Window To The World by Demetra Fisher

As I look out to see
the world, waiting for me
I know I will find
my dreams, so kind
coming to fruition.

The waiting is the worst
for my heart has this thirst
to release all the pain
and be free once again
to live the life I wish.

But time is on my side
‘cuz I know deep inside
that I will have what I seek
when I open my eyes to peek
through my window to the world.

Restricted Number by Demetra Fisher

The telephone began ringing as soon as we entered the house, although we didn’t rush to answer it. We both knew that the only calls that came to the house these days were from various telemarketers and my roommate’s mother, who steadfastly refused to use a cell phone. My roomie smiled as she checked the Caller ID, telling me that she would call her mom as soon as she got settled with a cup of tea. She headed off to the kitchen and, calling
back over her shoulder, asked me if I wanted a cup as well.

“No thanks,” I called back. I just wanted to go up to my room, change, and continue my lazy reprieve from the car ride home. As I headed up the stairs, my cell beeped twice, letting me know I had a text message:

meet me at the library in ten minutes
need to talk

The text was from a “restricted” number so I couldn’t tell who was
sending it, which gave me some concern. I wondered if maybe a friend had lost her phone service again and was using someone else’s cell to text me. But wouldn’t she have identified herself, if that was the case? I searched my incoming calls to see if I had gotten any others recently from a restricted number. Not finding any, I searched my contact list to see if I had added any new numbers. Some time ago, I had discovered that if I added
a new number before first receiving a call, the number often showed up as “restricted” on my detail pad the first time the person either called or texted me. Not so this time, though. Again, I wondered who could be reaching out
to me when two more beeps sounded:

don’t waste time wondering just come

Now that was strange. The tone reminded me of Josh, but he was away this weekend, so it couldn’t be him. Maybe he got back early, I thought.
Curiosity had me and whoever sent this message, if they knew me at all, would surely know that. Without entering my room, I spun around at the top of the stairs and bounded back down.

“Hey, I’m headed over to the library,” I yelled out as I grabbed my coat knowing it would be chillier now that the sun had set. I headed out the door as I heard a goodbye.

Apprehension slowly began to derail me. I knew that the library wouldn’t be deserted as there were always plenty of students around at all hours of either day or night. But I still felt somewhat ill at ease, not knowing exactly who I was meeting. Not to mention, a would-be rapist who had struck more than once still remained on the loose. Even so, I was way too curious to let it get the best of me so I pressed on, making my way across campus as quickly as I could, looking this way and that as I went.

The library was quiet as I opened the heavy wooden door and entered the circular lobby. The student worker behind the desk glanced up from her book in response to my footsteps before returning once more to the pages before her. As I walked across the expansive space, the heels of my low boots knocked against the marble of the floor, echoing slightly. I had no idea where I should be going but my gut told me to head over to my favorite section. Whenever I was in the library and I wasn’t doing research, I was
always in the fiction aisles and if someone wanted to find me, they could always count on my being there. I trucked up the stairs and turned to the right, then headed for the bookcases closest to the window, knowing there was a low couch that I could park myself on to wait. The section was deserted as I expected it to be at this time of day. Students were either in their dorms studying or doing research on the other side of the library.

Just as I rounded the last corner I stopped short, remembering the last time I was in the library and the conversation that I had overheard which had so consumed me. I was suddenly filled with panic. Questions burned. What if everything that’s been happening recently is more than just dreams? What if I’m not really awake right now and this is yet another REM sequence? Oh
God, I cried inwardly, my knees going weak. I don’t think I can take this right now. Anguished, I felt the overwhelming urge to get out of there. I couldn’t explain my sudden panic, but I knew I had to leave. Now. Without further hesitation, I turned around and headed straight for the nearest exit.
Crossing the open space, I suddenly had the distinct impression that I was not alone. Someone was watching me, maybe even following me, I was sure of it! I gasped in fear and hurried even more so, my feet moving faster and faster, breaking into a run. Without looking back, I slipped through the exit door and bounded down the stairs back toward the lobby and safety, my
heart pounding through my chest.

Solace by Demetra Fisher

He washes over me
Like the surf on the sand
With waves of emotion
Leaving me clean and smooth
Wanting to begin anew.

I am bathed in courage
Hopeful for better days
To be spent with laughter
Without being trapped by fear,
My tears wiped away.

As I plan my escape
I can’t help but dream
Of a time I will be free
To be with he who truly sees me
For the person I am.

Until that day comes
I am held by patience
As my aspirations soar
I know my life will change
As it was meant to be.

And I take comfort in that knowledge.

Never Alone by Demetra Fisher

She couldn’t be sure what the future held, but she knew it had to be better than the now. Whatever lay ahead was meant to be and would be. She had never felt so alive, so knowing,. Certain that the past was over and done, she looked forward to the future that
was sure to bring the gifts she was meant to receive. Looking upward, she opened her arms in anticipation. A smile formed on her lips as she gazed toward heaven.

“Let the grace of God surround you.” She heard the angel speak even before she saw that he did. His smile matched her own as he gazed down upon her, the essence of true love on his beautiful face.

She beamed up at him, knowing that she would see him again. He was with her always and knowing that made it easier to accept that he had a higher purpose which he was meant to serve other than being with her on earth. She would remain strong in the faith
of their love. As he had learned to be strong in his faith of God’s love.

