The Strangest Love of All - Part One of Two
You may be asking why I am putting this story back up so soon.
The reason is simple to answer.
I first wrote this in 1989, and then ten years ago, I did one revision,
but I always felt I could come up with a sequel,
but for ten years it alluded me.
No longer.
About 8 days ago, I had an explosion in head and started
writing like crazy, per se. Yesterday (meaning Friday night),
I finally—finally finished the sequel!
I feel like a kid all alone in a candy store!
After this initial posting and over the course of the next 15 days,
I will post one chapter a day. They are small,
so they won’t take that long to read.
The entire combined two parts is 11,437 words.
Technically, it is a two-parter;
just the second half is in chapter form.
And … I want to take this space for a minute
to thank everyone who has read my work. Sometimes you comment,
sometimes you don’t, but I feel that I have entertained you
in some small way, and that tells me I am doing my job
as a writer, for without you, there would
be no one to read the words put forth.
For the record: Elyse is pronounced like: E-lease-e
And as I often say, “Thank ye kindly.”
***************
Bobby was sitting on a large rock facing west out onto the blue water of Culver Point. Bobby’s fourteen. He’s also trying to sort out his young life.
Bobby is in love.
Well, he was.
Earlier, while at school, Bobby watched as he spotted Barbara Williams for the millionth time. She walked right past him during lunchtime in the school cafeteria, and never so much as cast him a second glance, yet alone a first one. Bobby had a crush on her all year and had been planning for the right time to tell her; he just didn’t know when, where, or how. The only ones who knew he was in love with her was himself and his mother. And for just because, his mother didn’t count.
But all that went out the window when he saw Barbara sit with Tommy Baxter, star quarterback, all-around hotshot, and good-looking too. Bobby knew it was over in two ways. They held hands. She kissed him on the lips, even!
Bobby wished it could have been him sharing the table with her instead of Tommy, holding her hand, kissing her back; but Bobby’s private love affair with Barbara was over.
Bobby crossed his arms over his knees, bent his head down and did what any fourteen-year-old would do when his heart’s been crushed for the very first time, and with no one around; he cried.
***************
Elyse was walking through Balstar Grove, one of the many popular valley areas surrounding her city. Elyse is fourteen with a normal teenage problem; she’s coming of age.
So far, not one boy in her category had noticed her. Fourteen is the age of enlightenment and awareness. It is also the age to look for a mate, a partner; someone to love beyond life, other than children of course.
There had been her initial favorite, Bandar, but he had chosen Gengivia instead.
Elyse couldn’t understand what could possibly be wrong with her. She is bright, pretty, well-shaped, and is prepared for a life with another.
None of the boys in her age category wanted anything to do with her; at least that’s how it appeared to her.
Stopping next to a snow tree, Elyse sat near its edge on a soft tuft of summer grass and did what any fourteen-year-old girl in her predicament would do; she bent her head into her hands and cried.
***************
On a day filled with tears and unanswered questions neither could hear; both Bobby and Elyse made a wish.
Bobby wished he would find a girl that would love him for who he is, just plain old Bobby. A bright and funny kid with a big heart.
Elyse wished to find a mate before it became too late in her life. She only wanted someone good that would love her throughout time.
That same afternoon, in two different places, at the same time, thunder and lightning roared their strength and power across the heaven’s, sending crackling bolts of energy streaking across the sky, hell-bent on striking something below, without mercy.
Before either noticed, a once blue sky became suddenly pitch black and ominous.
Mother Nature is coming, and she cares not what you think.
Or does she?
***************
Bobby and Elyse both jumped up at the unexpected rumblings coming from a now darkened ceiling; the roar of lightning striking and thunder bellowing, had snapped both of them out of their sad state of affairs for the moment.
Sporadic light from the lightning did little to ease their panic as they became frightened of being caught in a downpour. Both started running for some form of shelter, their tears and frustrations readily forgotten.
One ran east, the other, west.
