Tarik realized the time and thought he had finally worn out his welcome. “I’m sorry, I’ve kept you up too late.” He went to stand, but Lixa’s hand came over to his.
“If you want happiness, you have to take the opportunities offered. My bed is large enough for two.”
Genuinely shocked, Tarik could only stare for several moments. “Lixa, you are beautiful. In fact, you are the most beautiful Nu-Man I’ve ever met. I’m…I’m so different from you. How can you stand to…to think of me that way?”
Lixa stood and took his hand, beckoning him to rise. “In the dark, we only see each other’s soul.”
*
Tarik closed the door to Lixa’s room. It was morning. A new morning. A morning different from any other morning before in his life.
The night spent with Lixa was indescribable. The torrid emotions the two shared seemed otherworldly. He had been lost in passion—it genuinely felt like the two had become one. Even now moments from the night played over in his mind.
But it was morning. The sun rose to shine its light over old-life. Today would be the day where either Tarik would leave this time and travel back to the past or die in the attempt.
To Tarik, it was his first day on Earth, of sorts, with his new found perspective on life. Ironically, fate had deemed this his last day on Earth too.
He went into the washroom and took care of his morning rituals.
The mission now seemed like total madness. What chance did a team of nine have against the defenses of the Skink masters? Why squander lives only to gain nothing? Lixa would lose her father, and for what? And he, Tarik, would lose the new love of his life.
The love of his life. His heart swelled at the thought. He now had an idea of the invading emotions that love had, which inspired men over the ages. The poems and songs that were written; the battles fought, all because of the mysterious power of love.
Yes, he knew the death of the whole Nu-Man race was inevitable. But wasn’t death inevitable for all? What difference did it really make if Earth’s children died and the Skinks claimed sole owners of the planet? No one, not even him, would be around to care. Why not live life to the fullest to the last breath?
He looked at the old mirror on the wall as he washed his hands. His face was distorted in the warped reflection. He thought of what had brought him here that day. How he would not have met Lixa if she hadn’t been part of the rebels’ plan. Many sacrifices had been made by Nu-Man males and females, including lives lost; all on behalf of Tarik and the mission dreamed.
It would be incredibly selfish for him to abandon the mission now. It was as if he were on a levitation rail train and it was moving too fast for him to jump off. The destination was predetermined, just like his fate.
Tarik dried his hands. All these errant thoughts clouded his resolve for the mission. He had built this love scenario in his mind with Lixa, and he didn’t even have a clue if she shared his feelings this morning.
What if in the light of day, she would see him differently? He was just a puny human. Maybe she was lonely. Maybe she felt sorry for him. Dare he think it? Maybe she was just offering some sort of compensation for his sacrifice.
Tarik’s head began to hurt. It was time to clear his mind and focus on the mission. For that, he needed hydration and nutrition. He would have to wait and see how Lixa treated him after she awoke.
When Tarik left the washroom, Zax was in the kitchen getting himself something to eat. As he stepped by the table, Zax made no effort to look at him, although Tarik was certain the big guy knew he was there.
The distance between them was palpable.
Tarik heard Lixa’s door open, and then the door to the washroom close.
Zax went to a cooler and took out two bottles of Vita-water. He turned and put both on the counter by the food. Looking up at Tarik, he said, “I’m not sure if I want to know.”
Tarik stepped over and took a bottle of water, grabbed a food pouch, and said, “Then don’t ask.” He locked gazes with the Nu-Man. The expression on his face offered no apology.
The Nu-Man shifted his lips around like he had a bad taste in his mouth. “Whatever.”
Tarik placed the water and food pouch on the table and sat.
“We’ll be leaving in a few hours,” Zax said. He grabbed his food pouch and water, walked around the kitchen counter, and sat at the end of the table, away from Tarik.
Tarik had been peeling the wrapper from the container and momentarily hesitated. Should he share his thoughts about canceling the mission with his best friend? There was no way he felt like doing that right now. He shoved the food wrapper to the side and looked at his meal. “What is this? The package said it was ham.”
