"What does it all mean…this whole human thing?” she wondered as she sat at the edge of a crystal blue lake. Days maybe even weeks had passed since her mother sent her down to this hell-forsaken planet. Now, her mother was not completely cruel. The goddess left her child a booksack filled with travel supplies such as ambrosia, nectar, blankets, canteens, bug spray, bandages, and a set of clothes that never stained or ripped. Not only that but the bag possessed magic capabilities and could conjure up anything the girl might need. No doubt, where she landed was absolutely beautiful, though she did not know exactly where she was. The only thing she was sure of was that she was in a Colorado Valley, the same one she had watched over since her birth, which was only about a thousand years ago. Since then, she watched humanity shift, though, she did not see much of it. Where she hung was quite desolate but it was what she liked. In her past, she had seen the hustle and bustle of overpopulated cities and it was repulsive to her. Over the valley was tranquil and no one disturbed her.

Being on the ground was very different, especially since she had a human form. It looked easy from so far above but trying to use bodily appendages was foreign. Learning her body took a few long hours, but she managed to get the hang of it, well sort of. Not only was her body strange but also for the first time she experienced feelings such as fear, anger, hunger, pain, and helplessness. The worst experience of the human life was watching a young coyote die from an arrow wound in her arms. She sobbed and screamed curses upon the entire human race. No longer could she believe in a future for humanity. Though she had seen such travesties from a great distance, it had never affected as much as holding the creature in her arms and feeling its heartbeat begin to fade.

“How could they harm such innocent and beautiful creatures?” she questioned as she stared at her mother’s reflection in the clear, blue water. In anger, she splashed the reflection and began to sob again. She decided a swim in the midnight light of the moon would help ease her pain.

Undressing, she set her blue flannel shirt on a tree branch along with her tight jeans and slipped off her outdoor boots under the tree. Removing her bloodied bandages from her travels through the forest, she noticed the wounds healed quite fast after eating the ambrosia her mom packed. Bare of any clothing, she dived into the lake and allowed the water to engulf her. It had been a while since she felt such peace. As she swam, she heard rustling in the trees. Startled, she began to swim back to shore to see what it might have been. Drawing nearer, she noticed a tall, human figure. Immediately she began to sink into the water hoping he did not notice, and she could hold her breath long enough for him to disappear.

Then, she heard a deep voice call out to her, “I can see you, ya know,” he said.

Irritated, she swam up towards him.

“Who does this scoundrel think he is? Why is he here anyway? Wait…he’s kind of cute actually. Stop it! That does not matter he is still one of them. Well, so am I, sort of. No matter, I still do not trust him.”

This was the stream of thoughts that filled her mind, as she got closer. Up close, she could see his ocean-green eyes shimmer in the moonlight. They were starting yet intriguing as if they had seen much devastation but managed to hide the pain. His face was rugged and he had a little bit of facial scruff around his mouth and on his cheeks. He was tall and had the build of a lumberjack. Long black, curly hair sat on his shoulders. With his head turned, he offered her a blanket to wrap herself up in. Reluctantly, she accepted his offer. As she dressed, he could not help but think about her emerald green eyes that shone so bright even in the dark distance. When she was done, she approached him holding a knife she found buried in her booksack.

“Who are you and what do you want with me?” she questioned.

“I mean you no harm. Earlier this morning I heard screams from my cabin and wondered who they belonged to. I was sure it was not the folk from the Northern part of the valley, so I went out searchin'. Then I found you…” he replied.

“Oh… those screams were from me but why do you care?” she asked still holding the knife behind her back.

“The voice sounded in need of help. A wave of pain and confusion filled my body when I heard you as if I could feel all the agony that overcame you. Strange, I must say. My gut told me to find it. I reckoned it was a trespasser or something like a dying animal, but it turned out to be something much more interesting. I know you are frightened, and I know you have a knife clenched in your fist behind your back. You can hold it if it comforts you, but I truly mean you no harm. I am just curious. Can I ask what you might be doin' around these parts?” he said.

“I… I…” she stuttered.

“Relax, if you do not mind, I would like to build a fire and get to know you a bit. Besides, this is my land you have found yourself on. I vowed to protect it. I may own it legally but it belongs to the earth, and I intend to keep it free from the pests of humanity. I am not saying you are one of them, but I cannot say that you are not. What do ya say?” he said kindly.

“Darling, you have the slightest idea who I am. You could not comprehend me if you tried but since you are willing then I do not see a problem with entertaining you.” she replied calmly.

“What was going on with her?” she asked herself. In his presence, she felt a tingly sensation course through her veins and felt as if she had forgotten how to speak. The weird feelings inside her felt like mush. It was confusing. Once he got the fire going with the wood he gathered and paper he carried in his pocket, she regained some of her composure. They sat across from one another for a few moments without a word. While he poked at the fire with a stick he found nearby, he could feel her eyes cutting into him as if she was studying every move he made. Finally, he broke the silence and asked her what her name was and how she managed to make her way to this area. Taking a moment to calculate her thoughts, she told him her name was Saiphe, and she was not from here.

"That's a name I have never heard; mine is Logan. Where are you from then?" he asked.

"It is difficult to explain, and you wouldn't believe me anyway," she replied.

"Try me," he teased.

Fumbling, to get words out he could not help but be distracted by the way her brown curls danced wildly around her face and draped down her shoulder. Something about her was enchanting and it was not solely because she appeared to have a faint glow around her body. He was not sure if he was hallucinating or if it was the moonlight. She was strange indeed, but he was intrigued.

"How do I know I can trust you?" she questioned.

"Fair enough. Being we just met. I can talk until I'm blue in the face, but I will let my actions determine if I am worthy of your trust," he said.

Just then, the air became chilled. The wind seemed to cry as its speed increased. The fire was soon blown out. "She is definitely glowing," he thought to himself as the fire went out. She jumped to her feet, startled.

"They're coming."

To be continued...