Alter Existence: The World Within - "About" Blurb

Alter Existence: The World Within - "About" Blurb

Axel Sullivan was your typical man trying to make it in a mundane world of bad habits, new jobs, and that never-ending search for the perfect piece of ass. For him, life was in an endless routine of morning jogs, peanut butter sandwiches, 2nd shifts at a new security job and weekends out with his drunken cousin. With nicotine addiction as his only worry, Axel never really minded the monotonous existence he took part in. That was until he mysteriously wakes up in a world ruled by nature itself and his only way out is to destroy the human corruption he has been a part of for so long.

Alter Existence: The World Within - Book Cover

Alter Existence:  The World Within  - Book Cover
The book cover for the novel you are currently reading (created by yours truly)

Monday, July 4, 2011

S.L.J.V. - Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen
Back to the Ocean – My Dream and My Nightmare

Leaning over the rail, of the side of the ship, I let the rush of the waves calm my emotions with their tranquil spell.  I just kept thinking of those teary-eyed kids when they found out their aunt Jade was leaving them for a while.  At least this time Jameson and Quentin had promised that we could return to Syndrick after this mission was completed.  That was the only thing I was looking forward to.  I felt like things were changing for me while I was there and I couldn’t wait to get back to see where those changes would take me.  That was the hope at least.
As for Quentin, Jameson had assured us that he was actually our undercover man in the WATR and that there was nothing to worry about.  That was really good to know considering he was apparently doing so much for our faction.
I glanced down at my watch to see that it was nearly time for dinner, so I headed back towards my room to change, rather than having someone come and get me.  The passenger ship that they booked for us was far from a military ship.  In fact, I had to change my clothes fucking 5 times a day in order to just fit in – and I absolutely hated it.  Being thrown onto a lavish civilian cruise with a trunk full of fancy clothes and no warning was not my cup of tea.
When I opened the door to our room, Airika was already in the bathroom throwing the finishing touches into her outfit.
“Jadey-Lady, that’s you, I hope?  I laid out a dress for you on your bed.  You’ll be absolutely irresistible tonight.”  She beamed as she came out of the bathroom in full supercilious attire. 
“Great.  That’s all I need.”  I muttered under my breath.  She heard me anyway and stomped over to hold up the dress she strategically chose for me.
“Would it kill you to be a girl for once?  I mean, I think that this is fun!”  She would enjoy this.  In fact, if I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought she had been born into wealth and left it all behind when she joined the military.  “Plus I think this will look great on you!  Trust me; I know what I’m talking about.  I mean, come on, and just take a look at me.”  She commented as she twirled around showing off her outfit.
I have to admit, she did have a good sense of fashion.  She had on a spaghetti-strapped, medium length, black dress that gradated into a deep sapphire color at the bottom.  Rather than a traditional cut just under her knees, there were overlapping cuts of fabric that came down into points.  Her feet were adorned with black, strapped high heels – that would explain why she was taller than me. Atop her head she had on an Irish tweed cap that matched the color of the sapphire blue at the bottom of her dress.  From underneath the cap, sprigs of black and bright blue hair spiked out, completing the look.  She really knew how to complete an outfit, I didn’t deny her that.  Perhaps I would just go with it this time and trust her on it.
Twenty minutes later, I felt completely exposed.  The dress she had chosen was a deep emerald color and cut very simple.  Too simple.  In fact, there was barely any fabric to cover me.  It was cut low in sort of a V-neck with a halter that tied around my neck.  Under my chest was a band of white crystals with a center star-like shape in the center.  This helped to press up against my boobs creating way too much cleavage for my taste.  There was no back, just a couple of white and emerald crystal straps that crisscrossed over the skin.  The straps themselves were clear, making it look as though the gems were actually embedded into my skin.  The emptiness of my back spread to the sides, showing the skin of my ribs and part of my stomach.  There was a large slit in the bottom of the dress and the length of the dress was actually dragging the ground – a problem until Airika brought out the boots. 
Let’s just say, I had a moment of girliness for a split second as I fell in love with my footwear.  The black boots ran up to my mid-calf and were adorned with a zipper on the side, laces up the front, and three large buckles overlapping the zipper.  They weren’t high heeled, but they were tall – adding at least a couple of inches to my height.  In all of their entirety, they were perfect.
