked.
“Yes. I just got back from there yesterday. I'm on a forced thirty day leave, or I'd likely still be there,” I said.
“Those ribbons and medals you're wearing are special forces aren't they?” he asked.
“The ribbons most of them, yes, the medal, no it's the Presidential Medal of Honor,” I said.
“The White Rose... isn't that the recon unit that rescued those foot solders?” he asked.
“So the story goes. Those foot solders, as you call them, played a big part in rescuing themselves,” I said.
“You're Captain Samuel Waters commander of the White Rose recon unit, aren't you?” he asked.
I just sat there looking at nothing as the vision started again.
“Captain Waters I'm sorry I didn't mean to...” he started to apologize.
The vision stopped almost as fast as it started.
“Bruce just make me a promise. Can you do that?” I asked.
“Yes sir. I can do that. I promise I'll do my best to find honest work,” he said.
“Those clothes hanging on the rod are in good condition and clean. If they'll fit they're yours, if they don't maybe you can take them down to goodwill and trade them for some that do fit. This room is paid for, for the next couple weeks and I left a hundred dollars on the dresser for you,” I said.
I picked up my duffel bag and walked out of the room.
“Kathy is your offer still available for a room?” I asked when she answered her phone.
“You don't need to ask Sam, there'll always be room for my little sister at my place,” she said.
“So I'm not your big little brother anymore? I kind of like that. Dad gave me your address along with your phone number, is there anyone there or do I need to just let myself in somehow?” I asked.
“Have you got transportation to get there?” she asked.
“I can get a cab,” I said.
“Don't be silly if you're at the motel dad said he dropped you at last night I can be there faster than any cab, then I can let you in the house,” she said.
“But you're at work, I wouldn't want you to get in trouble,” I said.
“I promise I won't get in trouble taking an hour for of this,” she said.
“If you're sure,” I said.
“I'm sure Sam, I own the company. I'll be there in five minutes,” she said.
She was good to her word and before long we were at her home and she was telling me she wanted her little sister, not brother if I wanted to be the real me.
She showed me around the house showing me the room that would be mine as long as I was staying there. I looked in the closet and then at my duffel bag. All I had were my uniforms and the last thing I wanted to wear was something that reminded me of being who everyone thought I should be.
“Is There something wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing that a shopping trip wouldn't fix. All I have for clothes are my uniforms,” I said.
“Well we can't have that. You're welcome to go through my closet and find something, I'm sure Brent wouldn't mind at least until you go shopping and get something of your own,” she said.
“I really should take a shower first, maybe wash some of the travel off so I can wake up a little,” I said.
She showed me her closet and where the shower was.
“Sam I'll get some lunch ready while your getting cleaned up,” she said.
I smiled and got in the shower letting the hot water run over me for what seemed forever. When I stepped out of the shower I wrapped a towel around myself and headed into her bedroom to see what I could find in the way of clothes.
I noticed she laid out some things on her bed, and found it intriguing that everything laying there was female apparel and looked like it had never been worn before.
“I took the liberty of laying out some new undies on the bed for you,” she called through the door as I was standing there wrapped in a towel staring at the panties laying there.
I slipped on the panties and felt them hug my hips as they came over them. They were so soft and felt so right compared to the underwear I had been wearing for so long.
I looked through the clothes she had hanging in her closet and found a dress that matched the one I remembered from the most recent dreams of myself as a woman and noticed it was strapless. Without tits I had noway of keeping it up, besides it had a zipper in the back that I would never be able to handle on my own anyway.
“That's a beautiful dress, and I'll bet you'd look great in it,” she said coming in.
“It's strapless. I have nothing to hold it up,” I said.
“You don't think those “D” cups you have on your chest would do the trick? Sam I don't wear that dress because every time I've tried someone has said something about how short the skirt is, or that I just don't have big enough tits for it, but from what I can see your at least a full cup size bigger than I am and I know you don't care what mom thinks about how short it is,” she said.
“I'll need help with the zipper. You did something to me so I have the right body now didn't you?” I asked.
“I've been in fixing us some lunch since you stepped in the shower. I just came in to let you know as soon as you're decent lunch is ready,” she said.
“Then you didn't do this?” I asked.
“No, I didn't even think something like this was possible. Sam I swear I didn't have anything to do with this,” she said.
“You said you thought I'm a witch, is it possible I did it without knowing I did it?” I asked.
“I don't know. I do know that to do something like this would take a very powerful witch to accomplish,” she said.
“I am a witch aren't I? Magic is real, and I am a witch able to use it,” I asked.
