Starcross

Chapter Ten - Whole

ACT THREE

God knows 'twere better to be deep  

Pillowed in silk and scented down,

Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,

Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,

Where hushed awakenings are dear...

But I've a rendezvous with Death  

At midnight in some flaming town,

When Spring trips north again this year,

And I to my pledged word am true,

I shall not fail that rendezvous.

Chapter Ten

Miners Park

Frederick, Colorado

            With the soft green grass devoid of any thorns, thanks to vigorous landscaping, and a soft, warm breeze blowing through the air, James felt completely relaxed under the huge oak tree. Sunlight softly filtered through the leaf filled limbs and somewhere up above birds chirped as they tried to find mates.

            Here, all his worries were gone. Except for his arm which was completely asleep.

            “Kelsey?” He softly breathed.

            His girlfriend’s soft hair tumbled down before her eyes as she rolled over to face him. “Hmm?”

            “I have to pee,” He brazenly admitted.

            “Well that’s too bad ‘cuz I’m not getting up. So I guess you’re screwed,” She rolled back over onto her back and closed her blue eyes. “Besides,” She added after a quiet moment. “You said you don’t like the bathrooms here anyway.”

            “I don’t. Every time I go in my shoes stick to the floor. It’s like playing ‘The Floor is Lava’ for real…”

            Kelsey’s soft giggling erupted from beside him and James smiled, closing his eyes and deciding he didn’t have to urinate all that badly after all. “You coming with us on that camping trip?” He asked, nearly everyone else had decided to come except for Tricia and her boyfriend, much to James’ delight.

            “Not sure. You know I’m a city girl.”

            “Oh yeah, would want you to break a nail,” He replied sarcastically.

            “Screw the nail, I’ll break my leg,” She admitted honestly. Kelsey wasn’t the most coordinated person James knew, while she was elegant as a Butterfly she often ended up with bruises or scrapes.

            “Well we could stay here all Summer,” James proposed. “Living off the concession stands and bathing in the lake when there’s no one around…”

            “Oh you’d just love to see me swimming naked in the lake wouldn’t you?”

            James though silently before bluntly saying, “Yes. Yes I would.”

            Full laughter erupted from her this time as she covered her eyes and mouth with her hands, something that annoyed James because he thought she was at her most beautiful when she laughed. When her mirth finally died down she scooted closer to him, laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her against tightly against him, yet not enough to cause discomfort. Her blonde ponytail peeked out from behind her and James reached up, tugging on it gently. Redness filled Kelsey’s face as she blushed and giggled again.