Chapter 10 – SHAYNE HAS A CASTLE IN THE AIR

The dark veil of darkness slowly covering the forest, together the cool breeze of the wind blowing from the east. In the upper part of the mountain the mist is visible and becoming like cloud bands hanging above the trees up to the peak of the mountain. The place never stops introducing itself as untamed and unconquerable by men, where the unseen hands of nature works and reign forever.

                Different birds call from all direction fills the air, as they preparing themselves to rest in the branches of trees where they live. Some other noise of some other animals can be heard, making themselves present in the quire of echo reverberating in the slopes of the mountain from one side to the other. This becomes an everyday ritual in the forest after sunset before the night fully conquer the forest.

                Dexter sit down in the bamboo chair inside the hut, waiting for Shayne, she excuses herself for a while, according to her, she will mend certain thing, but she did not mention what it is. He is getting bored of waiting. He has enjoyed well the whole day they were together as if he has been a resident of the place forgetting that he was just lost his way home and he is still recuperating to gain his full strength that was also lost when he got sick, due to extreme fatigue, hunger, thirst and exposure to the harsh condition in the forest.

                Both of them enjoy the company of the other, most especially Dexter, for there is no other woman had devoted him, her time and care, when he is sick and needs attention until he recuperates, except Shayne, and she has exceptional beauty no man can deny. Dexter was put in the spell of love, upon seeing Shayne, who takes good care of him at the time, he is almost fighting death. He sees her, as her savior, as an angel, who was sent to him, from above.

                He remembers, he said to Shayne.

                “Please believe me, I am in love with you”

                “Know me first well, before you say that again” she replied.

                “But you also don’t know me well, so it is only fair”

                “No, please know me well, first, then I will understand you if you will leave by tomorrow”

                “Why I am going to leave you? Does it bother you much I am here?”

                “Just know me well first, before you argue with me”

Then she excuses herself for a while, because she needs to do something she did not elaborate. Dexter presumed, she will just change cloths, he also perspires a while ago, but he has no extra dress to wear, the cloths he washed and hung in the branches of dead tree this morning is not yet dried. He wished Shayne may not requested him, to leave, because he is well and almost had regain his strength. He only starting enjoying his stay in this place, he considered a paradise. He even presumed, the two of them, as Adam and Eve. He further wished that, the relative of Shayne may not come home immediately, so that he can still have Shayne alone.

                A shadow from a far slowly come towards the hut. It is Shayne.  She has change cloths, she is now wearing an over all white dress, it makes her so beautiful, her extra ordinary beauty becomes apparent in her dress. She a woman of dream of any man, in her full feminine appearance, beautiful, attractive, and most of all adorable.

                Dexter used to believe, there may be another house nearby, where Shayne used to change dress and take a rest at night. But he wonders why, he has not seen it, when they roam the place that day.

                “Do you want to eat dinner now” she asked.

                “I just want you to be around, I am not yet hungry yet” he answered.

                “Here you are again, never stop fooling me around”

                “No, I’m not, I’m just telling the truth”

Shayne gives Dexter a meaningful look, she breath deep and long, before she speaks, as if she is weighing out, what she is about to say.

                “Are you ready to know me well now? She asked Dexter

Dexter don’t even think twice, or have a second thought to answer, he wants to impress Shayne. He thought, what an imaginable thing, a beautiful lady like her, could shock him. He is twenty-six years old, matured enough, and has gained enough experience, in dealing with other people. In this modern time, of digital age, everything can be explained using scientific and logical methods.

                “Yes, I am, should I be scared?” Dexter is jokingly answered Shayne

                “Let me see, if you can play me a joke after wards” her short answer.

                “Come with me and don’t go away from me”

Dexter with smiles in the lips, have a naughty thought in mind “Why should I go away from you, I always want to be with you”.

                Shayne walks slowly out of the hut, they were only few meters away from the hut, Dexter can still see the flickering flames of oil lamp inside, when they stop. Dexter was amazed when Shayne holds his hand, he did not expect it, but he likes it, he is happy, she did it. He wants to do it before, but he is only afraid, she may think, he is taking advantage of her kindness. The hand of Shayne is as soft as the cotton, but it sends a chilling happy sensation to the whole being of Dexter. He holds tight in return the hand of Shayne, enjoying the fine moment.

                Shayne waves her right hand in the air, and in an instant an incredible structure show itself before their eyes. It is a small castle, where the lights coming from inside, illuminates the surroundings. The gate is widely open welcoming the two of them to come inside, it is fully furnished properly painted with chandelier lamp hanging in ceiling.