He touched her once, briefly, and again, she felt the true power of his unwavering love for her. And she knew that it would always be this way for them.

She closed her eyes and savored the moment. When she opened them again, he was gone.

Just as she expected he would be.

Still, she smiled, secure in the belief that he would return to her.

Always.

The Morning After, an except from Some Other Time, a novel by Demetra Fisher

He awoke to the sound of her breathing as she lay beside him which only served to bring back memories of the night before when their lovemaking had been both passionate and sweet. Turning his head in her direction, he looked at her face. In that instant, he
knew that he would like nothing better than to continue seeing that image before him every morning from then on. Her lips were curved up, even as she slept soundly, and her nostrils flared now and then as soft snoring emanated from her. He couldn’t help
but smile in response. Rather than be put off by this obvious display of imperfection, he was delighted by it. The fact that she had flaws made her that much more real to him and so therefore, more attainable. She was a goddess for sure, but one that he felt certain he could make his own, especially after what they had shared the previous night.

The intensity of their desire for one another had been evident long before their first pairing and as the night had progressed into dawn, it had not waned. Never before had he felt such a need to drown himself in a woman. To his surprise, he’d not ceased in his need to thrust deeper and deeper still inside her, never finding it to be quite enough. And even as he had continued to bring her to completion over and over, it still persisted. His desire to take her had never ceased. This amazed him, as he had not experienced this
before with any woman.

And he had had plenty. His many encounters with women of all types had taught him  that he had no difficulty in attracting a bedmate. Even the most reluctant had let down their defenses and succumb to his persistence. He was an ardent and relentless lover, and none had ever come away from the experience of being with him unsatisfied. Yes, he was that good.

But, her. He had not ever felt such a demand within himself to completely satiate  any woman before. His need to be everything to her was so great that he was a little overwhelmed by it. He knew they were a good match. Their ability to meld, sharing similar opinions and ideas had been evident from the beginning. And because of this, he felt that their union would be a success. But, the intensity of his fervor and his need to possess her fully were different from anything he had ever experienced before. He
wanted her to be his and his alone, completely, and with no chance of any other ever coming between them.

She stirred and he turned on his side to watch her more closely. As he looked over her  nude body splayed in blissful sleep, he could see her chest continue to move up and down with her breathing, and his hands ached to cup her breasts which were now in full
display. She was a feast for his hungry eyes and he drank her image in with full gratitude.
Unable to hold back any longer, he reached out toward one of her soft peaks, filled with the desire to tease her nipple into tender hardness once more.

At his touch, her eyes opened and upon seeing him, her smile deepened.

Yes, this was certain to be a fine morning indeed.

Novel Excerpts by Demetra Fisher

Just a note to remind members. This is copyrighted material and cannot be posted or reproduced anywhere without the consent of the author, in writing.

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Night After Night

She opened her eyes and groaned in response, knowing it had happened again. Looking up, she saw the young, handsome research assistant seated at her feet. He rose at the onset of her stirring to stand by her bedside. She closed her eyes again in an attempt to prolong the inevitable for she knew what was coming next, having been through it all countless times before.
She felt the bed shift as the young man sat down beside her and she opened her eyes once more. He smiled before lifting her hand, taking her pulse for the zillionth time. His task completed, he turned to her, the somewhat forced smile still pasted on his face.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her.
“Okay,” she answered with caution, knowing what the next question would be and knowing that she wouldn’t be able to respond.
“Do you remember what you were dreaming?” he prompted, on cue.
Not trusting her voice, she shook her head.
“Nothing at all?” he pressed.
Again she shook her head but this time, whispered, “No” as she did.
The smile faded from his face as he patted her hand before turning to write something on the chart he balanced on his lap. He murmured something about it being okay that she didn’t remember as he removed the little pieces of tape that held the electrodes on her head in place and wiped away the gooey residue left behind. He told her that whenever she was ready to get up, she could get dressed and wait in the other room. She nodded in response and closed her eyes once more.
She waited for the man to leave. When she heard the door close, she opened her eyes, then sat up and instantly regretted it. Her head throbbed and she felt like she might pass out from the sensation. It was always like this. Those things they stuck to her forehead and scalp always made her feel sick after she woke up. She wondered how much longer she would have to go through this. It had been almost two years since she had first started coming to the sleep center and so far, nothing had changed. She still had trouble falling asleep every night and she still woke up feeling like she hadn’t slept at all, even if she did manage to nod off for a short while.
She was always tired during the day from lack of sleep and it showed in her face. It was a constant struggle trying to stay awake during the day and then trying to fall asleep at night. So far, everything the specialists recommended hadn’t helped and she was beginning to think that nothing ever would.
 She opened her eyes and groaned in response, knowing it had happened again. Looking up, she saw the young, handsome research assistant seated at her feet. He rose at the onset of her stirring to stand by her bedside. She closed her eyes again in an attempt to prolong the inevitable for she knew what was coming next, having been through it all countless times before.
She felt the bed shift as the young man sat down beside her and she opened her eyes once more. He smiled before lifting her hand, taking her pulse for the zillionth time. His task completed, he turned to her, the somewhat forced smile still pasted on his face.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her.
“Okay,” she answered with caution, knowing what the next question would be and knowing that she wouldn’t be able to respond.
“Do you remember what you were dreaming?” he prompted, on cue.
Not trusting her voice, she shook her head.
“Nothing at all?” he pressed.
Again she shook her head but this time, whispered, “No” as she did.
The smile faded from his face as he patted her hand before turning to write something on the chart he balanced on his lap. He murmured something about it being okay that she didn’t remember as he removed the little pieces of tape that held the electrodes on her head in place and wiped away the gooey residue left behind. He told her that whenever she was ready to get up, she could get dressed and wait in the other room. She nodded in response and closed her eyes once more.

