Dreamwalk r-3
Page 3
time you took me on a dreamwalk into the mind of the Playboy Playmate of the Year?» Kyle asked.
Isabel was afraid to think about where this one was going. «Yes. Afterward, I couldn't bathe long enough to make me feel clean after I realized the things you had in mind.»
«I've been thinking a lot about that lately," he said, with no trace of lecherous teenage humor in his voice. His fingers were tapping against Liz's metal locker.
Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap.
«I'm sure you have," Isabel said, taking his hand so that the metal-amplified drumming would stop. «But we won't be doing that again. I don't usually bring guests with me when I dreamwalk.»
«That's not what I want.»
«Then what, Kyle?» Isabel checked through the door's window to make sure none of the «out of the loop» guests was going to stumble across their conversation. It was more out of habit than concern. «What's with the mood you're in? I mean, obviously we're all upset, but you seem to be really agitated at the moment. I didn't think you and Alex were all that close.»
«Right now, I feel closer to him than I think anyone else could," Kyle replied in a monotone. «I did kill him, after all.»
A flood of denials came rushing to Isabel's mind. It was just a matter of which one would come out of her mouth first. «That's ridiculous. Tess killed him. You had nothing to do with it.»
«But if I hadn't come into the room," he explained, «if I hadn't opened the door when I did, maybe Tess wouldn't have been pushing so hard on Alex's mind. She was trying
to get him to shut up in front of me. She killed him because of me.»
Isabel took a moment to gather her thoughts. She wasn't prepared to handle such a conversation, but knew that what she was about to say would carry a lot of weight with him. «And if 1 hadn't introduced Alex to Tess, it wouldn't have happened. And if Liz hadn't told him our secret, it wouldn't have happened. And if our spaceship had crashed in Tupelo, Mississippi, it wouldn't have happened. Kyle, there are millions of things that could have been done to avoid it, but none of us has the power to see the future. We can't stop things before they happen.»
«But you can change things after the fact," Kyle replied. «You can make people change.»
Isabel knew what he was talking about. «Kyle, Tess mindwarped you into helping her set up Alex's death. You didn't know what you were doing.»
«I loaded him into the car like he was a duffel bag," Kyle reminded her.
«Because you thought he was," she shot back. «You had no control over your actions. She was using you.»
«That's not much consolation," he replied. «Buddha says, 'Kill not, but have regard for life.'"
Isabel didn't have a good response to that one, so she went with the obvious. «I really don't care what Buddha says. I truly doubt that Buddha ever considered alien mind tricks when coming up with life philosophies.»
She managed to elicit a slight smile from Kyle on that one. But it was quickly wiped away. In the momentary pause that followed, they both listened to the music coming from the restaurant. Apparently, Maria had taken Isabel's
suggestion and once again had joined in with the band. She was wrapping up a tune by the group Save Ferris. It was a band Isabel knew Alex had loved.
«Kyle, why are you telling all this to me?» Isabel asked.
«I've been having trouble sleeping," he said. «I keep replaying the memory of Alex's death. Every time I close my eyes, I see myself walking in on them. Sometimes, I see myself in Alex's place. Other times, I see things that have nothing to do with it. Strange things that I don't understand.»
«What kinds of things?»
«Everything," he replied. «And nothing, too. I can't explain it.»
«So that's why you look so tired.»
«It's not just when I'm sleeping," he continued. «This afternoon, I was working on a car when I got flashes of Alex's car hitting the truck. Isabel, I wasn't even there when the collision happened.»
But Isabel knew what he was talking about, because she had seen it too. She thought it had been normal for the imagination to make them see these things. «I think that's just our minds trying to explain things. Since we weren't witnesses, our minds are making up the scenario so we can find some kind of closure.»
«It's not closure," he said, sure of himself. «It's getting worse. Much worse.»
«How?»
«It started out as just some nightmares and daydreams," he explained. «Normal grieving stuff. But now I can't get my mind off it. No matter what I do, I just keep seeing things that I have no control over.»
«So, what can I do?» she asked, cautiously.
«Well, since the problem is dream related," Kyle began his pitch, «I was thinking maybe you could go in there and fix things.»
«Fix your dreams?» she asked for clarification, because she wasn't exactly sure what he was proposing.
Kyle sensed her reluctance. «You've manipulated dreams before. I'd just go to sleep, and you would pop into my head and remove all the images of Alex's death.»
«That's not manipulating dreams," Isabel said. «That's displacing memories. When I go into someone's dreams, it's purely harmless recreation. I'm only playing around with the dream. This is… different.»
«But, Tess-"
«Has entirely different powers than I do," she reminded him. «I can't just go in and change your thoughts.»
«Have you ever tried?» he asked, suspecting that he knew the answer.
«No.»
«Then how do you-"
«It's too dangerous," she stopped him before he continued down this track. «We have no idea what that could do to you. It's just too dangerous.»
«I'm willing to take that risk," he said. «I have nothing left to lose.»
«Alex died," she said flatly. «He died because Tess went too far with her powers. I'm not going to do the same thing.»
«But it's the only way," Kyle said.
