Machia Veil Timeline
11:15 am, August 25th – Train to Scottishland
Nate and Kenya remained silent while they rode the train. They scanned their surroundings, their eyes darting for any sign of an Arch. It took an hour before they relaxed.
“Operation Russet,” said Kenya, glancing out the window.
Nate’s eyebrows furrowed, taking in the new information Clarice shared. “We’ll be alright now,” he said.
Kenya observed the views in silence.
“Vinnie,” she said.
“What?”
“My friend Vinnie Spence, I knew something was off. He insisted I escaped to Londoom and to Club 7.”
“The chap who protected you from that violent man?” asked Nate.
Kenya stared at Nate wide eyed, “how do you know about my stepdad?”
“Ah, your stepdad! What a creep!”
“Nate?” she insisted.
“Okay, maybe I saw you before I met you. You were rehearsing in the community centre.”
“You actually saw my stepdad hit me?”
“Yes,” said Nate, worried she might be upset.
“So glad to see the back of him,” she said, gazing out the window. “I never want to see him again.”
“And your Mum?”
“Not my mum.”
“What?”
“Can we talk about something else?” she asked, shuffling in her seat. “Can’t believe my luck,” she said. “I had three hundred pounds in that rucksack.”
“That would have been super helpful. But we’ll have to beg,” said Nate.
“Beg, you? Mr Finch Kinshot alternate, begging, ha!”
Nate glanced outside. “I’ll do whatever it takes to survive.”
It struck Kenya. She was silent for a moment.
“We can search for abandoned places,” she said at last. “That was my plan, originally.”
“That’s a good plan,” he said.
They shared a quiet interval. “Tell me about One. What happened to you?” asked Nate.
She breathed in. “I can take you there, Nate, but I won’t enter One again,” she said, intriguing him even more.
“But why? What happened?” asked Nate.
“I want to check out the Hexbrides, further up north. Far from my stepfather.”
Did she mean Hebrides?
“And One?”
“One. Yes,” she paused. “At first, when I crossed, it was peaceful,” she said resigned, gazing out the window. “You’ll know it when you see it. The buildings are magical, with many details. Everyone is grateful and happy. It’s infectious. After a week, I appreciated everything.”
Nate tilted his head against the headrest, immersing himself in Kenya’s narrative.
“… my worries just vanished,” she continued. “All was calm. A new way to see life. I felt like a kid again, getting hyped up over everything. The yummy flavours and colours. But-” she darkened. “I got scared. It was like I was pushing back.”
“Pushing back what?” asked Nate.
“Who I really was. We’re more than our worries and thoughts. We’re all connected.”
“So that’s good, right?”
“You’d think! But to cross One, I went through fields. They were tests.”
“Tests?”
“The field of regrets, for example,” she said, swallowing hard. “It was tough. My past. It asked a lot from me, and I wasn’t ready. I screwed up and failed to cross.”
“But. You know now, you can try again,” said Nate.
“No! I prefer the solstice portal. Spend my time in Scottishland until I can cross…“ Then, she whispered in a solemn tone, “The only way through One is to raise your energy. It takes guts.”
“You have guts! What about Raging Street? You were brave and daring,” he said, admiring her freckles.
Kenya was silent.
“It takes guts to make it. There’s this conflict. They pull your soul in all directions. You’re pushing yourself far beyond what’s comfortable. Initially, you’re flying. It’s so incredible. But afterwards, afterwards…”
“What. What happens afterwards?“ he waited. “What happens afterwards?” he insisted.
“You change. It’s scary.”
For the first time, Nate was apprehensive too. “I have no choice. My mum.”
“I know.” She smiled. “That’s why you need to go. But I need to stay.”
“Kenya, together we won’t go crazy in there, I promise.”
Just then, the gleam of chrome on a motorbike blinded him.
“Ellis!” he croaked, locking eyes with her.
“Whose Ellis?” asked Kenya.
“Hurry! We need a way out.”
They walked the length of the train. Kenya kept glancing at Nate for answers. Nate took deep breaths to calm his nausea and shortness of breath.
“It’s going to be okay,” Nate said. “We have to jump from the train.”
“What? Oh, no, no, no, we’re not!”
“It’s that or back to Club 7. We must jump.”
Nate searched for a way out. Craning his neck, checking the fields ahead.
