The Gift

Alice pulled the quilt up around her shoulders and opened an eye. Then another eye. Her husband was in the corner of their room, pulling on some boxers. Admiring his bum, she smiled to herself. He turned to look at her and frowned.

"You spyin' on me?"

"Nope" she giggled, hiding under the quilt as he approached her.

He climbed on top of her and began to tickle her through the thin quilt. Excitedly she squealed and pushed him off of her - she ran to the door but he caught her in his arms and pulled her into him. She tip-toed to reach his lips, kissing him lightly before pulling away with a smile.

"I love you Nelson", she grinned.

"What a coincidence, I love you too", he smiled in return, "But honey-bunch, I hate to break it to you but I need t' get ready, I'm gonna be late for work".

Alice left him to get dressed and walked into the front room area of the small bungalow they rented. She boiled the kettle and pulled up two cups of coffee, like every morning. She cooked some pancakes, absent mindedly flicking through the tv channels. The morning news caught her attention; shapeshifters had receieved the right to vote.

Smiling she listened to the reporter, who was a shape shifter.

"It is a brand new dawn to the shapeshifting kind. We hope that all of you viewers at home will agree that this is a beautiful break through. We may not be completely the same but we sure as heck ain't any different..."

The pancakes were piled high onto the white china plates and placed upon the kitchen table. She put a bottle of syrup in the centre, with a jug of fresh orange squash and the coffee too.

The clock read ten past eight, so she fried up some crisp bacon.

Nelson came bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen, sniffing the delicious smells in the air.

"Hon, you're the best wife in the world, y'know that?"

He slipped an arm around her waist and kissed the corner of her jaw softly. He gently pulled her to her seat, pulled it out and pushed her into the table with just enough space;  then joined her.

They ate in silence, not an awkward silence but a blissful silence which can only experienced in extremely comfortable situations. The wooden cuckoo clock ticked in the background and the news played silently, images of the occurances in the world dancing across the screen.

Eight thirty arrived almost instantly and reluctantly Nelson left for work.

Alice tidied the kitchen and had a quick shower, scrubbing herself clean. Without feeling the need to dress, she headed out into the garden and out into the blazing heat. There house was big and white and had a perfect distance from any neighbours or prying eyes. She lay upon a blanket and shut her eyes, embracing the rays of sunshine upon her bare skin.

Sleep cradled her in its comforting darkness for a few blissful hours.

She awoke with a jolt and shreiked loudly to find that she was no longer in her garden, but beside a clear, sparkling lake. Willow trees hung their leaves droopily, playing with the surface of the water. Flowers bloomed around her, shades of red, yellow and green. Merges of the colours blue and pink purple. Pastel colours, dark colours, light colours, warm and cold all growing harmoniously around her.

"Hello Alice", murmured a soft but masculine voice.

Frightened she yanked the blanket up around her naked body and flinched away from the shadows where the voice was hiding.

"Don't be afraid".

Shakily she replied, "Show yourself".

And he did. The man was angelic, tall and just the right shade of pale. His eyes were a fine green colour, not warm nor cold. His hair was gold and hung to his waist, the only apparent clothing a pair of tattered shorts made of a material she could not label.