She waited for the man to leave. When she heard the door close, she opened her eyes, then sat up and instantly regretted it. Her head throbbed and she felt like she might pass out from the sensation. It was always like this. Those things they stuck to her forehead and scalp always made her feel sick after she woke up. She wondered how much longer she would have to go through this. It had been almost two years since she had first started coming to the sleep center and so far, nothing had changed. She still had trouble falling asleep every night and she still woke up feeling like she hadn’t slept at all, even if she did manage to nod off for a short while.
She was always tired during the day from lack of sleep and it showed in her face. It was a constant struggle trying to stay awake during the day and then trying to fall asleep at night. So far, everything the specialists recommended hadn’t helped and she was beginning to think that nothing ever would.

She rose and began to dress as her thoughts returned to the remnants of the dream she had just had. It was the same as always: scant images of beautiful buildings with huge columns, people in white robes walking barefoot through rooms, women lying on stone slabs, mumbling incomprehensible utterances. It frightened her. The fact that the dreams were always the same was scary to be sure, but the fact that they somehow seemed familiar to her terrified her even more. It was one of the reasons why she never told anyone
about her dreams. She knew, or rather sensed, that they meant something, although she wasn’t sure what. Could it be that she wasn’t yet wise enough or experienced in the ways of the world to be able to make sense of them?
She wished she knew.
She finished dressing and wondered if she had maybe gotten up too soon. Her head still throbbed and she didn’t trust the stability of her legs to carry her without incident into the other room. She decided to lie back down until her head cleared. Once more, she stretched out on the bed, on her back, her face lifted toward the ceiling. She sighed and closed her eyes, willing the pounding in her head to stop. Her breathing came in short, haggard breaths as she tried without success to relax. After awhile, she felt her limbs grow
heavy and her breathing begin to deepen, as the headache subsided. She knew she should probably try to get up again, but she couldn’t for she felt herself being pulled back. Back to the columned buildings of her dream.
Back to the barefooted people in white robes who beckoned her in silence to return. As always, she felt powerless to resist and after a time, she stopped trying. It was so much easier to just give in. With a final sigh, she yielded, allowing herself to drift back to the dream once more, the same way she eventually always did, night after night.

 Missed Opportunity

 Now, what is it? he thought as he watched her leave. In the next moment, he felt his anger rising. “Dammit!” he imploded, unable to contain the building intensity of his rage. Why does this always have to happen? Every time he was certain that he would be able to spend some time with her, talk to her, explain himself to her with some clarity, something always seemed to interfere with his intentions and off she’d go. What the hell is wrong with
her?
He continued to anguish as he thought about all of the many opportunities he’d missed. The last time she’d run out, there hadn’t been any obvious reason that he could see. And then this time, she hadn’t even acknowledged him.
What is she thinking? That I would just stand by and accept being ignored?
As if he were nothing more than a mere fly on the wall of her life.
Well, that was about to change.
He would see to it.

 The Talk

 “What the hell is going on? Why are you avoiding me?” he asked me, his confusion evident. He was looking at me with such dark intensity that I was stunned into silence. His tone echoed anger but I told myself that he was probably more hurt than anything else. His grip on my arms tightened even more as he waited for answers that didn’t come. “Tell me!” he ordered, after my silent gaze only seemed to spur his frustration.
“Let go, you’re hurting me!” I told him sharply. He released me then and we stood facing each other, our breathing labored with emotion as evidenced by the little puffs of white clouds which filled the cold air between us.
After a moment, he stepped forward to stroke my arms where his hands had squeezed.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice now softened, his eyes full of pain. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, you know that, right?” He pulled me close, his breath in my hair while he continued to explain his emotional response to my detachment. “I just don’t understand what’s happening. I hate not knowing what’s going on with you.” He pulled away from me and looked into my eyes. “Can we start over?” His eyes were pleading for forgiveness.
“Come with me. Let’s sit over here on this bench and talk. Whatever is bothering you, I know we can work it out.”
He took my gloved hands and led me to a bench under a huge old oak tree, away from any passers-by. I allowed myself to be led, my breathing now slowing somewhat, but the feelings of heightened response I always felt in his company, were still prevalent. Damn it! I thought, annoyed by my involuntary response. He can still do this to me, even though right now I hate him almost as much as . . .

“Please tell me why you’ve been staying away from me.” His voice
interrupted my negative thoughts. “Has something happened to change your mind about us?” he implored. I looked up into his handsome face, now so forlorn, I almost reached out to touch him. But instead, I gathered up my courage with a mental shake.
I had to tell him how I felt. And I had to do it now before I lost my nerve.
I turned to face him and took a deep breath. It was now or never.
I opted for now.

