out of the rain

[lorriette]

The storm had come from nowhere. Despite the tree cover, i found myself soaking wet, covered in mud and desperate for shelter. Of course i had set out totally unprepared. I had intended to follow the main track for a mile or so, eat my snack lunch and sketch anything that caught my eye. The rain caused me to take a small side track in search of cover, but here i was, my pad a sodden lump, and unsure how far from my car, or even the direction of it. The rain eased slightly and a wooden shack was less than fifty feet away. I went to it. Obviously abandoned, the sagging roof still held back the rain, and an old cast iron stove looked promising. Some broken furniture served as fuel, and having got the old stove working, i pulled up the only usable chair, lit a cigarette whilst trying to warm up. Using the chair as a clothes horse, i set my clothes to dry and investigated this one room hut. Damp had left mildew on everything, a photo of an old woman, a cupboard, the table, everywhere, in fact. A cardboard box caught my eye. Upon opening it, therein was an unmarked pair of boots, 3" louis heel, round toes and laces up the front. The chestnut brown leather had a sheen as if they had been cleaned that day. They looked as if they would fit, so i tried them on. This was so weird. I can't move, speak or be seen, yet i can see and hear, but not in the hut, or in this era. I am in a large hall, lots of people dancing, a table of food, an orchestra and liveried staff. The lady in the picture is there, wearing these boots. There is a commotion, then in walks an army officer. The lady in the photo and her dance partner leave with this officer. A shot is heard and everyone seems to vanish. I am back in the hut, and so is the lady. She seems to have fallen on hard times, the hut is livable, but the only connection between the lady at the hall, and the woman in the hut is these boots. Unnerved, i removed the boots and returned them to the box. Suddenly i was back in the ruined hut, the rain had stopped and the stove down to glowing embers. I dressed in my now dry clothes and ran back to the main track. Ten minutes latter i reached my car, locked myself in, smoked several cigarettes to calm my nerves, and tried to make sense of something that cannot possibly have happened.

[heelsnhose77]

Gr8 Story. Bring on the next chapter soon.

[Dr. Shoe]

It doesn't sound as if there needs to be a second chapter...

[lorriette]

Kevin had spent a few hours birdwatching at the lakeside.He had hoped to see the Moor'-cock the others had seen the day before.Then he remembered overhearing a chap mention a nest site in the woods.He packed his rucksack and set off toward the trees. It had to be this wood as urban sprawl bounded the other sides. Shortly, he came upon an overgrown track leading in, what he considered,the right direction.After about 15 minutes, he came to a clearing and saw a derelict hut. A quick survey indicated it would be useful as a hide, and with luck,be somewhere near the nest site. Using his binoculars, he studied the area surrounding the hut.Nothing much happening at that time, so out came his flask. Whilst drinking his coffee, he saw that someone had visited perhaps a few weeks before. curiosity led him to the cupboard and the discovery of the shoe box. Thinking this place might be a gangs drop zone,he picked the box up, placed it on the table and removed the lid.He was totally amazed to find a pair of pristine ladies old fashioned high heel boots.He lifted one from the box and studied it. The boot bore no marks, no maker, no size, nor indeed did the box. It occured to him that it was about the same size as his boots, if you accounted for the style. Without thinking, he removed his boot and tried on the ladies boot. It fitted perfectly.He decided to see what it would be like to wear high heels. When he put the other one on, a drastic change overcame him. He now stood at the end of a victorian alley, between two rows of large houses. Moorever, besides the boots,he was fashionably attired in ladieswear, including wasp-waist corset and hooped skirts, in fact, a lady of the time. Before he could ponder this further, a carriage stopped and the door opened. Kevin moved to it and the army officer alighted to help her in. The coach clattered over the cobbles until they went up a gravel drive to a large house. They entered and kevin realised that his character was this officers mistress. After food and wine, they retired to the bed chamber and made love. Just before dawn, kevin was put back in the coach and it took him back to the alley. Not sure what to do, he turned to walk along the alley, and suddenly he was in the hut, just moments after putting on the boots.He quickly removed the boots, then checked his body.No, he was definately as he should be, no marks from the corset, no pain, but he could still remember making love to a MAN!, worse still, enjoying every moment of it. Kevin tried to decide what to do. Options, put boots back and write episode off as a dream, keep boots and try again, destroy boots..... definite no. He decided that taking the boots would be both wrong, and, might not work away from this place. The best thing would be to put the boots back, after all, I could always come back for another go.