***************
The clouds broke open and a heavy deluge came crashing to the ground, rain so thick you could almost cut it with a knife.
As both Bobby and Elyse ran, they could just make out an object that was large and almost the color gray, as strangely enough, the closer they ran toward it, blue skies spread open the dark clouds ahead of them. The object almost seemed to quake or quiver, take your pick.
As they came closer, they could see each other, and when both were in a foot of this strange object, the rain even with blue skies overhead, continued to pelt the ground around them, but the rain never attached itself to Bobby and Elyse.
At first, Bobby thought it must be some sort of tinted glass, but in the middle of nowhere? To Elyse, it took on more of a look of a thin paper shading, but like Bobby; out here?
What seemed forever was only seconds before Bobby spoke first.
“Hi. Where’d you come from?”
“I came from over there,” she pointed. “Balstar Grove. Everyone knows where Balstar Grove is.”
“I don’t. Never heard of the place before.”
“You must be kidding. Balstar Grove is the most well-known place in the world.”
“Okay, whatever you say, but around here, Culver Point is what’s really going on. That’s where I was when all this lightning and junk started. Speaking about that, how come neither of us got soaked?”
“Well, I never heard of Culver Point, so that makes us even I guess. And I don’t know why we aren’t getting wet either, but I, for one, am glad I’m not. Maybe it has something to do with this thing.”
Elyse reached out and touched it, and felt a small tingling warmth run through her fingers. She also felt the object give a little, but not very much when she pressed on it.
“So, what’s your name? I’m Bobby.”
Elyse smiled. He asks a lot of questions which is good. She liked the way he looked, too.
“My name is Elyse. I like the sound of your name. Bobby, have you a mate?”
“Do I have a what! A mate?” Cute girl, but she asks some dopey questions.
“Yes, silly. You know; a friend, a partner, a lover.”
Bobby backed away from the gray object a few feet. Elyse had taken him by surprise with that statement. He had never been approached by a girl this abrupt before (but then again, he was only in love once and never talked to a girl about stuff before).
“I’m sorry, Bobby. Did I say something to offend you? If I did, I’m sorry.”
“Uh, not exactly. It’s just that I never had a girl ask me that before.”
Elyse started walking forward when she again met resistance with the gray object. That was then she remembered what she had learned in class. Could this be true? Would Bobby believe her?
“Hey, you okay?” Bobby asked. He thought she was sort of stupid for trying to walk through this gray whatever it’s called thingy; but what the heck, she’s pretty.
“Hold on a minute and let me see if I can find a way to get around to the other side.”
Bobby started to run to his left when Elyse called out loudly to him.
“Bobby! Don’t! You won’t be able to come over here.”
“Huh? Why not? This thing has to end someplace, doesn’t it?”
“Please try to understand what I’m about to tell you, Bobby. There is a story, practically legend about this; it is called the Shading Stream. Every thousand years, a storm would pass between two worlds, and were two people close by, they would meet and fall in love.”
“What do you mean, pass through worlds? I don’t know about you, but it looks to me like we are on earth, and that’s the only world I know about.”
“I understand. That’s one reason why neither of us recognize where we are both from, and don’t have any recollection of your Culver Point or you, my Balstar Grove.
“I am from Alpha-Earth One. It is a parallel world to yours. Our world has long ago discontinued acts of war, sickness, and disease. No one goes hungry. There are homes for everyone. We have no need for currency as our government provides all our supplies through a ‘Work for Mankind Program’. This way everyone is well taken care of and no one goes hungry. The only thing the government can’t provide, is pairing two people together to unite in preparation for a family. That is still the one thing a male and female have to do on their own. That, and make babies of course.”
When she finally stopped talking, Bobby’s eyes were big around as saucers.
“This is some sort of science-fiction story, right? This is a put on, has to be. I should be dreaming all this but I’m not. This is real. I see you. I hear you, and that makes this even weirder. So this, this stream thing makes people fall in love?”