«Have you even considered some kind of therapy?» Isabel said. «Maybe something more interactive than speaking to Buddha?»
«I would love to talk to someone about this," his agitation level was rising. «Tell me who. Tell me what therapist on Earth I can talk to and explain that I'm plagued by images in a murder I took part in because an alien messed with my mind. I would love to get normal help, but normal and Roswell don't mix.»
Isabel couldn't argue that fact. She, Max, and Michael had lived with the secret all their lives. They'd known pretty much from the start that they were different. But their friends were pulled into their crazy lives, and now everyone's concept of normal had been thrown completely upside down. Isabel couldn't help but feel that she owed Kyle, but she also knew that she couldn't risk his life. «I'm sorry," she whispered. «I can't.»
The statement hung in the air for the longest time as music continued to waft in from the other room. Kyle and Isabel just stared at each other, until finally the moment was broken by something entirely unexpected. Apparently, Maria had taken a break from performing with the band.
«Is that my dad?» Kyle asked as they listened to the impossible. «Is he… singing?»
3
«Should we go over it one more time?» Max asked as he threw an extra shirt into his overnight bag.
His sister let out an audible sigh as she replayed the story for a third time that morning. «You and Michael are going to Frazier Woods for the entire weekend to do some stupid science project on plant life native to New Mexico so that Michael can make up for all the work he missed cutting classes during the school year. Really, dear brother, this is one of the easier cover stories we've ever had to come up with. I think I can manage it.»
«I just don't want them to think something's up," Max said, zipping his bag closed. «We give them enough to worry about.»
«Mom and Dad are driving to Santa Fe first thing tomorrow morning and are staying there overnight," Isabel reminded him. «I doubt they'll even notice you're gone.»
«It's just," he tri
ed to put his concern into words, «they already think Liz and I got too intense too fast. I don't
want them to worry about us spending the weekend together, especially since we're not really spending it alone together.»
Isabel opened the curtains in her brothers room to let in some of the morning sunlight. They were lucky that Friday was looking like it was going to be as nice as the rest of the week had been. Roswell was experiencing an unusual stretch of mild weather in the regularly hot summer.
«Oh," Max said, remembering one more thing. «Make sure Michael doesn't accidentally show up here. He knows what's going on, but sometimes with him I never know how much he's paying attention.»
«You'll have to remember all this when your own son's a teenager," Isabel chided him. «I think this is the best lesson for dealing with a problem teen. 'What to do when you think your son's lying to you.'"
«Very funny," he said, although he knew that he was making more out of his sneaking off than necessary. He knew that she was right to treat him like he was overreacting, but having to lie to his parents never got any easier. At least this time he was hiding normal teenage stuff from them instead of huge alien conspiracies. Well, minus the whole part about having a son on another planet, he thought. He also took small solace in the fact that he had known that his son would never have to hide the same secrets he did.
«Don't you have to pick up Liz?» Isabel asked, looking at her watch and making a face that implied his delayed departure was beginning to interfere with her plans for the day.
«On my way.» He threw his bag onto his shoulder and headed for the door. «What are you up to this weekend?»
«Oh, nothing special," she replied, following him through the house. «Probably just hang out with Kyle and stuff.» Of course, the «and stuff' she was referring to was Jesse. She was going to meet him for coffee that evening, but save their big plans until tomorrow. Considering that her whole family would be out of town, they would never have a better chance to spend a day together without fear of running into Max or her parents. Roswell was not a huge town to begin with, but it became even smaller when a simple dinner in a restaurant turned into a covert activity. Aside from that, however, she really did want to spend some time that day with Kyle to try to help him get over his problem without relying on alien manipulation.
«Have fun," Max said, opening the front door.
«You too," Isabel replied as she watched her brother leave. Then, she added in a mockingly stern voice, «You keep that kid in his place.»
«I will.» He cheerfully walked down the front path, actually looking forward to what lay ahead.
Hopping into his convertible and starting the ignition, Max was still getting used to how the car handled. The ride was a little more smooth than his old Jeep, although the gear shift did have a tendency to stick from time to time. As he drove the short distance from his place to the Crashdown, he thought once again of how much he missed the Jeep that he had owned since learning to drive.
When he, Isabel, Michael, and Tess had attempted to return to their home planet, they had set in motion a very specific plan for their disappearance from Roswell. The plot
had involved a never delivered video message to his parents followed by the premature demise of his Jeep. Driving out to a deserted portion of road, Max flung the vehicle off the edge and into a valley using his powers to make it burst into flames along the way.
The ridding of the Jeep was quite spectacular and, unfortunately, quite irreversible. So, when Max later sent Tess packing and remained behind with his sister and Michael, he was forced to get a new ride and try to explain to his parents just what he had done with the old one. Just one more lie in an ever growing list.
Pulling up in the alley behind the Crashdown Cafe, Max was happy to find Liz waiting outside with her bag. Maria was also with her, obviously on break, since she was dressed in her work uniform. Initially, he had been planning to go the gentlemanly route and actually park his car and go inside to get Liz. However, that would have called for him to walk through the restaurant and possibly run into her father. Although Mr. Parker knew that Max was taking her to Artesia, Liz's dad also thought that it was just a drop-off-and-return trip. It was much easier for Max to ignore the fact that he was staying the weekend if he didn't actually have to lie to Mr. Parker's face.
