Mars

This short story is part of the Astronomical Personalities compilation, which studies the personalities of the nine planets as seen by astrology. Read the other planets here.

Mars

There was nothing ordinary about her from the moment she walked into the room. Her back was straight and her shoulders seemed slight, but strong. She looked as though she could carry the weight of the world on them.

She walked towards the bar, each stride emphatic and confident in their swiftness. Their was nothing singularly outstanding about this woman; nothing that you could put your finger on, anyway. Yet, if you dared to look into her eyes, you would have seen the whole universe reflecting in them. Yes -- she knew.

A few men dared to watch in fascination as her lusty body made its way across the room, her subtly defined muscles shifting the fabric of her leather armour. Their stares prickled at her skin and she briefly, and oh, so coolly, turned to each one of them, and returned their gaze with a seething glare. They hurriedly looked down; an idiot leered and his foolish grin disintegrated into a grimace as her eyes burned into his.

Other men watched with respect, clearly appreciative of her dynamic demeanour, her forceful features, her veiled venom.

Two women at the other end of the bar abandoned their giggling to analyse her with envious hatred - they did not understand her inner-strength, and they blamed her for their ignorance.

The sun's setting rays filtered in through the window and leapt off her dark hair to reveal hidden shades of gold. As her hair swayed, each strand hypnotically changed colour from gold, to copper, to bronze, to red...

At the bar she ordered her drink, her voice low and filled with a deep, penetrating resonance: a vodka with ice. She raised the glass to her perfect lips and drank, enjoying the sensual scorching of the bitter-sweet liquor. Her dark eyes scanned the room, absorbing every image and digesting each sensation. Every single being was aware of her presence and she knew it, she relished it, she lived for it. Yet very, very occasionally, you would see those solid shoulders sag, a flicker of overwhelming sadness in her eyes, a longing for something ... different. But these moments were few and they elapsed so quickly that the majority were left

unaware of her hidden mortality.

An empty glass.

She ran a hand through her fiery mane; her nose twiched once and she allowed herself a slight smile at her secret thought.

Tossing a note onto the bar, she strode back out the way she came, her power inevitably leading her into some dangerous and daring realm.

The enthralled spectators could not help but look on, as she left them behind and proceeded to walk into the last few rays of sun ... and into the darkness.

copyright © 1998, Dianna Hardy
All rights reserved.