[scott snedeker]

I awaken in the morning light. I am in a room made of rough logs pieced together and filled in with all colors and shapes of glass. I see an iron wood stove, benches, an on spinet piano and crystal bowls everywhere. I roll out of the hammock carefully lowering my stocking feet to the floor. My irrevocably rumpled and stained suit pinches and binds.

I walk painfully over a cobblestone floor to a doorway. There is chill in the air with a rustle of dry leaves. Tall spruce and pines tower over me reaching up to a crisp blue sky that touches the peak of a tall mountain. The ground is rocky with tall brown grasses shooting up between the rocks.

A groomed trail winds down the hillside. "Sky!" ----no answer.

I gingerlly begin to walk in stocking feet until urinary urgency demands my focus for relief.

As I step carefully feeling each painful pebble I nearly fall twice. I start to feel panic. I have no idea where I am.

I continue to walk down the trail and hear some people talking and laughing.

Around a turn of the trail I hear water flowing and see a group of three young people bathing nude in a creek pool beneath a waterfall. They look up at me and wave smiling. "Frank! Come on down!" calls a young red headed woman. I carefully scoot down the rocky slope.

"Sky must have told you about me. What is your name?" triyng not to show how nervous I am.

""I'm Krokus, this is Ask Gemtly," pointing to a young man swimming with a full beard and shoudler length dark brown hair. "And this is Sawdust," pointinting to a large muscular furry bear of a man with a bald head cover with tattoos.

"Hi Guys," I wave nervously.

"Come on in for a swim!"

I slowly with extreme self consciousness pull off my socks, jacket, shirt, pants, and shorts. I am keenly aware of my frumpy middle aged body as I stumble over the painful rocks on the creek bottom. The water feels icy cold at first, Until I get used to it. Finally with courage summoned. I dive in feeling tingling energy of the natrual water all over me.

First bath I' had in five days! I scrub my body with sand peeling off layers of skin.

"want some soap? It's made from Yucca and cedar oil." Offered Sawdust with a smile.

"Thanks!"

It smelled great clean and natural! "What beautiful people!"

"Thanks" I looked up locking eyes with Sawdust not realizing that I had just said that out loud.

My skin tingles with renewed enegy when suddenly a huge expolsion erupts next to me.

Sky pops up from the bottom laughing, "Gotcha!" He must have jumped from the top of the waterfall.

In the distance I hear a bell ring three times followed by "Yoooooo! HOOOOOO!"

"You guys going to Heart Circle?" Asks Krokus.

I look at Sky. "What is Heart Circle?"

"Best to just see for yourself and just watch."

"I need to get dressed" Looking uncertainly at the remains of my suit.

"I brought a blanket you can throw around your shoulders. I think we can donate your suit to the rag shack after circle and find something better for you to wear there ."

"What kind of place is this, Sky... I.. I'm really lost I'm not sure...."
"It is a commune. No one will hurt you. We all bear the scars so we know what you are feeling. You can trust me. I think you know that now. you are among the Radical Faeries."