The Dream

I was standing in the white blue of a klieg light with two other people. We were in a junk yard, compacted and waiting to be compacted automobiles all around us. There were others there, ranging around us. They were like us, excitedly waiting for someone to make their appearance.

The two people I was standing with was a young girl with a fall of long, straight red hair. Her eyes were huge with terror. The other person was a man with dark hair, swept casually back. He was tense but was hiding it better. There were voices all around us that hushed with the appearance of a a small, thin man in a suit and tie. He walked with deliberate slowness, carrying a cane like a staff of authority. I watched him as a pretty but authoritarian woman handed him into the bed of a bashed in pickup truck and sat down in a chair that had been placed there.

"Thank you Louisa," he said in s soft, bored voice. His lazy expression did not fool me. I knew he was lethal, dangerous, and maybe, just maybe, the fates of the three of us were in his hands. I swallowed and licked my lips. He looked at me and curled his lips in what he might call a smile but I called a snear. I looked him in the face and did not blink. He seemed to understand that while I was respectful to him, I was showing him that he could not cow me so easily. I was determined to be brave...well, as brave as I could be, for as long as I could be brave.

He fiddled with his black berry and read the little screen and looked up.

"You again?" he said to the dark haired man.
"Yes," said the soft voice of the man standing next to me.

I was surprised when my phone rang early in this morning, just before dawn and heard the voice of my counselor. He explained that the young lady counselor in training was being sent up before a special judicial board and asked if I would be there. I agreed though I told him that I didn't know what good it would do for me to be there.

"Perhaps he will allow you to put some perspective on the situation," my counselor suggested. "Whatever happens it is all my fault, but perhaps her punishment would not be so severe."

"What about GS and Hoyt?" I asked. "Or Dude?"

"No, they are far too passionate, and would not be able to think things through. But you are very compassionate and careful," he said. "And do not worry about yourself. The Lead Counselor will be there."
"Okay, where should I meet you?" I said.
"The bar, we'll travel from there," he said.

When I got to the bar, there was still a hint of daylight and I walked over to the door. It was already open and there were a few patrons. Ginger was there, her strange little muddled face was drawn.

"Hey Ginger," I said, sitting down at the bar. I had dressed in a gun metal blue shirt and black pants and black boots with a low heel, in case a hasty retreat must be made.
"Hey," she said. "Can I get you something?"
"A cold soda would be nice," I said.
"You going with the Boss?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said. "When does he arrive?"
"Any second now," she said. She got a glass and filled it with ice and poured a soda over it and sat it on a napkin in front of me. I opened my purse and took out my tin of Turkish cigarettes and lit one, savouring the sweet taste of the tobacco.

"Do you like the tobacco?" I heard a deep voice behind me.
"It is very nice, thank you," I said.
"Your counselor spoke to you?" he said.
"He did, though I am confused about what I am to do at this hearing," I said. "I can't imagine what good I will be to you or the young female counselor."
"Perhaps there will be nothing you can do, but your counselor thought that you may be able to lend some insight as to what is going on. You are so well versed in the two worlds," he said. "It will be cool where we are going. Do you have something to put on?"
"My jacket is in my car," I said. "Am I dressed appropriately?"
"You look very ready," he said, which was a strange way to put it, but he was right. I was ready. I think....

Not long after, my counselor came in.
"Thank you for coming sweetheart," he said, a light kiss from his dry cool lips grazed my cheek like a butterfly.
"Where is your protegee?" I asked.
"She is in my car, she is very upset. You know she was the one who suggested that you come with us," he said. "You are always so thoughtful to her."
"Well, I don't know what I can do for her, but I'll do my best, whatever it is," I said.
"We should leave if we are to get there in time," said the lead counselor.

We three went outside and I went to my car and got my jacket and after a moment of discussion, I sat down in the passenger seat of the blood red Corvette, my black leather jacket on my lap. The lead counselor, all six and half feet of him slid elegantly into the front seat. He started the engine and flipped on the head lights and backed out of the parking lot.

"Our kind has been dealing with our own sort of problems ourselves for what seems to be thousands of years," he began to explain to me. "The role of...guardian... to new comers has been a well respected one, as we are very much a minority. To take that role lightly is to court disaster."
"So, not only the young counselor but my counselor is in...jeopardy?" I asked, hesitantly.
"He may be, though not as severely as his...ward," said the lead counselor. "We have never heard the arguments of someone of your kind in any of our tribunals, ever. Your counselor and I are setting quite a precedence. But you need not worry. You are safe...I have already arranged this with the judge. You are here for the young counselor. And no one else Aslinn, not for me and certainly not for your counselor," he said, his voice a little cold. He looked at me for a second. "Do you understand?"
"I understand what you are saying, quite well," I said. Which was not precisely what he meant. He wanted me to understand and agree with him, but I was not prepared to do that. "You don't like my counselor very much do you?"
"Honestly, if I gave him a moment's thought, I would have to say that I do not," he said casually. "But I like you."
"Why couldn't I ride with him?" I asked.
"Your counselor must calm his ward. As her guardian, only he can do that and she must be calm. And Aslinn, please refrain from touching her...or us...while we are there. Our kind is well..." he said, faltering a bit.
"I understand," I said.

So there I stood in the cold light in this darkened place. The lead counselor was standing some feet away, his arms behind his back.

