19
MAVERICK
AFTER EXPLANING EXACTLY what happened, I managed to calm everybody down. I reminded them that Astid was the one who let me go in the first place, so I owe my life to her. It was also obvious that her brother and a couple other BEKs were after her.
Which reminded me that I still have a broken window in my room. Crap.
Lisa spent the majority of our lunch there with us, but then she had to hurry back to class. When I’m sure they rest of them have stopped freaking out, I tell them about my scheduled therapy session. Since Lisa’s grounded, I need Cadence and Marcus to check up on Astid before Mom gets home from work.
“So, you promise to be nice?” I ask Cadence.
Her lips purse together and her eyebrows lean in toward each other. I’m pushing her limits and it’s written all over her face.
“I’ll be cordial. I can’t promise nice.” She grabs her backpack from the bench. “They killed Tarick. What do you expect me to act like?”
“She didn’t have anything to do with Tarick, just remember that,” I say. “Marcus, you’ll go with her. It’s too bad Lisa is grounded.”
“Yeah, man. Sure,” Marcus replies.
“Oh, and just be prepared to hear her voice in your heads. It’s creepy at first, but you’ll get used to it. When you walk up to my house, you need to send your thoughts her way. Make sure to let her know I sent you,” I say.
Marcus hears me, but I don’t think he understands what I just said.
“Her name is Astid,” I add.
Cadence looks like she wants to say more, but she throws away her trash and heads back to class.
Now I just have to face two more hours of school, but there’s no way I’m going to be able to concentrate on whatever class rules and expectations my teachers are going to be blabbering about.
I should just skip seeing Dr. Wilson, but apparently the shrink and Mom are talking on the phone about me, and Mom has enough to deal with. So I’ll go to therapy for her.
“I KNOW you’re just doing this for your mom,” Lisa says as she hangs a right turn towards town. “But maybe you should take your therapy seriously. You’re going through a lot.”
I lean my head back against the seat. “To be honest, Dr. Wilson’s actually pretty good. I did feel better after our first appointment. Maybe you’re right.”
Lisa reaches out and touches my knee. “You’re dealing with a lot at the same time. We’re all pretty messed up right now. I haven’t slept since Tarick died. Cadence is just angry all the time. Even Marcus isn’t the same...okay, that’s not true.”
I put my hand on hers, and she doesn’t pull away. “I’m worried about Cadence the most. She’s going to blow her top. Maybe it was a bad idea to have her and Marcus go check on Astid.”
“She’ll be okay,” Lisa assures me. “Cadence has to remember that you lost your best friend too. She’s been pretty hard on you.”
“I can’t blame her.”
“So the girl with the black eyes is named Astid,” Lisa says. “They all have names?”
I nod. “She won’t tell me what they are. All I know is that Astid is not a monster, demon, or an alien.”
Lisa sighs. “Like I said...messed up.”
I point to the building, and Lisa pulls up in front of the office building. She gives me a quick hug before I get out. Lisa drives away, and I’m tempted to ditch therapy again. I did feel better after last time, but I need to keep my secrets to myself. I sure don’t plan on telling the shrink anything new this time around. If it wasn’t for Mom, I wouldn’t be standing here. If it gives her peace of mind, it’s the least I can do for her.
Dr. Wilson’s office building looms before me with not a single car in the parking lot. I wonder what she drives. Maybe she lives nearby and just hoofs it. After going up the flight of steps, I enter through the glass door and walk into the bland waiting room. I approach her office door and give it a little tap to let her know I’m here.
“One moment,” her voice says from the other side of the cheap wood.
It smells like a wet basement in here. Nasty.
I wait, dreading the next hour. What am I going to say? Nothing. I’m going to say absolutely nothing. The last time I was here, I spilled my guts and told her everything. Not this time. I’m going to play it cool, and hopefully she’ll tell Mom that I don’t need therapy anymore. Mom will be relieved to know that her son is not insane.