“It is ham.”
The concoction was square and about as thick as four slices of bread. “But it’s yellow. Ham is not yellow.”
“It’s a blend of egg, cheese, and ham. It’s very nutritious. It’s a common breakfast food,” Zax said, sounding content to be making small talk rather than berating Tarik over his tryst with Lixa.
“It wasn’t common on the base. I’ve never had this before.” He used his spork to shave off a slab, cut it in half, and put it in his mouth.
The washroom door closed, and Lixa entered the kitchen. “Good morning.”
Tarik hopped up still chewing half a mouthful of the ham mixture. He quickly swallowed and found himself cemented to the floor without a clue of how to greet her.
Her soft gaze showed remnants of sleep refused to let go. She offered him a kind smile, leaned over and gave him a quick hug, of which he returned, and went over behind the kitchen counter near the cooler. “I see you two have started without me.” Lixa opened the cooler and got a bottle of water.
His head turned and followed her, but Tarik remained standing.
“You should sit and eat,” Zax said, wasting no time eliminating his breakfast.
Lixa opened her water and fumbled through the food pouches.
Tarik sat and went back to the task of eating. He was so caught up in the whirlpool of emotions that he didn’t remember tasting his first bite.
With food and water in hand, Lixa sat at the end of the table near Tarik. She began to unwrap her food. “Well, today’s the big day.” There was a slight cheer in her voice, but it did sound contrived. She pulled the wrapper to the side and started eating, noticeably not making eye contact with the other men.
Zax looked over at Tarik and narrowed his eyes. There were probably a lot of things the big guy wanted to say. But with the mission so close at hand, he must have known that any conflict now would only cause major harm.
“It is,” Tarik agreed, the pit in his stomach grew.
“I’m worried,” Lixa said and drank some water. Her cheeks quivered a bit. She was fighting away tears.
“There’s plenty to be concerned about. But there’s no other way. Our time is short, and we have to make our move now,” Zax said. “Your father is a strong man. He’s a great leader. If anyone can get us into the nuclear center, it’s him. And, you know he’ll do everything to protect the lives of his men and his own life, too.”
“I care about you two, also. You’ll be going inside. Tarik has to go deep enough to use the time machine. He’ll vanish back in time if he makes it. How are you going to get out of there?”
“The operatives that we have inside, if they can get us in, the easier part will be getting me out. There is a grand plan, and if we stick to it, you’ll be able to join us at the new safe-house as soon as you can,” Zax said.
“I’m going to miss you, Lixa,” Tarik said, not caring if the tone of his voice exposed his feelings. He looked over at Zax. “You too, Zax, but you know that. You know how I feel about you.” This morning’s enmity had weighed enough on Tarik that his pride had melted into remorse. He didn’t want anything to come between them, especially now that before night fell, they would never see each other again.
“Tarik, I’ll miss you too. You’re a kind soul. When
you make it back in time, you’ll have to be careful of those other humans. You know their history of being cruel to each other,” Lixa said.
“I’ll never forget you,” Tarik said. “Ever.” At this point, this was as far as he would share his emotions. His thoughts of running off with Lixa now seemed more like a silly dream. His fate was determined. He, Zax, and the others would soon risk their lives for a chance to reset history. The mission was bigger than any Nu-Man or human. Any love he and Lixa shared would have to remain in their hearts.
Chapter 13
The Present
“Good morning Salem, Missouri. Time to get up and shave, shower, and get in ship-shape to start the day. This is your ol’ pal Al on KQKY bringing you the best of Classic Rock of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Guess what time it is? It’s time to drive, The Cars!”
Cole woke to the laid-back rhythm of Rick Ocasek’s guitar enticing the listener to “Let the Good Times Roll.” As sleep let go of his mind, the pulsing beat gave him an extra dose of energy.
