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The White Stone [MsBloom / captain_bond]

MsBloom

MsBloom

Moonchild
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Location
Northern Europe

June 20th

Colebrook, New Hampshire, as close to the middle of nowhere one could get. But that what you get for getting yourself into enough trouble to land you in juvenile court. You end up spending the entire summer holidays with your aunt in some godforsaken place that might not even be big enough to make it onto a map.

Wren sighed. At least the light and the way it was filtered by the foliage of the large wood, through which ran a brook (which they assumed was either named after the gathering of houses or vice versa), was interesting ... from a photographic perspective. Even the way it reflected in the water and they had spent most of their first day there taking photographs of that light. Nature wasn't exactly among their favourite subjects but it was all there was out in this wilderness. And even a city kid like themself had to admit that the waterfall, they had heard someone in the small town refer to as Beaver Brook Falls, was kind of spectacular. Perhaps not in the way one might call Niagara Falls spectacular but still.

As the light filtering through the foliage began to fade Wren sat down on a rock, just large enough to be used to sit on, took out a cigarette and lit it. That's when they spotted it in the brook just where the water began to calm down below the falls. A perfectly smooth white stone, white as in pure white, not a speck of colour anywhere on it. They reached into the water and picked it up. It was cool to the touch from the water and just big enough to fit in the palm of their hand.

They sat back down and as they slowly smoked their cigarette they turned it over a few times in their hand before softly rubbing it against their cheek. It had been polished absolutely smooth by the water and it felt almost like a caress. They had honestly never before felt anything as smooth.

With a slightly embarrassed smile they first looked around to make sure there was no one else around and then they pressed the white stone against their lips.

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Tyler loved taking hikes in the woods surrounding Colebrook. It felt like you could spend your whole life on these trails and never see everything. It was all surrounding a small town, with small-town vibes. Of course, that meant when his parents were killed in that car crash, everyone heard about it, everyone told him how sorry they were, and nobody would forgive the drunk driver who did it, even after he got out of jail. He eventually left town and no one was sorry to see him leave.

After a few years in which he did okay in school but didn't really seem to be interested in much else, earlier this summer his grandfather (who, along with his grandmother, had been taking care of him since his parents died) had the idea to offer him a part-time job at the town's general store. Not only would he of course get paid, but his wages would be matched at the end of the summer, doubling the money he earned, and they'd pay for him to go to that convention in Boston he'd been dreaming of for the past two summers.

So with proper motivation, Tyler Vance threw himself into the work. There was little involved in running the store that he wasn't willing or able to do. But all work and no play, as they say, so he was on a well-deserved break when he came across someone with a white stone in...her hands? I mean, looks like a chick, definitely on the smaller side. Think I see tits under that top. Huh, found the White Stone, have you? He'd heard about the local legend, once every so often a white stone would appear in one of the creeks or rivers around town, and whoever found it would have good fortune for as long as they had it. Or so the legend went, anyway. One time, it was shared between two people, a man and a woman who were just friends from school, but the legend grew to include how the power of the white stone caused them to fall in love. They were married now, and just so happened to be Tyler's grandparents. The fact they were sort of figures in local lore, particularly in such a romantic way, made him smile.

Still, he figured he'd mess with this chick--person, whatever, it's 2024 so it's not always safe to assume--and picked his way carefully through the undergrowth, using his bamboo walking stick to steady himself and placing his high-end hiking boots where he would make no noise. Finally close enough to be really effective--but not within striking distance--he bellowed, at the top of his lungs, "DUDE! YOU FOUND THE WHITE STONE!"
 


Wren jumped at the loud voice coming from behind them. The white stone flew out of their hands as they did and when they tried to catch it they fumbled and it landed right between their feet.
"What the fuck," they said as they turned around to see a boy about their own age standing there with a smug look on his face.
"And what the fuck do you mean I found the white stone?"
They bit down on their bottom lip and looked the boy right in the eyes wondering just how much he had seen before pulling what he must think was a pretty funny prank.
"I found a white stone yes, so what? Are you saying its got like ... special powers or something?"
 