The boots made up for the fact that my hair was not in its usual ponytail.  Much to my disgust and after arguing with Airika for an extended amount of time, she ended up fixing my hair to lay about my shoulders in a cascade of curls.
“Man, Danny’s not going to be able to take his eyes off of you tonight.”  Airika slipped and then immediately realized what she had said. “Oh… uh… I mean.”  She made a poor attempt to recover what she had said.  But I didn’t mind tonight.
“It’s okay.  It is true after all.”  I mumbled, smiling, admiring myself in the mirror.  I did look pretty damn good.  “Is it weird that I’m actually expecting it tonight?”  My mind was doing the talking again and I had forgotten to install my filter.
“Jade?”  Airika whispered in shock. “What are you saying?”  She grinned ear to ear putting two and two together in her head – the ‘two’ and ‘two’ being me and Danny.
A few minutes later, Airika and I were walking through the entrance to the dining hall and all eyes were set on us.  It was like something out of a movie and it made me really uncomfortable.  But shortly after our awkward entrance, we found Danny and Quentin seated at a table.  Both of them stood as Airika and I made our way to the table.  Danny pulled out my chair for me in a true gentlemanly fashion.  He was wearing a black tux, complete with all the bells and whistles and Quentin was in white, yet again.  We were pretty good at pretending to be something we weren’t.
“Damn, girl.  Forgive me if I stare at you all night.”  Danny whispered into my endless curls as he pushed in my chair.  I smiled at him as he sat down, but not much else was said throughout the meal.  I suppose it’s because it’s not proper to discuss business during a meal, but its official, I absolutely hate ritzy dinners.  The portions were way too small and they cared more for the appearance of the food than the taste.  Needless to say, I was still starving when we reached our dessert course.  Nonetheless, I properly ate my mint chocolate mousse.  It made me miss the kids back in Syndrick and it made me miss chocolate pudding.
When the meal came to a close, the classical music began, signaling the after dinner entertainment of dancing the waltz.  Quentin rose and excused himself to go dance with a pretty, blushing blonde in a red velvet dress.  When Danny opened his mouth to speak, I cut him off.
“Don’t even think about it Danny.  You know that I’m not into that fancy dancing shit.”  I laughed, he knew that, but I suppose you couldn’t blame him for trying.
“Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to get the hell out of here and take a walk out on the deck.”  He casually offered.  I looked over to Airika to see if she wanted to join us, but of course she declined.
“Nah, you two go ahead and have some time to yourselves.  I’ve been eyeing this little brown haired soldier of ours in the corner for quite some time now.”  And with that, she stood and casually walked over to him.  Who knows where that’s going to lead.
Danny and I found ourselves alone on the deck, as everyone else was inside enjoying a night of dancing and drinking.  And though I loved to partake in a good night of drinking any other day, sipping wine wasn’t quite my idea of a good time. 
“I suppose it’s not good to discuss business while aboard a civilian cruise liner, but Quentin said he arranged for all of the weapons and equipment for when we dock.  This is going to be very easy.  It seems Quentin has taken care of everything.  It’s going to be a quick job I think.  In and out and back home before we know it.  At least I hope.”  Danny informed me.
“Let’s only hope so.  I’m looking forward to getting back to Syndrick.  Things back there were starting to feel like home to me.”  I alleged as we both stopped and leaned over the rail to see the dark waters splash by below. 
“You did seem happier there.”  Danny muttered as he put his hands on the railing beside mine.
“Yeah, I suppose I was.”  I smiled at the thoughts of being with my family.  I was really starting to miss those children. 
“It’s good to see you back to your old self there, girl.”  Danny looked over and smiled.  Neither of us said anything for a little while.  And it’s not that anything was awkward between us, we were just silent.  I stood there on the upper deck looking out into the waters, seeing the reflections of lights from a nearby town.  Our breath was visible on the cool night air as the temperature continued to drop the further north we went.
“You look cold, Jade.”  Danny had noticed that my visible skin had developed rows upon rows of goose bumps against the cold night.  I blew out a puff of air to watch the cloud disappear against the black sky.
“Nah, I’m good.”  I laughed as a cold chill made my muscles spasm, giving away to my lie.
“Yeah I bet.  What’s all this then?”  He laughed under his breath as he ran his warm fingers across the exposed part of my side.  The touch sent chills through me – different from the chills of the night air.  “You know, we could take you back to your room if you’re cold.”  He offered, but I shook my head.  I was enjoying my time with him tonight.  “Would you let me keep you warm at least?”  He suggested. 