«Have I ever mentioned how much I love a man in a convertible?» Maria cooed as she slid her hand along the now parked car.
«I thought you loved a man on a motorcycle," Liz replied, referring indirectly to Michael.
«Not at the moment," she answered in a huff.
Sill hoping to avoid getting involved in Michael and Maria's business, Max hopped out of the car to help Liz
with her bag, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
«My parents wanted you to come in so they could thank you for taking me to Artesia," Liz said, smiling warmly.
Max dropped the bag into the backseat as a look of horror crossed his face. «Really… that's… not…»
«I told them that we wanted to get on the road as soon as possible so we wouldn't be late," she quickly added, letting him off the hook.
«Don't want to have to deal with that crazy traffic between here and Artesia," Maria added sarcastically, since the road they were taking was never that busy, especially late on a Friday morning.
«Then maybe we should leave before they come out here to thank me?» Max suggested, with an eagerness in his tone.
Liz moved around the car toward the passenger side. «Maria, you've got the number in case anything happens while we're gone?»
«In my purse," she replied. «But what could possibly happen in this quiet little town?»
A flood of possibilities came to all three of their minds, but no one dared comment for risk of jinxing themselves.
«You two kids have fun," Maria quickly added. «And don't worry about us back here in Roswell. We'll be fine.»
«Tell Michael I said good-bye," Max said, starting the car. «And remind him not to stop by my house.»
«Yeah," she replied.
«Bye," Liz said as they drove off.
Maria watched them pull out into the street before heading back to work.
Making their way through Roswell, Max followed the familiar route to 285 South. The radio played softly, competing with the wind whipping past them in the convertible. The ride would take about an hour, but it would give them a chance to be alone in what seemed like the first time in a while.
«So, who exactly are we watching this weekend?» Max asked as they pulled onto the highway. «You never really explained who this kid is and how you know him.»
«My friend Jason," Liz explained while putting on some sunscreen for the ride in the topless car. «He's about twelve now. Our moms were best friends in high school and got married around the same time. It was one of those things where I called his parents Aunt Jackie and Uncle Rob.»
«Yeah, I have a set of those," Max commented.
«Jason was born when I was five," Liz continued as they headed down the highway. «Since we were both only children, we kind of fell into a big sister-little brother thing.»
«Why is this the first time I've heard of him?» Max asked.
«We've been out of touch for over a year now," she explained, rubbing the lotion onto her arms. «His parents got divorced when he was six, and his dad wound up moving to New York to take a job. About a year later, Aunt Jackie met a man from Artesia named George Lyles.»
«Uncle George?» Max anticipated where this was going.
«Well, no," she corrected him. «I never really got to know him, since he lived down in Artesia. I mean, our families did spend some time together. I was even flower girl at their wedding. But I never really felt close enough to call him uncle. I usually call him Mr. Lyles.»
«So after the wedding, Aunt Jackie and Jason moved to Artesia?» Max asked.
«A little over four years ago»-she motioned to offer him the suntan lotion, but he sho
ok his head to decline- «we would drive down there or they would come up to Roswell about once a month. Then the trips started getting less frequent. Mr. Lyles rarely joined us since his ranch kept him so busy.»
«Ranch?» Max asked while pulling aside to let a tailgater pass as the guy was intent on going thirty miles over the speed limit.
«They raise sheep," Liz continued. «Cute, huh? They only have a few. Mr. Lyles inherited the ranch from his parents. He's actually some kind of important businessman who telecommutes and flies to Dallas once a month. His parents died long ago, and he moved onto the property and kept the sheep. Which means there will probably be a ranch hand or two around this weekend, but they probably won't come near the house.»
«Good to know," he said, making a mental note to stay away from wherever the sheep were kept, so no one found out he had stayed the weekend.
«Eventually, the trips stopped entirely," Liz said. «But Jason and I kept in touch with letters, phone calls, and eventually e-mails. Then, over a year ago, he stopped writing at all. I would send him little updates of what was going on in my life, glossing over any otherworldly happenings, of course, but he never responded.»
«I guess you were surprised when your parents asked you to take care of him for the weekend?»
«Well, Mom and Aunt Jackie kept in touch," Liz said.
«But, yeah, it was a little out of the blue. Mom kind of implied that Jason's been having some… well, she wouldn't exactly say trouble, but something's going on. I guess Aunt Jackie thought he might like to see a friend.»
Max felt another pang of guilt about tagging along on the weekend sojourn. «Are you sure I won't be getting in the way? I can just drop you off, turn around, and go home like your parents already think I'm doing.»
«You're not getting out of this so easily," Liz said, smiling at his reluctance. «You wanted to know what it was like taking care of a child. Well, here you have a child for the weekend. I'm sure nothing's seriously wrong with Jason. Besides, he's going to love meeting you.»
«If you say so," Max said, although he was beginning to have a sense of foreboding about the coming weekend.