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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Part 5
“What you need, if you are telling me the truth,” and with this Henry looked at her sternly, “Is a quiet safe place to get yourself together and ride out whatever is wrong at home. Right?”
When she nodded, he cleared his throat and continued. “North of Flagstaff, there is a place called Kaibab camping grounds. My sister runs a bed and breakfast/general store/café/gas station sort of place near there. It’s quiet, secluded, and my sister is a big sweetie that will sass you, give you a place to stay, and probably work you too.” He looked at Liz quizzically. “Do I call her and tell her you are on your way?”
Liz didn’t think about it long. It sounded like just the sort of place she needed right now, and she told him so.
“Um, one more question, and don’t take it wrong, but do you have the money to get there?” He asked.
Liz told him that she did indeed have the money and thanked him for his implied offer. He gave her directions on how to get there, and arranged for the next leg of her trip.
Henry watched her bus pull out of the station and shook his head. ‘ Don’t know why I did that,’ He thought, ‘ but there is just something about her.’
Liz found the next leg of the trip hard to take. She was awake. And achingly aware of every mile that came between her and home, her and Max. She would have to call and let her family and friends know she was all right. But not yet. Not until she was farther away.
***
Roswell:
11:30 PM: It was a glum group that sat around the Crashdown that night. The Sheriff had reported that no one answering her description had been seen in or around the bus station, or on any of the roads leading out of Roswell.
A thorough search of her room had revealed some missing clothes, book bag and her empty secret cache of cash. It looked more and more like Liz had skipped town on her own. But how? Why? And with whom?
Max sat almost comatose in his seat. He didn’t feel it when Tess took hold of his hand, he didn’t see the dark looks Maria cast in her direction, or hear the rattling of the door when Kyle tried to get in. He was blaming himself for Liz leaving. She shouldn’t have to run away from home. From him. She shouldn’t have to be alone, away from everyone that cared about her. Now she was out there somewhere and he couldn’t protect her. He couldn’t tell her that, no matter what, he still loved her.
He would always love her.
Iz let Kyle in and he immediately stalked over to Max. “What did you say to her? What did you do that would make her go? Wasn’t it enough that she was willing to do anything to get you to break up with her?” Kyle was angry with himself for going along with Liz on their little charade, angry enough that he had to take it out on someone and Max was that someone.
Kyle’s words got through to Max and he was out of his seat and on top of Kyle before he could move back. Michael and Alex dived in to separate them and got their share of bumps and bruises before they succeeded. Both Max and Kyle found it a very satisfying way to vent their frustration, worry, and guilt.
Maria passed around the ice bags, trying not to grin. All four had black eyes or bloody noses. Max was still too mad to heal himself or anyone else, and Isabel was too disgusted to volunteer. “You both deserve what you got.” She said with a flounce. And pointing at Michael and Alex, she added, “And you two should have just let them get it out of their systems.”
Kyle looked around the bag on his eye. “Can’t you do one of your alien things or something, and find her? I thought you guys could do anything!” He looked from Max to Isabel, to Michael. “Well?”
Tess spoke up for the first time that night. “If she left, then maybe it’s because she wanted to. Why can’t you just accept the fact that she wants out?”
Kyle turned on her, anger sparking in his eyes again. “Oh I don’t suppose you mind at all! You and Max are the reason we went through the whole bed act anyway!”
“Act?” Asked Max.
“Bed? What bed!” Maria demanded.
And the whole story came out. Kyle had opened his mouth and stuck a jeep in it this time. Liz would kill him. He thought glumly, and then swallowed when her disappearance rushed back on him. ‘Oh God, Liz, you can yell at me for a year, only be okay. Come back to us.’
***
Kaibab camping grounds, Arizona, Elsie’s Stop ‘N’ Place:
9:00 AM: Liz got off the tour bus and was immediately greeted by a slightly plump, red headed woman with a big smile. “You must be Liz!” She said as she took Liz’s bag and started herding her towards a rustic collection of buildings. Her nonstop chatter brought a small smile to Liz’s lips. She looked around and sighed. ‘ I think Henry was right,’ She thought to herself. ‘This is a good place to put my life back together.’