Not giving me any time to give him a real answer, he let go of the rail and came over to stand behind me.  Danny wrapped his arms around shoulders and pressed his body against me.  At once his warmth consumed me, making me settle into his body.  It was like we fit together perfectly and I didn’t want to move. 
What the hell is going on with me?  The warnings went off in my head.  You keep this up and something is going to happen tonight.  Something you’re going to regret.  But for once, I was ignoring them, letting my emotions break free, even just for one night.  But how far will you let this go before you can’t take it back? I didn’t want to listen to those thoughts, those forewarnings.  I’m not sure what exactly was going on with me, but I didn’t think about it.  I didn’t want to control anything tonight and I was enjoying what the lack of control was doing to me. 
I felt Danny brush back my hair and nuzzle against my neck, just under my ear, breathing his hot breath against my skin, protecting me from the cold. 
“Jade…”  He whispered as he brushed his nose alongside my hairline.
“Hmm?”  I hummed in response, not really able to form words at the moment. 
Then the inevitable happened.  I felt those familiar hot lips place their kiss just under my ear.  My eyes fluttered in pleasure as they traveled down to my shoulder, leaving a trail of warmth as they went.  I slowly turned to face him as the caresses of his lips continued to make their way around to my collarbone and ended up at the base of my jawline.  Then he looked up at me with unsure eyes.  When he saw that I wasn’t pushing him away, he hesitated and stood back up.  His deep sea foam eyes were wild with inclination and desire.  I felt his warm hands slowly explore the exposed skin of my sides and back and it brought comfort and my own sense of yearning. 
He didn’t say a word as he brushed the curls away from my face and ran his thumb across my lips.  And though no words were said, his eyes were begging for me to let him continue.  I placed my fingertips against his trembling lips and I slowly moved closer to him. 
What in the hell are you doing?!
But I ignored my subconscious warnings.  I felt our hearts screaming out against our chests like they were ready to burst with anticipation.  This the moment we had been waiting for the last 8 years.  It was almost like I was 17 years old again we were in that stairwell.
And as that thought rushed through my mind, my whole body tensed up and I hesitated.  Danny felt the hesitancy and let me pull away, putting that slim distance between us once again.  When I met his eyes, I didn’t see the hurt that I had expected.  However, in its place, I saw hope and innocence. 
But why did I hesitate?  It was that thought of 8 years ago; the thought of how my emotions had led to so much destruction, so much pain and hurt.  But I wasn’t weak like I was back then.  I felt that at the present point in time I had went so long holding all of my emotion in that I would be able to control it now.  At this realization, I started to feel tears welling up in my eyes. 
“Danny…”  I whispered, caressing his cheeks with my palms.  “I need a minute to… I just need a minute.”  He nodded and smiled – he was so understanding. 
“I’ll be waiting here for you, girl.” 
And as I made my way back to my room to compose myself, I had tears streaming down my cheeks.  When I unlocked the room and went inside, Airika was already there.
“Jade! I didn’t expect you back already. Wait a minute… are you okay?”  Judging from her reaction, I about half expected to see her boy toy there with her.  But she was the only one there, apparently things didn’t work out with her eye-candy.
“Yeah I’m fine.”  I mumbled, but the tears wouldn’t stop coming.
“You’re lying.  What happened?”  She came over and led me to the sofa to sit down beside her.
“Really, Airika, I really am fine.”  She didn’t buy it.  I suppose it didn’t help that I was still crying.  “I almost kissed Danny.”  I finally blurted out.  She gasped and threw her hands over her mouth in shock.
“Details!”  She shouted, waiting in suspense.  So I quickly explained what had happened as I wiped away the tears.  “So he’s just standing there waiting for you?”  I nodded in answer to her inquiry.  “Then what are you waiting for?  Go get him Jadey-Lady!”  Airika shouted as she pushed me back out of the door and slammed it behind me.  I guess that was just the push I needed because all I wanted to do at the moment was get back to Danny.
As I walked back through the corridor, I noticed that something was really off.  All of the lights on the deck were out and the silent echoes of the waves took place of were the music was only moments ago.  There was no talking, no laughter, there seemed to be no life on board this ship.  Then up ahead I heard some silent whispering in a passageway across the deck of the ship.  I quietly made my way up to the edge of the dark walkway and listened.
“Are all of the arrangements complete?”  I heard Quentin’s hushed voice inquire.
“Sir, all precautions have been taken.  All of the Luddite faction is either in the dining hall enjoying the unlimited free bar or they are already in their dorm rooms.”  A female voice reported.  What is going on?
“Excellent.  And as for the explosives?”
Explosives?!
“Sir, they ready to detonate from our offshore location as soon as we are off the ship.”  The female continued.
