AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sharing the flavors of my home and seeing her relish them felt deeply intimate.
As we continued to eat, I noticed Ellie’s fingers brushing against a piece of quenza, a Blinker delicacy that I hadn’t experienced in so long.
It was a soft, creamy dessert that transported you straight into a comforting embrace.
“You must try this,” I urged, pushing the plate closer to her.
The gentle chime of our laughter and the rhythmic clinking of cutlery formed a background melody.
Each bite brought memories — of home, of family, and of celebrations.
The creamy texture of the quenza on my tongue, its sweet aroma, and the gentle sound it made as it squelched slightly when pressed, all took me back to happier days.
Ellie seemed to notice the change in my demeanor, her hand finding mine across the table. “What’s on your mind?” she asked gently.
I swallowed, the flavors of the food mingling with the emotions churning within. “This… all of this,” I gestured at the spread, “reminds me of home. Of better days. And…” I hesitated, unsure if I should share the next part, but something in her gaze encouraged me. “It reminds me of a particular Distant Vision of mine.”
Her eyes widened with curiosity. “Distant Vision? What’s that?”
Where do I even begin? I wondered.
She didn’t know about my species’ unique ability, never mind the intricate details concealed within it.
Taking a deep breath, I began. “It’s… a Vision. Of us on a beach. Not here on Ikmal, but somewhere else — somewhere serene and beautiful. The sand is warm beneath our feet, the waves singing their timeless lullaby. We had a picnic laid out, much like this, and we laughed, ate, and danced under the stars.”
The words flowed freely, painting a picture of a time and place neither of us had experienced yet but felt deeply connected to. “I remember the salty tang of the sea breeze,” I continued,” the feel of the sand shifting underfoot, the distant cries of the birds, the mesmerizing dance of the flames from the bonfire we had, and most of all, the taste of the food we shared.”
Ellie squeezed my hand, her voice soft. “On my world, we call that a dream. But who’s to say dreams can’t come true? Maybe one day, we’ll have that picnic on a beach, just like in your Vision.”
A dream? I thought.
We had the same concept on my homeworld… but it wasn’t a dream.
A dream was an unconscious fantasy, no more real or a premonition of the future than fantasy creatures.
Still, the idea, so full of hope and promise, made my heart race.
Here, in this cold cell, with the flavors of home in our mouths and the dream of a better future in our minds, anything felt possible.
Drawing her closer, I whispered,. “I’d like that, Ellie. More than anything.”
For a long while, we simply sat there, holding onto each other, lost in the promise of a shared future.
We were two souls, intertwined by fate, hoping for a tomorrow where our dreams could become our reality.
Home, and the scent of possibilities lingered in the air, reminding us both that even in the darkest moments, hope could shine the brightest.
* * *
As the familiar, dissonant groan of the cell doors began, I braced myself.
Being ripped away from Ellie, especially after the serene moment we just shared, seemed like the cruelest of punishments.
The silhouette of the guards materialized against the dim backdrop of the prison’s corridor.
But before I could make my resigned move for them to take me, Ellie, with an assertiveness I’d never witnessed before, placed herself between me and the looming guards.
“Stop,” she said, her voice commanding and resonant. “He needs to heal. If you want him to be of any use in your experiments, let him be. Give him time!”