“Magic is real and, yes, I think you are a witch able to use it,” she said.
She pulled the zipper up for me and found a pair of shoes she said she bought just for this dress.
“You know we're going to have to get you your own make-up, and I'd love to take you to get your nails done, and maybe get your ears pierced,” she said.
“You really want me to freak mom out don't you. I think for now I'll pass on getting my ears pierced I still have to deal with the military and all the problems this will cause there. I doubt they let me stay in special forces looking like this,” I said.
“This can probably be undone when you have to go back, but first we'd need to find out just what you did,” she said.
“While I was looking at the panties you laid out for me, I was wishing I was a girl so they would fit right. When I pulled them on it felt so nice like everything was how it should be now,” I said.
“Magic isn't supposed to work that way. Sam are you sure you didn't say anything, something that doesn't make a lot of sense, a poem anything?” she asked.
“I don't think so but I might have. Why, would that be important?” I asked.
“Because magic like this usually requires some kind of incantation to trigger it. Either that or you're stronger in the magic then any witch in the last thousand years,” she said.
I couldn't deny that magic was real after this. I looked in the mirror and loved what was looking back at me. All my life I had hated mirrors because they lied and showed someone other than the person from my dreams.
“I had some words go through my mind when I pulled the panties on. Could they have been this trigger you're talking about?” I asked.
“You didn't say them out loud? It's possible I guess, but I can't imagine just the thought of the words being enough. Can you remember what the words were?” she asked.
“Sure, something like: What should be is, and will remain, until the time life resumes again. On that day in future near, things will again be hidden here. Until the time White Rose draws neigh, upon life edge her life made full,” I said.
“That's an incantation, a very powerful incantation at that. The thing is I have no idea what it means,” she said.
“I think it just mean
s while I'm here I'll be me,” I said.
We headed out the door after lunch and I bought a dozen new dresses and shoes to go with. I wanted to get my nails done as badly as Kathy wanted to have me get them done so we found a nail salon that said they did walk-ins and took a seat.
“How can we help you ladies?” the person behind th counter asked.
“My sister wants to get her nails done,” Kathy said before I had a chance of saying anything.
The gal lead me over to one of the work stations and looked at my hands tsking every so often. I had no idea what she found so deplorable about my nails but obviously there was something.
“Nails strong and shapely, be the color of the Rose to be, upon the call of White we see, the world hidden only shall be.” I didn't understand the words, but knew whatever their meaning I had strong healthy nails that any woman would envy.
She looked at them again and let out a gasp. “How did you do that?” she asked.
“What are you talking about?” I was in total confusion and it appeared I wasn't the only one.
She looked at all my nails again and frowned picking up an emery board and brushing the tips of my nails to clean up any rough edges. She told me to pick out the color I wanted and as soon as I had a color I liked started trying to paint them. She finished the first coat and started on the second and I smiled as the pattern of a rose appeared on each nail.
As we walked out of the salon Kathy looked at my nails and shook her head.
“Could you have picked a more expensive design?” she asked.
“What are you talking about. I didn't pay for a design,” I said.
“Did you bother looking at your nails sis?” she asked.
“That's interesting. Each of those roses are the color I picked out but there was no design put on my nails. I don't know how this happened. I came up with a poem after she tsked from looking at my nails,” I said.
“Sis you really need to learn what it is you're doing before you end up killing someone with your wild magic. Do you mind telling me the poem you made up,” she asked.
I told her the poem and saw her pale as some understand of the words sank in.
“Sam I have something I need to take care of would it be alright if I dropped you back at the house?” she asked.
“I was hoping to see dad before we go out tonight,” I said.
“You can call him from the house and I'm sure he'd be delighted to come over. Please Sam it's really important and I don't have a lot of time,” she said.
“Then why don't you go take care of whatever it is you need to take care of, and I'll get a cab when I'm ready. I still want to do a little more shopping, and I still haven't gotten any make-up yet. Kathy I am a big girl and can take care of myself,” I said.
“Promise you'll be home by five,” she demanded.
“I promise, if I'm going to be later I'll call,” I promised.
She was almost running as soon as she had my promise, and I know whatever it was she had to take care of had something to do with me and the poem I made up while getting my nails done.
I turned around and started for a store that had a full service make-up counter and stopped seeing someone I knew from my dreams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sam I'm so sorry, it was the only way,” Chris said.
“What have you done to me Chris? What kind of monster have you turned me into?” I asked.
“Sam you were dying, if I hadn't you would have died,” Chris said.
The Hidden Rose Page 25
