When the World Stopped

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky.

I looked up over my right shoulder to watch the simulated moon, the shape of a Crescent this night, rise to its appointed spot on the sky screen.

In the beginning, after the farmers had achieved full colonization of us humans (the source, they called us), they had modeled the inside of the terrariums to look like the real-life conditions in the wild, but none of us were growing well. Stunted and runted, all of us. Then they started experimenting with different aspects of our habitat: The food got better, fresher, no more pesticides. Regular body scans and top of the line medical treatment. They encouraged us to do what we enjoy, pursue our hobbies and interests. "A highly sated source will sate highly in return." The farmers loved saying that one. We each were given a personalized sleep study to learn the environment we'd get the best sleep in, and they'd model our mattresses and bedrooms to ensure it. "Sleep is like gold for the body." That's another line you heard from all the docs, who were also farmers. They were learning how to better to sow us.

But nothing had quite as much impact as when they started making everything beautiful. We no longer wilted, depressed in our pods. Surrounded by beauty, we thrived. They finely tuned our whole existence until we were at optimum output.

The sunsets began at midnight in the terras. The sky screen would begin to display the most stunning array of colors- cherry red, ember orange, dandelion yellow, blushing magenta– and then the lofty cotton candy clouds would roll in, signaling the beginning of night. The farmers found that we were more likely to reproduce with a later sun schedule.

The sky screen darkened imperceptibly as the star maps began to twinkle into focus and the moon glowed almost obscenely. My thoughts floated back down to my head and then inward. My body ached for procreation, I had to get out tonight to find a host.

After my shower, I scanned my reflection in the mirror for flaws. I could see none, and yet I had been unable to locate a willing host for my seed in my last two mating ventures. All seemed occupied or uninterested. I needed to procreate. Not just for release, but because I was two below quota and only had a week to hit it.

I did a quick set in the gym to get my muscles standing up. I put on my best fitting navy suit that I’d been told brought out the color of my eyes. I splashed on the unique pheromone cologne (upc) we were all given at entry and checked my teeth. Good to go.

“Terrago, please take me to The Peak.”

The car glided out of the pod bay and started toward downtown. The Peak was my favorite restaurant in Nuterra. It sat at the top of our mountain and overlooked the valley. It was an excellent place to meet potential hosts.

As the car ascended to the marble steps at the entrance, I swelled a little in anticipation. It had been nine days since my last successful implantation, and I felt on the verge of bursting in my pants the moment the gorgeous hostess greeted me holding the door. Her upc wafted unto my face as I followed her to the stand and my mouth began to salivate. I needed to dial it back, or I was going blow it. (No pun intended) She bent over to pick up her tablet and I could see the beautiful cleave of her breasts. I shifted my stance, knowing the outline of my erection was fully visible through my pants.

“Wow! Mr. Evans, you certainly don’t need an extra enhancer tonight, do you? You are ready!”

“Thank you, Holly. I don’t think that will be necessary, no.” My cheeks burned at the implication, and I silently prayed she’d drop the banter and just get me to my table.

“Been a while, eh?” She winked at me, making me blush deeper.

“Don’t you worry. Good looking guy like you? You’ll find a host tonight; I just know it. I’ve got a great table for you. Not a couple for miles.”

My arousal was quickly deflating as Holly escorted me to my table. She actually pitied me. I needed to find a new joint. I’d worn this one out. In a glance around the room, I saw a few potentials, but had pretty much resigned to having to empty myself out tonight.

And then Dara walked into my life for the first time.

I must have looked a right fool, staring literally open-mouthed at her. Her eyes lit upon mine from across the room and the knowing smile she gave me just about knocked me out. She touched Holly’s shoulder and turned to point at me and must’ve asked if she could join me, but I couldn’t hear her voice yet over the din of the restaurant. Holly’s lifted eyebrows betrayed her surprise for just a second before she recovered, but I’d caught it. My face heated anew. But the beauty was walking towards my table and it seemed I might actually have a chance to engage with her if I didn’t fuck it up.

Please don’t fuck this up.

I stood and was relieved to find I was at least four inches taller than she was, even in heels. I loved petite.

“Hello! I noticed you looking….I mean, looked like you might want some company.” The knowing smile again. I was melting by the minute.

“Not just any company, yours. I’m sorry for staring. You look stunning.” I hoped she couldn’t sense my desperation. I felt like it was rolling off me in waves.

