Chapter 6

In the growing expanse of night, a vital force stirred, called by a passion and spirit so strong, so scorching, it couldn't be ignored.

Somewhere in the distance, enshrouded in darkness, tiny gears whirred to life. A soft glow pulsed, signaling something had awoken. Locked within a gaping hollow, the vital force drew upon its slumbering power and called to this passionate one. An eager voice as soft as the scented breeze made its way toward the burning soul in the large white tent.

***

With the music pulsing in her ears, Haven danced until she couldn't draw breath, and collapsed into a heap on the closest chair.

She waved when Elleane and Rhiannon spied her at the table. "All right, ladies," Elleane squealed, "Let's go see what else is here."

They made their way to the edge of the tent, and as Haven stepped from under it, a strange heat warmed her. The spring breeze ran its adoring hands over her, and something whispered in her ear. The wind carried words, undecipherable and taunting, but she didn't want to know what they said. The whispers played along her neck and down her spine, her skin tingled, and a sensation of warm fingers travelled over her. She shook her head to clear her brain, took a deep steadying breath, and followed Elleane and Rhiannon into the fairway. Whatever just happened had to be some kind of emotional feedback from dancing. It couldn't be anything else.

Right?

Glancing about at the vendors and games, she tried to keep pace behind a smoothly maneuvering Rhiannon. Booths of all sizes spread along a wide alley where adults of all ages perused the merchandise. Vendors displayed baubles shaped like breasts, coffee mugs with genitalia for handles, and books featuring the modernized version of the Kama Sutra.

She lost Rhiannon in the crowd, but continued along the row of booths to the end of the alleyway. A lonely black tent perched in the shadows.

Overwhelmed by the surprising allure of the shabby structure, she peered inside, and something seductive and irresistible urged her into the cool interior. Lots of strange things already happened, what was one more hellishly weird thing to add to the list?

Unbidden, memories of the incident in the car crashed over her. The chill, the breathlessness, the fear, the strangeness, the out of place, and the totally unwelcome.

She squinted as her vision adjusted to the darker interior. Expecting a small round table with a crystal ball in the middle, she puzzled at the single table covered by hundreds of old, tarnished watches. She sighed in disappointment, and turned to leave, but stopped when a beautiful woman wearing a bright pink jogging suit appeared.

Where did she come from? She blinked.

The woman was stunning, older than Haven, but she had similar long black hair and olive skin. Also, she looked poured into her jogging suit.

The woman walked to the other side of the table and went about arranging the watches as if Haven didn't exist.

Whatever. She pivoted to leave.

"Wait, young lady, perhaps you'd like to buy a watch?" Startled by the sultry purr, Haven turned.

"No, I don't want to buy a watch." She answered honestly, or so she hoped. She didn't want to buy a watch. Did she? She cleared away the webs of confusion woven through her brain. "Actually, I don't know why I even came in here. I thought maybe..." The woman's piercing gaze urged her on. "Honestly, I don't know what I thought."

The woman's notice settled on her, exposing her, passing over her. She couldn't move.

After long moments of a NSA-level visual inspection, the woman smiled at her invitingly. "Come on over, take a look. There might be something you like."

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Haven stepped to the edge of the table. There was an unending supply of silver, purple, analog, and digital watches. She didn't want any of them. She had a cell phone with digital time readout, so why did she need a watch?

"Can't find one you like?" the woman asked, sending her a knowing look.

"No. I'm not really into watches."

The woman's expression darkened as she turned to a table behind her, and picked up a small wooden box. "Perhaps one of these would be better suited to your tastes?" She gently placed the box on the table.

"Take a look." She stepped back, and Haven crept closer.

The box was a stunning carved mahogany masterpiece. Intricate carvings of moons and stars kissed the lid and sides, and the stars gave off their own light in the dark. Before she could lean forward and get a better look, the woman opened it.

Inside a neat row of old pocket watches lay on crushed red velvet. A sensation of urgency overcame her, and she took a sharp breath.

Nothing about those watches should've made her feel so compelled. They were just old gold pocket watches. She glanced up to tell the woman what she thought, but a young man burst through the tent opening, and rushed up to them.

"Carlenna, one of the men in the burlesque show quit. Some of the women got too grabby, and one of them pulled some of his hair out." He dragged in great gasps of air, and his eyes danced between the cool, calm Carlenna, and the tent entrance.

"So, some men look good bald," she replied.

"It wasn't from his head." Everyone winced. "You've got to call someone else to come in." The woman, apparently the Carlenna of Carlenna's Carnal-Val, speared the man with an impatient glare.

"I have nothing better to do than call hunky men and get them to undress in front of strange women?" She sighed and placed her hand on her generous hip. After a few seconds ticked by, she nodded and groaned. "Fine, I have the employee info list in my trailer."

She turned to Haven. "Take your time. I'll be right back."

Haven wanted to tell Carlenna she didn't want a watch, but Carlenna spun and disappeared outside.

A tired breath escaped her.

Ugh! Why is everything so weird?

Her emotions, her brain, strange urges, powerlessness-what the hell was going on? One moment she's too scared to blink, and the next moment she's getting groped by air currents. "I've had enough of this today. Time to go home, go to bed, and meet with a psychiatrist in the morning." She snatched her purse off the table, and turned to leave.

She didn't make it to the doorway.

A glint from the corner of her eye caught her attention. One of the watches in the box glowed. She turned to look again. Nothing. She heaved a sigh-annoyed because, once again, something weird happened, and she didn't have an explanation for it.

Again, she turned to leave, but a pull akin to the gravitational force of Jupiter turned her around, and dragged her back toward the box on the table.

Tremors of unease rippled through her.

She stood right above the open box and peered at the contents. Her whole body tingled, and a wave of electricity charged through her. She bent closer and witnessed the timepiece at the center of the velvet row glow.

"Ha, I didn't imagine it," she exclaimed.

Bolstered by her newfound sanity, or insanity, she bent lower for a closer look. She gasped when the watch began etching swirling, scrolling patterns into its lid. Were the invisible hands of a master jeweler crafting a treasure before her eyes? It hummed, coming to life.

It was so beautiful, so mesmerizing.

She was so enthralled it didn't even register that she'd grabbed the watch by its chain and dangled it inches from her ensorcelled gaze.