Dr. Wilson finally swings the door open after a couple of minutes, and she greets me with a smile. “Maverick, it’s nice to see you again.”
“Hey,” is all I can muster.
I stumble into the small, yet comfortable office and plop down in the same spot on the couch as last time. I resolve to make sure she knows that I’m still hurt by Tarick’s disappearance, but all that stuff about the black-eyed kids was just a freaky episode I was going through. A coping mechanism or whatever they call it. Temporary insanity.
“So, how have things been since we last spoke?” She takes her seat and grabs her notebook and pen. “I’m sorry we missed each other yesterday.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
“And how are you dealing with life? Sleeping and eating okay?”
“Yep, just fine.”
“And how was school today?”
Today had been rough. Anxiety filled me all day, but the worst was not having Tarick there. It was weird. I kept thinking I was going to see him at our locker after each class, and I felt my depression linger on the edge of my mind every time I had to remind myself that Tarick was gone.
“It was okay,” I lie.
“How are things at home with your mother?” she asks.
I’m working hard to compose myself. “Fine. Everything’s normal.”
“Is there anything on your mind that you would like to talk about?”
I look into her soft, young face. She certainly doesn’t look like a typical therapist. She’s actually really pretty, and once again, I estimate her to only be in her early twenties. Her voice is soothing and non-threatening, but I have to remind myself to remember to be totally normal.
“No, not really,” I answer her casually.
I wonder about Astid, Cadence, and Marcus. What are they doing now? Did Astid stay put all day? Will she still be there when I get home? Was she just a figment of my imagination? Maybe I am crazy and projected her into my life inadvertently.
It’s so weird. It’s as if I’m watching myself go through all of this crap. My life is one big out of body experience. Maybe it’s stress. I need to get a grip and act normal. Dr. Wilson is looking at me, studying my every move.
Of course Astid is real. How will I hide her from Mom? That’s the biggest question of all: what am I gonna do with Astid? I can’t just keep her in hiding forever.
“You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind. I think we should try some relaxation techniques.” Her pleasant face nods slightly and I find myself nodding as well. “It will help you feel better. It’s something you can do at home when you feel a little anxious.”
“Do I look anxious?” I really suck at lying. I lean back and try to look more relaxed, but judging by the discerning look on Dr. Wilson’s face, she’s not buying it. “I feel fine. Really.”
“You look...preoccupied. Lost in your thoughts.” Dr. Wilson puts down her paper and pen. “You want to try? I promise, it won’t hurt. In fact, you’ll enjoy it. It’s just some breathing techniques, really.”
“Sure.” I cross my arms. I’m not so sure relaxation is the key to my problems, but I play along. “Breathing is a good thing, I guess. I mean, if you don’t breathe, you...die.”
God, I sound like an idiot. I need to play it cool and just stop talking so much.
Dr. Wilson pulls out an iPod from her desk and places it in a dock connected to small speakers. “This is just some relaxing music. But I want you to focus on my voice.”
“Okay.”
I wonder if she heard the I think she’s
nuts tone in my voice. Weird describes this entire episode, and that’s when I notice that all the ugly drapes completely cover the windows. The only light is coming from a small lamp on her desk. I can’t believe people pay good money for this therapy-crap.
She presses play on the iPod and a soothing, light drumbeat rhythmically pulsates from the speakers. The sound of ocean waves plays in the background, accompanied by a slow playing flute. It does sound relaxing, but my mind is too full of stuff to relax. Hell, the sound of the sea rolling makes me think about the beach and how I didn’t get to it nearly enough this summer. Tarick was stuck on babysitting duty to spare his folks daycare costs.
She scoots closer with her chair. “Now, lean back and try to relax, okay?” Her voice softens to almost a whisper, complementing the music echoing in the room. “We’re going to begin by taking some deep breaths. I want you to inhale, hold for five seconds, and then exhale.”