“It’s now or never. In these rolling fields,” he said.
“Rolling fields, rolling fields,” said Kenya, unable to breathe. “Let’s call an ambulance!”
“They’ll find us. The hills are grassy. They’ll cushion the blow.”
“Oh, but there could be stones!”
They walked towards the back of the train. Kenya was crushing his hand. There were no cargo cabins like in Victorian films. They persevered.
Between cabins were rubber gangway connections. They shared a nod. We cut an opening. But they needed a knife. They ran to the restaurant and sat by the bar.
“What can I get you?” said the server.
“Just waiting for Mum and Dad. They’ll be here any second,” said Kenya, smiling.
The server attended to another traveller, and Nate leaned in, scanning for something sharp. There was nothing. The man moved to the back of the cabin. Wait! The lemon cutting knife!
They ran back between the compartments and made a rip. The gangway compressed.
“Okay. We’re going to jump the moment it expands. The train is curving,” said Nate.
There were green fields ahead.
“Roll for as long as you can,” he said in a reassuring tone.
“This is going to hurt! Why am I doing this?”
“Don’t think, jump!” he said, pulling Kenya with him.
Their bodies jumped far into the air.
Gravity took over, and they fell, rolling hard.
Ellis’ motorbike rumbled in the distance. She missed their jump!
Nate groaned as he rolled over, his body aching. Kenya had scratched her forehead. It wasn’t a deep cut.
“Let’s lie low,” he said.
***
Later, they set off on their journey north by foot. With no map to guide them, they followed the train tracks. They passed grazing sheep and cows until they reached a country road. Nate strolled on one side, and Kenya on the other. They exchanged glances, smiling and blushing. Their conversation provided a much-needed distraction from the otherwise stillness of the landscape. Pockets of sunlight created shafts through the grey.
“Ugh! The smell of manure,” said Nate.
“If animals could talk,” said Kenya, “which animal would be the rudest?”
“Haha!” said Nate, thinking about it. “A sheep.”
“Ha! A sheep?”
“Oh wait. What happened after the dog kissed the sheep under a mistletoe?” asked Nate.
“What.”
“The dog said. If this gets out, I’m finished.”
“Haha. Oh, wait. What do sheep do on sunny days?”
“What.”
“A baaa-baaa-cue.”
“That is appalling!” said Nate. He just adored her.
***
Their jokes grew more absurd. Their laughter filled the air as the tension of the last twenty-four hours melted away.
“Wait. Let’s play a game,” said Nate. “Would you survive a zombie apocalypse? Yes, or no?”
“Ooh, zombies!” she said, giggling.
“Let’s run. We have forever. I’ll race you to that tree,” he pointed. “If you can manage a believable answer to my zombie apocalypse question.”
“Manage? Ha! okay, do I think I’d survive a zombie apocalypse?“ she asked.
“Yes or no.”
“Er, yes! I believe I would survive a zombie apocalypse because, because, because! Yes! I would break into a grocery store and steal cans!”
“Okay!”
“Then I’d move to the countryside and hide them,” she said. “I read somewhere that you can use cans as heaters.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. So, I would scare off the zombies with a wide circle of canned heaters. And sleep on a tree.”
“Would work in winter. Hey, that’s good!”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Haha. Steady? Go!” said Nate.
They ran to a set of scraggly trees, breathless; they were even.
“Woo-hoo! Now you,” said Kenya.
Nate was catching his breath. “I don’t believe I would survive a zombie apocalypse.”
“You don’t?”
“Drinking the water would finish me.”
“Ha.”
“No, seriously.” He paused. “I’d move into a prison. Dig out the courtyard and create a vegetable patch.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Nate sprinted to the finish line, winning the race. Kenya’s mouth dropped open.
“Unfair!“ she said.
“You’re too good!” he laughed.
She reached him, beaming. Then, squinting, made another run for it.
There were signs for Leiceston on the road. Nate’s feet were aching.
“We must be an hour away,” said Nate.
“I need a rest!” said Kenya.
They clambered over a splintery fence with barbed wire. There was a tractor and farming tools in a close-by field. Four horses had wandered away from a farm, grazing in the distance.
“Horses!” said Nate, coming closer and leading them back to the farm. But the horses refused, their hooves stamped in protest. “How can they run a farm without dogs?” asked Nate, shaking his head.
