The First Two Nomodans - An original short story by Brandy Rox

[brandy rox]

"The more often my eyes are open, the more opportunities I have to see."

This story begins in a small village, on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean on a planet just south of the galactic axis. In the village
live a peaceful, gentle people named the Modans. They have a social structure
not unlike ours, except for each family there are two mothers and two fathers
and they work together in teams. You see each couple take partner couples to
dwell and live their lives with. Having children in young families is common
and generally they are raised by the group. In some cases, fairents (the four
parents as they are called) are more or less present but on the whole, these
small groups do all things in just that way. in groups.

Modans were very adept at working in larger groups as well; being team players in the home made them exceptional team members when there
was work to be done. It was also common for many families to work together for
larger projects, like building common areas for education or socialization.
There was no money, but instead an elaborate system in place that had fairness
at its heart and evenness for all as it's central focus. Every family had a
home, every mouth a meal, every foot a bed, that is for those who desired or
wished to have those things.

There were a few, not many, who decided to dwell on the outskirts of the island, in the fairly uninhabited places. They came and went from the
common areas when they were in need, but preferred solitude. It should be noted
that those who chose the solitary lifestyle also commonly rejected the idea of
a group family. These people became known as Nomodans.

One Nomodan in particular was called Jayell, she was of the Weldon group complex, a family conglomeration where the traditional family of
four parents joined other family groups to make enormous groups they called
complexes. These large family units would build structures that would house
hundreds of families in independent pod-homes. Some families began stockpiling
goods that were free and available to all in these structures for when the
seasons changes, the availability of some things became scarce.

These Modan family complexes thought themselves to be very wise, abusing the system but doing good things for their family units, and so the
children that belonged to these families, where noticeably different than those
whose lived the traditional life style.

Jayell, having grown up in this sort of environment had certain opinions but kept them to herself throughout most of her childhood. But when it
was time, she was of age and a partner would have to be selected, she realized
that something, didn't jive. Her fairents had selected a boy close in age to
her from an adjoining family who was a part of another family complex. This
union would merge two already large families into one.

There was no changing her mind once she had decided and she had decided. She would not marry, she would instead become a nomodan instead
choosing the solitary life over the imposed group life she was offered. It was
a difficult decision to make, but a necessary one. The family thought her to be
selfish and cruel to the point of treason for why would she dis-serve her
family in this way. Out of anger and spite they ripped her from her family name
and cast her out with the rest of the nomodans, on the beaches of the island.

She lived in a small hut-house made from fallen limbs and miscellaneous materials that had at one time been discarded. But at least she
had her peace. It had been 5 years since she had left her families, her many
brothers and sisters, some who were very close friends. On two occasions, three
of them snuck away to visit Jayell, but for the most part, she was left to her
solitude. That was until she met Jax.

Jax too was a nomodan, having decided that the group life was not for him after watching the male fairents physically and
emotionally abuse his female fairent in tandem. He swore if life was
supposed to be that way, where the two stronger, abuse the two meeker he would
not be a party to it. When he was of age, he left his fairents having been an
only child, to live on his own. After schooling he chose not to wed and could
find no other dwellings available to him but here. Thus they became neighbors
of sorts.

These two then became friends of sorts. An unlikely pair of nomodans who came to know one another it was only a matter of time before one
began to have strong feelings for the other. Jayell noticed that
something in Jax had changed. Maybe it was his expressions or his general
composure, but she could sense that something was developing inside him, though
she knew not what it was. Then came the day when Jayell was kissed by
Jax.

They were standing in the foothills of Sacred Mountain, a long hike to the valley of Kings where Jayell liked to meditate on
the weekends. One minute Jax was tightening and adjusting his footwear, the
next moment his lips were on hers. Startled and a little taken back, Jayell
just stood motionless until he moved backward to search her face for a
reaction.

She asked him why he had done that, what was it for to which he replied that it was a gesture long overdue. He went on to explain how he had
been caring a flame for her in his heart for many many days now but
only today found the courage to make a move. Jayell was shy and unsure about
the kiss and his words, baffled she ran from him hiding in a secret
place.

Jax was saddened by Jayell's response and became increasingly sorrowful for the action as the moments ticked on. How could he
have compromised the love he had for her within. Why did he need to
give her the flame? Why wasn't it enough to have it for himself?

Holding her face in her hands, she cried silent tears but knew not what they were for. She thought they must be the tears of Jax's
heart but something about that thought felt... incomplete. He must have felt
incomplete. Jayell had not imagined that Jax would have feelings for her.
Surely he would want to find another couple to wed. Was that what she wanted?
Then Jayell wondered why these were the first ideas she had to consider and not
her feelings about Jax. Somehow, thinking about the politics of the situation
seemed easer than the real questions. Did she want to kiss Jax? How did she
feel about him?

Hidden away in a secluded space she journeyed through her mind, reaching deep into her heart to find the answers she needed. The sun rose
and fell three days until Jayell returned to her home. Jax was not around when
she arrived, and this was a relief to her. Though she was eager to see him and
explain her actions.

Jax was reading alone when she came to his pod. Not wanting to disturb him, she instead found a seat outside his door way. When the spirit
sent him out, she would be ready to speak. So she waited, silently and after a
number of moments, he was drawn outside where he surprisingly found Jayell
seated before him.

He was relieved that she was indeed alright and ushered her into his room where he made her a cup of tea and they began to speak. She explained
that she was thankful for his gesture, that it surprised her but brought her
something she could never have expected. It had brought forth a small life, a
tiny seed that she had not been given before. She told him of a vision she had
had while sitting in contemplation.

A small fruit-fly was nibbling on a fallen grape. The fruit-fly had found this small treasure amidst a field of vines in
an enormous vineyard. She wondered at first why the fruit-fly had
chosen the fallen grape instead of the myriad of vine-ripened grapes in the
field. Why had it settled for one that had been knocked on the ground sometime
early on? To which a voice replied that this grape was ripened by the light and
love of the sun, its vine was the earth herself, fully capable of incubating
the ripening fruit. This grape needed its own light for itself before it could
be delicious enough to draw the attention of the fruit-fly.

She told him that she was that grape and she thought perhaps he was the fruit-fly that had found him amidst the other fallen ones,
the other outcast and nomodans.

Jax listened carefully to what Jayell had experienced and held his thoughts in his heart for a while. This is what was meant to be, he finally
said. I thought perhaps I had made a mistake that I had somehow broken our
relationship, but now I see the purpose clearly. I am happy to have been a help
to you in this way. He said and spoke no more on the subject.

Jayell left that day thinking that she still had thinking to do. She had only understood to a point and it was becoming visible to her that
there was more points to be understood before this kiss would be fully
explored. She needed to know how she felt about him. This vision had only shown
a piece, she was grateful to him for taking an interest. Before she could do any more
considering, however, Jax made way to her house.

She was...relieved to see him there. And it was in that moment that she wished that he would kiss her again for the first time. She had felt
the pulling, like he was the magnet ever dragging her closer to him. She would
give in to this pulling. She was ready for it now. Recognizing the pulling, she
completely let go and allowed the momentum of magnetism pull her
where she needed to be.

He rejoiced for he could see that she was finally able to receive what he had so carefully prepared to give. For the universe
of Jax revolved around that of Jayell and Jayell began to see herself as a
universe within herself. Then she began to see Jax as his own universe,
positioning himself to be in her orbit for he loved having her around.

They became the first on their island and maybe their planet to create a family of two. Half of the mass, twice the love. And so it was that
the nomodans became bimodans and thus we have the presently
perfect predicament of husband and wife.

The end.

BrandyRox © 2010