Dancer in the waves, p.1
Dancer In The Waves, page 1
Dancer In The Waves
Farrah Fox
To my darling husband,
Thank you for reading this first.
But next time, maybe don’t do the voices.
Copyright © 2024 by Farrah Fox
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
TW: Dancer In The Waves contains scenes of violence, sexual content and suicide. It also includes mentions of SA and miscarriage, but no graphic descriptions.
Book Cover by Maria Spada
First Edition 2024
Contents
1. Prologue
2. The World Changes
3. Doctor’s Appointment
4. Norway
5. An Unexpected Conversion
6. Waking Up to a New World
7. Matts Follows the Trail
8. The World Flips Upside Down
9. A Visit to Court
10. An Uncertain Future Ahead
11. Matts Finds the Culprit
12. The High Court Decides
13. A Surprising Lunch
14. The Nightclub
15. Sleeping With Gabriel
16. A Doggy Christmas
17. Sleepover at Matts’s House
18. The French Issue
19. A New Bodyguard
20. Just a Little Heat
21. A Surprising Trip
22. Changing the Tide
23. A Tense Dinner Date
24. The Strays Make a Move
25. Dreams of Her Husband
26. Matts Changes the Game
27. Talking With the Masked Man
28. Epilogue
1
Prologue
Alice
“This is news that will change the world!” the news anchor said, looking both delighted and bewildered. It was easy to understand why, considering how terrible the news had been in the last couple of years. It must be a surprising change of pace to be presenting something so wonderful.
Everyone in their small apartment gathered in front of the TV. Some of Alice’s friends held glasses halfway to their mouths, forgotten. A piece of cake hung on Daniel’s on his fork before falling to his plate with a thump. Alice even forgot the tray she was holding, and almost dropped it before finally setting it down.
The special news bulletin had interrupted the New Year’s Eve program, and everyone at their small gathering stopped the festivities to pay attention. Usually, a news interruption meant some new horror was to be announced. A new crisis? Another pandemic? Another war?
The news anchor continued his happy speech as a video of an odd contraption was displayed beside him.
“According to the scientific team that created this device, this innovation means the end of all forms of cancer, without the need for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or any other form of treatment.”
The screen changed from the anchorman to an on-location reporter talking to a man in a white lab coat. The scientist showed a contraption that looked like a futuristic tanning bed.
“One-hundred-percent success rate, on all types of cancer. We are currently looking for rarer types, just to test the machine,” the scientist said with a polite smile.
“That’s amazing!” Daniel still held his fork up, his cake long forgotten, and was fully focused on the TV. Alice put a hand on his shoulder and grinned at him. His excitement was palpable, and he smiled back at her. “This could put me out of work.”
“It does sound wonderful,” Alice agreed.
The reporter went on to ask what probably every viewer was wondering. “When will this device be available for treatments?” News of new medication and advancements appeared all the time, but usually it was years before they were available to the general public.
“We have a few of these machines ready and will distribute them to major hospitals around the world next month. After that, it all depends on the production of new machines.”
A murmur of excitement filled the room. Next month?
“Does that mean,” the reporter asked, “that we can expect cancer to be a thing of the past in the next, let’s say, five years?”
Five years? Alice thought the reporter was being optimistic.
“Depending upon the production of new machines, we expect it to be a thing of the past by New Year’s Eve next year,” the scientist replied with a charming smile. The reporter was clearly too flabbergasted to think of a follow-up question.
The murmur in the room turned to a full-on cheer that was echoed by the above apartment as well. Next year? No more cancer in one year’s time?
The TV went back to the anchorman, who was talking with a doctor about the machine and how it would change modern medicine. Everyone turned from the TV to Daniel, the doctor in the room, and hit him with questions. But the poor guy didn’t know much more than they did.
He finally put his hands up in surrender. “This is wonderful news, everyone, but I’m just as surprised as you guys are.”
“Haven’t you heard about it before?” Bruno, Alice’s husband, asked.
“No. It hasn’t shown up in any medical peer-reviewed magazines or medical news sites.”
“That’s odd,” everyone mused.
Then Alice’s husband surprised her by picking her up and twirling her around with glee.
“Careful, you’ll make me hit the table.” She laughed. “Put me down, Hercules.”
He kissed her deeply. “No more cancer. Finally, some good news this year.”
She hugged him tightly and looked him in the eyes. His warm gaze made her heart flutter. He could charm her into doing anything with a wink. She kissed him back. Yes, they were due for some good news this year.
“Maybe this new year will be better. Maybe we will finally catch a break,” Alice told him.
“I already spent all my luck catching you, so I can’t make any promises,” Bruno teased back.
“That was eight years ago. You are due for some luck by now,” she said, but he just shrugged his shoulders.