As they drew near, they overheard chickens clucking and pigs grunting. More horses snorted and whinnied in the barn. There was a pitchfork leaning against a tool shed. A grain silo and a greenhouse with broken glass with a messy row of vegetables. To their left, a field of crops. They crossed the tractor and ploughs. The house had a derelict, warped roof, and a porch swing in need of fresh paint.
Approaching the door, they knocked. An eery stillness hung in the air.
“Hello?” called Nate. “Hello?” No answer.
“Wait!” Kenya paled.
“What.”
“The farm,” she shivered, “it’s abandoned.”
“That’s good! We’ll get food. I’m hungry.”
The front door was open.
“Hello! Anyone home?” called Nate.
A pungent, familiar stench filled the air. The same putrid smells they endured in the vaults of Club 7.
They bolted out of the house, slamming the door shut.
“What is it with this place?” Nate paced back and forth, leaning forward, placing his hands on his knees.
“Fights are common,” said Kenya. “Death is often the result. We better alert someone.”
“Let’s tell the neighbours,” said Nate, “they can call the police. They will find us if we do it.”
Covering his mouth with his arm, and holding his breath, Nate ventured into the house searching for a pen and paper. He focused on just the surfaces, afraid of what he might see.
***
Kenya penned an urgent message for help and gave it to Nate since he had pockets.
“We’re bound to find another farm,” said Kenya.
“Let’s take the horses,” said Nate, running towards the stables.
She ran after him. “I don’t want to horse ride! Plus, it’s stealing!”
“Not technically.”
“I don’t know how to ride, we walk!”
“By horse, a hundred miles of travel is possible in a day. If we walk, the journey will take weeks,” said Nate.
“No!” she begged. “We walk!”
“This is the best way.” He took the hanging saddles from the stable. “I will lead your horse.”
“You’re so stubborn!“ she said.
“And you’re afraid to try new things!” He smiled as he set a saddle pad on a horse, then lifted the saddle onto it. He released the stirrup from the saddle horn and slung the girth under the horse’s belly. He repeated the action. Then, he fixed the strap to the upper ring. The saddle was secure. He also prepared the white mare. They were ready to ride.
Nate helped Kenya mount the horse, and she closed her eyes tight and, once on it, she screamed. “It’s too high!” making the horse startle.
“Woah, woah,” said Nate, calming the mare.
“You’ll love this. Hold on tight,” he said to Kenya as they left the stables.
The horses were keen to run away.
“You’ll get used to it. Vertigo is just an initial fear,” said Nate.
They began trotting and searching for a nearby farm to alert.
Nate attempted a canter, causing Kenya to let out a scream.
“Breathe! The horse is panicking too!” he said, trying to control his and Kenya’s mare.
Kenya had her eyes shut.
Nate pointed his left arm towards the sun. Calculating where it was during sunrise. His boy scout training helped him locate the north.
Nate loved horse riding. He often witnessed Auntie Jade caring for the horses in the stables, brushing their manes and currying their coats. After weeks of staying indoors, the rhythm of the horse’s hooves and the fresh air were liberating.
Kenya waited in a field as Nate approached a neighbouring farm. They had cars parked. He left the note and knocked. Then galloped back to Kenya.
They proceeded north in silence.
***
There was a comforting heat emanating from the animal’s flank. Kenya gazed at him. He flexed his muscles, always worked. The rocky crags and the soft grass made the ride smooth. Nate glanced back at her. She was transcendent. “I told you it would be fun!” he said, proud to make her happy.
They avoided villages. Ate berries and apples they stole from farmers. Slept under trees, they shared the silliest of conversations and the deepest of philosophies.
After a couple of days of travelling, they arrived at the Peak District, the majestic hills stretching before them. They rode through a field of lavender, struck by the soothing scents that filled the air. They rode alongside a babbling rivulet and through rolling hills. Then at twilight, Nate slowed the horses to a trot.
“They need to rest,” said Nate.
Kenya was beaming, her cheeks glowing after the ride. He helped her off the horse. As she descended, their eyes locked. Then she leaned to kiss him, and Nate held back. She furrowed her brows.
“It’s not that I don’t want to,” said Nate, sensing her disappointment.
Kenya flushed, taking off her shoes. She stepped towards the other side of the rivulet, balancing on the stones as she crossed.