                Dexter face become pale, he feels his blood all comes up to his head, his hair come up straight, as if he was suddenly caught an electric shock of high voltage, his eyes open wide. Possibly if Shayne is not holding his hand, he has turn back and run away. Dexter cannot move his feet, nor say anything, Shayne has totally shown him something he did expect and beyond his wild imagination, beyond what logical reasoning can understand or answer, beyond all scientific explanation can handle. Everything he has seen is something so much for him to handle. He is just like ordinary man which can be scarred of something he cannot understand, something beyond explanation, beyond human expectation and knowledge. How come a castle will just suddenly appear from nowhere? It just exists in the fairy tale stories, but here, he is, he sees it with his eyes. He cannot believe, what he sees, or he do not want to believe what he sees. He almost lost his consciousness of the situation, it takes time for him, to recover and be aware where he is. He is now starting to understand Shayne is an extra-ordinary woman, possessing extra ordinary power beyond an ordinary man may comprehend and understand. But what she is? He asked this question to himself. He will ask this later to Shayne.

                “This is my secret place, my hiding place, no one can see and enters this place, without my permission. I have lived here for long years, don’t asked me how long, you would not believe it”.

                Dexter was stunned, and mesmerized of what he has just seen.  

                “Are we going to proceed or not” Shayne is getting more beautiful this time.

                “Can I go out again, if I enter?” Dexter voice is cracking.

Shayne looks at Dexter and laugh a little. She sees Dexter look like a little child worried to much with the new place he has discover and she look like his mother guiding him.

                Shayne tease Dexter for he has been so boastful in the past, to her.

                “You said you want to go and stay in my place, prove it now”

Dexter quickly understands Shayne is teasing and challenging him, a man challenge by a woman, he cannot take it, even she is extra-ordinary, he needs to prove he is a man in words and in actions.

                “Ok, let’s go “his short answer.

After they have entered the castle, he gets a full view of the inside.  It consists of many rooms, it has light, but he cannot determine what is the source of light inside it, there is no electricity. There is chandelier hanging in the ceiling in the lobby. They continue walking inside, he notices, it has complete furniture, like in the modern houses in the city.  Shayne enters one room, she opens it.

                “This is my room; this is where I sleep and take a rest”

Dexter notice, it is a nice room, painted, pink, there is one bed inside, with thick foam, pillows colored red, and white blanket, folded put after the pillows. It is a room neatly keep by a woman’s hand in constant touch every day. It has complete accessories, hair dresser, on one side and a beautiful cabinet on the other side, complete to satisfy the needs of a woman like Shayne. Dexter is still quiet, and doesn’t say anything for he does not know what to say, that moment.

They proceeded to the dining room.

                The table is made from marbles with the finest details curved on its side, while the chairs have an extra-ordinary design, one can easily say, it would be an expensive one, the plates are of exquisite designs that cannot be found elsewhere, while the spoons and forks seems to be made from silver, with unique designs, including the drinking glass line on the side of the tables. The food prepared on the table are something, he has not seen before, although they apparently look delicious, they are all strange to Dexter.

                “I know, you are hungry and we have not eaten dinner yet, let’s eat now”

Shayne is inviting him to eat, but Dexter, is adamant to eat. When he is still young, and enjoyed very much the stories, of his grandmother, he can recall, that according to those old stories, one should not eat any food, once he is invited to eat, inside the house of the enchanters. Dexter is fully aware, that in this moment, he is inside, in the make-believe world, of fantasy, no man in his right mind, would believe, it is true. No pictures, no documentary, or what ever concrete proof, can prove it is true, in the civilized world, then how can you make, those people believe?

                “Why you don’t want to eat?” Shayne asked him.

                “I am not hungry yet, I will just eat in the hut, there are lot of food there” he answered.

                “I know what you are thinking, and I will not force you to eat” she said.

Dexter watch, while Shayne is eating in the luxurious table full of fancy food all strange to him. After eating Shayne told him, they will go out the castle and return to the hut. It gives happiness to Dexter to be out of the magical house, where he is in. Shayne waives her hand in the air, and all of a sudden, Dexter found himself standing in front of the hut. Shayne is still with him, but this time, he does not want to say anything to her, he even does not want to touch her hand, he is very careful now, who knows once he may make Shayne annoyed or angry, she may turn her into frog.  

                Dexter walks inside the hut, towards the bamboo bed, Shayne followed him.

                “Are you afraid of me now” she asked.

                “ I am confused, you have surprised me a lot”

                “Do you still love me, as what you have said before”

                “Yes, I am, but we are different from each other”

                “You better eat and take a rest, let us talk of it by tomorrow, after you have weight out

                everything” she said, and she leave Dexter alone.

When he is alone Dexter eat the food in the hut, mainly fruits, they have gathered from the forest, during the day, and afterwards, he lay down in the bed, to take a rest. Sleep become so elusive to him that night, his thought is full of so many questions, he can not answer by himself.  Is Shayne, is a fairy or belonging to the family of enchanters, believe by many people, during the olden times, living in the forest?

 Who is Shayne? Why is alone? Is she really alone? What magical powers she possesses? Did she

put him under her spell?  Can he still go home afterwards? Does Shayne allow him to go home?

These are the questions that bothered him, when he fall asleep that night not knowing what tomorrow might happen when he wakes up.