The kids kept moving down the street followed by the two adults. The other adult stayed at the house where no one answered the door. Aimee thought it was odd. She wondered why he didn't go with them. He was kneeling down at the steps, his back to Aimee, doing something. She couldn't tell what, but something didn't feel right.
After a couple minutes he stood up, looked around quickly, then took off in the direction of his group. Aimee stayed behind the tree until he was far enough down the sidewalk he wouldn't notice her tracking him. Like a snoop, she followed, watching from behind. Pretty soon he caught up with the group. Aimee stopped at the house they had just passed and stood behind more shrubs while she watched. She could hear them talking, but she couldn't decipher what anyone was saying. After a few seconds, though, Aimee saw the adult who had stayed behind, reach into his jacket pocket and sneak something into his kids’ pumpkins, then they continued on their way.
Her brows knitted instantly. Why did he stop at that house? she wondered. And what did he give them? No one answered that door while they were there, or after they left. Aimee watched the kids while they continued walking fast down the street, hitting all of the houses with lights inviting them. The air felt cool and heavy with moisture, and the adults were hurrying them on to finish before it started to rain. It continued to eat at Aimee why the one man stayed behind at that house, then caught up with the group and snuck something into only his kids’ pumpkins.
Then like someone kicked her backside, she gasped and her hands flew across her mouth to drown out the sound. Aimee suddenly realized he put something bad into their candy. Omigod! she said to herself. What should I do? Her heart fluttered. She couldn't think. What now? How do I save them? Who knows what he gave them, but their pumpkins have to be full. There was only one thing she could think of doing.
Aimee bolted down the sidewalk as fast as she could. She planned to fly by them, then tear away. The kids' loud chattering drowned out her approach. Out of the dark of the night she shoved past the adults, then like a pickpocket, Aimee tried to seize the three kids’ pumpkins to make off with them. She hit the kids like a surprise bomber from out of nowhere. Two of the smaller children fell down screaming. Their pumpkins were now in Aimee's hand. The older child wasn't as easy. She clung on to her pumpkin with all her might. The best Aimee could do was try to knock the candy all over the wet sidewalk. The stunned adults snapped and all three screamed obscenities at Aimee, then jumped her. She wasn't giving up. She fought like a wild tiger. The two buckets she managed to grab went flying into the street. Candy spilled all over the pavement. Just then, a car crept by and rolled over the mess. Aimee glanced for a fraction of a second into the eyes of the man who gave the kids something from his pocket. She knew that look, and it was evil. Instantly, he realized his crime had somehow been discovered. She tussled against the adults, while the kids wailed and watched their parents try to subdue Aimee. Candy scattered all over the ground. People started to come outside to see what the ruckus was about. Aimee yelled out, “The candy’s been poisoned! Two of the adults wrestling Aimee stopped abruptly and looked stunned at each other, then immediately released their hold on her. The first man released, too. In a flash, he drew his fist back and started to swing it towards Aimee's face. She screamed, closed her eyes, and ducked. His hand missed her completely.
At that second, the black tunnel saved her! It ripped her out of the circle of chaos into its dark torture. She had never been so happy to be in its hungry clutches. Pain shot through every inch of her body, and she screeched like the kids. Getting sucked through time seemed longer than it had ever been before, but finally, the white searing light burned through. Aimee dropped from out of nowhere back into Eugene, Oregon.
She landed hard onto the pavement, first on her butt, then directly blacked out from the pain of the entry. She didn't know how long she was out, but her mind swirled back and forth; in and out; all the while seeing hands without faces grabbing her; hearing the sound of kids screaming frantically; then at last, the evil man's face popped into her vision. She sat up gasping for air, then commenced screeching. Joseph hovered over her, down on his knees. He grabbed her shoulders to keep Aimee from collapsing backwards again.
“Aimee, don't get up yet,” he ordered sternly, keeping his hold on her.
