Suddenly, she felt a hand slide over hers on the armrest and attempt to loosen her grip. Northstar smiled at the ashen-faced Aly and couldn't help the small chuckle that erupted from her throat. "Calm down Aly! It will be fine!! " North was a veteran where flying was concerned and was completely relaxed and quite at ease.
Aly pried one eye open and glared at North. Sticking her tongue out petulantly, she laughed and tried to calm herself. She, Northstar, Trace and Shadoe had managed to win a trip to an island resort and were on their way out. They knew very little about the island or the resort itself. All they had been told was that they had been culled from responses to many questionnaires received by the agency. They had each filled out and passed along so many different Bio's and surveys that they had no idea which one had been referred to!
Aly twisted and turned herself around in the seat and looked back at Trace, who had also never flown and had insisted that she would NEVER fly. That is, until she found out she had won this trip! Spying her petrified friend in the back seat, ashen-faced and covered with nervous perspiration not unlike herself, Aly heard her own laughter as if she were having an out-of-body experience.
Shadoe, Trace's best friend and cousin, was sitting right beside her and trying to help ease Trace's fear. She and North had elected to divide and conquer the fear of Aly and Trace, so they had each secured the seat beside the two scaredy-cats!!
Although Shadoe had never flown either, she was quite brave and managed to keep her fears inside. She was so occupied with thinking about the island and the vacation to come, that she felt she could handle this one flight.
The speakers crackled to life and the announcement was made:
"Good afternoon ladies. This is your Pilot speaking. We hope you
enjoy this flight to.... Fantasy Island!!!"
The four friends swapped glances and almost fell into the aisle
when the realization dawned upon them.
"OHMYGAWD!!!" They screamed in unison. The jet taxied down the
runway, and lifted into the sky. They were OFF!!
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
The two stood on the walkway in front of the great white house as they
watched the small private jet make its approach. They were each dressed in white suits and were prepared to greet their guest for this week. Looking into the sky, her assistant couldn't help but say the oft-spoken words, "The PLANE!! The PLANE!!" He smiled and turned to back to her.
Madeline looked down at the small hand-held personal data analyzer
and brought up the menu for the new arrivals. Reviewing their fantasy
description to be sure that all the preparations had been made, she
smiled with satisfaction and turned to her assistant:
"Are you ready to greet our newest guests?" She asked the question
knowing it needed no answer. The young man with the buzz-cut and
smokey glasses nodded in agreement and the two headed down the
walkway towards the reception area to welcome their guests, Northstar,
Aly, Trace and Shadoe.
Once they arrived at the hangar, they oversaw the disembarking of
their guests and greeted them warmly. The young man known as
Birkoff escorted the ladies to the welcome room where they would
each be assigned to their *Fantasy* location for the week.
The four exchanged nervous looks. They were each excited and
a touch apprehensive, about the coming week. As Birkoff cleared
his throat to gain their attention, Madeline stepped forward and smiled
at each woman.
Waiting until she had their complete and undivided attention, she began, "Ladies. We want to extend our warmest welcome to you all. We will try and fulfill your fantasy here to the best of our abilities this week. You each will be sent to your own *Fantasy* and will reconvene atweeks end."
Looking back at her PDA, she refreshed her memory, and made the assignments...
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Northstar followed the young man and looked around herself in awe.
The island was quite beautiful and the weather was more than agreeable.
She was so happy to be out of the cold and snow from back home in
Canada. This would be a refreshing break for her. And it sounded like
it would be great fun!
They finally came to a stop at a small golf-cart and the young man
directed her to the passenger side as he took the wheel. They drove
out into the countryside. They drove along in silence as Northstar
enjoyed the sights and sounds of this tropic isle. The moment was
broken however, when they came to a stop in a wooded area in
front of a large gate. The fence marched away from the gate in
both directions as far as the eye could see.
Northstar became slightly uneasy at this and turned to Birkoff with
a raised eyebrow. Birkoff immediately calmed her fears, "Don't
worry Ma'am. It fits the parameters of your particular fantasy."
He turned to the small call box and pressed a button. Without any
further ado, the gate slid soundlessly open, and he indicated that
Northstar was to go from here... alone.
Taking a deep breath, Northstar stepped out of the cart and headed up the path.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Meanwhile....
Shadoe had parted company with Trace and Aly immediately after North.
She was being escorted by a handsome young man and she was having
a hard time keeping her eyes off of him. She could hear his voice as
he droned on about something, but her attention was on his fine torso
which was outlined nicely in a tight-fitting T-shirt.
Snapping herself back to the matter at hand, she thought he had said
something quite interesting.
"I'm sorry. My mind must have... wandered. What did you just say?"
She waited long enough for him to give her a knowing smile and a quick
wink. She smiled in return and he repeated his remark.