[crotchboots-m]

rod serling would be proud of you...sounds like vintage twilight zone.

[lorriette]

After a restless night, Kevin decided to return to the hut. Still single at 32, yesterday was his first sexual experience. He went straight tothe cabin, eager to savour the pleasure the boots could bring. He fumbled the box onto the table, removed his shoes, picked up a boot and, hey!, what's wrong, it doesn't fit. Several disappointed attempts latter, he admitted defeat. While he sat brooding, an idea popped into his head. He would go to the shoe shop he passed whilst comming here, and buy the gorgeous knee-high stiletto boots he had seen in the window. Maybe get a full set of clothes and make-up, see if he could pick-up a date. With those thoughts, he left the cabin, not even bothering to tidy away the boots. An elderly lady, walking her dog, had seen Kevins hasty departure from the track and made it her civic duty to investigate. Arriving at the cabin, she made a cautious cicuit of the outside before venturing in. Once inside, it was an anti-climax to find no foul deed or activity. Her dog, Puddles, was scratching at the cupboard door. She cautiously opened it to reveal the shoe box. When she opened the lid, she was surprised to find the boots. such styles had gone out of fashion when she was a little girl. Tempted to try them on, she realised that she had a hair appointment, and needed to hurry home. On the spur of the moment, she put the box under her arm and hurried away. Latter that day, she remembered the boots and put them on. They fitted quite well, so she decided to go across the street to show Agnes her find. She didn't make it, Joy-riders picked that moment to hurtle up her street, knocking her high into the air, the landing proving fatal. Of course the jeep didn't stop. The first people on the scene tried to help, but were all puzzled as to why she was crossing the road barefoot.

[muddypaws]

Now you really do have to put in the next chapter!!!!!!!!!! But thanks for this far,it's great. Muddypaws.

[lorriette]

Six months latter. James Willow wandered along the track, searching for a place to "find himself". In the clearing, the tumbledown remains of the cabin came into sight. James looked it over and risked entering.It was chilly inside and he checked the stove and decided it could be lit. The chair although dusty, seemed solid and he sat by the stove, trying to sort the mess his life had become. The light from the stove reflected on a white box, just visable through the broken door of the cupboard. Intrigued by it, he fetched it out onto the table. When he removed the lid, the boots inside defied the surroundings they came from. He was no judge of ladies fashion, but realised these had to be at least fifty years behind the times. He felt an overwhelming desire to try them on. Not believing that they would ever fit him, he removed his boots and tried these on. They fitted, and he suddenly found he had transformed into a victorian lady and was now sat on a bench in an old courthouse. The accused, one John Porter, was charged with the murder of captain Ralph Fieldhouse, formerly of the Queens sixth Hussars. Mr porter pleaded not guilty, and the calling of prosecution witnesses began. It was obvious that porter had indeed shot the captain. The defence lawyer dropped a bombshell when it was his turn to speak. The dead man was not captain fieldhouse, but a convicted fraudster, who had been transported to Australia some seven years previously. His name was actually Jerimias willow, and he had been operating a scam involving diamonds and saphires from S.Africa. Mr Porters wife had been taken in by willows lies and had handed over all of her dowary to make a profit from willows scheme. When she found out the truth, she attempted suicide, failed, and was now a wreck in a home. Porter eventually found the truth, and several other victims. A chance sighting on the fateful night brought Porter face to face with the bogus captain, and led to the shooting. The judge read the documents, confered with the lawyers, and set porter free.There was uproar in the court, and James, [our boot wearer] stepped outside the courthouse door for some air. His grandfathers name had been Jerimias Willow, co-incidence?. suddenly he was back in the cabin, dressed in his own clothes save for the beautiful boots, that now seemed intent on squeezing the life out of his feet. He tried to remove them, but found he could not. It was then he smelt woodsmoke and realised the cabin had caught fire. Unable to bear weight on his feet, he attempted to crawl to the door. A piece of burning roof fell blocking his way. The boots disintegrated, suddenly rotten as if a hundred years old. His broken feet were very real. At that point, James knew his future, death.