The Midnight Special by Demetra Fisher

Sitting in the therapist’s waiting room was the worst. It seemed that no matter what time I got there, I always had to wait. Waiting sucks and if you're impatient like me, it sucks even more. Today was no different. I told myself that it didn’t do any good to get
pissed off about it, but I still was.

Lately, I was pretty pissed  about a lot of things. My situation, for one. Three months ago, life had been great. I’d had a girlfriend. My grades were okay. Graduation seemed like it would finally be a reality. Then out of nowhere, everything changed. One night was all it took to turn my world upside down.

Now, everyone thought I was crazy. All my friends had abandoned me. My girlfriend had broken up with me. She didn’t want a freak for a boyfriend, she said. Even my parents had trouble believing my story. That’s why they decided to put me in therapy.
They were hoping that whatever was “troubling” me would come out during my sessions and that somehow, I could move on. They didn’t get that therapy wasn’t gonna help me. That no matter what they or anyone else did to try and make it better, nothing could keep me from remembering that awful night.

Funny thing is, the whole thing started out pretty normal, like every second Friday of the month. That’s when I always helped out at the teen center. My town is kinda small and the teen center is the one and only “fun” spot besides a couple of fast food restaurants for kids to hang out at. The fact that this all happened in a small town didn’t matter. It could have happened anywhere and probably does. Why it had to happen here and why it had to happen to me is a question I’ve asked myself a least a million times since that night. Too bad, I’ll never know the answer.

Anyway, the second Friday every month, the teen center has a dance. Nothing special, just a regular dance and every kid in town usually goes since there’s not much else to do.
A couple of the kids from school will dj and the music is pretty cool since no one from the school chaperone's so no one cares that the lyrics are a little racy and the dancing
sometimes get a little frisky, if you know what I mean. But hey, We’re kids, right? We need a little stimulation, now and then, so it’s all good. I was doing my usual thing,
making sure that no one stormed the door trying to get in before their turn in line, checking to make sure that no one was drunk or high or both. Well, not too drunk or too high, anyway. If I turned every kid away who looked like they were having alittle too much fun, I'd never let anyone in. Like I said before, we’re kids, remember?

The dance went on just the same as it did every month. The music got a little too loud at times, some soda spilled as usual, a little drama when some couple broke up, but nothing major happened. All in all, it was a pretty average dance. Soon, it was time to clean up and go home, which I was pretty much down with, since I’d been on my feet all night.
It was my job to make sure the trash was picked up and brought outside and that when the clean up crew finished and cleared out that the place was locked up for the night. After waiting a few minutes for the kids who had dj'd to finish packing up their equipment and haul it out to their cars, the place was quiet. I walked through the building one last time just to make sure everything was clean and picked up for the next day. The trash had all been brought up to the dumpster and everything looked neat as a pin, as my grandma would say, so my job was done. When I locked the door behind me, I glanced over to make sure the kids had remembered to close the lid on the dumpster.  They had,  so it was all good. I headed for the bus stop around the corner and didn't even have to wait. Just as I reached the stop, the bus came and I hopped on. I climbed into my usual seat, the first one on the left behind the wide seatat the front, turning sideways like I always did whenever the bus was mostly empty.
Looking around, I saw there were only two other passengers on the bus. When you're taking the last bus of the day, you don't usually see many people, but that night, for some reason,  I remember thinking there were less people than usual. The lights had seemed brighter too, but then again, maybe the full moon just made everything seem lighter in general, I had thought. So, I relaxed and settled in for the long ride home.
My stop is the last one on the route, so I figured if I shut my eyes for a while I could maybe catch up on some sleep. I was so tired. While I cat-napped, I felt the bus stop a couple of times to let people off. I never figured that someone else might be getting on. I opened my eyes after the last stop. And that's when I saw him.
He was sitting on the back of the bus in the last seat way over to the right. He looked like he'd seen a ghost or maybe he was sick, I couldn't really tell. But he didn't look okay,  that's for sure. He was shaking and muttering something to himself. Maybe he's a wino, I remember thinking. But, he didn't look like he lived on the streets, if you know what I mean. He was dressed okay in regular jeans and a sweatshirt that was from one of the more popular stores, so he must have some money, at least. And he looked clean,  too. But something was definitely off.
I kept staring at him. I couldn't help it. I was curious about him,  wondering what his deal was. Then, he looked up and caught me. I froze and my face got hot. Damn! I turned around quickly,  hoping that he would just let it go. I didn't like the look in his eye.
All of a sudden,  I felt him come up behind me. I turned around and saw that he had sat down in the second row, directly behind me.
"What are you looking at?", he asked me.
I didn't know what to say. But, he didn't wait for me to answer him before he spoke again.
"You'd better get off this bus soon, if you know what's good for you", he told me.

"Mine is the last stop", I told him. I didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"That's too long", he said. Looking me over.

"Well, it's the furthest this bus goes", I said. I'd be damned if I was going to walk an extra five blocks just because this guy had some kind of a problem with me.

"But it's almost midnight",  he said. Like that made sense or something.

"Yeah,  so what?", I asked him. This guy was really starting to creep me out.

"I'd get off sooner, if I were you",  he said so low, I almost didn't hear him.

"Yeah well,  you're not me", I told him. I had just about enough with this asshole. He wasn't gonna get me to budge until I reached my stop.