They observed each other from either side of the rivulet. The horses drank from it.
Nate recoiled. Why didn’t I kiss her? I’m a pro! He had no problem kissing girls! She was upset.
“I’m going to lie down now,” she said. “I might even sleep.”
Why wouldn’t he kiss her? He fretted.
It’s new, that’s why. You’ve never felt this way. It’s new!
What are you afraid of?
It’s not safe! I’m out of my comfort zone.
***
The following evening, Nate and Kenya dismounted the horses. They sat leaning on a tree.
“Why do you aspire to be famous?” asked Nate.
“Do you need to ask?” she laughed.
“Yes. I’m curious to know what drives you?”
“You’re funny. Almost everyone wants to be famous!”
“I’ve never understood why.”
“Well, you’re rich! You can do what you like.”
“I’ve never felt wealthier than when I’m with you,” he said, flashing his charismatic grin. “Scavenging for food and sleeping under the stars.”
Kenya raised her head and fixed her gaze on Nate.
“I, I mean,” said Nate, going red.
“You mean?” asked Kenya, arching her eyebrow.
“I mean, I really like you, Ken.”
“Is this a game to you? Because I don’t do mind games,” she said, standing up.
“Where are you going?” asked Nate, getting up to follow her.
“I don’t know. I need to be alone.”
“But Ken, look, I’m sorry. I really like you,“ he said, breaking into a sweat.
“So?”
“This is new for me,” he said.
There was a beat of silence between them.
“It’s always new when we like someone new,” she said.
“No, you’re different.”
“You say that now.”
“Kiss me,” Nate said, his heart racing with newfound courage.
“No! the moment’s gone,” she laughed.
“I’m going to kiss you,” said Nate. Could this get any worse? He flinched.
“Well, I’m not kissing you!“ she said, diverting her attention.
Nate took her hand. She burst into giggles.
He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. When he opened his eyes, so did Kenya. Her eyes grew wide.
Wow.
“That was the best kiss-” she said.
Her best kiss? Was she a virgin? Maybe not.
Surrounded by the fragrance of heather and the streaming water, Nate pressed her close and Kenya gasped.
They melted into each other’s arms, their lips colliding in an ardent and all-consuming embrace.
***
The next morning, they galloped through the Yorkshire moors for almost two hours.
“The horses need a break,” said Nate.
After the horses drank water and fed grass, they continued the journey by foot.
Kenya’s face was flushed. The cool breeze lifted her raven hair.
“Let’s search for an abandoned farmhouse somewhere. It’s colder today, maybe a barn,” she said, as they roamed the picturesque landscapes of Yorkshire.
“Agreed,” he said, his hands itching to hold her. He was glad she was oblivious to his thoughts.
Every home they found had signs of life, from the flickering lights to the sound of shouting. They considered asking for help, but that was too risky.
They were about to abandon the search when Nate froze in his tracks.
“An Earthship!” he whispered. “In Machia Veil?”
“What’s an Earthship?” asked Kenya.
The home, made of reclaimed tires and bottles, nestled under a hill.
A screaming baby kept a couple busy. They were also loading their car with items. Nate and Kenya exchanged a quick glance. After ten minutes, the couple left.
“They are going away for some days!” said Nate. “Check this out. They adorned the walls with recycled glass bottles! It creates a stained-glass effect as the sun filters through them.”
“It’s a little too perfect for me,” said Kenya.
“Because it’s upright?”
“Yes,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
Machians.
“Where’s the food! I’m starved!” said Kenya.
Nate glanced down the road. What if the owners left something behind?
The owners locked the front door but left one window ajar to air the home. Nate lifted the window and stumbled into the house. Kenya followed.
Greenery adorned the interior, creating a peaceful space.
“Earthships sustain themselves,” said Nate. “Most of them have a rainwater harvesting system, solar panels, and a garden, like this one. It is a tribute to human ingenuity in our unsustainable world.”
“How do you know so much?” asked Kenya.
“My mother,” he said. “She promotes Earthships as part of her climate change campaign.”
“Do you live in an Earthship?”
“Ha! I wish! She helps promote it. But I intend to build one.”
***
They headed to the kitchen. There were cans under the sink. A basket of freshly picked vegetables. Pots and pans next to it. They opened a fridge and stared with delight at the fresh milk and eggs.
Kenya’s face soured. “What if they come back?”