"I said, my lady, that your castle can only be reached by boat as it
is surrounded by a large lake. Do you need something for motion sickness?"
Shadoe laughed heartily at this and declined. She wanted her wits about her for this one!! He led her to a small dock and they climbed into the boat tied there. Setting off across the water, Shadoe finally faced forward and for the first time, saw the enormous castle centered on an isle in the middle of the lake.
"Oh my gawd..." was all she could say. Thinking about the week ahead,
she felt a shiver run up her spine.
They reached the small landing and Shadoe climbed out of the boat.
Turning back to her fine young escort, she noticed that he was not
following.
"You are to proceed from her alone, my lady. Enjoy."
With that, he slowly eased the boat back from the landing, and sped
back towards the beach.
"Well... isn't this a fine bunch of nubbins..." Shadoe mused to herself
and started walking up the path to the castle.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
And then....
Trace was led away by a young woman by the name of Nikita. She was
quite the free spirit and had Trace laughing and cutting up before they
were even out of the welcome room.
Nikita led the way to a sporty car. "Come on, Trace. Hop on in. I'll
give you a lift to your *Fantasy*." Barely waiting until Trace had shut the door, Nikita slammed the car into gear and hit the gas. Trace was flung back against the headrest and Nikita laughed and told her to buckle up.
Moving to quickly do so, Trace watched the countryside as it sped
by the vehicle. It looked like they were heading into a nearby *town*
and Nikita had a small smile playing across her lips like she held the
key to a special secret.
As she pulled up before a large house, she stopped the vehicle so
suddenly that Trace almost hit the dash. Laughing, she sat back up
and shot Nikita a mischievous glare. "I'll remember that 'Kita. Paybacks are heck!! Better be on the look out!" The two laughed and Trace hit the doorlatch and swung the door wide.
She stood beside the vehicle and waited for Nikita to join her. When she didn't, Trace leaned down to look in the window.
"Go for it Trace... you are on your own. See you on Friday" With a
wave of her hand and a loud screech from her tires, Nikita took off
down the driveway and back out on the road, gravel flying everywhere.
Trace turned towards the large house. "Well... this is a fine barrel of monkeys..." She squared her shoulders and marched to the door and
rapped her knuckles soundly on the panel.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Aly was still smiling at the laughter from Trace and Nikita. She heard
a sound from behind her and turned slowly. The weathered faced of
the man creased with a smile. "Hi there sugar. I'm Walter, and I will
be your... guide." He extended his hand in invitation and Aly joined him.
He led her up the path towards what looked to be a large abandoned
warehouse of some sort. Moving ahead of her, he grabbed ahold of
the large door and rolled it back to allow them access. Aly preceded
him into the space and stopped. There was nothing here!
Turning back to Walter, she found that he had mysteriously vanished.
Trying to still her rapid heartbeat, she took a few deep breaths and
closed her eyes momentarily. *Get a grip Aly!* she told herself firmly.
Opening her eyes once again, she felt more in control and cautiously
ventured deeper into the echoing darkness of the space.
Suddenly, she stopped as she heard a sound from the corner to the
left of her. Turning towards it slowly, she saw a shaft of light appear as the elevator doors slid open.
"Oh well... looks like this is it..." Straightening her back with steely resolve, Aly strode to the elevator and stepped inside.
The doors SWOOSHED shut and she felt herself dropping.... down and
down she went...
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Trace waited as she heard her knock echo throughout the inner stillness
of the house. She stepped back a bit to look up at the door and slowly
moved her eyes around the casing checking for anything out of the
ordinary. Placing her arms across her chest, she was beginning to
grow irritated. Lifting her hand to pound against the door again, it
swung slightly open with the first touch of her hand.
Her interest was immediately piqued. Reaching out hesitantly with an
outstretched fingertip, she pushed the door inward and eased into the
space slowly. She saw the marbled entryway and a staircase that
went down into the inner recesses of the house.
"Hello...?" her voice trailed off uncertainly. Turning to look behind her, she figured *what the hey... this IS Fantasy Island. This MUST be ok!* She closed the door and stood in the foyer of the great house and let her eyes adjust to the change in light.
She had just about gathered her courage to descend into the space
below, and had placed her hand on the railing of the stairs to guide
her way. Suddenly, a voice spoke out to her from the shadows right behind her...
"Why are you here....?" his voice trailed away as he waited for her answer.
Trace looked around nervously and answered, "They sent me."
"Why are you here.... ?" He started to move closer to her, and she backed away slowly. Coming up short against the wall, he closed in on her and placed his hands on either side of her head. With his voice low in his throat, he said, "I know why you're here...."
