Don't Leave Me Alone

It wasn't long after Markus started seeing this girl, that he began experiencing some strange phenomena. 

He couldn't eat, sleep or concentrate on anything since she, Althea, was constantly on his mind. It's been two months since they've been together.

Markus felt he was in another dimension when she was around.

When she wasn't, he felt a connection to the earth like being pulled in.

If he thought about her for a while, he could feel her presence in the room. At times, the curtains would flail by the wind outside and stop suddenly.

She had taken over his life like nothing he'd ever experienced before.

He didn't know much about physics or cosmic phenomena, and yet, he could swear if he closed his eyes he would be floating, suspended in midair. He thought maybe it could be because he read so much about strange psychic events lately. Out-of-body experiences and such.

It seemed to happen every time she cooked her specialty Bhutan Stew. Is she using ingredients he's not aware of?

One thing was certain, though. The man had been smitten since she first laid her eyes on him.

Althea was extremely seductive, sensual, enticing. Her almond-shaped eyes penetrated deep into his being and it was a look that carried magic, wisdom, and a spell-like effect that infallibly brought him to his knees.

Making love to her wasn't an earthly occurrence. It didn't take long before it became an uncontrollable addiction.

And was consuming him.

What was more incomprehensible to him was this incredible ability she had to take him out of himself. Like he was in a different world, a separate dimension.

Never had he experienced anything like it. 

Being a football HS star, with impressive looks, Markus has had his share of girl-groupies lining up to be with him, or near him. There were fights among them, jealous rages, and teenage drama. He mostly enjoyed the attention and had fun when he felt like it. 

One could say he was the main stud at Midlands High. Some girls were so enamored by his presence that they'd do things to impress him like they'd never done before. They didn't care what others would think or say, as long as they could have him, if only for just one sultry, hot summer night.

But that was all they'd get and all those evenings had to offer. It was over in a flash, leaving them wondering if they'd ever see him again for one more chance at a passion burst. 

Life was good for the most part and he felt somewhat accomplished for his age.

But now, unexpectedly, everything changed because of Althea. 

He was the one who was left sad and broken every time she said, "I have to go".

"Wait, why?," he would ask with exasperation in his voice and desperation in his tone.

"Where are you going? You always do this!"

"Is there a problem, sweet baby lover of mine?" She would say, giggling.

"Oh, my God! Stop that! Really, please, don't."

"But don't what, baby? Don't I make you happy, aren't I good enough for you?"

"Sweet Jesus" he says as he throws himself backwards onto the bed. 

"You know what I mean, I don't get why you're leaving like this, all the time, and when I ask, you never tell me, you never have a clean, straight answer. You laugh it off, like it's all a game to you" 

"Oh, don't be such a bore, such a cry-baby" 

She jumps into the bed landing on top of him and grabs his wrists, immobilizing him. "You have a dirty mind," she says, smirking. "You want me to stay to do naughty, naughty things to me, don't ya?"

"All because you're a sick horny puppy!" she says as she bites his neck, hard at first, then softly, then licking all the way up to his ear. 

There, she whispers, "But I like it like that" "I love that about you" "you make me hottttt," she continues as her beautiful curly brown hair covers most of her face. 

Then, she jumps out of ‌bed and quietly blows him a kiss.

"But I do have to go. Got so much to do and I'm already late" "all because of you, you sexy beast!" 

"And what if I don't let you go?," What if I keep you here as my sex slave? What are you gonna do about it?"

"I'll be your prisoner, and you'd be my master, duh," "is that what turns you on?" 

"If that's the only way I can keep you here, yes" "because that's the difference between you and me," "To me, nothing matters more than you being here" "You? Can't wait to leave, like clockwork" 

"Argh! Booooring! You're so predictable, gimme a break." She sits on a chair, hands holding her face.

"I can't be the only thing that matters is your life." "It's not healthy"

"But you are! And maybe because you know that, you do this to me."

"Honey, baby. I'm not doing anything." "You're doing it all to yourself." 

"Come on, don't be a drag, we were having such a great time!" she said, getting up.

"And I have to go! So stop this nonsense." she said, heading to the door. 

"Fine, go! Markus yells. Go where I can't go, go where my presence isn't wanted. 

"There's a million things I need to do too" " So, go ahead, sorry."

"Babe. Take a shower, maybe watch some porn, learn some things and think of me. I'll call you later." she said, laughing.

And just like that, she's off into NYC's tumultuous streets. 

Stunned, confused, and yet excited, Markus looked her up online one more time, trying to find out more about her mysterious behavior.

"He slowly typed her name "Althea Nagara". 

When he read the search results, his brain went for a cosmic spin.

"Althea" by itself means, "healing", "wholesome" in ancient Greece.

And her last name, "Nagara" is of Japanese extraction and means, "Long, Eternal". 

Her entire family was intrinsically mysterious. She came from a place few have ever been before.

A mixture of Japanese royalty, European bourgeoisie, feudal castes, gypsy culture and Arab desert nomads.

She was related to kings and forest peasants who were giving land titles for the most obscure reasons. 

She came from a long line of actual witches who through the most fascinating processes, became the favorites of every kingdom in which they lived. 

Finally, Markus started to understand what was happening. 

He was being seduced to the point of no return and he was enchanted by her irresistible magic spells. 

He was bewitched. 

He thought he could find her on the web.

But the pages on the VPN online where that history resided suddenly had a notice he’d never seen before: 

"Access to this manuscript requires an encrypted password. File, XH2548: For your Eyes Only. Click below to proceed.”

A dead end.

Markus was possessed, under the spell of a witch and in love with her.

What else didn't he know? 

Deep in thought, he was startled when the phone rang.

It was Althea who asked if he was alright. Then, strangely, asked him something that puzzled him even more.

“Have you ever heard of the Fifth Root Race”?

"If not, we need to talk. I'll explain everything on the way, but make sure the car is road-worthy as we have no time to waste. I'm coming over. I'll take you to Atlantis" 

And without waiting for an answer, she hung up.

~∆~