He sat on the edge of his bed with his feet hanging down, feeling the dampness of yet another night sweat. Though he could not recall, he inevitably had his reoccurring bigfoot dream.
Bringing his hand from behind his head, he rubbed it through his hair on the top of his head. He immediately thought of Charlotte, and how last night she said that she had preferred it when his hair was longer. Crap! He didn’t want anything to work against him with her. There was nothing he could really do to make his hair grow faster. Then, he remembered an ancient bottle of Rogaine still in the washroom cabinet that his dad had bought to treat thinning hair on the crown of his head. Would that stuff help his hair grow faster?
He glanced at the clock and realized he was wasting time. Feet hit the floor, and then socks went on. When he stood in front of the mirror, wearing only his underwear, his gaze immediately went to his hair rather than inspecting his developing muscles. Maybe he could wear a cap until his hair grew out? But that wouldn’t work. School policy didn’t allow boys to wear caps during class. He was just going to have to have patience and let nature take its course.
Cole put on his pants and shirt, and then went through the morning rituals in the washroom. He picked up his pace a bit to make up for lost time.
The automatic coffee maker had a pot brewed, and the warm aroma hung in the kitchen’s air. Cole heard his dad stirring about and quickly grabbed a spoon from the drawer and a cereal bowl from the cabinet, and scooped two spoons of sugar in the bottom. He had to change his routine up a little to ensure he didn’t get caught sneaking sugar in. He went for the milk next and poured it half-full, and returned the jug to the fridge. His dad was by the kitchen doorway as he headed for the bowl, with the cereal box in hand.
As usual, focused on the coffee pot like a zombie going after fresh brains, Mark Rainwater lumbered in. With the grace of the Frankenstein monster, he pulled a mug from a hook under the counter and poured a cup of coffee. His eyes fully opened as the mug reached his lips. “Morning,” he said, and then took his first taste. “Ugh, forgot to put in the sugar.” He opened a drawer and picked out a teaspoon.
Cole had a mound of Cheerios in his bowl and was carefully digging toward the milk layer without spilling any on the table. He watched his dad step over to the sugar bowl and scoop out a heaping spoon full. Why did his dad decide to use a spoon for his sugar this morning?
While stirring the sweetness in, he said, “Charlotte seemed nice.”
Cole nodded, crunching away at the whole grain goodness. Then he wondered what marshmallow bits mixed in would taste like. A whole lot better, for sure. “She is a nice girl. She’s good in science and mature for her age.”
Mark smiled. “Are you mature for your age?”
After a pause, Cole said, “You know, Dad, that’s a question I’ve never thought much about until lately. I’ve read a lot of things, and I do know more about certain subjects than some adults do. But I’m just starting to understand what feeling mature is like. I’m starting to think differently than I used to. I see things in a different way. It’s like I didn’t know what I didn’t know until I could see with different eyes. It’s like my conscious is expanding, or something.”
“You’re growing up. Your brain is still developing, and you’re learning from your experiences. Hormones play a role in that too. Part of being mature is not to let your hormones overrule your head.”
“I guess so,” Cole said, letting his dad’s words sink in. The way the world worked in his mind was changing. There were so many things he thought he understood that now he wasn’t so sure. There were things too he never cared to understand, but now he did. He forced in another spoon of cereal. Life used to be simpler, he thought.
“You think you could catch a ride with Joey, after practice? His dad has offered to do that, for when I get held over at work.”
“You’re working over today?”
Mark shrugged his shoulders and closed one eye, “Wellll, not exactly.” He cleared his throat. “I…I was thinking I might go into town after work, and…uh, check out the gym Charlotte’s mom mentioned.”
Cole stopped chewing. He turned his head and gazed up at his dad.
After an uncomfortable amount of time had passed, Mark asked, “What are you staring at?”
Chewing what was left in his mouth and swallowing, Cole said, “I thought you said you didn’t have time to work out?”