“The countdown is starting!” Naomi announced.
Everyone picked up champagne glasses and started to count down to the new year.
People were counting loudly out their windows and into the streets of Lisbon, the mood having gone from an ordinary annual celebration to a festival of hope. Everyone shouted at midnight, but instead of the traditional “Happy New Year!” many chanted “No more cancer!” It was an infectious happiness that promised great things to come, a better future.
Maybe this year, mankind would change for the better.
2
The World Changes
Alice
“Have you heard the rumors?” Alice asked Naomi.
“Who hasn’t?” Naomi didn’t even ask what she was talking about, as she pulled her bright-pink swimsuit over her golden-brown skin. “You can’t go anywhere without seeing people whispering in corners.”
“Doesn’t it seem odd to you? Nothing on the news? People commenting online, but no photos or proof anywhere?” Alice closed her locker, and they made their way to the gym’s indoor pool. It was the end of January, still too cold for the outside pool.
Naomi lowered her voice and looked around to see if anyone was within hearing range, but all the other swimmers in the class were already in the pool. “One of my coworkers was invited to do the procedure. He had lung cancer, poor guy,” she said, placing her towel on a hanger by the pool showers. “When he came back to work, I swear he looked younger. And taller!”
“But why is everyone so quiet about it? It’s like we’re not supposed to talk about this or something.”
“I know. Ana, one of my coworkers, actually asked him if he was taller. She has no filter, that woman. Anyway, he just smiled at her and explained that his spine decompressed, and it’s normal that he appears taller.”
“Doesn’t explain why he looks younger,” Alice said. They got into the warm water.
“I know, right? If that machine does make people younger, then please sign me up.”
“And the other rumors?” Alice insisted. She quickly looked around. They were supposed to be following a class, but both lurked at the corner of the pool, only half invested in the exercises. They weren’t the only ones having a whispered conversation. The loud music and the sound of splashing made it impossible for other people to hear them.
“That the reason they only invite men to do the procedure is because they are trying to make some sort of alpha male?” Alice continued.
Naomi scoffed. “That can’t be true. First of all, alpha wolves are bullshit. That study was disproven years ago.”
Alice laughed. “I know, but we’re not talking about wolves, and the alpha idea got ingrained into our culture. Most men like to believe they are alphas in some way.”
Naomi huffed. “I know they do. I see guys on Tinder all the time saying they’re ‘alpha males.’ I bet they’re low betas in reality.” Both women chuckled.
“Bruno got invited to do the procedure,” Alice confessed during a complicated exercise.
Naomi missed a step and fell in the w
“You didn’t tell me he had cancer!”
“He doesn’t. That’s why I’m worried about all of this.”
“Why did they invite him, then?”
“Daniel said something about Bruno’s family history having lots of cancer cases, which is true. But still—”
“Well, nothing bad has truly come out of it, right? No one is hurt by the procedure?”
“Daniel says there is a one-hundred-percent success rate on cancer treatment and prevention.”
“I haven’t seen Daniel in a while. Will he be at Bruno’s birthday party?”
“No, he said he has too much work now. To be honest, I’ve hardly seen him since he started working on the Tube project.”
Naomi stopped her exercise to look at her, both arms in the air.
“Tube?”
Alice couldn’t hold back a smile. “Yes, it’s the nickname for the machine. The real name is a mouthful, but people call it ‘the tube’ because of its appearance.”
“Sounds like something from a horror movie.”
The instructor stopped the class to distribute some foam weights. They both grabbed the smallest ones available.
“I wonder why they haven’t asked any women yet,” Alice pondered.
“They are asking women. One of my neighbors had leukemia. She was one of the first to be summoned.”
“I meant for those who don’t have cancer.”
“Oh!” Naomi stopped her exercise again and looked into the distance. “Come to think of it, I don’t know of any woman who was invited to do the procedure who didn’t have cancer already.”
“There you go, alpha males! That’s what they’re trying to get,” Alice teased.
“Oh, no. My Tinder is about to get worse if they are actually creating alphas.” They both laughed.
Alice looked at her phone for the fourth time that evening. It had been eight hours since Bruno had entered the Tube. She wanted to be with him, but Daniel had forbidden her to be there, citing security measures. So, she was having a girls’ night in with her best friends instead. The procedure was supposed to take up to twenty-four hours, so she had the house all to herself. She’d even placed a friendly bet with Daniel that Bruno would take the full twenty-four hours, to go over all the muscles he had in his ego.
“You know what they say—if it’s over twenty-four hours, then it’s gonna be an alpha!” Naomi teased now.
“I hate that expression.” Marina huffed. “Did you know that they started calling everyone else that converted, betas? My Daniel, the beta.”
