Chatoyant College Book 7: Upon What Soil

Chapter 30: Cold Morning

Saturday, November 1

Edie woke up and, for a moment, she had no idea where she was. That scared her at first, because it had been happening too often lately, and if it was happening again, maybe there really was something wrong with her. But once she realized that the reason the light looked so odd was that it was coming through the trees instead of her window, and that the strange warmth next to her was actually Leila, she remembered what had happened last night and how she had gotten here, and she felt much better.

She sat up, then belatedly remembered that she was naked as a chilly breeze swept past her. She shivered and gathered up some of the blanket that she and Leila had been lying on and under, wrapping it around herself. Feeling a little better, but still cold, she looked over at Leila. Her girlfriend was still sleeping. Her face was very calm and still, but she didn't look relaxed—just serious. Edie leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.

Leila's eyes flew open suddenly, and she gasped, but before Edith could react to that, she was smiling again. She put her hand gently on the back of Edith's neck and pulled her closer for another kiss. Then she sat up as well. The cold didn't seem to bother her. "Did you sleep well, my love?"

"I did," Edith said, looking around. "I wouldn't have thought that sleeping on the ground with nothing but a blanket between me and the dirt would be comfortable, but you were right, it was."

Leila nodded and laid one hand against the trunk of her tree, only inches from where their heads had been. "That's because we were here, lying on the roots of my tree. They modulated themselves for your comfort. Anywhere else in the forest, the ground would have just been hard and cold."

Edith nodded. "That makes sense. Do you tell it to do that, or does it do it of its own accord?"

Leila shrugged, gathering up her loose red hair and twisting it up above her neck. "Both, and neither. In so many ways we are the same being, my tree and I." Once her hair was tied up she stood and leaned against the bark, closing her eyes and smiling.

Edith was slightly disturbed by the expression, though she couldn't have said why, and looked away after a moment. They had been alone on the ground, nothing but the blanket around them. "Where are my clothes?"

Leila didn't answer, so Edith looked up. She had relaxed further against the tree, her smile spread across her face in a very satisfied and comfortable expression. Edith had never seen that expression before. She coughed, and after a moment, Leila looked at her. With her eyes open, she looked less sublimely relaxed. "I'm sorry, dear, what was that?"

"Where are my clothes?" Edith repeated.

"Oh... up here." Leila reached up languidly into the branches. A few of them rustled and bent down toward her, and she pulled down a bundle of cloth. When she unwrapped it, it proved to contain both of their clothing. "Do you want to return to your dorm so soon?" she asked as she handed Edith her clothes.

Edith shook her head, dressing quickly, even though she did, actually, want to go back. It was cold, and now that she was awake she was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable. "I'm not in a hurry. It's just cold out here. I will want some breakfast, though. What time is it?"

Leila laughed, a sound that always made Edith feel happier and lighter. "Morning. The cold season. We have no clocks here in the woods," she added as she pulled on black jeans, smiling mischievously.

Edith tried to smile back, though she felt embarrassed. "Of course not." She found her cell phone in her pocket and looked at it once all her clothes were on. A few missed calls from Corrie, which was no more or less than she'd expected. None this morning, though, and it was already eight AM—Corrie would be awake by now, though Edie always slept much later than this on Saturdays.

Thinking of Saturday reminded her that the craft fair was supposed to be today. She stuffed her phone back in her pocket and stretched. "I'd better get back and make sure Corrie hasn't called the police, though. Do you want to come to breakfast with us?"

"Ah... no." To Edith's surprise, Leila slid down the trunk of the tree and sat cross-legged at its base. "I think I will just stay here for now."

"Oh. Um, okay." Edith glanced back at the direction she was pretty sure the campus was in. "Walk me back to the dorm?"

Leila gave a lazy gesture with her hand. "You can find your own way back. The trees will guide you. Go and see your friends."

Edie nodded, swallowed her nervousness, and turned away, back toward campus.