“Yes. It has been told in our classes when it appears in front of a male and female like us. A new love is born.”
“Now that’s weird, too. Gosh, Elyse, I wonder what it would be like if our government did what yours does. We have a lot of crime, people out of work, and not nearly enough homes to go around for everyone. My dad says too many people have no choice but to live on the streets. Dad says until we get a strong government that’s really ready to take on the hard issues here instead of the rest of the world’s problems; then life can get better. But also said that until then, we are just gonna see harder and harder times.
“But, I’m not allowed, I mean we aren’t allowed to, to … well at least kids my age, to just up and get a girlfriend just to make babies. First off, I’m too young! Second, it’s just not right, and third; my dad would skin me alive! Mom and Dad were like in their twenties when I was born. The twenties is the best time to get married and do that, that … stuff!”
Elyse was a bit surprised and exasperated with what Bobby said. She knew she had to convince him strongly of the power of the Shading Stream.
“Bobby, on my world, if a person is twenty or beyond, and has not yet found a suitable mate, or at least have two children by them; then that persons entire life will have been wasted. It is at my age to age nineteen that mating, and children are to be experienced.
“I like you, Bobby, but the Shading Stream prevents us from touching and doing any of the adult stuff as you put it. I would really love to touch you, kiss you, and have your child, but we cannot touch. If it were only possible.” Her voice trailed off into sadness.
Bobby rolled his eyes around in his sockets.
“You’re darn right we can’t! I told you before, we’re too young for that kind of stuff!”
Bobby watched Elyse as his high-pitched voice caught her off guard, and now it was her turn to back away a few steps.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so excited. I mean, you are pretty and all that, but it isn’t right. It just isn’t.”
“Bobby, please listen to me. We haven’t much time left before the Shading Stream will disappear. When it does, we will never see each other again, but we will never forget each other.
“Listen, I know this may sound silly to you, even strange, but walk up to the Stream, and press your lips against it. I will do the same. Even if we cannot touch, at least when our worlds separate, I can say I’ve been kissed by someone I like.”
“Yeah, that was weird, but, ah … oh, okay. I think you’re really pretty too, and it’s a darn shame we can’t be together. I’d like to take you to a movie.”
Elyse cocked her head to the right in a confused manner. “A movie?”
“Yeah, you know, like a date.”
Elyse smiled.
“That I understand. You would make me feel special were you to take me somewhere. But Bobby, we must hurry. There are only moments left before it, and I, are gone!’
Bobby could see she was right. The Shading Stream was beginning to quiver and was shaking harder than before.
He walked up to his side of the Stream as Elyse did on her side. Both pressed their lips against it as if actually kissing. The kiss lasted but mere seconds before Bobby felt a jolting sensation coarse through him. Like a warm chill; and that quickly it was gone.
Elyse had the same reaction. When they stepped back, Elyse knew the legend of the Shading Stream was true.
It held a magical moment for both of them, especially Elyse.
She raised her right hand to wave goodbye. Bobby raised his left. Briefly both hands pressed tightly against the Shading Stream. Tears came to both of them once more, but this time because they truly found love. A very special love.
“I love you, Bobby!”
The Shading Stream began to shake and rumble, wavering left and right, fading with each passing second.
“I love you, Elyse! One day I will find you again, I promise!”
Bobby watched as the Shading Stream quivered even stronger, rattled, and groaned as Elyse’s form began to fade away, then vanish completely.
Where she once stood, where the Shading Stream stood tall, they were no longer there, almost like waking from a dream.
Bobby stood in the middle of the outer fields of Culver Point. He knew he had just experienced the strangest yet most incredible moment of his young life. He also experienced what a unique love between two people feels like for the very first time. It would be a love he would never relinquish.
As far as he was concerned, Tommy Baxter could keep Barbara Wilson. She couldn’t hold a candle to Elyse.