Alice passed her friend a beer and gave her a smile. “From what I know, alphas are the same as betas, just more stubborn and full of themselves.” Then she let her smile drop dramatically. “Oh, no, Bruno is going to be an alpha!”
Her friends laughed and she joined them on the sofa, all snuggled under a blanket. It was an unusually cold March, with polar winds enveloping the country in freezing air.
They were playing Mario Kart and drinking—Alice’s version of a good time. Naomi had suggested they go to Gabriel’s nightclub instead, but Alice wasn’t fond of the idea. She didn’t feel comfortable going clubbing while her husband was stuck in the Tube. What if she missed a call?
“Have you guys met an alpha yet?” Marina asked.
“Yes,” Alice replied while she hit Naomi with a red shell. “Bruno’s brother was turned into an alpha.”
“What?” The other two women turned their attention from the game to look at Alice. “You didn’t say anything!” Marina gasped. “And you’re usually so clueless, you’re always the last to know about anything.”
Now Alice paused the game. “Clueless? I’m not clueless.”
“Hey, don’t pause! That’s cheating,” her friends complained.
She focused again on the game, now more determined to win.
“Yes, you are clueless. You are always the last one in the group to know things,” Marina teased.
“Like what?”
“Like me being bisexual,” Naomi replied.
“Not true. I’ve known since you tried to kiss Fernanda in seventh grade.”
“Like Daniel having a crush on me?” Marina offered.
“Who do you think set you guys up?” Alice retorted.
“Oh.”
“About Gabriel bein—” Naomi began, then shut up with a huff.
“About Gabriel what?” Alice asked, before getting distracted by falling off a cliff.
“He’s going to go in the Tube in two weeks, right?” Naomi asked.
“Yes. I’m afraid that if any man can turn into an alpha, it’s him,” Marina replied.
They all laughed.
“He would become insufferable,” Naomi complained. “He’s already full of himself because he has half of Lisbon’s women falling head over heels for him. Imagine what he’ll be like after going to the Tube.”
“I wonder what Bruno will look like. Maybe he’ll look younger than me,” Alice mused.
“That’s impossible. You’ve got a baby face,” Marina joked. “Besides, they are going to start inviting women too, soon. You will get an even baby-er face.”
“Really?” Naomi paused the game this time. Alice didn’t complain; this was news to her too.
“Whoops.” Marina looked awkwardly at them. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. Please don’t tell anyone.”
“Sure, but now you have to tell us more about it,” Alice insisted.
“Well, from what Daniel told me, they are going to start with potential cancer cases, then go by age.”
“Potential cancer?” Naomi huffed. “Like we believe this is what it’s all about anymore.”
“I know,” Marina replied. “But hey, Daniel is going to pull some strings to get us ahead in the queue.”
“Why would you want that?” Alice asked.
“Hello?” Marina looked surprised. “Getting taller and younger? Also, the procedure removes all scars.”
Marina looked at Alice’s left arm.
Alice touched her arm above the elbow, letting her finger trace the bump of the scar there. It would be nice if that was true. It would be one less daily reminder of…
“Alice?” Naomi sounded apologetic.
“Sorry. Was daydreaming about tank tops.”
Her friends smiled. To them, it was just a scar; one of many on her left side. To her, it was a daily reminder of something precious she had lost.
The game ended with Naomi in the lead, and Alice got up to get them some more beers. She checked her phone again. Still nothing.
“You know, ladies, it’s just us here tonight, so we can bring out the expensive whiskey if we want to,” Alice proposed to her friends.
“The one Bruno brags about all the time?”
“That exact one.”
Both girls got up and followed Alice into the kitchen, woohooing in celebration of good booze.
“Wow, look at your ass!” Alice watched her husband strip to get into the shower. “It’s like two peaches in a handkerchief.”
“I think the saying is two eggs, but close enough.” Bruno smiled appreciatively, and turned around.
Alice looked between his legs. Oh, no! No, no, no…
“You are not touching me with that thing.”
Bruno looked down. “What?” He moved his hips to swing his dick around playfully. “What’s wrong?”
She laughed at his joke, but she was genuinely worried. “It’s huge!” No wonder every man was desperate to get in the Tube, if that was the end result.
He laughed. “We will find a way.” He kissed the top of her head and got into the shower. He was taller now, like most men that went in the Tube, but he always had muscles so he didn’t get more buff, like his brother did. But there was something very different about Bruno. He held himself differently, and was exuding authority.
Alice didn’t quite understand what being alpha meant; the information about it was scarce. She had asked her sister-in-law about it, but the only thing she said was that her husband was even more stubborn now, and complained that they were having trouble in bed since the procedure. Alice understood that last bit a little better now. This was the sort of thing that could cause issues for a couple.
