CHAPTER EIGHT – THE ROAD TO VERMONT
The sun was going down as Edna’s pickup pulled into the Best Weston North Miami. Aggie had said nothing to her except for a few brief answers to direct questions, no chitchat, prattle, sobs or tears. Edna would not press her - not yet anyway. “Only one and a half thousand miles to go Aggie , but at least we’re on the road and away from those nosy and troublesome people – I’m really looking forward to a nice hot shower and perhaps...pizza?”
“That would be nice Edna, Oh I mean Aunt Edna, sorry.”
“So pizza it is, I’ll order a large one with everything on it and some soda, soon as we check in – after that and when we are all settled, we will have our little talk – OK? - then in the morning before we head off again, we’ll do a little shopping and get you some nice clothes.” The child looked up at her innocently and nodded – she would reveal all tonight and hope that Edna would not run away and abandon herself and Dwarg.
Showers were taken and pizza was had. Edna lay on the bed and watched the ceiling fan blades turn and felt the light breeze on her face. Aggie was sitting on her bed, pressing her finger on some loose crumbs and toppings on the bottom of the pizza carton – she remembered that she loved doing this, and these little spilt scraps seemed to be the best tasting part of the pizza - it seemed such a long time ago now. “Aggie, would you like to watch some television – you never know, we might be on the evening news?”
“Thank you, no.” replied Aggie. The mood was quiet and Edna knew that she should not begin to nag. Aggie closed and took the empty pizza carton to the waste basket and placed it on top. She climbed on her bed, looked directly at Edna and said, “I’ll tell you something that you will have trouble believing, so please open your mind and try not to get upset.” Edna was curious and impressed with the mature language and wording that Aggie had been using – it would take a lot to upset Edna, who nodded encouragingly and took a deep breath.
“I’ve made a pact with someone who is not human - he is in my brain. He is not a spirit or a ghost or a demon. His name is Dwarg - he’s cured me from the cancer.”
“In the beginning he met with Daddy while he was up in the space station - Daddy didn’t know, or didn’t want to know that Dwag was inside him since that time. It’s taken about ten years and finally this morning, Daddy understood and accepted him. Now that Daddy has died, Dwarg has transferred into me.” Aggie paused to study Edna to see if see should continue with her fantastic story. Edna had her hands on her mouth and her face was losing a little colour, yet she said nothing. She made a little burp and mumbled something about the pizza and soda and said “excuse me honey, I need to go to the bathroom for just a minute.”
Edna lent on the marble basin and turned on the cold water faucet. She looked at herself in the mirror then put her hands under the tap and splashed some water onto her face. She had managed not to vomit.
She was somewhat shaken and a little numb and felt dizzy, yet she had to control herself in front of her young niece.
Poor darling, perhaps the sickness had manifested itself in a different direction. If the trade-off is some form of delusional or psychiatric problem, that at least is a far better alternative, and something that might be treatable. There was certainly something wrong with Aggie yet she must be strong and supportive. This is serious, this is her family and she had no intention of letting Aggie down. She towelled her face, took a deep breath, put a smile on her face, walked back into the room and sat on the bed next to Aggie. “Sorry Aggie, I think I had one too many slices, please go on with your story.” Aggie was still sitting in the same position on the bed as when Edna left the room.
“I have an idea of what you’re thinking Aunt Edna, but that’s OK, it will all work out and then you’ll understand what’s going on.” Edna sat down next to Aggie and held her hands.
“Darling, just tell me everything.”
“When I was back there in hospital, it was like I was waking up from a sleep. The first thing I realized was that there was no pain, I could breathe without gasping and I could hear beautiful music, well not real music but beautiful sounds and noises. I also heard drumbeats and bells and saw a beautiful red and purple dress. There were bright colours all around me and I could smell lovely flavours – I didn’t even have my eyes open.”
“Then I heard a voice talking to me – not really a voice but a feeling of someone talking to me. He said that I could call him Dwarg, and I shouldn’t be afraid of him - he was going to make me better and get me out of here. I thought that the hospital people were doing something to me – and it was so nice and I had a warm feeling inside – it was so good to be able to move again – without pain. I thought that maybe this was a dream and God had come for me. During my sleep, I sometimes did think I heard Daddy talk to me, but just some words and I think I heard him cry sometimes – I was sad that I could not wake up before – and now that I thought I was awake, Daddy was not there. Dwarg kept saying that this was not a dream and I must be strong because he had something very important to tell me.”
“He said that he had a message from Daddy, for me to relax and just listen – it would actually be Daddy – but he would not be here – I tried to open my eyes but couldn’t. It’s hard to explain, but then I saw Daddy, in my mind. Daddy told me that he had to go away forever and leave me because he was very sick. He explained that he should’ve died a long time ago, but Dwarg had kept him alive. He then told me how they met in the space station and regretted not believing that Dwarg was an alien inside him who kept him alive for so long – you see Daddy had a very sick heart. When Daddy finally accepted Dwarg, he was very grateful that he’d been kept alive, allowing him to see me reach my tenth birthday. Without Dwarg, he wouldn’t have seen my first.”