Quick as a flash, Tyler scooped up the stone and darted back before the other person could grab it and just casually started tossing it up in the air. "That's what the local legends say, anyway. Haven't seen you 'round here before. I'm Tyler," he said, offering the stranger a handshake. "I'll give it back, eventually," he said, in anticipation of them not appreciating snatching the stone. He decided not to mention the fact he'd seen them kissing it, figuring it wasn't cool to antagonize them...unless they tried to antagonize him.
 


"Wren," they said and shook the offered hand.
"Just visiting for the summer. I'm from Boston," they added looking at Tyler as he casually played with the stone.
They couldn't have explained why but they did want it back which was silly really because in the end it was just a stone, a remarkably white and smooth stone sure but still, just a stone.

Not wanting to seem too eager to get it back though they reached into the pocket of their jeans and took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one and turned away from Tyler to watch the waterfall.
"So ... what kind of special powers does it have then. Does it grant wishes or something?"
Now that really would have been something. There were a few wishes they could think of they might want granted if possible, like having an anatomy they felt would fit how they felt about their gender.

This was something they had often thought about as they had gone through puberty. True, they didn't have much in the way of breasts, and that was good, because it made them easier to hide when they wanted to, but they were still there. It wasn't really that they didn't want them as such but they would have preferred a more masculine chest. And then there was of course the whole thing about wanting a penis while at the same time they didn't really want to replace their vagina with one. If anything they wanted both.
 
"Well," Tyler said, still tossing the stone, "it's supposed to bring you good fortune for as long as you have it. But..." He tossed it up and snatched it out of the air, and held it still in his hand before saying, "my grandparents were just friends from school when they decided to share a white stone. And lo and behold, they fell in love! That's my favorite part of the legend. They--well, mostly my grandpa--run the general store in town, and I'm helping them out this summer. What about you? What brings a city slicker like you to a one-horse town like this'un?" The poor imitation of a Texas drawl made even Tyler snort in laughter, and he added, "Sorry. I won't torture you with my fake Southern accent again. Promise."
 


"You're joking right?" Wren said and composed themself taking another drag on the cigarette.
"A ... what ... love stone? Yea right."
They did want Tyler to give the stone back but didn't want him to know that so they played it cool. They shrugged ad picked up their bag with most everything they needed to kill time, their sketch pad, a few pencils of varying grades all the way from a soft 9B to a hard 5H (they didn't feel they need any harder and lighter pencils than that even though the grades went all the way to a 9 in that direction as well), a small box of water colours, brushes and a water bottle in case they didn't find any other source of water. There was also a book, currently they were reading Virginia Woolf's Orlando, along with a lunchbox with a BLT and a ham and cheese sandwich, a thermos of coffee and an unopened pack of cigarettes.
"Anyhow, nice meeting you Tyler, good luck with the stone and I hope you find someone to love just like your grandpa and grandma did."
As they turned to start walking away they bit their bottom lip and hoped that Tyler would call them back to ask if they didn't want the stone back.
 
"Well, I did say it also brings ya good fortune," Tyler said in response to their brushing off the love stone part of the legend. "And it's just a story. Besides, you never told me what brings you to town." Observing the contents of their backpack as they picked it up gave Tyler some insights that Wren so far had not been forthcoming with. Perhaps they came here for inspiration for their art? When they turned to walk away, Tyler said, "Well hey, don't be so hasty, now. You want this stone back, right? Also, I kinda don't want this to be the last time we talk. Regardless, here's what I propose. My dad, rest his soul, always said that if you wanna test a person's character, dare them to do something. So, if you want the stone back, I dare you to show me a drawing of your choice that you have never shown anyone. But if you only have drawings such as that that'll violate people's privacy, like your ex's naughty bits or something, then you get a pass and I'll think of something else. Sound good?" He held the stone in his fingers so that the top half was exposed, and it caught the light as it filtered through the trees.
 


"I'm here with my aunt because well ... honestly ... I got into a bit of trouble back in Boston so she thought it might be good for me tog et away from it all, at least for the summer," they explained as they stopped and turned back towards Tyler.
They nodded at his suggestion of getting it back if they showed him a drawing they had never shown anyone else. There was not many of those but there was one. They had drawn it a few months back before ... before Jake happened. It was a drawing of their ex-partner who had broken up with them after Jake happened. They had never even shown it to their ex but also couldn't bear to destroy it. Maybe because there were still feelings, despite how easily they seemed to have replaced their ex with Jake (who had played a large part in the trouble they had gotten themself into).