Trace's eyes widened in surprise as he lowered his lips to hers.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Northstar had been wandering up the pathway for about 100 yards or
so when she heard a rustling in the woods to her right. Her heart began to pound and she looked around for a place to hide.
*What if it is a bear... or a thug... or....* her thoughts ran amuck.
At that moment, a man stepped from the covering of the brush and
slowly approached her. Northstar was intrigued. He was a handsome
and interesting looking individual, very tall and almost regal in bearing.
He had an air about him that exuded power and authority. He lifted
a cigar to his mouth and bit down upon the tip of it and held it fast in his teeth.
He approached North slowly and she stood still, watching him. She did
not feel threatened in the least. Matter of fact, she was highly aware of him and very curious about his... intentions.
As he circled around her, appraising her, he removed the cigar from his
lips and blew the pungent smoke above them, creating a small cloud
before it dispersed into the air. Finally, he spoke.
"So... you are to be my partner, eh?" He placed the cigar back into
his mouth and waited.
Northstar gave him a sultry low laugh. "Is that so? Partner? In what?"
North thought to herself... * I think I am going to like this... vacation...*
He removed the cigar from his lips, and flung it to the ground, crushing it with his booted foot. Smiling at his partner, he extended his hand to her. "Come... I will explain on the way. We have some... business to tend to."
Northstar placed her hand in his and they continued up the path towards
the large house she could barely see peeking out from the trees.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Madeline keyed up her security cams and checked the status on her
latest guests. She saw that Northstar had found her *partner* for the
week, and that Trace had eased comfortably into her *fantasy* setting as well.
Turning to her young assistant, she smiled to herself. "Guess we had
best check in on our other guests as well to see how they are faring."
Young Birkoff moved closer to her so he could see the screens over her shoulder.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Shadoe had managed to gain access to the inside of the large and dark
castle. The place looked and felt as though no one had lived there or
even set foot into this mysterious and musty castle for many years.
Taking a deep breath and coughing from the dust that had become
airborne with her footsteps, Shadoe waved her hand before her face to
clear the air and looked across the vast great hall. She moved into
the room with awe and wonder and took great delight in the sunbeams
as they spilled into the room from the high tower windows.
She looked up into the balcony that overlooked the great hall from
above and her heart stopped. *What was that...?* She felt her breath
catch in her throat as she saw the form as it seemed to... float.
As her eyes widened in fear... and curiosity... Shadoe cautiously moved
towards the winding staircase and began her ascent. She slowly gained
the landing and stood for a moment... waiting.
She did not have to wait long before the apparition made itself known to her. She felt all the tension drain from her body as the figure moved closer to her. He was very tall and handsome, in his own way. He had an unusual twinkle in his eye and grinned devilishly at her.
Shadoe smiled in return and placed her hand in his ghostly one that
was held out to her in invitation. The wraith spoke to her with a voice rough, like raw silk, "Shall we dance My Lady? Or would a tour of the... chambers... be more to your liking?"
Shadoe answered with a deep throaty laugh and followed the man upstairs.
~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~<>~~
Aly was trying to remain calm as the elevator seemed to plunge deeper
and deeper into the bowels of the island. A fine bead of perspiration
appeared on her upper lip as she had recently discovered that small
enclosed spaces made her... uneasy.
She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths and felt the car
come to a sudden and abrupt halt. Her eyes snapped open and her
pupils were dilated with fear... and something else. Excitement.
Waiting for only a moment, the doors slid open silently and a man
stood before her. He slowly lifted his eyes to hers and she was instantly struck by the intensity of his stare. She felt pulled into the depths of those grey-green orbs as they took her in from head to toe. He was dressed all in black and said only one word to her.
"Hi." He had a deep voice it seemed, but the word was barely whispered.
Aly was struck speechless, and barely managed a "Hi." in response.
The man spoke again, "What are you doing here?"
Aly stammered in response... "I... I ... have no idea!"
He smiled, if you could call it a smile, and stepped back, indicating for her to follow him. Aly moved from the elevator cautiously and followed the man as they went down a corridor. He slowed his pace to match hers and guided her to a small office. Opening the door, he waited for her to proceed him, and he followed, closing the door behind them.
Taking the chair behind the desk, he looked at Aly and then to the chair before the desk. Aly moved to fill the vacant chair and the man then leaned back in his chair... watching her.
Turning to his computer, he reviewed the information on the screen and
looked back over to the nervous young woman. He turned his attention
back to the screen and then finally switched the system off. Placing
his hands on the desktop, he laced his fingers thoughtfully. When he
spoke, his voice was very soft, almost a whisper. "So... it looks as
though I am to be your trainer."
Rising with catlike grace, he came out from behind the desk and Aly
rose in confusion. He came to within a breath of her before speaking
again. "We don't have much time... so let's take what we can get."