MANSTORY
For in the beginning there was nothing...then God created Adam
written and dreamt by: PMH

Send email to: DancingSatyr@excite.com

I got back to my flat and looked around the disaster area that was my place! Clothes were everywhere, sheets had been pulled from the bed and now lay wadded on the floor, bottles, cans, plates and every bit of junk you can imagine lay everywhere. It was the perfect end to an almost disastrous day. I kicked a jar of peanut butter to the side and walked into the kitchen. I found a bottle of OJ in the back of the fridge and smelled it. It was ok. I took a big swig and sat down in the chair and looked about the place and smiled. Even with all the disaster that was my life, I knew I was going to see Harriet soon! The reality of our date made my heart beat a little faster and I felt myself go flush, like a swarm of warm butterflies in my chest beating madly to escape!  Then the shadows in the corner of the room separated like curtains on a stage and my sister stepped into the room. There was something sinister about it, something that I didn't trust and she picked up on it immediately.

"Why are you afraid? What do you think I'm going to do?" she asked as her hands moved across my shoulders and down the front of my chest. I didn't respond and she pressed her cheek next to mine and whispered, "Nothing to be afraid of brother, I'm only here to see how you are doing."

"I'm fine now, thanks to you. I just quit my job today."

"Excellent! So you've given up on this little dream of yours? We can go?"

"Not yet, I've got a date with Harriet tonight." At this, my sister's nails curled into my skin, digging into flesh until I cried out.

"So? What did you tell her? Your typical "dreams are reality" bullshit? By the lights of EverForest! Why is this...this...girl...so important to you?!"

"Because...because she is the only one who has a chance of understanding."

"UNDERSTANDING WHAT!!? What can she understand that I can't?" I cringed back from my sister's anger. But as suddenly as she had blown up, she became calm and curled down across my lap,wrapping her arms around my head and looking me in the eyes. My sister was beautiful, her eyes are the most beautiful eyes ever created. Her face made a perfect oval of feminine beauty. My sister was the woman every man desired, she was the perfection that all women strive to achieve, and yet I knew there was no way that she could understand what I was seeking. I knew that I had to try this thing with Harriet, I had to know if she was the one who would understand me. I had to know.
My sister kissed me on the cheek and said, "I'm all you need" then she kissed me on the lips, her warm soft lips touching mine, caressing me as only she can do,  "just accept what is and stop chasing after silly dreams. Come home with me."

"Harriet had a dream, do you know what she dreamt about?" I said, trying to get her off me.

"Hmmmm...mansions of gold and servants that all look like cheesy male strippers?" she spat out spitefully.

"No, she dreamt of you." I said, seeing the shock on my sister's face.  "She saw you, only you were a panther and she was afraid of you."

"As bloody well she should be! Aw fuck's sake, see!" She jumped up, throwing her arms up into the air and walking to the window, "Now you even have me talking like one of them. Ok, so what? She dreamt of me as a panther, big fucking deal!"

"And then she saw our world and heard the sounds of our world. She was there!"

"In a DREAM! Not real! Heeelllloooo! Dream, dream, dream! So, you probably planted that knowledge there in one of your stones." She said hopefully. I shook my head and she looked frustrated. She stood looking out over the street. It made me sad to be hurting her so much and to be causing her to have to deal with me, but this was something I had to know. My sister was just about to say something when there was a knock at the door. I jumped up and ran out to look but before I even got to the peep hole my sister said, "It's her." and then I looked out and saw Harriet looking around the hall nervously.

"Ummm...you have to...well..." I looked at my sister and she looked at me with arms crossed and smiled, "I have to what?"

"Oh never mind." and I opened the door.
"Harriet! What a pleasant surprise, couldn't wait until 8?" I said nervously. She looked into the flat and smiled and said, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Of course, come in, but the place is a total mess, we...well...I...well, let me introduce you to..." Then Harriet screamed! Laying across the table was a huge black panther, sleek and muscular and looking very deadly. My sister, the panther, stared at Harriet with hatred in her eyes and I looked back at Harriet and her face was pale, deathly pale.

"Just breathe Harriet! Take a deep breath!"

Harriet pointed and said, "You...I...it's..." She was breathing heavy, trying to remain calm, "...what is that...how did you?"

"Like I said, let me introduce you to Talia, my panther. She's...well she is a member of the family." At this my sister let out a low growl. Harriet clinched hold of my arm and I smiled. This didn't make my sister at all happy.

