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and the pleasure-giving rigid piece of flesh that was somehow attached
to me.
When it was over, she collapsed and I lay on top of her, totally spent
and satisfied.
After a while she stirred. You re heavy, she murmured. I slid off
her. She turned around, moved into my arms.
That was beautiful, she whispered, kissing me gently. Thank you
for your Christmas gift.
I thought you didn t believe in Christmas?
I don t, but you do.
I kissed her back. You re wonderful. I think I m in love. Nobody
has ever made me feel this way.
You ve never been with a female before?
Only once. With a girl from the next village. But it was over before
I realized what was happening. I stroked her hair then kissed her
forehead. I never imagined I would ever meet a beautiful girl like you.
Will you stay with me?
She touched my lips with her finger. I cannot. It wouldn t work, we
are too different. And your father, he would not approve.
Never mind my father! I said hotly. If you can t stay then I ll
come with you.
Hush, she murmured. Don t talk. You don t know what you re
saying. Go to sleep now.
I pulled the fur on top of us to keep away the chill.
* * * *
I slept in her arms that night. Never woke up once. In the morning
we made love again. Afterward she lay in my arms beside me, her eyes
closed.
Outside, the storm seemed to have died down, but through the small
window in the back I saw that it was still snowing. It was getting light,
time I fed the animals.
I disengaged myself gently from her embrace and stood up, looking
around. Karima s sisters lay not far from us, snuggled together, fast
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asleep.
Rol and Blar were nowhere to be seen. I remembered telling them
about the loft. Maybe they were up there.
Kneeling down, I bent and kissed Karima on the cheek. She stirred
and smiled in her sleep. I kept looking at her. She was just so beautiful.
I picked up the oil lamp, before someone tripped over it. It wouldn t
do to spill the oil all over the floor, not in here.
When I stepped outside, I found the storm had indeed let up. Large
flakes of fluffy snow drifted slowly from the sky, adding to the deep
blanket already on the ground. I stomped over to the stable with the wet
snow clinging to my boots and pants. I felt like bending down and
making snowballs and throwing them against the big barn door.
Then I smiled. I wasn t a kid anymore. Last night I had proved that I
was indeed a man.
Karima, oh Karima. Why couldn t you have been a girl from one of
the villages? Why couldn t you be human?
There was nobody in the stable. It was still early. James was
probably just getting up. I was surprised when I didn t find my Father.
He was usually in here before anyone else. It didn t matter. I could
handle it by myself. I would prove to him that I had grown up. Some day
I would have a son and I swore to myself I would always love him and
treat him like a man. Give him respect; something my father had never
given me.
I was almost done feeding and watering the horses, when James
burst through the door. Where did you sleep last night? he asked. I
didn t find you in your room.
I smirked triumphantly. Karima made a man out of me last night.
All night. I believe I m in love.
He almost dropped his bucket. You sly tree-devil, he said,
grinning. Then he became serious. There ll be hell to pay when Father
finds out.
He won t find out unless you tell.
You know me better than that, brother.
By the way, where is Father?
He shrugged. He wasn t there when I got up. I figured he d be
here.
Not here.
Mother doesn t seem to be worried too much. She says he s stayed
away before, when Helm died. He drank himself into a stupor and spent
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the night at Old Eggert s place. James walked over to the milk-animals.
I d better get the elks milked. Mother wants some fresh cream for the
Christmas dinner today.
Somehow I had forgotten it was Christmas. I guess we should take
Mother to church.
I guess, James said. He didn t sound too enthusiastic.
After we were done, we washed up in the stable with water out of
the pump. It was always warm in the stable; even in a cold winter we
didn t have to worry about the pump freezing up on us. I filled a clean
pail and carried it back to the house.
Mother was already busy making breakfast. Where are the girls?
she asked. I couldn t tell if she knew about me not being in the house all
night.
I ll go fetch them, I said.
All three girl were still asleep, all three of them lying curled up
under the fur I had left with Karima. She was the first one to open her
eyes when I touched her. Snarling, she snapped at my hand, a feral
expression on her beautiful face. Then she relaxed and smiled up at me.
Bad dream? I asked.
She nodded and crawled out from under the fur. Still on all fours,
she stretched her limbs and arched her back like an angry swamp-tiger.
This was the first time I actually saw her naked body. In the heat of our
lovemaking I had stroked her breasts, touched her round, firm buttocks,
but I had not realized how beautiful and perfect they were.
She smiled when she saw me watching her. Rising, she padded
closer and kissed me softly on the lips. You can lie in my arms again
tonight, she whispered into my ear. If you want to.
My heart was pounding in my chest, my face burning and I felt my
manhood rising. I want to lie in your arms every night, I burst out. I
love you, Karima.
She laughed and went to retrieve her discarded clothing.
Who dares to wake us this early? said a sleepy voice. One of the
sisters was peeking at me from the fur she had pulled up to her chin.
My mother wants you to come for breakfast, I said, still watching
Karima as she slipped into her clothing.
Is there a place where we can wash up? the sister asked.
In the stable, I said. There s a pump. The outhouse is there also.
Tell your mother we ll be along shortly, Karima said.
* * * *
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After breakfast James hitched one of the horses to the old sled and
we took our mother to church. Father still hadn t shown up. He wasn t in
church, either.
The place was packed. It usually was for Christmas. Most of the
time the church was half-empty. Only the old folks went regularly, the
young people somehow didn t feel the urge to go. I know I didn t.
Reverend Mundelson spoke about the birth of a child who some say
was a god. He spoke of a holy man named St. Nikkola, who came down
to earth in a golden sled every Christmas to bring gifts.
Then we sang songs and prayed.
My heart wasn t in it. This was not Earth; this was a planet
somebody with a great sense of humor had christened New-Eden . If
this was Paradise, what was Hell like? Every day was a struggle to
survive. The soil we worked was fertile enough, but the weather harsh,
unpredictable. What the hailstorms didn t destroy, the wild animals did.
Even as kids our father made us work the fields. No, this world
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