“My thinking too, but the car was pretty full of stuff,” he said.
“They might come back after moving things!”
“Good point,” said Nate, investigating the room. “Let’s find a place where we can hide if they return.”
“Under the bed?”
“We hide under the bed until they’re distracted, then escape.”
“Deal,” said Kenya as she searched for a can opener. They would have to eat and hide. As the sun was setting, Kenya brushed her arms. “Let’s make a log fire!”
“What if they come back?” asked Nate.
“We run for the horses!”
“Getting peevish, I see!” said Nate, winking and guiding her to the bedroom.
But Kenya tensed.
“They might have condoms!” she said.
What? Nate lifted an eyebrow.
“What. You expect me to take a chance?” she said.
“But I don’t come inside.” He kissed her lower back, trying to change the subject.
“Oh, ha, I see where this is going!”
“Wait, what?”
“So protective and yet so reckless!”
“Kenya, you’re overreacting.”
“Am I?” she said, glaring at him. “I can’t believe you said that!”
“Said what?”
“It was the horse ride. Kissing you was a mistake.”
Her face was flushed. She was fighting back tears.
Why are women so emotional?
Nate wanted to comfort her, but it would lead to sex, so he put his clothes back on. He hesitated at the door. Kenya fell back on the bed, crying. She kicked in frustration. Then rolled over.
Nate headed outside and took the mare for a ride through the moors. Returning an hour later.
He headed back into the home.
It was dark.
“Kenya?”
She emerged from a hiding spot. “Phew!”
“Let’s leave and come back later.”
“Yes, good idea,” she said, lingering and taking a couple of cans with them.
She feels guilty. But she was right.
They took the food and ate it under a tree.
An hour later, they were cold and returned to the home.
“It would be safer if it were a Friday,” said Nate.
“Or this is their weekend home?“ asked Kenya.
“Good point.”
“It’s eleven. They won’t be back tonight. I’m cold.”
As dawn broke, a simmering tension lingered in the air between them. But Nate denied its blaze. Easier to keep it that way. He rose from the bed, tiptoeing to the bathroom, then he jumped in the shower.
Cold shower. Exactly what I need, he thought as he caught his breath. He came out refreshed when Kenya yelped.
“What?” he asked.
“The owners, hurry!”
A car parked.
Nate and Kenya scurried beneath the bed frame.
Wide-eyed, they waited in silence.
But all was quiet and still.
Nate peeked.
“No, they’ll see you!” she said.
“One is outside. The other in the conservatory,” he whispered. “They are watering the plants.”
They waited. The deep rumble of the car’s engine kicked off.
“They came to water the plants! The owners must be away!” said Nate.
“Relief! Okay. Let’s wash clothes and sheets and head off,“ she said, dancing. “I’m going to jump in the shower.”
Nate borrowed a pair of clean boxer shorts and headed to the outhouse. He studied the washing machine buttons.
“Ken?” he said, heading back inside.
“Yes?”
“Give me your clothes. I’ll start the machine.”
She pushed the clothes through the slit in the door, and Nate held his breath, fending off the urge to do what he must not.
Then, he approached the washing machine outside like it was an alien device from outer space. He was too proud to admit he had no clue how to use it and opted to guess each step.
Can’t be that difficult! They always brought clean laundry to his room and put it away for him. Surely, I have used a washing machine before? That milkshake disaster, remember? Ah yes, but no. Housecleaning came to the rescue, and he changed shirts. What about in Scotland? Great. Leith did the house chores then. Aw, c’mon! The machine was gibberish to him. What’s revolutions?
He overheard Kenya sneeze.
“How’s it going?” asked Kenya, wrapped in a towel.
He poured clothes on the machine.
“Great,” he said.
He was too ashamed to ask Kenya how to start the cycle. So, he whistled and pretended to know.
“Let me help you with this,” said Kenya.
“I’ve got this.”
“You sure?”
Ouch.
“Okay!” she chirped.
Quick! You can do this. The clothes are in. Wait, we separate by colour! He saw it in a film. He began again. Phew! It’s okay. Now we pour the soap. He fixed his gaze on the buttons.
Deadlock.
Kenya came back, giggled, and pressed the start button.
“How about some breakfast?” she asked.
Glorious! I managed it! Even if Kenya came to the rescue. He was the king of the world!