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"There is this I suppose," they said taking out their sketch pad and flipping through the sheets until the drawing they had in mind came up and showed it to him without any further explanation to who the model was or why they had never shown it to anyone before. As far as Tyler knew it might just be a study of a professional model from a class they had taken, though that would of course beg the question why they had never shown it to anybody before while also keeping it. It would be obvious to all but the most ignorant that there was a story there. But it was one Wren was not prepared to share, at least not quite yet.
 
Noticing one of the buttons on Wren's backpack proclaimed their pronouns as 'They/them', Tyler at least didn't have to wonder about that anymore. Having the tact not to press Wren for the story, he did nod approvingly at the drawing. "You got some real talent. As promised," he said, and handed the stone to Wren. "I'd be willing to do something similar next time we meet, if you wouldn't mind passing it back and forth for the time you're here? Might be fun. As for the 'trouble' you got into, that's your business, and if you're here to get away from it all, I won't make you drag it a hundred miles out here if you'd rather keep it back in the city. Sound good to you?" Of course, Tyler was curious as to the story, but he learned long ago that such things were never proper to press someone to reveal. No, it was best to either let it lie, or let the person tell it on their own time, if they wanted to tell at all.
 
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Wren Jones

Wren accepted the stone back and put their sketchpad back in the bag. And then they just stood there for a moment, not really looking at Tyler but also not really looking away. They were unsure of what to do next or what to say. There was something in his proposition that felt like it could make the summer a lot more interesting.
"I guess," they said and put the stone into the pocket of their jeans.
"Same place? Or should I come by the store when I've thought of something?"
 
Tyler laughed at Wren's suggestion. "Dude. It's 2024. Just give me your phone so I can put my number in. Unless your aunt took it away from you? She sounds cool enough, if she lets you smoke and wander around, though." He shrugged, not really minding their suggestion, but this way they can let him know as soon as they think of something. "If you'd prefer to do it the old-fashioned way, that's cool too. If so, yeah, same place."
 
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Wren Jones

Wren was of course well aware of what year it was and that it would be easier to just exchange phone numbers but under the current circumstances, with them being stuck in the middle of nowhere, and having noticed that the cell coverage wasn't always as good as they were used to back in the civilised world. In the woods for instance it was sometimes quite sketchy.
"Sure," they said with a shrug and gave him their phone number.
"Send me a text so I get yours as well," they added and with another shrug they turned and began heading back towards the small town on the outskirts of which the BnB they stayed at was located.

They spent most of the afternoon drawing a portrait of Tyler from memory. It wasn't really all that good because they hadn't really looked at him that closely. Still ... it was something to do. They sent a text to Jake too, even though they weren't really supposed to but there had been a real connection between them, albeit a not so healthy one. And they knew that once they got back to Boston they wouldn't be able to rekindle that connection because it was because of Jake they had gotten into trouble. They knew this but wanted to cling to the connection between them for as long as possible.
 
Tyler sent Wren a text as soon as he got a signal. "Hey, it's Tyler. Hope you get back safe to wherever you're staying. See you later!" It was just about time for him to head back to the store, so that's what he did, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) business was slow today so he could do a bit more daydreaming in his head. Somehow he got it in his head to picture Wren as both a more 'feminine' woman (because he could tell that they were female at birth) and then as a man. This second part both amused and made him cringe inwardly, even though the more 'manly' version of Wren was pictured fully clothed (in his defense, so was the more 'womanly' version) but some small part of him that hadn't quite shaken the whole fragile masculinity thing recoiled at the thought, for reasons Tyler's conscious mind couldn't quite understand.

At any rate, when he was done his shift, he would text Wren that he was off of work and that he hoped they had a good night.
 
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Wren Jones

Wren responded to the text with a sleeping emoji šŸ˜“. They then sent Jake a selfie with their top up and turned the phone to silent but they couldn't sleep. They turned the idea of coming up with a dare for Tyler back and forth in their head and it wasn't until shortly before the first pale light of the new day began to seep through the blinds that they dozed off.