“Daddy then went on to tell me that I was also dying and there was nothing that the hospital could do for me. He was sorry and sad that he would not be able to see me grow up. Aunt Edna, I somehow felt that in Daddy’s mind, he did not want to go on living.”
“Daddy begged Dwarg to help me live, so Dwarg somehow left Daddy and went to me. That’s how come Daddy died at the same time I got better. I think his dying wish was to see me cured and I’m sure he got to see that happen because as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw him smiling at me, he sat down and took his last breath - the rest you know – are you OK Aunt Edna?”
Edna had tears streaming down her face. It had been a long, long time since she last cried – come to think of it, she must have been about Aggie’s age then.
“Everything will be alright Aunt Edna, I know it’s all weird and confusing but you must trust me. If you just knew how happy and grateful Daddy was at the end, and the way he said goodbye, you would understand. I’m very sad that he went but at least I still have part of him inside my mind and I can see and hear him vividly explaining why he did what he did and what he wanted me to do. I can replay him whenever I need him and for the last few hours he has been with me.”
“Aunt Edna, I hope you don’t think my reaction at losing my father is a bit cold. I haven’t cried or broken down yet and Dwarg has helped me to cope with everything so far – there is still a lot to tell you, but I think a good night’s sleep is what we need now – by the way, this dress is too tight - I’ve spent so much time in a hospital gown, I’ve got no idea of my dress and shoe sizes, I should be a size up by now.”
“Here, Aunt Edna, I’ll give you a hand to your bed – you must be so tired, goodnight, see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight Aggie,” Edna managed to whisper.
Aggie turned off the main light switch and jumped into her bed. It was going to be a long and sleepless night for Edna – Aggie went to sleep almost instantly.
The morning sunlight reflected off the side of the motel wall onto one of the deep green quilted curtains in the room. Aggie opened her eyes and stretched her arms in the air – she felt happy and alive, even more so now that she was away from that hospital. She thought
about Nurse Audrey back there and wondered who her next care would be. Aggie was especially pleased to have avoided any scans or x-rays of her head and brain in all that commotion back there. Dwarg was a physical entity, albeit in microscopic form, and as he put it, “hangs out” in her head. X-rays and scans might not necessarily spot him there, but he had no idea of how the radiation may affect him. It was important to get away from the probing and questioning medical people. Aggie looked across at Edna who was snoring mildly.
She was not to know that Edna had spent most of the night with eyes open wide, listening to the soft, yet irritating and repetitive clicks of the ceiling fan. Try as she may, Edna could not rationalize what Aggie had told her – this was just too wacky – this was science fiction stuff – aliens in her head? – what was next? and what was she to do about it?
What was the urgent compulsion for her getting into the pickup truck and driving all the way here? and how coincidental that she turned up on the outskirts of Miami, just in time to get that call from Aggie on her mobile? More and more questions, more and more thoughts...some made sense - most were irrational.
It was to be an hour before sunrise when Edna finally fell into a deep and disturbing slumber.
Aggie could see that her aunt was tired from all the driving and of course the news about Dwarg would have given her quite a scare as well. She crept to the bathroom but Edna stirred and opened her eyes.
“Good morning Aunt Edna, did you sleep well?”
“Fine Aggie- - how about you? Do you remember all the things you told me last night honey?”
“Yes I had a real good sleep and it was so nice not to be in a hospital bed. I know you must be upset about what has happened to me and about Daddy and Dwarg, but there is nothing bad or evil to be worried about. I’m not sick or mad – just relax and everything will become clearer to you, I promise.”
Edna had hoped that Aggie might have slept off this fantastic fantasy during the night, but it looks like the nightmare will continue, at least for today. She was fatigued, it was 9 a.m. and her plans for shopping before leaving outer Miami early, were looking to be near impossible. “Aggie, would you mind if we spend another day here before moving on? We still have to go to the mall to go shopping and my truck needs a good service - it’s really done a few miles lately and there’s still a lot to go.”
“I think that’s a good idea Aunt Edna, besides I think you need a good rest from driving anyway.”
“Done deal Aggie; let’s have a chick’s day out – starting with a big, big breakfast at Denny’s. Oh by the way, Uncle Dan asked if we could call into his place in Richmond on the way and visit with your aunt Claire and your cousin Jade.”
“That would be nice, I remember that Jade had a lot of guinea pigs when I saw him last, he was forever making little boxes and houses for them and he kept getting more and more and reckoned he was going to get rich by selling them at flea markets.”
“Yes, I think he still has the guinea pigs” said Edna, carefully noting that Aggie’s memory, at least, seemed OK.
Dwarg in the Seventh Dimension : The Aggie Kellor Experience Page 8