***
Roswell, the Evans’ house:
Same time: Max sat on Isabel’s bed, the disappointment clear on his face.
“I’m sorry Max.” Isabel pushed her hair back and sighed. “I could sense her but she wasn’t asleep and I couldn’t get through to her.” The look of exhaustion on her face, told the story of how often she had tried that night to reach Liz.
“Look, let me get a good meal down, and some rest, and I’ll try again. If she didn’t sleep last night, she’s bound to fall asleep sometime today. Okay?”
Max looked at his sister and she saw how much her offer meant to him. She patted his hand. “We’ll find her Max. And we’ll bring her back!”
***
East of Flagstaff, on Route 40:
10:00 AM: Jarod looked over at Luke. He had been unusually quiet yesterday, and if anything he was even quieter this morning. “Alright, a dime for your thoughts.” He said.
Luke looked at him curiously. “Isn’t that ‘a penny’?”
“Inflation.” Jarod smiled, and Luke smiled back.
Part 6
“Remember how I told you I had dreamed of you, and that’s why I trusted you right off the bat?” He asked. “Well, night before last, I had a dream of a girl and a guy. It was really weird, because they were just sitting on a park bench, and not saying a thing. Both of them seemed sad for different reasons. I don’t know what the reasons were; it was just a feeling. But the really strange thing about the dream is that I had the feeling she could feel me. I swear it. She turned around and looked at me and I got such a rush! I mean, I had this sort of feeling of connection.” Luke stopped and looked up at Jarod for a moment. “Am I making any sense to you at all?” He asked.
“Does that mean she is a real person? She’s out here somewhere?” Jarod thought that seemed logical; given the fact that Luke had dreamed him up before he arrived.
Luke nodded and had a faraway look to his eyes. “That’s not all. I dreamed of her again last night.” He stopped and sighed. “Somewhere out there is another one like me and my brother. Somewhere that girl is waiting for me to find her. And she is the one I will spend the rest of my life with.”
That gave Jarod a lot to think about, and he was quiet for a while himself. If there were more kids like Luke out there, he would have to help him find them.
“I have a job to do in a little while. It shouldn’t take long and then we’ll see what we can do about finding the girl of your dreams.” He put one hand on Luke’s shoulder, and smiled. “Alright?”
Luke grinned and took a deep breath. “I shouldn’t let a dream affect me so much, but I can’t get her out of my mind. Thanks! I can’t wait!”
***
Kaibab, Elsie’s Stop ‘N’ Place:
1:30 PM: Liz walked wearily up to her room, and took a long hot shower, hoping it would help her sleep. Tired as she was, she still didn’t want to close her eyes. There was too much lurking there in her memory. But sleep, real sleep, would be wonderful.
Elsie was everything Henry had said she would be. She refused to let Liz pay for her stay, and seemed untroubled by the fact that Liz didn’t even know how long she would be staying. Liz had tried to reason with her. “What will you do if I stay forever?” She asked, smiling up at the big woman. “Adopt me?”
Elsie grinned down at her. “If necessary! Now scoot. Those eyes are burning holes in your face. Get some sleep and we’ll talk later.”
‘Well,’ Liz thought to herself, ‘She won’t stop me from working for my keep!’ Liz needed to work. Work so hard that she would be tired enough to fall asleep every night.
With a deep sigh, Liz lay down on her bed. And in spite of her fears, she sank down into a deep sleep.
***
Roswell, the Crashdown:
3:00 PM: Maria’s cell phone rang and she answered it almost before it quit the first ring. “What.” She listened for a few seconds, then answered, “We’re out of here.” Then she bolted for the door, a startled Michael and Alex running after her. “Isabel dreamwalked Liz!” She called over her shoulder.
“Well what are you waiting for!” Alex called after her jubilantly. Now they would find Liz!
Max had the door opened for them when they arrived at his house. The look on his face was not what they expected. It was grim.
Michael felt a tightness in his stomach. He grabbed the now motionless Maria and moved her into the house.
Alex rushed past Max, straight to Isabel who was pacing back and forth in the living room. He gently took her clenched hands in his and sat her down on the couch. “Talk to us Iz. Tell us what you saw.” Isabel just stared at him with a look of horror on her face. Alex looked up at Max for an explanation.
