Hey all! I'm back, and I'd like to share my first submission for the YC 119 Pod and Planet Fiction Contest. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment.
Her long flowing hair shimmers under the moonlight of the triplet moons dangling above the darkened horizons. An ocean breeze gently moves wisps of her perfectly wavy brunette locks. She expires a long, satisfying sigh. Somewhere between the ocean she stares toward and the trio of moons floating over the horizon, she doesn’t exist. Lost in peaceful thoughts, she relishes in another night of hard work being finished. All her clients seemed pleased with her, and she feels fulfilled with her work.
It is hard work. Not a lot of people want to do it. Granted, it isn’t a very popular occupation among average citizens. But still, someone has to do it. Someone has to satisfy the need. She is just one of many.
After a while longer, she returns from her other world. She stands up from leaning on the balcony wall. Her transparent lavender nightgown flutters at the ocean breeze’s command. Beneath this waving nightgown is an equally wavy and soft figure covered in a lavender nightdress that cuts off above the knees and accentuates her curves. She shifts her hair to drape over her left shoulder as she turns around to walk back inside the inconspicuous building in which she and the other girls perform their work. It is time for rest.
---
“Wake up ladies, rise n’ shine!” A large half-Mannar woman with sunbaked ebony skin and a natural afro barges into the rooms. “Come on, chop chop! We got a busy day lined up today. The clients will be arriving in an hour or so.” A wispy trail of cigarette smoke glides closely behind her as she goes from room to room.
A petite Jin-Mei girl sits up in her bed to stretch and yawn. She looks over to the girl she shares a room with, “You heard Monika. Gotta get up, Lav.”
Lavender, affectionately known as Lav among her peers, opens her dainty eyelids. A quick glance at the clock near them reveals that it is the late morning hours. “Clients this early?”
The petite Jin-Mei girl hops off her bed and does some more stretches. She is well tanned, and has a soft green teardrop tattoo on her right cheek. They call her Envy.
“Sometimes lovin’ comes at the most random times,” shrugs Envy with a playful tone.
The two girls do a little cleaning up around their room. Curious rays of sunlight peek through the lacey, dark curtains which hug the tall windows. A golden haze bathes the girls as they finish up tidying the room and get dressed for work.
An aura of powder surrounds Lavender’s pretty head as she pats on some makeup. She combs her hair with an antique brush. It is a soft purple, like most of her other belongings. Lavender is a soft color. Welcoming. Inviting. Peaceful and innocent. It is her color. She hovers her hand over a selection of lip balms. Hmm, which color to choose? She settles on a glossy faint pink which, of course, has a tinge of lavender to it. A couple sprays of perfume and she is ready to go. She likes to keep her look simple, unlike some of the other girls. Lavender is simple too, and she likes simple.
Monika rings a bell that she uses to gather the girls’ attention. The ladies, about a dozen or so, come frolicking out of their rooms and congregate in the main lobby of the small inconspicuous building. Monika goes over client assignments to each of the girls. About midway through the process she douses her used up cigarette and lights another promptly.
“Lav, you will take Mr. Belfont”, says Monika with a routine business-as-usual tone; she doesn’t bother looking up from her datapad as she comments on the likes of Lav’s assigned client. “Nice lad. Been here a couple times before. He recently lost his job and needs some relief. Be sure that he gets it.” Quick inhale, quick exhale. Smoke. She finishes off with the assignments.
“Alright ladies, get to your stations!” Monika exits the lobby and strides over to a waiting area nearby where the clients have already begun lining up.
Envy and Lavender walk back upstairs together. “You can take the room today, Lav”, grins Envy. “Hope you get a good tip!” She walks past their room and down the corridor.
Lavender enters the room. She walks in front of her dressing mirror to look at herself one last time. She dawns the same transparent lavender nightgown - her favorite. She wears a purple lace bra and purple lace underwear. She ties up her nightgown, and takes a deep breath. She’s ready.
A knock at the door.
“Enter”, she beckons.
A shy, scrawny Gallente man walks in. He hesitates to look up for a moment, but finally gathers the courage to make eye contact. He offers a quickly fading smirk. She returns it in kind, and slowly closes the door behind him.
He seems a bit shy and embarrassed about it, but he knows to make his way to the bed. He takes a seat. Lavender unties her nightgown to let it open up and flow freely. She takes a seat next to Mr. Belfont. A few moments of silence pass between them. For him, awkward. For her, just another day on the job. Mr. Belfont finally pulls out a stack of currency from his pocket. He hands over the clipped stack to Lavender, who then sets it aside on her nightstand. Time to get to work.
She twists in her seat with both arms extended, and embraces Mr. Belfont. Lavender wraps her left arm around Mr. Belfont’s right shoulder. Her right arm cusps his lower right torso. She breathes slowly and calmly as she embraces him. Mr. Belfont remains in his initial position. After a while of continued hugging, he finally takes on the rhythm of Lavender’s breathing. She can feel his shoulders lose tension. He returns her embrace, and the two remain locked in the position for some time. She gently caresses him with slow stroking movements from her thumbs. For the majority of their time together, they remain hugging in this position. Words are not exchanged. Only touch. And warmth. So much warmth.
At the end of their session, the two finally release their bond. Mr. Belfont now appears different. He stands and speaks with a noticeable confidence and ease. “Thank you”, he says simply.
Lavender offers a gentle smile with her faint pink lips that have a tinge of lavender. “Of course.” She stands as well and opens the door for him. The two bid farewell.
---
“How’d you do”, asks Envy curiously.
“The usual”, responds Lavender with a mellow tone.
“Hmph. Yeah, I was mostly reading to him. He rested his head on my thigh. It was pretty nice.” Envy does a light retouch on her makeup. “You ready for the second round of clients? Should be comin’ in soon, I think.”
Lavender smiles, “Always.”
Monika rings the bell, and the whole procedure starts over again. This time she is smoking a cigar.
“Lav, you will have Mr. Sirkonen”, comments Monika with the same business-as-usual tone as before. “Caldari corporate executive. Overworked. Tired. Recently ended a marriage. Make him feel good.” Inhale, exhale. A cloud of smoke with an aroma of cherry.
The ladies went back to their posts before the clients were let inside. Lavender was back in her room again, looking at herself in her dressing mirror again. She tied up her nightgown again, and awaited Mr. Sirkonen’s arrival.
A knock on the door.
“Enter”, she beckons.
A shy, pudgy Caldari with a defined chin enters the room. He looks worn and tired. His deprived gaze meets hers, and she offers a warm, welcoming smile.
---
An ocean breeze moves wisps of cigarette smoke away from Lavender’s delicate face. She leans on the balcony and peers out towards the sapphire ocean which glistens under the triplet moons. Her untied transparent lavender nightgown sways with the ocean breeze. Somewhere between the ocean and the moons, she does not exist. Pleasant thoughts swirl around her other-worldly imagination as she thinks about the day’s work. She’s satisfied with her hard work. It is not a popular job. It is not for everyone. But someone has to do it. Someone has to fill the need. She is just one of many.
But she is special. Warm, welcoming, peaceful and innocent. And simple. Can’t forget simple. She is the colour Lavender.
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Topic: The Colour Lavender (Read 2653 times)