FSF, March-April 2010 Read Online Free Page B

rattle like a rainstorm on all sides of me. I lean back against the earth and rest Aaron's book on the slope of my chest. For some reason, I find it easy to sleep here in the heart of the meadow. I'm sure Aaron's footsteps will wake me when he comes. I let myself drift on the hush of leaves.
    I dream of Aaron coming to me through the fold of trees. He kneels and lays himself over me. I feel the length and firmness of his body pressed against my belly, my breasts. The grass is like silk against the soles of my feet. It rises up and braids itself into a bower over our heads, shading us from the sun, as if the earth itself is responding to the heat in my body. I find myself over Aaron, with his hips tucked between my thighs. I pull the bindings from my hair and let it down so it falls in waves over his body. I kiss his throat, his chest, the soft, dark indentation of his navel, covering him with my hair. I feel his hands cupping my skin, and then, and then....
    I wake, feeling as if the world has tilted on its axis. My chest heaves as I try to catch my breath. At first, I don't know where I am, and I paw at the bed of grass around me, trying to work my way to my feet. The sun has sunk low in the sky, a bloody bronze color. Far off, something howls. It is like the long, low baying of a wolf, but sharper, with the sound of rending metal folded in. My heart seizes, and I jump to my feet.
    Late. It's too late.
    I make for the olive grove, scattering chains of flowers and grass behind me as I run. I clutch at my sash and discover I've dropped Aaron's book. I scurry back to the meadow. There, beside the patch of grass I've tamped down in my sleep, it lies half-hidden in the weeds. I snatch it up and run again, through the darkening grove and down the hill, my feet fleet over the roll of the earth, terror beating in my chest.
    The lights of our house shine bright. Mother has lit the lanterns without me. She stands, wrapped in her shawl, waiting by the front gate of our house. She must hear the sound of my footsteps, for she turns, and relief rushes her face. She holds out her arms and I run straight to her. Only when I've buried my head in the soft, dark folds of her cloak do I feel myself shaking.
    Mother pulls back and holds me at arm's length. She slaps my face, which she has not done since the time in my fifth year when I tied a bucket to our goat's tail and he trampled part of our summer garden in his panic. “Where have you been?” she asks. And then, without waiting for me to answer. “I thought you were gone. I thought it had taken you."
    "I...I was hot, so I went up to the olive grove. I feel asleep,” I say. Then her other words seep into my ears. My heart quickens again. “What would want to take me?"
    She presses me tight against her. “Nothing. Nothing. Promise me you won't stray past the borders of the farm. If you do, I can't protect you."
    "But what do you need to protect me from?"
    Mother stares at me. Her eyes look like dark, polished river stones. “There are all manner of evil things in the world, Ourania, that you are lucky not to know about. Let us not change that."
    * * * *
    Day wept as she fled, and her tears flooded the earth. All the beasts cried out and raised their hands to her for mercy, but the deluge swept many under. Then Day felt something move within her. She looked, and found Night's child growing in her belly. Day dried her tears and went to Man to strike a bargain.
    " Man, ” she said. “ Have pity. I am with child by Night. Only call off your beast so we may raise our child in peace, and I swear Night and I will part forever. We will each take up our course in the sky, as always was. "
    " Very well, ” Man said. “ But should you ever stray again, I will loose my beast and hound you to the ends of the earth. "
    Day agreed, saying, “ For even if we never meet, Night's child is dear to me. "
    Thereafter, the pattern of days returned to the earth. Man became chief among beasts, and he