The Return | Cricky

Chapter IV: Constellations

A thousand yard stare into a sea of winterized trees. The cold wind blowing on my face, bringing my lover's cologne to my attention. Ricky slotted in beside me on the railing and looked out on the forest we lord over. "It's not like you to be so quite when you're upset."

"I've been informed that talking about it might have some consequences. Granted, that information came out of the mouth of a very self-centered sex-crazed maniac."

His hand folded into mine, his fingers so delicate in comparison to mine. Ricky watched me, while I could only watch the horizon. "What do we have to be scared of?" He asked with no interest in a real answer, only lightening my mood.

"That's the thing." I sighed, eyes falling to our conjoined hands. His sigil painted onto my blackened skin, mine burnt into his porcelain. "Maybe I see everything differently because I'm not from here, but, sometimes I get this sinking feeling that we're really not all that powerful. We're just made to believe we are. To keep the masses scared, but not too scared."

"To keep them distracted?"

"Yeah. Distracted." I reaffirmed. "Keep them in line. But what if someone's keeping us in line? And if I start asking too many questions, I'll be punished. That's the way it was on Earth, at least. Everyone always had this suspicion that there was something greater than them, but it was best not to question it."

"Well, even knowing the deities exist is a privilege. Maybe they're the greater power. But down here," Ricky squeezed my hand. "I don't think there's anything on this planet that we can't handle."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just letting Earth ideals cloud my mind." I turned to him, pecking his lips. Even in this bitter cold, I could feel his warmth. How the fire in his soul didn't melt the ice blue of his eyes, I may never know. I'd like to think all the answers I'd ever need are in those eyes. And maybe they are—A reflection of the stars danced across the glass of his eyes, faster than any star could move. It wasn't as fast or sharp as a shooting star. It was, in fact, like a ballet dance.

I looked out to see a cluster of glittering starlight twirling across the night sky. They formed the shape of a woman, lean and graceful like a ballerina. The tassels of her long dress flowed with her like ribbons in the wind. No color to her skin, only the darkness of night and the glow of the stars outlining her.

"Tell me you see that."

Ricky looked between me and the sky with concern. "I'm going to go with no."

"Alright, so either I'm crazy, or my power..." I trailed off, lost in the constellation's glamour. Though I knew the stars were light years away, she felt so close. As if I could reach out and touch her. Something I can't fully explain caused me to extend my hand to her, and from the impossible distance, she danced into my palm in a single leap.

"Okay. I see it now." My love spoke in astonishment.

Whatever force had driven me to touch her—This power I don't quite understand yet—had brought her into our plane of reality. Though she looked massive in the sky, she was no bigger than a pixie in my hand. She crossed her ankles the way ballerinas do, little hands settling together at her underbust.

"I certainly wasn't expecting a summons after all these years, but might I assume by the look on your face that you weren't expecting this either?" She purposed.

"You could say that." I replied.

She looked down at herself, remarking, "That explains why I'm so small. Uh, do me a favor? Close your eyes and picture what I look like, but focus your magic this time." That shouldn't be too hard, considering I wasn't even trying to use it in the first place. I did as she asked, opening my eyes to see she was only a few inches taller. She ironed out her dress with her palms, relieved as she exclaimed, "There! That's so much better."