She quit screaming, closed her eyes, and nodded. Her heart thumped erratically. Her stomach sat in her throat. But other than the normal disorientation from the traveling, she felt in one piece. Her butt hurt from the landing, but nothing felt broken. Maybe just bruised, she hoped. But worse than having another broken bone to explain, was the immediate realization she traveled in front of Joseph. Panic set in. Crap, what did he see? What do I say?
“You seem to be in one piece. Anything feel broken?” he asked concerned.
Aimee looked at him for a second, then shut her eyes trying to concentrate on the severity of what just happened. She couldn't worry about having failed a mission. There was a bigger worry. Joseph witnessed her travel! She stammered, “I don't...I don't think so.” Joseph had his arms around her waist while she struggled to get into standing. “I don't know what happened. I musta fainted, huh?”
Aimee checked his face and she could tell that she couldn't lie her way out of this one. He didn't say a word. One eyebrow raised and the frown told Aimee he didn't believe a word she had said.
After a long second, he answered, “Here, let's go sit down on this bench so you can get your bearings first.” He shut the driver's door and kept his hands around her waist as they slowly walked towards the bench. She eased delicately onto the bench. Joseph asked, “Okay?” Aimee nodded. He hurried back to the car and grabbed the water bottle and returned in two seconds. “Here,” he said as he handed Aimee the container.
She took a long sip. Her throat felt parched from her screaming. She took another swig, swished the water around her dry mouth and swallowed. “Thank you,” she said.
“You sure you aren't hurt?” he asked. “You took quite a spill coming out of the car seat. What happened? Did you get your foot stuck somehow?”
What? she thought confused. She thought she physically left when she traveled. Maybe for only a few seconds, or a couple minutes, at the most, but she figured she physically checked out for that fraction of a time. How did he not see that? she wondered.
“I don't know what happened. I guess I could have tripped as I was getting out. I'm a real klutz,” she answered with a slight grin. Joseph never took his eyes off her. She glanced up and his face was like stone. Her attempt to joke away the situation wasn't working. Aimee paused a long second, then said, “Let me sit here for a couple minutes, then I'll be fine.”
“Sure, take all the time you need,” he said as he finally sat back onto the bench. He sighed. Aimee peeked over at him and managed a sorry smile.
They sat in silence for a long moment. It felt horrible. She had to say something credible to get out of this situation. She started to say something, but Joseph interrupted. “You know Aimee,” he began, “I think you know you shouldn't cover up the truth with me.”
She glanced over at him. He was staring at her again. “I'm not sure what you're talking about. I'm not trying to cover up anything,” replied Aimee feeling her panic growing. But she had to keep in control.
His eyes never left her. He quizzed, “You're sure of that?”
Her stomach churned. Her head ached, like it always did after traveling. All she could think about was going home and locking herself in her room.
Aimee waited until she could talk. “Joseph, I really don't like you insinuating something. You don't know me.”
Joseph briefly looked the other way. A couple of people were exiting the restaurant. They didn't concern themselves with him and Aimee as they walked the opposite direction to their car. Looking back at Aimee, he said, “I know you better than you're willing to admit.”
“Joseph, I'd like to go now.” She didn't like this conversation.
“Sure, if you're fee
ling better. Do you still want me to drive?”
Quickly Aimee answered, “No, I'm okay now. I just need to go home and rest.” He held out the keys and smiled. Aimee took them and forced a limp smile.
All the way back to campus, Aimee felt his eyes on her, but she kept her attention to the road. They drove in silence. She felt him thinking. She knew he witnessed more than he was letting on. The closer they got to school, the harder it was for her to breathe. She had screwed up. Big time. But at least it wasn't in front of Dylan. Aimee pulled into a space and shifted into Park. Joseph looked over at Aimee, then instantly put his hand over hers as it rested on the gearshift. Like a hot poker touched her, Aimee yanked her hand away. Joseph looked at her hand, then at Aimee. The tension in the car was thick. He spoke first. “Go home and rest. We'll try lunch again some other time.”
Aimee stared back. No way would she try lunch again. She wanted to forget it ever happened. She sat squirming in her seat speechless. Nothing she could say would help. It would only make it worse.
