First Lesson

At first I struggled a little with this week's Don't Panic Picture Prompt.  It's a bit late because I spent the day at a family reunion yesterday.  But, I realized this morning that it fits in well with the Dusseldorf serial.  If you've missed parts of that story, follow the tab at the top labelled One Night in Dusseldorf and you will be linked to the rest of the series.

I heaved a sigh and scrubbed at my face.  How had my life come to this?

“It is difficult to understand how all of this can exist.  I assure you, though, it does and it is vital to life as you have known it that this world does co-exist.

“Why?”

“Imagine what the world would look like without any color,” I grimaced as she continued, “That is what it would be like without this world living as well.  All belief in and thoughts of magic and dreaming of fantastical creatures would never happen.  This world gives the ordinary world the gift of imagination and inspiration.”

She let me mull her words over in a comfortable silence, waiting for me to come to terms with everything.

“Okay.  So, magic exists.  Werewolves exist.  What is it Kris and James claim I am again?”

“A druid.”

“And what is my job in all of this?”

“Yours is a special job.  You are a protector of the natural balance.”

“What does that mean?” I interrupted.

“There cannot be life without death.  Light is defined by darkness.  That is what the natural balance is.  You have been given powers to help protect that balance.  The ordinary world does not understand this, not to the level they need to understand it.  That is part of why the earth is being destroyed faster than it can be repaired right now.”

“So what am I supposed to do about it?  I can’t change that.”

“But you have skills that will make a difference.  Have you ever seen the photograph of the gorilla with a small butterfly perched on its finger?  The gorilla is just studying the butterfly.”

“Yeah.  It’s by Olga someone.”

“Correct.  She is a druid.  Her photography inspires people in the ordinary world to take steps to correct the natural balance.  That photo alone inspired thousands to donate to gorilla preservation funds.”

I nodded, “And when the gorillas are rescued and their habitat preserved, all sorts of other things survive as well.”

“Exactly,” she smiled.

Falling Into A Dream

Here's the next piece in the Dusseldorf serial.  The rest of the story can be found under the tab at the top labelled One Night In Dusseldorf.  Any concrit you have is always welcome.

I felt certain I’d heard him wrong.

“You heard me correctly, Emma,” James’s voice was too level.

“Okay.  Show me the door.  I’m outta here.”

“I’m sorry.  We cannot let you leave now.  You know too much.”

“What the hell do I know, James?  No one will believe me if I said anything anyways.”

“The wrong people would believe you.  Then your life would be in great danger.”

I sat there staring at James.  There was just no way this could be real.  He got up and left the room.  I’m not sure how long I sat there but eventually Kris came into the room.  I couldn’t help but look for signs that he was a werewolf, as if I knew what to look for.  But, as I watched him move about the room, it did seem like he had an inhuman grace.

My mind drifted back over the last few days.  The more I reflected on what I’d seen of Kris, the more I had to believe in what James said.  My final proof shy of seeing one of them become a wolf came when Kris turned to me.  He had a feral gleam that no human ever could hope to attain.

“James told you?” it sounded more like a statement than a question.

“Yeah,” I cursed myself under my breath for the quaver that sounded like weakness in my voice, “This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“No.”

“Why tell me?  I assume this is something you keep under wraps since the world isn’t freaking out over it.”

“You wanted to know about your sister.”

“And?” his words may have indicated that was it but his face told me there was something more to it than that.

Kris watched me for a long, silent minute before he answered, “You have something we need.  I need.”

I blinked several times, “What?”

“You have power.  It’s what got your sister involved in this.  I need the power you have.”

“Are you sure this isn’t some delusion or dream?”

“Don’t worry.  You’re awake and not crazy.

“I feel crazy.”

“No,” Kris corrected, “You are feeling the effects of the symbiotic magic.”

“The what?”

“Your magic with mine.  You are what they used to call a druid.  I am a wolf.  Your kind and mine have had a symbiotic relationship for centuries.”

I scrubbed my face, “What does that mean?”

“A whole new life for you.”

“What if I like mine just as it is?”

“You don’t.  You wouldn’t be here if you did.”

Kris had a point there.