"How did you.. I mean is it legal?" Harriet asked confused. I looked at her and said, "Actually no, I suppose it's not legal but then many of the best things in life aren't exactly legal, are they?" Harriet ignored me clutching tightly to my arms and hiding behind me, "Really, there is no need to be afraid, Talia is quite tame. Come here, I'll show you." I walked over to my sister, who didn't move but her eyes followed Harriet closely. Harriet stayed behind me, holding on tight. I took her hand and pulled it close to my sister, to let her pet her and as soon as I did my sister shot out her claws with lightening speed and tried to scratch Harriet. Of course had she been really trying, Harriet would have needed stitches, but instead she just lightly scratched her. A playful kitten scratch.

"Oh GOD! I think I need to go now!" Harriet said, walking rapidly toward the door but stiff and muttering what must have been a prayer under her breath.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry! I really...BAD KITTY! BAD!" My sister simply rolled over on the table, paws up and legs spread, purring loudly. The bitch!

"Here, let me wash that off. Oh it's just a light flesh wound, nothing to worry about." I said reassuringly.

"I thought you said she was tame!"

"Well, sometimes she just needs a little time to warm up to some people. I'm sure she's fine now that she has it out of her system. Right Talia?" My sister growled softly, almost mockingly.

"Well, this date has certainly started off strange, hasn't it?" Harriet said.

"Date? What? It's only 7 o'clock and...I'm, well I'm not really ready yet."

"Oh, well I was hoping we could leave a little early, I have a...friend coming over later, I'm sure you understand." Harriet smiled and I started to wonder. I think I understood, I think I understood perfectly.

"Are you just going to leave it out of it's cage." At this my sister rolled back over, preparing to pounce on Harriet for saying "it".

"Ummm...Oh don't worry. I keep my doors locked, she'll be fine." I looked over at my sister nervously. I didn't think she would do anything, but you never could tell with a jealous woman. "Perhaps we should just head out to the restaurant?"

Later, at the restaurant, Harriet and I talked about work and how she couldn't believe I stood up to that twit and how brave I was and how strange I was and how she couldn't believe that I would do that and on and on. I loved watching her talk, I love the way her lips moved and her eyes flashed. She seemed so alive, so happy. She told me she had found my flat through Paula and that sent us off into a conversation about how she felt about her. I found out that they had really only known each other for a short time but Paula was as mysterious to Harriet as she was to me. We both felt very connected to her and we both wished she could be a bigger part of our lives. I tried to move Harriet away from talking about Paula and back to talking about us, but she seemed lost in thoughts of her and I realized bringing her up had been a mistake. The rest of the dinner centered around Paula and how wonderful she was and how free and how much Harriet cared for her. I felt crushed, I realized that there was little I could do to compete so I simply listened and prayed for the check to come.
Walking back from the restaurant we decided to skip the movie I had planned as Harriet didn't seem at all interested in me any more and since I knew she was waiting to see Paula later, I decided to just enjoy walking her home. After all, things sometimes work out and sometimes they don't, in any case I still had the love of my sister and my boring preordained life to go back to.

"Well, Hello! If it isn't the shitty half of a double fuck up!" Came a voice from ahead. I looked up and cringed to see it was Alkus and his friends. Very nervously and reluctantly I made my way to Alkus and said, "Hello Alkus, what do we owe this glorious honor?" I asked sarcastically.

"Here dat worms!? Any meeting with me is a fuckin' honor!" and then Alkus stepped in dangerously close. There was no time for me to put up guards or any kind of protection. If he wanted to, he could simply reach in, take my heart and eat it while I still watched. Alkus had been known to do that from time to time. Instead he put his hand on my shoulder and chewed on what looked like beef jerky but who knew what it actually was?

"So who is your friend? She's very pretty. What's her name? I like to know a name before I rape a woman." Alkus said and then bust into laughter. It was hard to say which was more terrifying, his breath or his laugh?

"What do you want Alkus?" I asked, cutting to the chase.

"You know what I want. Where are the dobbles you stole from me? I'm going to give you about two seconds and then I'm going to rip your legs off and make you watch while we rape your girlie friend." and at this he looked over to Harriet and licked out his boil covered tongue and smiled. Harriet didn't say a word, for which I was grateful. His drones crept in closer and most were having a hard time keeping a relatively human form. It was amazing that they were even allowed to cross worlds. There was only one thing I could do, "I'll tell you, but only if you accept ... a challenge."