Joseph started to open his door. He stopped and looked back at Aimee. He said faintly, as if he were sharing a secret, “Aimee, I think you know what just happened. Soon. Someday soon you'll admit it.” He stepped out and slammed his door, but peered back at her through the window. He nodded once, then he stepped back. Aimee threw the car into Reverse and hit the accelerator, narrowly missing him as she backed. He continued to watch her speed out of the parking lot. Aimee glanced into the rearview mirror. He still stood there, watching her drive away.
Aimee hit the main drag and peeled out onto it. Her brain was about to explode. She couldn't think straight. In a daze she drove a few blocks away from campus. Like the car had its own mind, she pulled into a parking lot, stopped, then put the car into Park. She lost it. Hysterical crying commenced. What did I lose? My sanity? Had it finally happened? Am I going over the edge...again? Everything hit at once. She couldn't process what had happened, and more importantly, what she needed to do. Someone suddenly knocked on her window. Aimee screamed and turned. A woman was standing there staring at her with a bewildered look.
The woman asked, “Are you okay?”
Aimee nodded.
She stood there for a few more seconds. “Are you sure? You don't look well,” she commented.
Aimee rolled down the window halfway, and tried to appear believable, “No, I'm okay. I just had a scare a few minutes ago. I need to sit here a few minutes before I drive again.”
“Okay then,” she replied. She smiled, then left.
Deep into her lungs, Aimee sucked a huge breath of air, then slowly exhaled. The crying had stopped, but her head still felt awful. The thoughts seemed jumbled. But slowly the dreams with Joseph filtered in, all of them, back to the first one she had many months ago, the one where she and James traveled to save him because he was a... Omigod! she thought. Aimee felt sick. She lowered her window completely and sucked in more air. She remembered the dream exactly. She and James were sent to rescue Joseph because he was in trouble. And worse than that, he was the father of her child! “Ughhhh!” she cried out. “No way! No way! No possible way any part of that dream can come true!” Her mind raced Fate brought us together; two complete strangers; living thousands of miles apart; in two different countries; across one huge ocean, only those dreams can never, ever, become reality! You have to get in control of this. Dylan can't suspect anything that has happened, nor can Joseph ruin what we have together. Fear festered into fierce determination. Aimee wouldn't let Joseph come between her and Dylan. Not now! Not ever! Not... “Omigod!” she spurt out. “The dream! We were all traveling together!” And today, I traveled with him watching! Any normal person would have freaked out totally if someone disappeared, then returned in front of them. Only Joseph wasn't phased by my disappearance. He didn't freak out because he knows what I am. And he knows I'm a time traveler because he's...omigod, yes...he's one, too!
Aimee sunk into the leather under her. She didn't want to believe it was possible, but nothing else about Joseph made sense. Coming to UC for research was a ruse. He wasn't here because of any dig. He was here because he needed to be here for her. Predestined? she wondered. Aimee shook her head. The past ten months of traveling; the feeling of being the only freak in this world; it all seemed to be a horrible, horrible curse until she met her mother. Then she realized she wasn't the only freak in this world, there were others. Seek others! Seek others! Seek others! The two words exploded in her brain. The pieces were fitting together. Joseph had to be the other! Instantly, she felt like she was suffocating. What am I gonna do? I can't have Joseph a part of my life, not with Dylan. I can't do it! She barely had time to open the door and lean out before everything in her stomach came up. Moisture dripped from behind her eyelids. She grabbed a tissue, wiped her mouth, shut the door, and cried until her eyes ran dry. Aimee didn't think she could go on living in a world where she was forced to carry out unworldly work, keep supernatural secrets, and remain in love with a worldly human. She didn't see how she could continue the charade, or worse, stay alive when she traveled. “Why me?” she sobbed.
