#chasing twisters

She lead them to a barren clearing in the field and stopped in the middle, making Michael stop at the edge of the clearing in fear that he was going to make her run off again. She turned to him finally and he saw what a wild creature she was. Her skin was bare and kissed by mother moon, all of her edges soft with femininity, her face soft, yet her eyes burned with fire, a passion for life, a stubbornness that didn't compromise, a wild fire that consumed everything. Michael didn't know if he could breathe looking at her.

Her arm raised and she beckoned him to approach, but he did so cautiously, not trusting something so wild and beautiful, something so savage and breathtaking. Yet, she stayed in her spot, allowing him to approach. He towered over her, but she stood tall against him. She reached up and wiped the blood from his cut, the stinging soothed and he realized the cut was healed. She then licked her thumb clean of his blood. He didn't want to speak, in fear of frightening this magnificent creature.

Grabbing his hand, she held it to her face, her skin warm and maddening to the touch, but he let her move his hand down, only running briefly across her chest and down to her abdomen. She placed his hand there firmly and suddenly it was like an outburst of magic, of energy, that flowed through out the field and forest. He watched in wonder as life bloomed everywhere. The field was luscious with life in just mere moments, and he came to understand that the bump under his hand was firm. This wasn't just the soft belly of a woman, but life grew inside of her, and came to understand it was his. It was his seed that took root here. There was something even deeper though. The life radiated from her. It was his seed, yes, but she was the divine energy that fed it. She was the one that restored the life to this place.

She then stood on her tip toes and leaned up to whisper in his ear. "Find me. Woo me. Fill me. I'm your's."

He went to respond but suddenly he was darting up in his bed, not in that magical clearing. The silk was sticking to his sweaty skin and he was gasping like he had just run a marathon. He looked around his dark room, everything was as it should be here. He fought for control of his breath as he thought about the dream, the vision, he just had.

With a huff, he threw the sheets back and got out of bed, flicking his fingers for his robe to fly to his hand. He'd have to think on this. Of course, this was only the next logical step. A queen for a king. A bloodline for a dynasty, but he had no idea where to start. He figured it was time to figure it out.

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The barren wasteland was her home now. She learned how to exist here just as well as she did before the end of the world. She's alone now, the only companion is the cat that co-habits her bunker that she didn't even bother to name. Names meant that you were attached, meant that the holder of the name had sentimental value. Sentiment gets you killed in this world. She stopped caring about her own long ago, if she ran into anyone and names were demanded, she just gave them the name Odie, short for Odysseus for the famous no one trick. She didn't even bother to explain that much, people were either gone or dead in a week.

Today's expedition was for looking for copper, hoping to be able to wire her bunker better. Just because the world ended didn't mean that home improvements had to stop. After all, she had that greenhouse that needed the best wiring to keep everything at a good temperature and get the proper uv exposure. At least, that's what she told herself. The real reason was something closer to not allowing her brain to rest and think of all that she's lost.

She slipped on the mask and stepped out to the bright day. The sunlight harsh, blinding, and garish. God, she hated it out here, but it was either go out here, or slowly go insane in there. So, time to take her chances out here. The trip was going well, she was able to raid some copper wire from an abandoned Home Depot in the skeleton of a town. This would definitely go far, and she would even go as far to say she was excited about this find. Plus, there was a Pet Smart there, and she was able to nip in and grab a toy for her friend. This would make him happy. It was going to be a good day for the both of them.

In hind sight, she should have known that having a good first half of a day meant that everything was going to go to shit later. So, seeing a guard from that stupid fucking outpost or whatever bullshit as she turned the street corner shouldn't have been that much of a surprise, but still, she was surprised. They both looked at each other before she reacted quicker, grabbing a knife from her side and let it loose, finding it's new sheath in his neck.

She took off, feet pounding against the pavement, but didn't get far before a pair of strong arms grabbed her from behind. She shouted, but drove her foot to the inside of that one's knee as hard as she could, hearing the tendons and ligaments tear as the man screamed loudly. She then brought her elbow into his face as hard as she could, hearing the screams stop. She kept moving, hoping to get away, and it looked like she just might before someone hiding behind an abandoned car jumped out and grabbed her arm, pulling her roughly and suddenly there was a loud crackling sound and a searing pain in her shoulder, the smell of burnt flesh, and then the world was black.

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The guards dragged the limp body between them to Michael. He turned on his heel, looking annoyed with them, but seeing the limp person between them, he was curious. He hadn't slept since that dream last night.

"Well?" He asked impatiently.

"We found this loner out in the wasteland. Took one man out, and we're not sure if Thomson's ever going to be able to walk the same."

"A feisty one," he remarked emotionlessly. He didn't need anymore stragglers here.

"We're just not sure what you want us to do with this one." One of the guards ripped off her mask and Michael suddenly forgot how to breathe. It was the woman from his dream. Of course, a bit more rough around the edges and with a busted lip. She looked just as beautiful and wild as ever.

He regained his composure and looked to the guards. "How did the injury to her lip happen?"