All of a sudden, I noticed that he was sweating a lot. His eyes started to bulge out a lot too. And he started to make strange sounds out of his throat like he was choking or something. He looked like he was maybe having a fit or he was about to puke. I couldn't tell which. But then he looked at me with a weird expression like he didn't know what was going on. I knew right then, that whatever it was that was happening, it was bad. Too bad,  I didn't get off the bus like he'd said I should.
He stood up then, just as I told myself that I could maybe get off at the next stop, which was the one right before mine. I was beginning to panic. I had no cell phone, so I couldn't call someone for help, but hey, who would I call anyway? Everyone I knew was either out partying or asleep at this hour. I glanced at my watch as the dial switched.

12:00

Midnight

Jeeze...

When I looked back at the guy, he was still standing in the same spot, but he didn't look at all the same. He was bigger, somehow. And bulkier. And his hands were...they seemed to be...growing! They were getting bigger and bigger and his fingernails were changing! And so was his face. I could hear the bones crunching and his skin stretching. Holy shit! His forehead was twice the size it had been and his nose wasn't anything like a nose anymore. It was more like a snout. His hands were now more like claws and that's when I shrunk back into my seat. What the hell is this? I remember thinking before I screamed for the driver to stop the bus.

That's when all hell broke loose. In the blink of an eye, the transformation was complete. The guys clothes flew off him as his body grew to double his original size.
He was now covered head to toe in fur! His face wasn't a face anymore but a muzzle.

He wasn't a man anymore...

He was more like a dog. Or a wolf...

A werewolf...

I jumped up and pulled the stop. The bus driver instantly pulled over and I ran for the front door, almost tripping on the way. When I reached the front of the bus, the driver pulled open the doors and I jumped over the three steps to the ground. I took off running as fast as I could. And I never looked back.

But, I heard.

The driver screamed.

The werewolf growled.

Then the gnashing began as the werewolf's jaws connected with the driver's flesh. The screaming continued. So did the gnashing and growling.

My skin crawled but I kept running.

I didn't stop until I reached my house and was in my bedroom with the door locked. Just for good measure, I closed and locked my window too. Then, even though I was fully dressed, I jumped in bed and pulled the covers over my head.

I stayed there for two whole days.

My parents thought I had had a nightmare. My girlfriend didn't believe me and of course, no one else did either. So now, I'm stuck in therapy. I'm pretty sure the shrink thinks I'm nuts too.

But, I know different. I know what I saw that night. My eyes weren't playing tricks on me. It was real. And I know that someday, I'll see it again.

Someday, when I least expect it. Someday when I figure that he's passed me by and that I have been lucky enough for him to forget about me.

Someday when I'm riding the midnight special again and he's on it too.

And then it will be my turn...

Remembering by Demetra Fisher

I can’t believe it has been more than twenty years. Over time, so much has transpired, it seems as though I should have forgotten everything by now. But I know that will never happen. Some things you simply cannot forget.

Like how good it feels to buy your first set of wheels. When you learn to swim or dance or master a new trick in gymnastics class. Or win an award for an achievement you’veworked hard for. Graduate from college… land the perfect job, etc. Those are shining
moments, for sure.

But for me, those pale in comparison to this very first time.

He had a fire in him that was so intoxicating. I knew immediately that we were going to be fantastic together. He was twenty-one at the time, although, I knew that he had been schooled and I felt it with every move of his well-proportioned body.

When I first sat astride him, I was taken to a place I had never been before or likely have been since. From the very first moment, we seemed to be a perfect fit. It was effortless. As though, we had been together forever… moving as one.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

We had meandered down the trail that leads to the river. Being outside only added to our heightened expectations. It seemed fitting that our first journey would take us to a place
as magical as the moments themselves.

We started out slowly, although it didn’t take long for us to find that we were well suited to each other, in every way. His spirit and enthusiasm spurred mine, and he was as alert
to my nuances as I was to his.

The pressure of my limbs against his strong, hard body told him all he needed to know. His responses were immediate, without hesitation. Once, when I turned my head to look up at the sky, he stopped briefly, out of curiosity, wanting only to know why I had
deferred from our perfect rhythm, which was natural and easy.

It was exciting. And beautiful. I had never felt my senses so filled up… my being so alive and free. His every motion matched mine, instantly, and mine to his. We were both teacher and student to one another’s efforts. The beauty of the day, with its crisp, clean
air and hint of the morning dew still glistening on the ground only added to the bliss I felt. I was elevated to a higher state of being on that perfect day, and I would be forever changed by the experience.

When we arrived back at the barn, I knew that this time would live in my memory for the rest of my life.

Years later, when he passed before he turned 30, I mourned him alongside all the others  who had also had the privilege of being with him, stride for stride, experiencing all that he had to give.

His name was Dreams and I loved him with all my heart.

He was the very first horse I ever rode and he taught me all the skills I needed to know  about how to be a good rider and how to love the total experience of being one, in perfect
union and harmony.

And I will always remember him for giving me that very special gift.

A Night in the Tree House by Demetra Fisher

It was a typical Saturday in June. My three friends and me were hanging out just like we always did. Playing paintball, eating, pranking on each other, eating some more and finally, getting our stuff together for our “camp out” Sleepover in the tree house.

