A Chill Wind From Heaven
Copyright© 2026 by Sonarflash2026
Chapter 3: Llywelynn
On her knees beside the woman, Llywelynn sought an inner calm. She was confused and drained after channeling an incredible flow of supernatural power.
“Ejection seat?” she muttered, examining the strange chair with its cables, hoses and connecters, blinking as she took in all the symbols and English lettering. Most of the labels were meaningless, a few understandeable but confusing. Her attention shifted to the odd, bulky suit and helmet. Alexis met her eyes as she once again studied the woman’s native features. Alexis had a prominent nose, high and beautifully arched cheekbones, one showing an ugly scar. Her skin had taken on colour, revealing a darker, mahogany caste. Her wavy black hair was cropped short and damp with sweat, her earlobes pierced, set with pretty sapphire studs. Wide, full lips were no longer blue. Now, they showed a rosy pink above a dimpled chin and stubborn jaw. There was no mistaking the woman’s native heritage.
‘Real pretty. Attractive, even with that scar,’ Llywelynn thought distractedly... ‘Hair almost as short as a man’s. Never saw the like. And those blue eyes! Azure. Must have some white blood.’
Llywelynn scooped snow, wetting her mouth, patting hot cheeks. She rocked on her knees, glancing around, checking forest shadows. Somewhere back in one of the branch canyons, a pair of wolves howled. Though renegade Apache’s hadn’t been a problem all winter, spring was near, with more than hungry critters to think about.
Llywelynn knew her ranch. The earlier Chinook may have wakened a local silvertip grizzly. Where some cattle remained in lowland breaks, a big puma had taken down a yearling steer. Besides all that, the temperature was dropping again. The snowfall was lessening, but frigid arctic wind hadn’t lessened.
“My cheeks are freezing,” Alexis complained.
“I’m gettin’ cold too,” Llywelynn replied. “We can’t stay here much longer. You hurtin’ much?
Alexis considered, shaking her head slightly. “Amazingly, no. Just achy, and bruised.” She blinked, shaking her head again. “That’s impossible. I felt bones break. I was coughing up blood. My ribs ... my legs ... everything! I should be dead.”
“Like I said, thank Goddess Mother,” Llywelynn replied. “You died, sorta’.”
“Goddess?”
“Earth Mother and Moon Sister,” Llywelynn replied, lightly touching Alexis on her cheek. “They did more than just heal you. They worked a miracle. Never experienced the like ‘afore. I could feel them knitting bones ... repairing injuries. You must be very special.”
“Me?” she answered, then made a face. “If you only knew. If there’s a hell, I deserve to be there. Almost was ... in that fireball you saw. Instead, I find myself in a chilly heaven.”
Llywelynn tittered and covered her mouth. “Not heaven. This here is Arizona Territory, and it’s early spring ... or late winter, dependin’ on yer’ point of view.”
“You said that before,” Alexis said thoughtfully. “You said the year is ... eighteen seventy-nine?” Llywelynn nodded. “As I recall, it was the Last of the lower forty-nine to achieve statehood. God, I’m really screwed. This ... seems crazy. I thought travelling back through time wasn’t possible. She glanced up at the white silk of her torn, tangled parachute, then fixed her gaze on Llywelynn. “You said seventy-nine? Declaration of Independence was seventeen seventy-six.”
Llywelynnshook her head definitely. “No. It was seventeen seventy-nine.Should be big celebrations on the tenth of July.”
“Not July fourth?”
Llywelynnshook her head once. Your head get slammed around a bit much?”
“A bit,” Alexis replied. “This isn’t the past in my world. I must be in ... in a parallel dimension where time folds differently. In my world, it was the year twenty seventy nine. Your history is similar, but not exactly the same.”
“Time folds?” Llywelynn said, cocking her head, eyes bright with interest.
“Space and time,” Alexis said distractedly. “There are parallel dimensions. A multiverse. Other worlds with different times and histories.” She looked around, experimentally lifted a hand, winced, then gingerly pointed up at the trees. “Those look like pines.”
“Ponderosa pines.” Llywelynn pointed. “That small one is a blue spruce.” She leaned in close. “So, you’re really from ... the future? In another world? And you could fly?”
“In a machine,” Alexis agreed, abruptly shivering. “Cold!”