"What seems to be the trouble Sheriff, and tell us about the young woman you have brought to our hearing," said the judge, lazily.
"Magister, as you know, the role of guardian for our kind is one of great responsibility. My underling has been a guardian for his ward for some time now and he has allowed her to get into trouble, she does not understand the rules of our society well enough to know the measures that may have to be taken on account of her rash decisions," said the lead counselor.
"In deed, your underling has not been a successful guardian. And this woman?" he asked, his gaze now upon me.
"This woman is Aslinn, and she has insight into the worlds in which we exist. I would be gratified if you and the court will listen to what she says," said the Sheriff.
"This is unusual, but as we are living along side each other, I suppose it was inevitable that one of her kind would be called upon to be a part of these proceedings. Young woman," he said. I looked at him. "Respect is expected at all times in this court."
"Yes Judge, of course," I said.
"Then, let us proceed." he said. "I see you have brought your ward," he said, addressing my counselor.
"Yes, Magister," he said.
"What has happened?" he asked.

My counselor reviewed the events that led us here.The young woman was visibly shaken. She looked at me and I longed to squeeze her hand but I remembered the lead counselor's warning. I winked at her and smiled quickly, hopefully she would get some feeling of confidence from it.

"This is serious. What have you to say for yourself?" asked the Magister, looking at the extremely pale girl.

"As you well know, I did not ask for this. I was forced to become as you are," she said, looking at everyone. "And my guardian has not had a lot of time to teach me the rules..."
"But you do have a brain, you can put two and two together..." said the Magister.

I stepped forward a bit and waited for the Magister to recognize me.

"Yes?" he said, a bored quality to his voice.
"Your expectations are far too high for her. You knew nothing of her when she was brought into this life. She had little or no experience of the world and though she is...as you are now..." took a breath, "She is still as she was, only now she is very powerful and she has feelings that she has no control over."
"That is where her guardian is meant to step in," said the Magister, looking at my counselor.
"But, and I am in no way defending him, you understand, circumstances were such that he could not guide her properly. She needed more and he simply was unable to give her more," I said. "He was away to help find the Sheriff of Area Nine and he had to attend to those matters. To his credit, he took her out of harm's way. But this is not the problem."
"And what is the problem, as you see it?" asked the Magister.
"Here is the problem. It is many layered. One is a matter of her personal diet. She does not like the diet that is meant to sustain her. Another is her personal feelings for one of my kind," I said simply. "And finally, she needs guidance, not just from her counselor. Among our kind, there is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I think it may be useful, in this case, if you adopt a similar notion," I suggested. "You forced her guardian to make her as she is now, perhaps this was justice, I have no opinion, but he has no experience either in being a guardian."
"He is a member of our community and has been for 173 years," pointed out the Magister.
"Yes, but things are different, you are moving within the two worlds, yours and mine. Things for new born members of your community are going to be different for them than it was for him, or the sheriff," I looked at the lead counselor. "Or even from yourself."
"If you were in my position, which...." he looked at me and smiled a cruel smile,"...you are not, what would you counsel the tribunal to do?"
"Allow this young woman a chance to reform herself," I said.

The judge sat there, unmoving. The entire assembly did not move. I stood there, looking at him and he looking at me (at least he seemed to be, but who could tell, honestly). Finally, he seemed to decide something.

"Very well...but we will review this case further in June," he said. "Sheriff, come here to the bench for a private word."

I watched the large shadow of the lead counselor walk by me without a look in my way. I looked at my counselor briefly and he looked at me. I looked at his ward, and she seemed a little more relieved.

"Yes, Magister?" he said.
"Have you considered inviting this person into our ranks?" asked the Magister.
"There are quite a few of her kind I have thought of who would be excellent members of our community," said the sheriff.
"But?" he asked.
"We are not sure they would translate well in the ah, conversion process and my underling and I sense that if we convert them, we will lose an essential...spark we feel is necessary," he said carefully.
"I will think about this. Sheriff, make sure she is glamoured, she should have little or no memory of what has happened tonight," said the Magister.
"Certainly," he said. The Viking Sheriff of Area Five turned and walked back toward us. He took my arm and we began our walk out of the area and to the cars.

Once back in the car, I sat there, awash in feelings. Had I done okay, did I follow all the protocols? Had broken any taboos?

"Aslinn your heart is beating very fast again," said the lead counselor.
"I was just concerned that I did a good job," I said.
"Well, you did what I hoped you would do, buy us some time. The Magister was impressed, you presented yourself well," said the confident voice of the lead counselor. "Have you ever thought of being in our community?"
"Of course," I said. "To be as you are, to see as you see, to know as you know. I like to watch hings as they evolve, though I am not terribly impressed with my kind most of the time."
"But?" he asked
"I like the sun, remember, I told you that once," I said. He laughed.
"I suspect that I like you as you are, Aslinn," said the lead counselor.

I awoke, a disoriented feeling, as if I had been somewhere but I didn't remember precisely where. I slid form my bed and walked to the bathroom and came back. I noticed my boots in the floor. I picked them up to put them in my closet. They were covered in dust, obviously worn recently. I turned on the light and looked at them. The dust was heavy on my boot tops. I plucked a couple of tissues to wipe them and tried to remember where I had been.

It had to have been a dream...hadn't it?