The Laws of Paxia

27. Lime-green Wonderland

  I lift it up from what looks like a collar and the whole thing falls down to my feet. It’s a body suit skeleton with flip-flop shoes and a broader rubber part where my back is. The thin rubber threads are to be tied around my legs and hip and the collar will rest around my throat. The whole thing is light and bendable.

  “This is interesting,” I add. “Will this help me walk?”

  “Yes,” he says and lifts up a silky thin bodysuit in white. “You must wear this under so all the signals works as they should. Your brain sends signals to your legs and they will transplant through the Danglers and activate the legs to move even if they actually can’t. Doesn’t your world have the same thing?” he asks like it’s the most obvious thing in the whole world.

  “Um, no,” I answer him honestly.

  “Oh,” he says furrowing his eyebrows. “What are we waiting for? Go try it on!”

  Danglers aren’t the most practical thing to put on, but the white bodysuit is comfortable and cool against my skin. I gained weight on Crest, so my appearance is back to the way it’s supposed to look. It was when I took off the shirt that I really got tear-eyed. All scars on my back are gone and I look like the accident never happened. My whole skin looks like I’m made of porcelain and I never had this soft skin before.

  I groan loudly and give up trying to put the Danglers on the natural way. It’s hard to stuff something over my legs that don’t work with me. I remember when I first tried to get dressed after the accident and it was so hard that I gave up. It took a few tries before I finally related it to a challenge I’d love to beat.

  I smile at the memories. I have something now that I didn’t back then. I will learn how to put on this skeleton, but not today. I grip Tarih and let it tie the Danglers around me smoothly. I deactivate Tarih and wonder what’s supposed to happen next. I should go back to the porch where Marc is waiting for me.

  I’m suddenly halfway through the room and I feel a thrill of joy pulsate through me that these Danglers makes my body react just like any normal person would! It’s not a bad replacement like Tarih. I move around to try it out, but it feels normal. It’s like I’m not even paralyzed. I run out onto the porch and hit my foot on the threshold by mistake. Of course I can’t feel anything, but it doesn’t take away any of my joy.

  “This is so awesome!” I shout and throw myself around Marc.

  “You’re welcome,” he says blushing and I hug him tighter, liking his smell of fresh wood. He hugs me back clumsily and it’s so cute. That strange feeling in my heart comes back and I slowly let go of him.

  “I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m not used to girls showing affection towards me.”

  “Why not?” I wonder and look him up and down. There’s nothing wrong with his appearance. He’s quite cute, even if he isn’t my type.

  “They don’t find me interesting,” he whispers embarrassed.

  “Their loss.” I shrug. I respect his wish to not tell me anything more. “How old are you?”

  “I’m twenty.”

  “You don’t look like twenty,” I add. “You look to be at least twenty-six.”

  He shakes his head slightly amused. “You’re new to Florem. Everyone my age looks like this. You on the other hand look like you’re thirteen.

  “Thirteen!” I say horrified. “I’m almost eighteen.”

    He laughs loudly and it makes me smile. I have to get used to the fact that everything doesn’t work the same way here as on Earth. Crest was very similar to it, but Florem is a wonderland in itself.