Our tree house was really cool. We had built it in the woods near our houses with the help of our dads a couple of summers ago and it was our home away from home. We spent as much time there as we could, hanging out and of course, sleeping. Each spring, we would work at clearing away all the fallen branches, leaves and trash that had accumulated over the colder months. Now it was officially summer and the  camp out was set to begin.

I fished my sleeping bag out of the basement and got the rest of my camping equipment out of the shed. Whew! No wonder we packed everything up in plastic when the season was over! It stunk so bad that I decided to lay everything out on the lawn to air out. Then, I grabbed a piece of paper and pencil off the desk in my room so I could make a list of what I had and what I still needed to get for the sleepover.

My friends showed up and we all talked about what we needed for tonight. David had a battery operated popcorn popper that he got for Christmas which was really cool and Tommy brought a clock radio that was supposed to hold a charge for more than two days, so now we would know exactly what time it was instead of trying to guess all the time. We all grabbed snacks from our parents’ pantries and hauling up our sleeping bags, we set off for the tree house.

We each set up our spots, same as usual: me, over by the entrance, David by the far corner and Tommy right up against the main branch that ran through the tree house. Each of us had a wooden box that we’d made a couple of years ago that we used to set our juice boxes and snacks on, so they were close. Once it got dark, We usually had to have some kind of light for awhile, so we used a lantern that my dad finally had decided was safe enough for us. We Íired that up as soon as the sun went down. We decided that monopoly was the game for tonight, so we set it up and began to play.

After a couple of hours, Tommy was out of money and I wasn’t doing too well so we declared David the winner and wrapped it up. The silence of the woods and Tommy’s clock radio, which had been playing music for most of the night told us it was time to pack it in, so we decided to shut down the lantern and call it a night. This was always the best part of the sleepover for me. After lights out, we would always talk about sports and girls and whatever else we felt like until we got too sleepy to stay awake any longer and then one by one, we would each fall asleep. I turned off the lantern and Tommy shut off the radio so we could talk without being loud. Then we shut the door, snuggled up inside each of our sleeping bags and the conversation began.

We talked about our spring sports teams, the new girl who had transferred to our school over the winter and the teachers and classes we all hated. Next we played a game of I Spy until we couldn’t think of anything to “spy”. The conversation died down after that, so everything got pretty quiet.

I looked over to where David was stretched out on the far side of the tree house but I couldn’t make him out, it was so dark. Tommy was smack in the middle but even he was hard to see. It was really dark that night and although I didn’t scare easily, I was kinda

spooked, what with not being able to see much. Suddenly, my breath caught as I noticed something I hadn’t earlier.

Right in front of me, just outside the doorway, were two red “eyes”, staring straight at me through the glass of the door window. They didn’t move and they didn’t blink, but they were definitely looking my way. I was holding my breath and wondering what to do, when I realized that both David and Tommy were now fast asleep. David’s snoring was obvious and Tommy always made noises with his mouth when he was asleep so I knew for sure that they had each passed out. I was the only one that was awake and knew that something was watching us outside the tree house.

The eyes hadn’t moved at all and they were still staring right at me! I began to panic. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t know what to do. Should I wake the guys? Holler for help? I was paralyzed with fear, afraid even to breathe, and didn’t want to do anything that might aggravate whatever was watching me. So I did nothing. After awhile, I started to breathe once more but it was hard since I had been holding my breath for so long. My chest hurt from holding back but I didn’t want to take the chance on making any noise at all so I breathed silently. My heart pounded and I was afraid that whatever was out there would be able to hear it, but I kept quiet, just the same. I didn’t know how much longer I would be able to hold out. I was so scared, I felt like crying only I knew that if I did, I would alert whatever was watching me. I couldn’t move and I couldn’t stay still any longer either...

All of a sudden, Tommy rolled over and he must have bumped up against his box, knocking it over, ‘cause out of nowhere came this awful CRASH! I looked over at where I knew he was sleeping even though I couldn’t see him clearly, and he mumbled “sorry”,
as he realized what he had done. David woke up and bitched Tommy out for making so much noise and then just as quickly as it had all begun, everything fell silent once more.

I looked back at where the eyes were and.. .they were gone! I breathed out a huge sigh of relief so loudly that David told me to “knock it oft”. The crash must have startled whatever was out there and scared it off., thank God! I was so relieved that I didn’t care
if my breathing kept anyone awake. I smiled in gratitude for Tommy’s clumsiness and sighing again, this time in peace, finally fell asleep.

We woke early to the sound of the alarm buzzing. David threw his pillow at Tommy and yelled for him to shut the damn thing off. I sat up as Tommy reached over to slap the “off” button on his alarm when he realized that it had tipped over and was on the floor of the tree house. He said that he didn’t remember setting the alarm but the red light was on, indicating that it had been tripped. The other red light was on as well which meant that it was AM time instead of PM. That got me to thinking...

The red eyes had appeared when we had settled down to sleep. . .after midnight. Then, it hit me. Tommy must have turned on the alarm by mistake when he had shut off the radio. That’s when the red light for the alarm had come on. The other red light had come
on because it was AM time once the clock passed 12:00! The two red “eyes” had been nothing more than the two red lights on Tomrny’s clock radio reflected in the door glass!
Boy, did I ever feel stupid! I shook my head at my own foolishness. I was so glad that I hadn’t woken up the guys! I would have never heard the end of it, if they had found out.