He enjoyed breakfast with Kenya. Gathering energy for the day. Kenya headed to the loo. Nate got up to check on his laundry mission. But upon returning, utter destruction. Clothes detergent spewed wildly from the washing machine, producing a mountain of foam. He lost his balance. His heart raced as the mountain of suds grew larger. A fizzing sound filled the room. Kenya came in. She slipped, causing him to slip, and they both fell to the ground, hitting her head on the side of the machine.
“Ouch!”
“Are you okay?” Nate forgot the mess and held her head in his hands. Kenya winced. When she recovered, she got an eyeful of the enormous mess.
“I can explain.” It’s hard to explain.
Kenya picked up the foam with her hand and tossed it at his face, giggling. They tried to get up but slipped. This time, Nate caught her head before getting hit again.
They had a moment. The wisps of her hair. He studied her face. Those freckles.
Their lips brushed. A cloud of sudsy joy enveloped them. Kenya stopped to spit detergent from her mouth and wipe his in a fit of giggles. But he soon kissed her again, this time with more longing. Kenya held back. She fidgeted and brought out a condom. Nate hesitated. Kenya frowned, and he started wearing it.
Nate pressed his right arm around her as he unhooked her bra. She let out a surprised moan. Then he stopped. “Are you a virgin?” He had to know.
“What - what makes you think I am?”
“I just wondered.”
She shook her head. “A year ago. A chap called-”
“-spare me the details!” he said, holding up his hands.
The moment was gone. Nate lay on his back.
Kenya crossed her arms. As she got up, her foot slipped on the wet floor, and Nate caught her before she fell.
They lay there in silence; he had to kiss her again. They were so familiar! Like they had been together before.
But that was impossible. Maybe in another life?
They soared higher, into shards of pleasure. Nothing else existed. He stopped, smiled, and they kissed again. She closed her eyes.
***
A few hours later
Nate knew he left a lasting impression on her. Even if he wasn’t her first.
The laundry was drying on the line in the bright afternoon sun. Nate inspected the clothes, but his eyes lingered on Kenya. He yearned for her touch, his every thought consumed by her. Her beauty cast a glow on everything around her. The way her shirt hugged her figure, and her delicate hands.
Startled, he shook himself out of his reverie.
Even though their clothes were damp, the warm sun made them comfortable.
“We have to leave,” said Nate.
“Let’s write a thank you note, an explanation,” said Kenya.
“Are you crazy! No way!”
“What if they call the police? We have enough trouble.”
“We’re outlaws, whether we like it or not,” said Nate.
“It doesn’t hurt!”
***
Nate intertwined his fingers with Kenya’s as they headed back to the mares.
“How do you know what’s north?” asked Kenya.
“I’ll show you,” he said. “It’s late August, and up here the sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest,” he said, pointing. “I just pay attention to where the sun sets and where it rises. North is right in the middle if we face the two points.”
“Wow!” she giggled.
“Boy scouts,” he grinned.
The skies grew dark, and thunder roared as lightning struck.
Temperature dropped as the storm gathered strength and soon the heavens opened. While being cautious with the horses, they still whooped in delight.
Later that night, they curled up on the thick moss of a forest; the dew dampening their clothes.
***
They spent the following night by a tranquil lake.
“We must be in the Scottish Highlands,” said Nate.
“Scottishlands, you mean?” asked Kenya.
“You don’t call it the highlands?”
“Never heard of that.”
“Nevermind!” said Nate.
***
They had been galloping for hours. Adrenaline was their best friend, helping them fly faster than ever.
That evening, Nate signalled to Kenya they should climb a tree to avoid the humidity. He was a natural. Kenya struggled, but Nate helped her up. Using branches, they nestled on the tree, the cool night air lulling them to sleep. An owl hooted.
But no sign of the Archaemenes.
The next morning, the clouds drifted by in the tranquil morning sky. A sense of awe washed over him. I am privileged.
Kenya shook awake. Her frightened expression changing into a smile. Nate pressed her close.
The sunbeams radiated on them. The countryside was alive. They descended the tree and took their clothes off. Their naked bodies were eager for each other. A deep well of emotion and a zeal that grew to new heights. Kenya stifled a cry of delight as he ran his hand through the front of her body.
Something transformed them, and nothing would ever break their bond.
Or so he wished.