BANISHING BOUNDARIES

‘Mara, as she was called by most, was giddy with excitement. Today was a day of many firsts, it seemed. Little did she know how true that actually was. Her otherwise pale face was flushed red and her face fully animate. Her roommate of a year, Joe (short for Joanne Blake), hi- fived her from across the room. Or maybe she’d waved, ‘Mara couldn’t tell. Her vision was blurry. She was far too many drinks down to count anymore. Joe’s punches were infamous in the little village in which their University was situated and she’d outdone herself for her best friend’s 21st. “And I stand testimony to her success”, joked ‘Mara to herself.

“A penny for your thoughts?” asked a very familiar voice from behind ‘Mara that sent a little uncontrollable shiver rippling through her. ‘Mara turned to greet the source of that husky voice, Meren Blake. At 6 feet 4 inches, Meren was one of the few men she knew whom she had to look up to talk to. Barely shorter than 6 feet herself, ‘Mara often found her height to be a distinct disadvantage for first impressions as it left many very intimidated. The same went for her feisty spirit. Men and women alike seemed to retract from her fierce wit, even as a little girl, and ‘Mara had long since learnt to subdue her personality and literally shrink herself to get around unnoticed. Until Meren, that was.

Meren was Joe’s brother, older by 3 years, and ran a little tavern just outside the village, on the border of the forests. The siblings looked almost like twins, except Meren looked twice ‘little Joe’s’ height and had a hardened face and a gruffer demeanor, on the exterior atl east. Mara stared into a pair of eyes that housed utterly black irises that she knew were replicated on her best friend’s face as well. Irises that shone like glittering black pearls, eyes so deep and inviting that it made the recipient of their stare feel an inexplicable urge to confess their deepest darkest secrets to whom those eyes belonged to. It was little wonder then that she’d turned out to be best friends with one and was helplessly attracted to the other.

Mara shook her head, to clear some of the happy haze away and smiled wholeheartedly in reply. She opened her mouth as if to speak and paused, unable to remember what it was she had at the tip of her tongue. No words were forthcoming. In confusion, she knitted her brows together, experiencing an inability to articulate for the first time in her entire life. In all fairness, she’d been an absolute teetotaler, until today. Slightly lowering her head, she began unconsciously chewing the tip of her index finger, a habit of her's that Meren found both endearing and annoying at the same time. He watched her lost in thought, her long hair messily strewn about her excited face which seemed to be mimicking her thoughts. Her eyes glowed amber and her honey irises seemed more like the color of her reddish corn silk hair than the soft brown he’d always seen. He could never understand this woman, he mused, one who could be so proud and fierce and almost arrogant, who was standing now like a little girl who couldn’t remember her way home. That is some punch I taught li’l Joe to mix he thought to himself, grinning cheekily and leaned in towards ‘Mara, whispering her name softly, trying to gently rouse her out of her drunken reverie. Closer, he could smell her sweet whiskey breath and a faint whiff of maybe apple shampoo and… marijuana?!?
Down boy!, he muttered, chiding himself for sending his thoughts astray when the poor girl was obviously spent and reached out to touch her shoulder to shake her gently back to awareness.
Just then, Mara’s hands shot forward, gripping his wrists with a strength he never knew she could possess and he jerked his head up towards her in surprise and unbelievably, pain. “Mara!” he whispered looking into her face, which was now paler than milk. “Mara!” he repeated, almost in shock as he glanced at her irises, her pupils as wide as her eyes now, only the rims of her irises visible, and they shone a bright red like fiery coals…. MARA!

'Mara jerked awake from slumber, lying twisted and half dangling from the unyielding classroom chair and looked up to see Joe’s face grinning down at her. “Wake up luv, class is about to begin” Joe said, settling into the seat next to hers. Still dazed and utterly confused, ‘Mara turned to her friend for clarity and was about to speak when the lights dimmed down and a generically soporific voice streamed out of surround speakers marking the beginning of that afternoon’s lecture. Joe winked at her and mouthed “we have to talk, later" and resumed taking down notes.

‘Mara blinked several times, adjusting to the lighting and settled back in her chair sighing deeply in resignation, when a voice whispered out to her in the darkness: the sound crawling about her like a repulsive insect, calling her name softly, and it sounded odd yet familiar. It sounded just like Meren’s, from her dream.