Alkus stepped back and his face changed, Harriet gasped as his skin folded back, losing all sense of human form for only a second. The moment of change was enough to see the raw muscle and eyeless slug-like face with rows and rows of teeth that marked his race. Then he was back and looked at me angrily.

"Challenge! You challenge me! Boy, do you know what you are doing!?"

"If you win, you get the stones. If I win you owe me."

Alkus stepped closer, the stench almost unbearable, Harriet let out a "Dear god!" and Alkus said, "If I win, I get the stones and your flesh. If you win, you get to live." With this he leaned in closer and I felt the hairs in my nose sting as I took in his acid stench. He turned his head slightly and smiled, the lips extending out too far, too many teeth. I fought the urge to scream and run away.

"Ok, fair enough." I said. Harriet looked at me and them and said, "This is crazy, you men go be violent and stupid somewhere else." then she started to walk away. She had taken no more than two steps when one of the guys, I think it was Meat, grabbed her and pulled her down to the ground. I winced watching them hurt poor Harriet, but if I didn't win this challenge, I wouldn't be any more able to help Harriet than she was to help me. I said, "A riddle."

"Of course, a fuckin' riddle! I should've expected that from a pussy boy like you!" Alkus laughed and the drones laughed with him, then he looked back at me and I gagged at his rotten meat breath and he said, "give me your riddle, pussy boy!"

"What place has no borders, no flag, and no government and takes up no space but is home to billions of people and anyone can go there without passport or even leaving their home?"

Alkus looked me over, a scowl formed on his death pale face and I smiled. Harriet smiled and said, "I know, I know!" and meat slammed her on the top of the head. I hated to see him hurt her, but alone I was no match for seven minor demons and one half breed demon.

"That is so easy boy, I'm going to enjoy crunching your bones slowly over the next 30 years."

"Then what is your answer?" I asked nervously.

"Dream, you speak of dream and now you are mine!" and Alkus and the drones moved in and were ready to take me but I said, "No, you are wrong and we are free. Good-bye Alkus." I picked Harriet up, she was still a little groggy from the slam to the head and I whispered, "Walk, damn you! Just walk!" and she gave it her best effort and we started to walk away.

From behind me I heard "Liar! I'll rip you to shreds!" and I could feel him rush toward me. My sword appeared in my hand and I turned to face him, sword raised and neatly placed at the base of what could be called his chin. The others stayed back.

"Lie? You know as well as I do that I can not lie in a challenge. You were wrong because you don't keep up with the times. The place wasn't dream. It was something called the internet and you should really check into it. Might give you and your drones some brains." and I smiled and took Harriet's hand and was surprised when she gripped my hand in return. It was the strength and support I needed and I leaned forward to Alkus and said, "Now if you want to break the rules of a challenge, then go right ahead, but I don't see your buddies running to support you and I'm betting that even if you win, the punishment for breaking a challenge will be more extreme than any reward you will get for my death. So what will it be?" I said, trying to look fierce, but probably just sounding stupid.

"Shit pussy boy! I don't know what you are getting all fired up about! I let you fucking win that contest anyway! Fuck you and your little whore! I'll catch your pussy ass later when you get home, fucking pussy!" and he scratched his balls and spit on my sword and then started laughing as he walked back to his drones. My heart beat a thousand miles an hour as I watched them walk away. We turned and I tightened my grip on Harriet's hand and she looked at me, clarity coming back to her now, "Who were they?"

"Oh, just some friends. No big deal, they are always playing games." I said nervously. From behind us I heard them shouting, "Hey Baby! What are you gonna do with a pussy boy like that? Let me show you how a real man fucks!" and "That little faggot ain't gonna give you nothin' but AIDS, what you need is a gang fuck from some real men."

I cringed at each insult and Harriet looked back and then yelled, "Oh YEAH! Well, let me show you what a real woman can do!" and she grabbed me around the neck and pulled me close. Then she kissed me and her tongue thrust into my mouth and I was instantly on fire! Her kiss burned and my body melted and I wrapped my arms around her and she curled around me, wrapping her leg around mine. My whole body was tingling when she finished her kiss and then she took my hand and said, "Let's go to my place!" and I turned and smiled sheepishly at Alkus and his drones.

"Sheeeeiiittttt, fuck that! GO FUCK YOUR LITTLE FAGGOT!" they yelled along with a series of other jealous insults, but none of it mattered now. My shit eatin' grin was like a beacon of happiness and I didn't care what insults they threw, I was in heaven!