I never told them about that night and because David ended up breaking Tommy’s clock radio (he threw it out of the tree house the next time it woke us up), we never had another incident with the red lights.
So, my secret was safe.

Babe on a Bus by Demetra Fisher

It was after five on a Friday and I was beat. I couldn’t wait to get home. My buddies
had tried all day long on the cell to talk me into going out with them but I just couldn’t. I
was just too tired. Plus I had to get up early for my Saturday morning shift. That was the
capper. I knew there was no way I'd be able to keep my eyes open tomorrow and my
boss would have my ass if I dragged it. So, instead I was homeward bound.

I punched out and grabbed my backpack and Windbreaker and headed out the door to
catch my bus. With any luck, I would be home by six thirty, just in time to watch the end
of the weekly MTV countdown. Sweet.

Hopping on the crowded bus, I couldn’t help but notice a gorgeous girl sitting next to
the window. The seat next to her was empty but just as I snaked over to grab it, someone
else got there first. Damn! Just my luck.

I was able to find a seat on the opposite side directly across from her, so I could still try
and sneak a couple looks at her from time to time, which was better than nothing, I
supposed. She sure was pretty. Blond hair, pale skin, pink cheeks. I wondered if she
were a model. She was definitely pretty enough to be. Too bad that old, bald guy gets to
sit next to her, I thought. What a waste.

l settled in as the bus took off. After a couple stops, I realized that the old, bald guy
was now gathering up his things, looking like he was gonna get off soon. Wow! Maybe
now l could sneak a few looks in her direction. I was starting to get excited, thinking
about the opportunity to watch her a little more closely. But then I noticed she didn’t
look too happy. In fact, she looked like she might start crying. I wondered why when all
of a sudden, she looked up at me. Our eyes locked and I just couldn’t help it. . .I stared.
She really was beautiful, even though she looked upset. It didn’t hurt her looks any
though, that’s for sure.

I couldn’t look away. I tried, I really did but somehow, I just couldn’t. I had never
seen anyone so pretty. Even movie stars weren’t as pretty as she was. Eventually, she
looked the other way, out her window, and I finally managed to start breathing normal
again.

I kept wondering about her, though. I wondered all kinds of things. Like, why was she
upset? Had her boyfriend broken up with her and she was missing him? Or maybe her
dad was pissed off at something she’d done? I don’t know why but I started making up
stories about why she looked like she was about to cry. The stories all made sense in a
way, although some of them were a little far-fetched. Didn’t matter. . .I was convinced
that I could figure out what was bothering her simply by watching her.

Why not just ask her? Simple.. .too scared. I know, I know. Nothing ventured,
nothing gained, right? Well, I was just plain chicken to talk to her. Now, I’m not
normally the shy type, but jeeze, she was so pretty. Yeah, I know, I’ve said that already.
But, it was true. And guys like me, average guys like me, that is, get all tongue-tied
around really, really pretty girls. lt’s a fact.

So, there I was, just sitting there, thinking about why she was upset, when all of a
sudden, it hit me. That guy.. .the old, bald guy! He must have made a move on her or
something! That was it! And she got upset because he said or did something icky.
Goddamn, that sure is disgusting, I remember thinking, and rightly so. Suddenly, I was
so filled with rage, I got hot all over. I knew that my forehead must be sweating, ‘cause I
figured out that my temperature must have shot up about ten degrees, I was so mad!

She didn’t deserve this. I looked over at her and she was still looking upset, but she
didn’t look like she was about to cry anymore and her hands weren’t shaking like before
either. So, I guess she had calmed down some. I was glad. Glad that she wasn’t that
upset anymore. But, I knew it was only ‘cause that creep had gotten off the bus.

My stop was coming up and I started to panic. I didn’t feel right, leaving her like that.
Even though we hadn’t spoken a single word to each other, I felt.. .I don’t know,
responsible for her, somehow. I couldn’t just leave her, could I?

I glanced over to her and saw that she was buttoning up her jacket, getting ready to get
off the bus. My heart started to pound as I realized that we were getting off at the same
stop! Maybe now, I would have a chance to talk to her. If I could find the courage, that
is.

We got up at almost the same time. She looked up at me again and this time I smiled at
her. She smiled back a little in return and then she looked down at the floor of the bus,
like she was embarrassed or something. I waited to let her go ahead of me and once she
realized what I was doing, she moved in front of me toward the door. The bus creaked to
a stop and the door opened. She headed down the stairs to the street, me right behind
her.

I was gathering up my courage to say something to her when I realized that someone
was meeting her. A guy. Probably her boyfriend, I thought. So much for her needing
my help. Oh well. .. It was just as well, I thought. She wouldn’t ever see anything in me
anyway. I’m just an average kind of guy. Not good enough for her. My thoughts drifted
away from her and the guy she was with as I had my own little pity party.

“It was awful”, she was saying to the guy. “He was the creepiest! And then when he
asked me if I wanted to...to ...”, she couldn’t finish.

“Have you ever seen him before‘?”, the guy asked her. “On the bus? Can you tell me
what he looked like, babe?

She shook her head. “It all happened so fast”, she said. “I can’t remember what he
looked like”.

I turned and headed back toward her and the guy she was with. I told them what he
looked like and that I had seen him ride the bus sometimes in the afternoons.

The guy thanked me and well, she smiled the prettiest smile of thanks I’ve ever seen.

