Cousin Skies: a Tale of Love Resurrected

The sand was hot. Too hot to walk on, but I had to.

I walked slowly, not quite running nor dragging my feet, just walking. It felt like the sand would swallow me if I wasn’t careful. I couldn’t see the ground, only what was a meter in front of me.

The heat was intense. My skin felt loose, suffocating under the pressure of my own clothes. Even with my eyes closed and mouth open, I could feel the sun scorch my face and neck.

That’s why I had to keep looking ahead of me. That’s why I didn’t dare stop for a moment or even look back. Because if I looked behind me, I might see it all: my life, my family, everything that had been taken from me.

I tried to ignore the pain in my chest. It was faint, but it left a trail of burning embers that clung to every part of me it touched. The sun seemed to make it worse; as if it were a reminder that once upon a time I was free and happy, that there were still things out there worth living for. But now it was too late—too late to change anything or try and save anyone else.

I couldn’t think about it—about them—not now. Not when there was no turning back and no one left to save anyway; not when the only person left who mattered was already here with me and we had no idea what would happen next.

My pace quickened as the end drew closer. My breathing became heavy, labored—my chest tight and sore from holding in everything that wanted out: feelings, thoughts, fears…the truth about myself and everyone else I loved who died because of me.

But suddenly there was nothing beneath my feet anymore and I fell forward into something solid yet yielding at the same time. Before I knew it, I was being crushed by what felt like an ocean of softness: warm arms wrapped around me tightly; a sweet voice crying out in relief; hands stroking my hair tenderly as he whispered words of love into my ear that made me want to believe they were true…

* * *

“Mia? Are you okay?” Arlin asked me worriedly as he gently rocked us both back and forth on his bedroll in an attempt to soothe away my panic attack. “You were shaking so hard…and then you stopped breathing…I thought something terrible happened!”

He paused his ministrations long enough to give me some space so he could look into my eyes while he gave me a reassuring smile before pulling me back into another hug against his bare chest where I lay half draped over him with our legs entangled together under the covers we shared with each other during our first night together alone since we met again after four hundred years apart.

We were both naked under the covers except for Arlin’s tunic which he wore mostly just for show since he never put on any trousers before getting into bed with me after we finally finished making love for the first time just an hour ago in this very spot where we now rested together peacefully without a care in the world after so many centuries apart from each other with only our thoughts for each other keeping us sane until we found each other again in this place called Earth.

But everything else was a blur, a cacophony of questions flooding my mind – about the past, our separation, the lies told by my aunt and uncle, and the demons that had invaded our lives.

* * *

I woke up feeling disoriented despite knowing exactly where I was thanks to opening my eyes and seeing familiar surroundings illuminated by the fading sunlight streaming through a small window beside us on Arlin’s side of the bedroll where we were lying facing each other under the covers.

“Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare? Was it bad? Did someone hurt you?” Arlin asked with genuine concern.

As I tried to formulate a reply, fragments of nightmares and memories swirled together, dominating my thoughts. Lies told by my aunt about my mother's jealousy, painting men as evil beings, and women as perpetrators of discord – all efforts to create an atmosphere of mistrust and hatred, robbing me of my freedom and a life filled with love.

“No,” I finally whispered, finding comfort in Arlin's arms and the truth that lay beneath the lies. Our love persisted, our connection unbroken after centuries apart. Together, we had overcome the darkness that sought to keep us apart, and now, we faced a future of hope and healing, hand in hand.