“Wonderful job, Ditto.  What do you say we leave this God-forsaken faction to their graves then?”  Quentin suggested as I heard them leaving the walkway in my direction.  I had a split second to decide that I must prevent them from leaving the vessel.  It was the only way to prevent the explosions from taking place. 
As Ditto walked by me, I grabbed her neck and prepared to snap it to the side.  “Don’t move Quentin or she dies!” I threatened.  I realized now that this was the same woman the Quentin had danced with in the dining hall.  How many WATR soldiers were on here with us the whole time? So that’s why the ship seems deserted, all of the WATRs have already abandoned it.
“Be my guest.”  Quentin laughed as he ‘fell’ overboard into the icy waters below.
“Quentin!”  Ditto screamed as I snapped her neck to the side.  She fell limp to the ground.  But I took no time to mourn for her.  I had to get my priorities straight and act right away.
Danny…
That was the only thought I had as I took off down the corridor towards the upper deck where I had left him.  As I rounded the corner at the other side of the walkway, I saw the silhouette of a body lying on the ground, chained to the railway.
“Danny!” I screamed as I began to take off down the causeway.  The silhouette moved, raising their head to look in my direction.
“Jade!  STOP!”  He screamed out, causing me to freeze in place.
I heard a faint sound as if air was being sucking into a vacuum seal then the world went silent for a split second. 
Without warning the surface that Danny was laying upon disappeared in an eruption of fire, deafening reverberation and immeasurable compression.  I felt my body flailing helplessly as I was projected through the air landing unexpectedly in the freezing cold water below.  I was deaf and I was frozen.  I couldn’t move and I couldn’t hear.  I couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.  I just treaded the water out of habit as fire and debris fell down around me.  Then all of a sudden, it was like my mind was in fast forward and everything that had just occurred caught up to me.
“Danny…”  I whispered, inaudibly.  “Danny!”  I splashed around uncontrollably, turning myself in the water to look in all directions.  “DANNY!”  I screamed out against the flame and smoke.  “Danny, where are you?!  ANSWER ME!”  In a panic, I swam as fast and as hard as I could towards the flaming vessel.  Taking a deep breath to scream out again I chocked on the cold salt water and the smoke filled air.  I just couldn’t breathe.  “Danny!”  I sputtered out, only half as loud as before.  “Danny…”  I began to cry for the words would not escape the burning hell of my throat.  Danny… Not now, Danny… Please not now…
“Jade?!”  I heard the chocking sputter of a familiar voice behind me, but it wasn’t the voice I had been searching for.  I turned around to find Airika, helplessly clinging to a piece of debris and trying to stay afloat.  I looked at her for only a moment and then my eyes darted all around, searching for him again. Airika could hold on until I found Danny.  She would understand.  “Jade, please help me!”  Airika’s cry for help brought me back to reality.  She needed me right now and I just couldn’t abandon my friend like that.  But if I help her am I abandoning Danny?
I turned back and swam towards her, my dress making me slower than normal.  “Jade-Lady… please don’t leave me here.  I can’t swim, remember.”  She pleaded with hurt in her voice, knowing all too well that my mind was on Danny.  I didn’t say a word, but I grabbed her arms and threw them around my neck.  I knew that if I could get her to shore quickly then I could come back and search for Danny.
As we reached the sand of the shore, a lot of the survivors from the Luddite faction were already there waiting on us.  “Jade! God we’re glad to see you made it out.  Come on over, we’ve got a makeshift medic station sat up over here to check you out.”  One of my soldiers called. 
“I don’t have time for that.  Take care of Airika, I’ll be back.”  I ordered.  But as I turned around to go back the world went into slow motion.  Everything happened so slowly as another explosion went off at the sinking vessel, then another.  As the volley of detonations went off all around the crash site I took off as fast as I could through the sand and back into the waves.  But being in slow motion didn’t get me very far before there were strong arms grasping ahold of body and dragging me back to the shore.
“No! No no no! Danny!”  I screamed, fighting the men as they forced me into the sand.  “DANNY!”  I shrieked uncontrollably as the ash and pieces of debris fell around us. 
“She’s hysteric, give her something before she hurts someone!”  I heard one of the men call out.  I felt the prick of a needle shoot through my back before I broke free, running towards the water again.  The world suddenly sped up again leaving me to be the only person in slow motion as I stumbled into the water.  I fell to my knees, uncontrollable.  My body wasn’t responding anymore.  “Danny…”  I sobbed as I stared out into my own personal hell until the darkness closed in around me, leaving me with nothing to keep me warm in my empty abyss.

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