I do as she says. I inhale deeply, holding my breath, and finally exhaling. With my second time inhaling, I swear I smell vanilla. Now I’m a little hungry. Hold for five seconds…exhale. I uncross my arms and put my head back onto the cushion of the chair. I close my eyes, but the image of Astid’s pale face and her freaky black eyes keep me from fully relaxing.
Dr. Wilson guides me through several more breathing cycles, and I’m actually feeling pretty at ease. Yeah, it’s vanilla I smell for sure. Maybe I’ll grab an ice cream cone on the way home.
“Now I want you to imagine that you are in a beautiful garden with lush trees and flowers all around you. There is a stone path in front of you, and you’re going to take each step one at a time. And with each step, you are going to feel more and more relaxed.”
Without effort, my mind constructs a pretty detailed garden. I decide to add a koi pond nearby, and I picture a large rectangular stone walkway laid out in front of me, twisting and turning all the way to the horizon. This place is gorgeous, and I’m proud of myself for imagining such a beautiful scene.
“You take your first step, and you feel the tension in your body dissolve. Take the second step, and you’re feeling more relaxed, so open and easy. Third step. Your anxieties and scattered thoughts are starting to fade. If something pops into mind, let it play out and then burn away.”
I mentally proceed through the path, stepping onto each old stone with purpose yet I’m feeling wonderful as I proceed through the garden. I start to actually fall asleep, and I focus on her voice to keep from going totally under. One moment, we’re on step nine…and then we’re on step twenty. My sense of time is a little off, and I’m wondering if I dozed.
With the sound of the music, the scene changes and I begin to imagine a pond in a beautiful wood with a waterfall in the background. Did I come up with that mental image on my own, or did Dr. Wilson suggest I imagine such a scene? I remember her saying something about creating whatever I wanted in this world, so I assume everything here is from my imagination.
The flute plays an oriental melody and I see Astid swimming in the pond beckoning me to join her. She’s smiling. Even with her big black eyes, she’s beautiful…more human than before.
“Maverick, you’ve come to the end of the path and you find yourself in the most gorgeous garden you’ve ever seen. Whatever it is you want, I want you to create it right there in your garden. You feel relaxed, yet aware. Do you see the pond? Hear its cascading waterfall that both relaxes and invigorates you?”
A soft voice enters my imaginary realm. “Yes.” Was that me that just answered her?
“What do you see?” the voice asks.
“A wood surrounding a pond with a waterfall in the distance.” I describe the scene in my head, but I don’t do the beauty justice.
The wind blows through the trees. A weeping willow hangs over the pond, and Astid swims under it.
Dr. Wilson’s voice reaches from the world of reality to the world of my dreamscape. “Is there anyone there with you?”
“Yes,” I reply.
Astid peeks through the willows and her eyes aren’t black anymore. They are like mine, only her pupils are the color of the sea, when it’s crystal clear and you can see the sand below. I can almost see into her soul.
She’s perfect.
“Who is with you?”
“Astid.”
I watch Astid looking at me, and, at that moment, I know, without a doubt, that she is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. I notice every little detail of her face. She’s happy I’m with her. It’s as if she’s talking to me without words.
“The black-eyed girl?” Dr. Wilson’s voice calls out to me.
“No, she doesn’t have black eyes anymore,” I reply. “They are a beautiful crystal blue. She’s normal now. Human.”
I slowly enter the pond and wade through the water.
“What is she doing?”
“She’s waiting for me.” I swim closer until I cross the water and crouch in the soft sweet grass.
Astid backs under the willow, and its leaves blow across the water. I edge near the tree and part the branches. She’s teasing me now, and we play a game of tag until I finally wrap my arms around her. She’s so beautiful and fragile, and I want to protect her from all the bad things in this world. Our eyes lock, and I know we’re going to kiss. She partly opens her lips and I move in to…
The music stops, and my willow tree vanishes.
“Maverick?”
The soothing voice vanishes; it’s harsh and authoritative. Damnit. I want to go back to the dream world. I open my eyes to see Dr. Wilson. She is sitting in her chair, next to me, a profound look of worry on her young, yet professional face.