A car pulled into the space catty corner to her. An older man got out and noticed Aimee sitting in her car. He took a second look, then started towards her car. She didn't feel like visiting with anyone else, so she put her Camry into Reverse. He stopped suddenly at the edge of her front bumper and watched her pull out, then tear off. Aimee peeked into the rearview mirror. He shook his head and watched her until she turned out of the parking lot back onto the main street.
When Aimee walked into the apartment, James was lying on the couch, a textbook spread across his stomach, and the remote in one hand flipping through the channels. He immediately noticed Aimee's distraught appearance.
“Hey, what's wrong?” he quizzed as he sat up and put the book on the couch next to him.
Aimee didn't feel like talking to anyone. She muttered, “Nothing, except one of my damn headaches.” James started to ask something, but Aimee didn't stop. Briskly she made it to her room, slammed the door, locked it, then threw herself across the bed, and pitched a pillow over her head. In a few seconds, James knocked on the door, then the sound of the door handle jiggling floated through the wooden barrier.
“Aimee, open up so we can talk.”
Slightly she lifted the pillow and answered, “No, James. I don't feel good. Leave me alone, okay?” Aimee thought she heard footsteps disappear down the hallway. Thank God! she thought and dropped the pillow. She was mentally fried and needed sleep. Her brain was jammed with thoughts swirling, but she was too exhausted from everything that had happened in the past few hours that she immediately dropped into slumber.
Someone rapped on her door. It awoke her. She was still in prone, stretched across the bed with the pillow over her head. Aimee peeked out from under the pillow and looked at the clock. The green numbers read 6:45 pm.
“Aimee?” Dylan's voice filter through the door. “Honey, open up.”
Aimee sat up quickly, wiped her eyes, and then got up, stepped over to the door, unlocked and opened it. Dylan stood in the hallway. She gestured for him to come in. He stepped in, and Aimee shut the door and relocked it.
“What's going on?” he asked as he turned on the bedside lamp.
She didn't have to lie to answer, at least. “I got a horrible headache after my last class. I sat in my car awhile off campus because I was too sick to drive.”
“Why didn't you call me? I would have come and taken you home.”
“Dylan, it hurt so bad I couldn't even keep my eyes open.”
“Sweetheart, don't you think you need to have the doctor check you out for these headaches you keep getting?”
“Dr. Miller has checked and rechecked me. He can't find anything wrong. I just try to manage them by sleeping them off.”
Unwilling to believe nothing could be done to help her, he asked, “No medication helps?”
“Not really. Dr. Miller prescribed me some migraine medic
ation, but it turns me into a zombie for days. I take ibuprofen to dull it, but I have to sleep it off.”
“Man, that really sucks.”
Aimee responded, “Yeah, tell me about it.”
“So, do you feel well enough to go get something to eat?”
She really didn't, but Aimee needed something to divert her thoughts from the hell she had been through earlier. “I guess so, but I think I should go to bed early tonight. My brain still hurts.”
Dylan kissed her tenderly on her forehead and stroked her hair. “Anything to help you feel better. That's my job.”
Wow, he's amazing! she thought. But, would he love me if he knew who I really was? she wondered. He said he would love me forever, no matter what. Only...well...what if I wasn't really who he thought I was. Now her stomach hurt as bad as her head. God, help me! she prayed. Dylan was her sun, moon, and earth. She couldn't lose him or she'd die.
“Dylan?” Aimee started as she grabbed the brush from the dresser.
“Yeah?”
She pulled the brush through her tussled hair, then continued, “Would you love me if I was ill, say I had an incurable brain tumor?”
Dylan's face turned ashen. “What!?” he exclaimed. “You're not...” he paused unable to finish.
“No, no, no,” Aimee quickly assured him. “I'm not ill. I was just using that hypothetically.”
Dylan wiped his fingers through his hair, then fussed, “Aimee, don't ever scare me like that again!”
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.” She waited a few seconds, then asked a second question. “So, what about if some gorgeous, very bright, and extremely successful woman, maybe a few years older than you, came on to you. I mean really was pouring it on. Would you still love me?”
The Weird Travels of Aimee Schmidt: Seeking Others Page 14