Max shrugged helplessly. “She’s been like this ever since she woke up.” He murmured. “I thought maybe with all of us here, we could calm her down enough to find out what happened.” The look of pain on his face, that something she had seen from Liz had put her into this state, was harder to look at than the one on Isabel’s.
Maria rummaged through her purse and pulled out a small bottle. “Maria, “ Michael moaned, “This is not a time for your quacky aromatherapy.”
But when Maria pushed it under Isabel’s nose, she jumped in Alex’s arms, and lurched away from it.
“What kind of scent is that?” Demanded Michael.
“Ammonia. You never know when someone is going to faint or… whatever.” Maria said defensively. “Besides, it worked.” Isabel was now taking deep breaths and trying not to cry, but she was definitely not freaked out anymore.
Max sat down on the other side of Isabel, and Michael knelt in front of her. Both trying to give her moral support. “Come on Izzy.” Max said gently. “What happened? I’ve never seen you like this before.” Maria, for once, was without words. She just watched, and stood wringing the bottle in her hands.
Isabel looked down at her hands and gave a big shuddering sigh. Then she looked at each one of them. “I…I have to go back.” Before anyone could say a thing, she continued. “But not alone. I need someone to come with me.”
The protests came loudly from all present. From Max, Michael, and Alex, that she was not going to go back into a situation that could do that to her. Maria that she was not taking Michael to whatever had freaked her out.
“All of you just shut up!” She shouted in her best Isabel scream. They shut.
She pressed the fingers of one hand to her forehead and gathered her thoughts. At least now she could think again. Then she tried to explain the unexplainable. “Okay. Liz was dreaming. But it wasn’t a normal dream. It was a memory …or a series of them.” She grabbed onto Alex’s hand and continued. “She… I… Max, parts of them are memories of a flashback she got from you. Memories she couldn’t get from you. They are a huge nightmare thing that keeps replaying and replaying.” Isabel stopped and looked at Max, pain in her eyes. “Max, she can’t wake up.”
TBC......
“What you need, if you are telling me the truth,” and with this Henry looked at her sternly, “Is a quiet safe place to get yourself together and ride out whatever is wrong at home. Right?”
When she nodded, he cleared his throat and continued. “North of Flagstaff, there is a place called Kaibab camping grounds. My sister runs a bed and breakfast/general store/café/gas station sort of place near there. It’s quiet, secluded, and my sister is a big sweetie that will sass you, give you a place to stay, and probably work you too.” He looked at Liz quizzically. “Do I call her and tell her you are on your way?”
Liz didn’t think about it long. It sounded like just the sort of place she needed right now, and she told him so.
“Um, one more question, and don’t take it wrong, but do you have the money to get there?” He asked.
Liz told him that she did indeed have the money and thanked him for his implied offer. He gave her directions on how to get there, and arranged for the next leg of her trip.
Henry watched her bus pull out of the station and shook his head. ‘ Don’t know why I did that,’ He thought, ‘ but there is just something about her.’
Liz found the next leg of the trip hard to take. She was awake. And achingly aware of every mile that came between her and home, her and Max. She would have to call and let her family and friends know she was all right. But not yet. Not until she was farther away.
***
Roswell:
11:30 PM: It was a glum group that sat around the Crashdown that night. The Sheriff had reported that no one answering her description had been seen in or around the bus station, or on any of the roads leading out of Roswell.
A thorough search of her room had revealed some missing clothes, book bag and her empty secret cache of cash. It looked more and more like Liz had skipped town on her own. But how? Why? And with whom?
Max sat almost comatose in his seat. He didn’t feel it when Tess took hold of his hand, he didn’t see the dark looks Maria cast in her direction, or hear the rattling of the door when Kyle tried to get in. He was blaming himself for Liz leaving. She shouldn’t have to run away from home. From him. She shouldn’t have to be alone, away from everyone that cared about her. Now she was out there somewhere and he couldn’t protect her. He couldn’t tell her that, no matter what, he still loved her.
He would always love her.