“Sorry. I must have totally fallen asleep.” I blink, trying to recall the image that had just been in my mind. Crap, I was just about to kiss Astid. Astid with the blue eyes, not black anymore. It feels so far away now. Reality sucks. “Wow, how long was I out?”
“About forty minutes,” she replies.
“What the hell?” I glance down at my watch and sure enough, our hour is almost up. I must have been totally out of it. I feel bad that I slept through most of our session, but hopefully Dr. Wilson will see that I’m not crazy. “I’m really sorry.”
“No, that’s great. It was a relaxation technique and it seemed to work well on you. I hope you are feeling better.” She scoots back and her wheels squeak on the plastic mat.
I do feel more relaxed, and the tension in my shoulders is gone. I nod and take a nice deep breath. I feel pretty good.
“Now, we have a few minutes left. So, I’d like to talk about what you’ve been up to the last couple of days.” Dr. Wilson resumes jotting down notes in her spiral notebook. “Just give me a summary of what you’ve been up to before school started.”
“Oh, nothing really. Mom’s had me cooped up at home.”
Something is not right, but I can’t figure out what it is. Something is off. Did I drool all over myself when I fell asleep? Maybe I snored. Dr. Wilson closes her notepad and looks at me as if she expects me to go into more detail.
I feel weird with her staring at me with this stony smile plastered on her face. Like she’s a robot. What happened? I always thought she had a warm personality, and she was pretty, but she looks almost…annoyed.
My mind races to come up with something, and my moment of relaxation and being at one with the universe evaporates in a cloud of nervousness. I can’t tell her that I have an alien girl living in my bedroom, but I know I can’t lie to her, either. She’ll see right through me. So I decide to throw her a bone.
I stand up and blurt, “Oh, and this stupid guy in a black sedan was staking out my house. A real weirdo. At first, I thought he was a cop, but I don’t know why the idiot was following me. So me and my friend put a scare in him and he drove away.”
“Did he say anything to you before he left?” she asks.
Man, I need to think fast. “I think he was a reporter or something. He tried to hand me his business card, but me and my buddy pretended
that we were going to beat the crap out of him with a baseball bat.”
Dr. Wilson looks more than annoyed. She looks positively pissed off. And I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something. She’s about to say something when the timer dings, thank goodness.
I jump off the couch and almost sprint out of there. She follows me to the door. I just want to get out of Dr. Wilson’s office. I hope this is my last session, as I have absolutely no desire to spend even just one more second with this kooky woman.
“I suggest you concentrate on your school work and forget about Ronald.” She takes the clip out of her hair and it falls to her shoulders. Dr. Wilson no longer looks like a therapist, but more of an exotic dancer getting ready to transform into a sexy vixen. Now she’s pretty hot. “Would you like to meet tomorrow afternoon, same time?”
Crap! She wants to meet again?
I open the door. “I’m feeling so much better now. The relaxation stuff is really great. So I don’t think I need any more therapy. I’m good, thanks!”
I practically run out of her office, through the waiting room. I half-expect Dr. Wilson to run after me, but she doesn’t. The midday heat has faded, and I step out into the parking lot. A sudden realization makes me feel faint. I literally almost pass out right there where I stand.
Dr. Wilson had told me to concentrate on my school work and forget about Ronald. When did I give her Ronald’s name?
20
ASTID
“WE COME IN peace,” Marcus says, thinking it at the same time. We come in peace. We come in peace.
Cadence and Marcus approach the house, and their lips move back and forth to each other. Although I can’t hear what they say verbally, their thoughts ring clear. Cadence shoves Marcus into the side of the house as they near the door. They are both fearful, but anger encompasses the girl. She believes I’m responsible for Tarick’s death.
I swing the door open and they both stand there staring at me with wonder. Cadence’s darker skin shines in the early evening light, and her brown eyes glisten. Her hair hangs to her shoulders and she pushes one side behind her ear.
Black-Eyed Kids: The Complete Series Page 10