"I hit her after I subdued her for what she did t-" He didn't have a chance to defend himself anymore before Michael as cracking his own hand against his face. The only reason he didn't kill him then and there was the fact that he was holding her up and he didn't want anymore harm to come to her.

"You ever touch her again and I will make you regret ever being convinced, do I make myself clear."

"Yes, Sir."

A groan from you interrupted any other communications and Michael knelt down to be at eye level with her, cupping her cheek. "Have no worry, my sweet. You are here with me now. I will protect you from all harm."

Eyes blinked open, but they were still unfocused. There was only a small mumble, "My sweet? Gross." Then her head lolled to the other side away from his touch. Michael felt a touch of rage and confusion at the rejection, but he decided to be reasonable and chalk it up to you still being delirious.

"Take her to my room, I'll speak with her when she wakes."

The guards, having seen what this woman was capable of, looked at each other then to Michael again, unsure, but his mouth forming a hard line gave them the motivation to follow orders.

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She, Odie, No One, awoke hours later in a large bed covered in satin. She sighed, but then confusion over took her. This was not her bunker. She shot up and looked at her surroundings. This was like the wet dream of all the teens that shopped at Hot Topic before the world ended. She was really confused now.

"Oh good, you're awake."

Odie whipped to the source of a voice that looked like he was either an angel or a member of an emo band, but figuring with the current state of the world, neither existed. "What the fuck is this?"

His mouth was open to speak, but then closed at her words. "It's a rescue of sorts, you could say. I have a proposition for you."

"Cool," she stated as she threw back the covers and slid out of the bed. She had to admit it was gorgeous and oh so soft. She was wearing a silk robe that she had to admit that was much more comfortable than her old clothes. She took a seat in a plush chair and looked at the other with an arched eyebrow. "So?" She motioned with her hand, like she was giving him the floor in his own bedroom, "Get proposing."

He was taken aback by her attitude. A wild thing, she truly was. He took the one across from her, and studied her for a moment, before speaking. "I'm Langdon."

"Good for you. Get to the point. I've got things to do."

He blinked, dealing with a rising bewilderment and rage towards this woman. He took a deep breath, "And what may I call you?"

"Odie. Now we're friends, yay. Please, the point." She looked bored and maybe mildly irritated at worst. He had never met anyone that had this reaction to him. It was odd, though, that wasn't the name he was expecting to hear from such a beauty.

"I want to offer you a life of luxury and comfort in these times. A chance to live like a queen."

"Sounds like there's a royal catch to this offer."

She wasn't even letting him work his words, spin her into a fancy. She had no use or desire for words such as those.

"I had a vision last ni-"

"Don't we all." Okay, she would admit that was just to be a jerk.

He gritted his teeth. "You demand the point yet you interrupt."

"Yes, I'm sorry, continue Langbong."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly, he found himself asking his father for the patience to deal with this woman. "Langdon. It's Langdon."

She was about to say something, but he held up his hand and she did give him the decency to let him continue. "I had a vision last night of you. A peculiar one. Something that leads me to believe that we are meant to be one, to create one."

Her eyes narrowed, she didn't like where this was going. "Create one?"

"I do believe you are meant to be the mother of my children."

Her jaw dropped, she stared at him in disbelief. Then she scoffed and shook her head and then she started laughing. His brows knitted together in confusion.

"This is a joke, right? Like you really aren't some random guy asking to get me knoc-" She stopped, seeing no trace of humor in his face. "No-" She scoffed again, no offended. "No. No fucking way. You aren't not baby trapping me because you're lonely! Get the fuck out of here. I'm-" She stood up. "Thanks, but no thanks. I want my shit back. I've got a cat to go feed. That's my kid. The cat. He's soft and lovely," she was clearly not taking this well, "And he purrs and even better yet! He doesn't scream and cry! It's great, I get love and affection and I don't have to deal with children. It's amazing, you should try to find a cat instead of kidnapping random woman and proposing that you be their baby daddy. Just a fucking thought."

She was grumbling now as she pulled the door open but it slammed shut. She gasped and tried to open it again, but it wasn't locked, it was like a force as pushing it closed much harder than she could pull it open. She let go of the handle, and turned to face the man. Seeing the rage glowing on his face. She was scared to her bones, but she kept a steady face.

"You are the mother of my children that my father intends for me. He set this up from the beginning. Just like I took over the world," it was like electricity stirred in the room and she was expecting lighting to strike at any second, "You are to be my queen."

It made sense now, her eyes lit up in recognition, but they stayed lit with a hatred and rage that gave pause to his rage, and she started stepping towards him like a stalking predator. "You. You're the one that ended the world?" She scoffed, "This is it?"

Suddenly, she went flying into the wall, and there was a pressure on her throat. He was the one stalking towards her now. "Don't think I won't cut you dow-"

"And kill your broodmare?" She taunted with an edge.

He glared at her, and she just laughed before the force around her throat cut off all noise.

There wasn't fear in her eyes, just amusement, a dare. A defiant wish that he'd do it. Snap your neck, keep the air from your lungs until you turn blue, anything. Only air flooding your lungs came when the corners of your vision became blurry.

He was right in her face now. "Are you going to continue this fit or-"