Iz let Kyle in and he immediately stalked over to Max. “What did you say to her? What did you do that would make her go? Wasn’t it enough that she was willing to do anything to get you to break up with her?” Kyle was angry with himself for going along with Liz on their little charade, angry enough that he had to take it out on someone and Max was that someone.
Kyle’s words got through to Max and he was out of his seat and on top of Kyle before he could move back. Michael and Alex dived in to separate them and got their share of bumps and bruises before they succeeded. Both Max and Kyle found it a very satisfying way to vent their frustration, worry, and guilt.
Maria passed around the ice bags, trying not to grin. All four had black eyes or bloody noses. Max was still too mad to heal himself or anyone else, and Isabel was too disgusted to volunteer. “You both deserve what you got.” She said with a flounce. And pointing at Michael and Alex, she added, “And you two should have just let them get it out of their systems.”
Kyle looked around the bag on his eye. “Can’t you do one of your alien things or something, and find her? I thought you guys could do anything!” He looked from Max to Isabel, to Michael. “Well?”
Tess spoke up for the first time that night. “If she left, then maybe it’s because she wanted to. Why can’t you just accept the fact that she wants out?”
Kyle turned on her, anger sparking in his eyes again. “Oh I don’t suppose you mind at all! You and Max are the reason we went through the whole bed act anyway!”
“Act?” Asked Max.
“Bed? What bed!” Maria demanded.
And the whole story came out. Kyle had opened his mouth and stuck a jeep in it this time. Liz would kill him. He thought glumly, and then swallowed when her disappearance rushed back on him. ‘Oh God, Liz, you can yell at me for a year, only be okay. Come back to us.’
***
Kaibab camping grounds, Arizona, Elsie’s Stop ‘N’ Place:
9:00 AM: Liz got off the tour bus and was immediately greeted by a slightly plump, red headed woman with a big smile. “You must be Liz!” She said as she took Liz’s bag and started herding her towards a rustic collection of buildings. Her nonstop chatter brought a small smile to Liz’s lips. She looked around and sighed. ‘ I think Henry was right,’ She thought to herself. ‘This is a good place to put my life back together.’
***
Roswell, the Evans’ house:
Same time: Max sat on Isabel’s bed, the disappointment clear on his face.
“I’m sorry Max.” Isabel pushed her hair back and sighed. “I could sense her but she wasn’t asleep and I couldn’t get through to her.” The look of exhaustion on her face, told the story of how often she had tried that night to reach Liz.
“Look, let me get a good meal down, and some rest, and I’ll try again. If she didn’t sleep last night, she’s bound to fall asleep sometime today. Okay?”
Max looked at his sister and she saw how much her offer meant to him. She patted his hand. “We’ll find her Max. And we’ll bring her back!”
***
East of Flagstaff, on Route 40:
10:00 AM: Jarod looked over at Luke. He had been unusually quiet yesterday, and if anything he was even quieter this morning. “Alright, a dime for your thoughts.” He said.
Luke looked at him curiously. “Isn’t that ‘a penny’?”
“Inflation.” Jarod smiled, and Luke smiled back.
Part 6
“Remember how I told you I had dreamed of you, and that’s why I trusted you right off the bat?” He asked. “Well, night before last, I had a dream of a girl and a guy. It was really weird, because they were just sitting on a park bench, and not saying a thing. Both of them seemed sad for different reasons. I don’t know what the reasons were; it was just a feeling. But the really strange thing about the dream is that I had the feeling she could feel me. I swear it. She turned around and looked at me and I got such a rush! I mean, I had this sort of feeling of connection.” Luke stopped and looked up at Jarod for a moment. “Am I making any sense to you at all?” He asked.
“Does that mean she is a real person? She’s out here somewhere?” Jarod thought that seemed logical; given the fact that Luke had dreamed him up before he arrived.
Luke nodded and had a faraway look to his eyes. “That’s not all. I dreamed of her again last night.” He stopped and sighed. “Somewhere out there is another one like me and my brother. Somewhere that girl is waiting for me to find her. And she is the one I will spend the rest of my life with.”
That gave Jarod a lot to think about, and he was quiet for a while himself. If there were more kids like Luke out there, he would have to help him find them.