Heading for home at a faster pace than normal, Bobby noticed the rain had stopped and the skies were clear blue again. His clothes were dirty, but he was bone dry.
Bobby had a secret as he whistled all the way home with a smile.
***************
After Bobby came home, his mother could sense he was acting differently from before. She knew he was heartbroken because some girl he liked was dating another boy. She tried to explain he was too young to get serious with girls right now. She also explained that when he became older, things would become much clearer, and that he would understand the older he became.
“Bobby,” she called out while fixing dinner, “you’re acting like you’re in a better mood.”
“Yeah, mom, a lot better. I met this girl today and I like her a whole bunch.”
Here we go again, she thought. So much for the mom-son conversation. At least he’s over what’s-her-name.
“Oh? Pray tell, what girl is this?”
“Elyse. She’s about the prettiest girl on two worlds.”
“Excuse me. Two worlds?”
Bobby told her what happened.
She shook her head listening to him while fixing dinner at the same time. What an imagination. She knew she should say something, but she thought to wait until after his father came home and talk to him first. For now, it was probably best just to let Bobby think he has a girlfriend for the moment.
After Bobby finished his story, his mother said, “Wonderful, honey. Now go upstairs and take a bath and make sure those clothes you have on go in the laundry basket. You have some sort of gray dirt or something on them from God knows where.”
“Okay, mom.”
While Bobby was in the bathroom, he looked in the mirror over the sink. All he could see was Elyse’s face.
Just before he took his bath, he giggled.
There was one part of the story he didn’t tell his mom.
***************
Elyse was back at Balstar Grove, sitting on a small knoll in the direction where she had the greatest moment of her life; meeting Bobby.
She clutched at her stomach and cradled the warmth she already felt there. She would raise their child as was fitting. At least she wouldn’t be an old maid. She laughed aloud at the thought.
The legend of the Shading Stream is true, and she is the proof.
When two people meet, accept one another, are both pure and clean, then a new life is created by pressing virgin lips upon the Shade.
She felt it happen, and she knew Bobby did as well. Wow, a thousand years she reflected, and Bobby and I were the chosen ones.
Bobby.
She remembered his last words to her, but she knew she would never see him again. The odds of them coming together were against them. Neither would be alive a thousand years from now. What happened between them was a blessing. To be remembered, yes, but to see each again, sadly, no. Warping from planet to planet cannot be done.
Elyse decided if their child is a boy, she would name him Bobby, after his father. He would grow into the man Bobby would be proud of; she would see to that.
Elyse stood and faced north, heading for home. Once there, she would tell her parents what happened. They would be amazed but extremely happy. They would believe her story. Lies aren’t allowed, and before the year ended, the truth would be alive.
Just as she would keep her love for Bobby alive.
“Perhaps I may see him again. Father says all things are possible. Who is to know what the future brings us.”
Behind her stood a snow tree. As she walked away, she could see the twin suns of Alpha and Eartha One cross over into each other as they always did, as if kissing as she and Bobby had kissed.
Clutching her belly, she hummed a happy tune, smiling all the way home.
***************
That same night, before sleep overtook Bobby, he too smiled.
He had heard his parents discussing things earlier about his tale of meeting Elyse. Mom didn’t win this one. Hi-five’s for dad!
“Just let him act it out for a few days. He’ll be fine. He’s young and still growing. Besides, all boys get a broken heart now and then just like girls do. One day, he’ll be gone from our nest and then it’ll be too quiet around here. Just let him take his time growing up,” his father said.
Whispering in his darkened bedroom, “It’ll be more than a few days, dad, but don’t worry, I’m cool about it.”
Visions of Elyse danced before him.
“One day, I swear to you, Elyse, I will find you again.”
He rolled over on his side, his face facing an open window, and he could see a billion-trillion-gazillion stars, and somewhere, before he drifted off to sleep, to find Elyse in his dreams, he too, knew the legend of the Shading Stream was true.
The one part he didn’t tell when he came home was that he was going to be a father.