As I walked home from the bus stop, it suddenly hit me that I had been right. The story
I had “made up” about her had been true! And I knew what I somehow had known all
along. Ever since I was a boy.

I was psychic.


Damn....

Dead Man Running by Demetra Fisher

It was late and I yawned loudly as I walked over to my car in the empty parking lot.
Everyone else had already gone home. I was the only one left. I was on the late shift of
the local Micky D’s, and it was my job to close up three times a week. Tonight had been
a killer and I couldn’t wait to get home. The high school had a basketball game earlier so
the restaurant had been packed from nine until closing. When I opened my car door and
slid in, I looked at the clock on my dashboard and realized it was later than I thought.
With a ten minute drive home, I wouldn’t get to bed before two thirty at the latest. Shit.
That meant that I would only have a few hours sleep before I had to get up for my classes
at Community College. Oh well, it could be worse. At least I’d had a full crew tonight to
help close up. There were times when I had to do all of the closing duties myself and
didn't get home before four. So, as tonight went down, it wasn’t too bad.

All things considered, I was feeling pretty good except for being tired, that is, when I
turned down Old Sleepy Hollow Road. Then, out of nowhere, a man running down the
road jumped out in front of my ear. I had to yank the steering wheel over hard to avoid
hitting him. I slammed on the brakes at the same time and the skidding must have made
a lot of noise, because the man jumped like someone had poked him. When my car came
to a stop, I got out to make sure that the guy was okay, even though I wanted to pound
him. What the hell was he doing jogging down the road at this hour? Was he crazy?

“You crazy or something?”, I asked him. “What the hell are you doing running this late
at night?” I waited for him to answer me, but he didn’t even tum around. Then, I
recognized the shirt he was wearing. It was exactly like one of my old tee shirts. ln fact,
it was my old tee shirt; I knew as soon as the man turned around to face me and I saw that
it was Joe from the convenience store up the road. “Hey, Joe”, I said then. “What’s
going on, `bro?”, I asked him.

Joe just looked at me kinda funny, like he didn’t know me or something. He still
wasn’t talking and I was beginning to feel more than just a little weird about the whole
thing. All of a sudden, he spoke.

“You know who I am?, he asked me. His eyes were huge.

“Yeah, I know you”, I said. This was getting weirder all the time. “You’re Joe
Norris, aren’t you?", I asked him. I walked a few steps closer to get a better look at him.

“I don’t know”, he said. And that made me stop in my tracks. What the hell did that
mean? I was beginning to think that this was gonna be along night.

“I don’t know who I am”, he said, “or what I’m doing here”. Oh, boy. He didn’t know
who he was. What the hell..? I shook my head in disbelief. I looked him over good and
suddenly realized that he was barefoot for some reason- All Joe was wearing was a tee
shirt and a pair of jeans. Just why that was, I didn't know.

“You lose your shoes or something,  I asked him. He just shook his head like he
was trying to remember or something. Oh hell. ._ I couldn’t just let him keep on running
down the road. “Want a lift?"  I asked him.

“Okay”, he said. We walked over to where my car had stopped and as we got in, I
suddenly remembered that I had no idea where Joe lived. “Where to?”, I asked him
automatically.

“I don’t remember”, he said after awhile. Oh yeah... He didn’t have a clue. Great!
What now?

“Maybe I could stay with you tonight?”, he asked me. He was scared, I knew, but did I
have to take him home with me? Oh hell... there really wasn’t any other option. It was
the middle of the night and I had no idea where else to bring him, so I said, “Sure You
can stay at my place tonight”.

“Thanks”, he said softly. I knew he must have been relieved.

When we got to my place, I had to clear out some of my stuff to make room for him on
the couch. My place is kinda small, so the couch was the only other “bed” available.
He was okay with it though. I guess he thought that it was better than nothing.

Once we got settled, I started thinking about what I was gonna do about him in the
morning. Where would he go once the sun came up and I had to go to class? I couldn’t
just leave him here, could I? Questions popped up in my head, one after another, making
me toss and turn as I tried to figure out a game plan for the next morning until, slowly I
drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to the smell of bacon frying. When I came out of my bedroom to see what
was up, Joe was standing at my kitchen stove in his boxers and the same tee shirt he was
wearing when I found him, cooking breakfast.

“Hey, man”, he said, smiling. “How'd you sleep, bro? Thanks for letting me stay here
last night”, he went on as thought nothing strange has happened the night before.

“You okay‘?”, I asked him. I was wondering if I had somehow dreamed up the whole
thing.

“Yeah, I am”, he said. “Funny thing, when I woke up this morning, I remembered
everything. Weird, huh? Sorry I freaked you out”, he apologized.

“That’s okay”, I said. “I’m just glad you’re okay”. I was so relieved I didn’t have to
worry anymore about how I was gonna handle the whole situation today that I just stood
there and smiled at him while he continued cooking. “Smells good”, I said.

As I watched him walk away, I knew I was looking at a dead man. And I was scared
for him.

Just before he reached the steps to his  door, he turned around and spoke to me one
last time.

“Oh, I almost forgot”, he said softly. He was staring right at me.

I held my breath. I cou1dn’t look away. Somehow, 1 knew what was coming next.

“You’re next”, he told me, his eyes really glowing this time.