“Yeah, I said that. But you know, I’m not getting any younger. If you want your old dad to be in good shape and live a long life, then he’s going to have to start taking better care of himself. You see how working out is getting your body in better shape. You don’t want your dad to become some fat old man, do you?”
There was no use in arguing that point. It was funny, though, that his dad didn’t get that grand revelation until meeting Lori Meadows last night. “You like her, don’t you?”
His dad became the proverbial deer in the headlights.
“Charlotte’s mom. You like her. I can tell.” He had thought so last night but hadn’t given any consideration this morning.
“Hey, well, you know. She’s a nice lady…takes care of herself…she’s a good mother, I can tell.”
“She talks too much,” Cole said, and then commenced reducing the pile of cereal to the last floaters atop the milk.
“Lori? Nah, I wouldn’t say that. She was probably just a little nervous last night. Wanted to put on a good first impression. I ended up talking as much as she did after you two went out to watch the space station.”
“You didn’t ask her out on a date, or anything, did you?”
“No, didn’t do that. That gym is having a special going on this month. Lori gets bonus points she can apply to her membership for every new customer she can get to visit. She invited me to come this week, that’s all. Figured I could spare an afternoon. You good with that, right?”
“Sure Dad, whatever.”
“Cole, son, don’t get an attitude with me. You’re growing up fast, and in just a few years, you’ll be off to college and won’t be living at home anymore. You becoming more independent means that I’m gaining some independence too.”
“You’re right, Dad,” Cole said. He really didn’t mind his dad getting out more and living his own life. But what first concerned him, was that it was Charlotte’s mom whom he found interest in. What if his dad and Lori Meadows did start dating? What if they broke up over something and Lori turned Charlotte against him because of his dad? What if his dad and Lori really hit it off and got married? Then Charlotte would be his sister. His sister! How screwed up would that be? “I hope you have fun at the gym, tonight.” Cole picked up his bowl and headed to the sink. “I gotta hurry. Bus will be here soon.”
He ran some water in the bowl and rushed toward his room to brush his teeth, put on his shoes, and gather his books. He couldn’t wait to see Charlotte. And, he hoped she couldn’t wait to see him.
*
When Cole arrived
at school, Kirk Ford and Dean Setters waited as usual by the mulberry tree. For some reason, he was too self-conscious to tell the two boys about the science project he had done with Charlotte Meadows. They were sure not to believe him, at first. He didn’t want to try and convince them otherwise. Too many things could go wrong. They might think that he was bragging, and there was no way of telling what rumors they would spread that might come back to bite Cole in the butt.
No, it was just better to act like today was any other day, and just wait for the news to come out in science class. Cole would then just stay cool, be mature about the matter. After all, it was just a science project. He would act that way about it and not let on that Charlotte had said that she had wanted them to become friends. If one thing led to another, well then, if they started going steady, then he’d be happy to talk to others about it.
Cole headed to the front doors of the school building alone. He had told Dean and Kirk that he wanted to be sure to get to Mr. Ritzman’s class early—to show Ritzman he had learned his lesson from the day before. Mr. Ritzman would appreciate that. At least the man walked the walk. He demanded respect but always offered it to others first.
Mr. Buddy unlocked the school doors, and the first wave of kids entered the main hallway.
Cole watched the humble janitor step out of the way of the human rushing river and man his trusty mop and bucket. How many piles of puke would he have to mop up today? Cole wondered if Mr. Buddy kept a mental record of things like that. The job seemed pretty mundane. If Cole were the janitor, he’d do things differently. He’d find a way to make the kids be a little more responsible and help keep the school clean.
There weren’t many people in the hall by his locker. Cole sat his backpack on the floor and opened his locker door. There were some old papers, a plastic bag, and candy wrappers shoved in amongst his books and notebooks. What a mess. He took the plastic bag and filled it with the unwanted trash, and then straightened everything in his locker. Wow, it was a lot neater and looked like it had twice the available space.
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