“I have a job to do in a little while. It shouldn’t take long and then we’ll see what we can do about finding the girl of your dreams.” He put one hand on Luke’s shoulder, and smiled. “Alright?”
Luke grinned and took a deep breath. “I shouldn’t let a dream affect me so much, but I can’t get her out of my mind. Thanks! I can’t wait!”
***
Kaibab, Elsie’s Stop ‘N’ Place:
1:30 PM: Liz walked wearily up to her room, and took a long hot shower, hoping it would help her sleep. Tired as she was, she still didn’t want to close her eyes. There was too much lurking there in her memory. But sleep, real sleep, would be wonderful.
Elsie was everything Henry had said she would be. She refused to let Liz pay for her stay, and seemed untroubled by the fact that Liz didn’t even know how long she would be staying. Liz had tried to reason with her. “What will you do if I stay forever?” She asked, smiling up at the big woman. “Adopt me?”
Elsie grinned down at her. “If necessary! Now scoot. Those eyes are burning holes in your face. Get some sleep and we’ll talk later.”
‘Well,’ Liz thought to herself, ‘She won’t stop me from working for my keep!’ Liz needed to work. Work so hard that she would be tired enough to fall asleep every night.
With a deep sigh, Liz lay down on her bed. And in spite of her fears, she sank down into a deep sleep.
***
Roswell, the Crashdown:
3:00 PM: Maria’s cell phone rang and she answered it almost before it quit the first ring. “What.” She listened for a few seconds, then answered, “We’re out of here.” Then she bolted for the door, a startled Michael and Alex running after her. “Isabel dreamwalked Liz!” She called over her shoulder.
“Well what are you waiting for!” Alex called after her jubilantly. Now they would find Liz!
Max had the door opened for them when they arrived at his house. The look on his face was not what they expected. It was grim.
Michael felt a tightness in his stomach. He grabbed the now motionless Maria and moved her into the house.
Alex rushed past Max, straight to Isabel who was pacing back and forth in the living room. He gently took her clenched hands in his and sat her down on the couch. “Talk to us Iz. Tell us what you saw.” Isabel just stared at him with a look of horror on her face. Alex looked up at Max for an explanation.
Max shrugged helplessly. “She’s been like this ever since she woke up.” He murmured. “I thought maybe with all of us here, we could calm her down enough to find out what happened.” The look of pain on his face, that something she had seen from Liz had put her into this state, was harder to look at than the one on Isabel’s.
Maria rummaged through her purse and pulled out a small bottle. “Maria, “ Michael moaned, “This is not a time for your quacky aromatherapy.”
But when Maria pushed it under Isabel’s nose, she jumped in Alex’s arms, and lurched away from it.
“What kind of scent is that?” Demanded Michael.
“Ammonia. You never know when someone is going to faint or… whatever.” Maria said defensively. “Besides, it worked.” Isabel was now taking deep breaths and trying not to cry, but she was definitely not freaked out anymore.
Max sat down on the other side of Isabel, and Michael knelt in front of her. Both trying to give her moral support. “Come on Izzy.” Max said gently. “What happened? I’ve never seen you like this before.” Maria, for once, was without words. She just watched, and stood wringing the bottle in her hands.
Isabel looked down at her hands and gave a big shuddering sigh. Then she looked at each one of them. “I…I have to go back.” Before anyone could say a thing, she continued. “But not alone. I need someone to come with me.”
The protests came loudly from all present. From Max, Michael, and Alex, that she was not going to go back into a situation that could do that to her. Maria that she was not taking Michael to whatever had freaked her out.
“All of you just shut up!” She shouted in her best Isabel scream. They shut.
She pressed the fingers of one hand to her forehead and gathered her thoughts. At least now she could think again. Then she tried to explain the unexplainable. “Okay. Liz was dreaming. But it wasn’t a normal dream. It was a memory …or a series of them.” She grabbed onto Alex’s hand and continued. “She… I… Max, parts of them are memories of a flashback she got from you. Memories she couldn’t get from you. They are a huge nightmare thing that keeps replaying and replaying.” Isabel stopped and looked at Max, pain in her eyes. “Max, she can’t wake up.”
TBC......