A few hours later the sun was shining into their eyes and they realised that their aunt had opened the blinds. They sighed but got up, showered and then had a light breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast. For the day they wore an outfit similar to what they had worn the day before but knee long shorts this time rather than full length jeans and a hoodie rather than tank top.

They told their aunt they were going out and then headed towards the centre of the town where they soon found the store Tyler's grand parents ran. They could see him through one of the windows stocking the shelves. They stuck their hand into the side pocket of their shorts and felt the stone there. They were suddenly not really sure they wanted to share it with Tyler, not even just for the summer. The stone was theirs, they had found it.

They went inside and waved hello at Tyler before buying a Pepsi, a bag of potato crisps and BLT wrapped in plastic.
"I think I have one for you but ..."
They hesitated. They had never played Truth or Dare without a naughty element to it and thus that was where their mind went when they decided that if nothing else a game of Dare or Truth and Dare, would at least help pass the time until they would return to Boston.
 
"Hey, Wren," Tyler said, waving in a friendly sort of way when the enby walked into the store. He would get to a stopping point in stocking the shelves before heading behind the counter to ring up the chips, sandwich and soda.

When Wren brought up the idea they had but hesitated, Tyler said, "But?", encouraging them to go ahead and say it. "If it's something naughty, are you worried about a partner back home finding out? Because I won't tell anyone. And I am just gonna take a leap of faith and trust you won't do anything that would see my goods plastered all over the internet either."
 
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Wren Jones

It was then, as Tyler mentioned not doing something that would have his goods (which Wren assumed was referring to his genitals) plastered all over the internet (probably meaning photography) that it dawned on them.
"No, nothing like that but ... maybe you could let me draw you ... like ... nude. I promise I won't make a bit deal of whatever is between your legs, or even include it. That all depends on the pose."
They packed the stuff they had bought into their bag and then as they were about to leave they asked him when hi hift was over and if they could meet at the same place after.
 
"Huh. That's a rather...interesting dare," Tyler said thoughtfully. He didn't sound opposed to the idea, however. "I'm done at 3:30 today, you'll have my final answer when I arrive at the creek. Sound good?" He was of course leaning towards yes, but perhaps he might not be comfortable being the only one there who was nude, so he wanted to think about how best to bring that up to Wren.
 
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Wren Jones

Wren shrugged at Tyler's comment that it was an interesting dare and tried to act as casual as possible, as if it wasn't a big deal to them. The fact was however that in a way it was a dare as much for themself as it was for Tyler, sort of like a game of chicken, who would back down first. Would Tyler suddenly get all shy when asked to remove his clothes or would Wren get shy by watching him undress? That would remain to be seen after Tyler had finished his shift and made his way to the place where they had met the day before.

Wren on their hand made their way through the woods to the waterfall where they sat down and ate their lunch and made a few sketches, just a few ideas they might develop later when they were back home and had access to their oils and canvas. Their general style differed quite a lot from what Tyler had seen so far but if he was interested they had a few pictures on their phone.

The sketch they were working on, entirely absorbed by their work with an almost burnt out cigarette firmly between their lips, by the time Tyler arrived showed a reclining topless woman* that was intended to be part of a larger work.



*Ā© Terry Rodgers
 
Tyler would have clocked out at exactly 3:15, actually excited about this, although why he couldn't rightly say. Maybe Wren was gonna do more than draw him? Shaking his head, it didn't matter if they did or didn't want to do more.

It just so happened that Tyler was a bit of an artist as well, but his talent lay in taking things and rendering them in a virtual world--essentially creating video games, or at least the visual aspects of them. He'd actually tested his own mettle one time by rendering his own nude form digitally, and he was surprised at the fidelity of it. Last night, he'd spent an inordinate amount of time on a rendering of Wren's head, getting every last detail just right. He'd saved a few screenshots of it to his cloud account and loaded them onto his tablet before he left the town and it's decent cell coverage.

Already shirtless by the time he arrived at the waterfall, his chest not bodybuilder material but definitely fit and trim, he waved to Wren and smiled. "Whatcha workin' on?", he asked casually, not peeking in case they weren't ready to show him. "I got something to show you before we get started."
 
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