“Wow! A compliment and an apology. Now I’m the one who’s stunned. I can’t remember the last time I heard a man say sorry. Even the ones who come before I can get my panties off.” I slopped some water over the side of the cup I’d been reaching for, giving away my surprise at her candor.

“You don’t beat around the bush, do you?” She laughed, lighting up the air with the sound.

“No. You wanna beat around mine?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. She was funny. Funny and beautiful. Her eyes stayed on mine, goading me to react.

“On one stipulation.”

“Which is….?”

“You have to split the spaghetti with me. It’s the best in town, but I can never eat all of it.” I fake spit in my palm and offered it to her across the table. She stared down at my outstretched hand, eyebrows knit, and then returned her gaze to mine.

“Spaghetti is your stipulation?”

“Yes. And it’s non-negotiable, I’m afraid, as it really is the best. What do you say?” I cocked a grin at her, praying she didn’t get up.

Please don’t leave me.

“What’s your name?”

"Phoenix."

"Phoenix, eh? Well, Phoenix, today's your lucky day. Because I happen to fucking love spaghetti, but I have a stipulation of my own." Her eyes were more green than blue, I was now noticing. Almost teal.

"And what might this stipulation to my stipulation be?"

"We take it to go. I've got a spot." She was the most forward host I'd ever met. There was usually at least a bit of a chivalry and charade in the landing, even though we all knew what were there for.

I motioned to Holly and asked for a spaghetti dinner and a bottle of red to go. Again, I noted the surprise in her face when the implication became clear. I felt a hint of smugness enter my tone as I thanked her and tried to reign in. Bigger seeds to sow. Dara was putting on her fur-trimmed, quilted velvet coat.

"Gimme your scan, I'll link the cars." I bared the veiny under of my wrist to her, that holy force flowing just beneath the paper-thin skin covering it and she waved her phone over me casually, gleaning all my info instantly. Being scanned is the most unsettling feeling. Like signing your soul to the devil.

Of course, we already had.

We drove down into the valley a ways toward Echo Lake when the cars pulled off onto a road I hadn't even seen until we began to turn.

"Terrago, what's our destination?"

"Destination information blocked."

What the fuck? Only police were supposed to be able to do that. Was she a cop? Why didn't she tell me?

"Oh, don't lose your shorts over there. You'll like where we're going, you'll see." I could hear the grin in her voice and looked over to see it beaming through her window next to me. She wasn't a cop. She was a staker. A fucking staker. And I was already plummeting off the edge of my sanity and diving into obsession with her. Shit.

We pulled into a little alcove on the edge of the lake and a melty moon rippled off the surface of the indigo water. It was like something out of a dream. She slid lithely out of her car as I stood behind mine, using it as a barricade against myself. Greedy but guilty, I watched as she slowly sauntered over to the edge of the rim. I felt my skin screaming to be near her, on her, in her, but I knew now that she was as dangerous as she was desirable.

"Now you know why I wanted to take our food to go." She stood staring out at the water, hands cocked on her hips with her feet spread wide, keening backwards towards the sky screen. She glanced over her shoulder at me and beckoned me to her with a flick of her head. Come here. I held my ground.

"Because you're a.."

"Go ahead, say it. They can't hear you here. Staker. And yes, that's partly why I chose it. But really, I mean, where else are you gonna get a view like that?" She voilaed her hands out at the view. She almost glowed in the moonlight, ethereal and diaphanous like a fairy or a ghost. My soul, if I had such a thing, was already worshipping her, even as my logical sense fought it.

"The farmers will kill me if they find out who you are and that I was ever with you. They do not fuck around with sta.."

"Say it."

"Stakers." I worked hard not to lower my voice, though it went against every natural impulse in my body. The farmers had ears everywhere. Or at least that's what we were told.

"Why did you bring me here? Are you trying to get me removed? Killed? What?"

"Because I liked how surprised you looked when you saw me. Like I was too good to be true. I guess I was. And because I refuse to let those fucking blood suckers have all the fun."

"Dara, please. You're going to get us killed." I could not make myself back away from her, it was absurd. I knew I should be running in the other direction.

"Phoenix, do you want me?"

I stopped looking and listening for movement and looked her hard in the eyes, pleading hers with mine not to break me.

"Yes. Of course I do."

"Then you have to trust me."