As soon as the lady exited the restroom, Nessa turns with a wide grin holding a sheer floral scarf. “See, that was easy. Now we just have to get you something.”
“Easier said than done, considering we are hiding out in the women’s restroom,” I said, looking down at the grey tiled floor.
“Ok, maybe I can give you the scarf and we could just Hail Mary it. The longer we stay the bigger chance that we are going to be found. What do you say?” she responded.
I reluctantly agreed but still felt shaky about the plan. It was better than anything I could come up with and I took the scarf from Nessa. I was surprised at how remarkably different I looked with the scarf. I looked like a middle aged woman out on a Sunday afternoon with family. I lingered for just a second in the mirror then nodded to Nessa to indicate I was ready.
We casually swept out of the restroom and into the main corridor of the science center. People were swirling all around us in different directions and we made our way as calmly as possible to the exit.
We moved in slightly closer to a father and his son, hoping to detract attention from us. We slid out of the turn styles and headed behind them until we were clear of any peering eyes that could be on us. Then we parted from them and came to a stop.
“Ok genius, what do we do now?” I asked Nessa.
Chapter 3:
“How about we go across the street to the park? We could sit and figure out what the heck is going on and no one would really pay much attention to us. Sitting for a while would be good to dull this headache I am getting,” Nessa replied.
I tried not to let the concern show on my face as I agreed. I connected my arm with hers and we walked down the city street towards the park. The crush of the pavement beneath our feet radiated heat on the soles of our shoes. Eclectic shops formed the streets as well as local restaurants. Wrought iron street lights lined the sidewalks and flowers were in bloom everywhere.
Nessa and I managed to make it to the city park in record time and searched for a place to settle. We finally agreed on a spot under a willow tree just below art hill. I dropped to the ground in exhaustion.
I blew at a nearby dandelion and watched the wind carry the seeds away. Nessa rubbed at her temples and I could tell she wasn’t feeling the best. I worried that she could get what I got and dissolve into nothing as well. Just the thought sent a shiver up my spine even in the warm breeze.
“So you really think that guy could have started all this?” I asked.
“It is oddly coincidental. The chances of you meeting him and getting something crazy; then him being in the same place as us when I was stabbed in the arm with something are slim to none. He has to be the link. I wish I remembered more about him.”
“He had brown hair and green eyes. That is mainly what I remember. He said his name was Joe but that could be a fake. It isn’t much to go on,” I said solemnly.
Then I continued. “Thanks for sticking by me. I know it is a lot to ask let alone process.”
“You are my best friend and I would never desert you. I trust you and if you say it wasn’t you I believe you. I admit the dissolving thing is strange, but I saw with my own eyes. It is a lot, but we will get through it together,” she answered as she placed a sweaty hand on mine.
Alarm coursed through me at the feel of her warm sweaty hand as it touched mine. “Nessa, how do you feel?”
“I have a slamming headache and I am all sweaty. My thoughts are all jumbled up in my head and I can’t separate them. It is like a thousand voices churning around in my head,” she admitted.
“Ok, that is different than what happened to me. I got a bad headache too, and then I passed out and was in and out of consciousness all day afterwards. I just thought it was the alcohol. Maybe you just have a migraine,” I said hopefully even though I had a sinking feeling that wasn’t the case.
“Do you think this mystery guy could be involved in Tom’s death?”
I thought about that for a minute before responding. “I don’t know. I was so completely panicked that I just dissolved right there on the spot. I didn’t get a chance to look for signs of forced entry or anything out of the ordinary to clue me in.”
A couple holding hands passed by obviously smitten and Nessa frowned. She seemed to shake it off and turned her attention back to me.
“Nessa, what just happened? Don’t tell me it was nothing. I could tell it was something.”
“I could have sworn I just heard him thinking about the proposal he had planned. Red roses and champagne waiting at the restaurant, but maybe I imagined it.”
I frowned in turn. “You could read his thoughts?”
“It is probably just my imagination running away with me. I am so freaked out that I plucked the idea from my own head. I am not a mind reader.”
“Well, it is easy enough to test. Try to concentrate on me and tell me what I am thinking.”
Nessa looked like she was concentrating hard and I kept repeating the same phrase over and over in my head. If she could do this, it would be so cool. Mind reading was much better than dissolving.
Finally Nessa’s eyes lit up and met mine. Amused, she quirked a smile at me. “Really Cora, that is lame. I love fluffy bunnies is not what I expected.”
“My god, you did it! I can’t believe you are a mind reader. That is an awesome power,” I exclaimed. I threw my arms around her and grinned.
Then the idea truly set in and tears sprung to her eyes. “This means we are in so much trouble. What the hell are we going to do?”
“Run for now. Then learn to control our powers. After that, we might have a chance of figuring things out,” I said solemnly.
“What about our families? Do you think they are in danger?” she asked.
“I think the less they know the better. We can’t risk putting them in the middle of this. It would be like signing their death warrant. I couldn’t stand that kind of guilt.”
“We should call them at a pay phone to at least tell them we are taking a quick trip and will be back soon. I don’t want them to worry about us,” Nessa said.
“We just can’t Nessa. You know why it is a bad idea. No calls,” I said sternly.
“Fine, point taken,” she replied.
“Besides, one five minute phone call could turn into an hour. Then before you know it, we could be found and arrested for questioning.”
“Cora, where are we going to go?” Nessa asked with concern.
“I don’t know. At least soaking up the sun here has its advantages,” I said trying to be positive.
“Seriously, what if you dissolve out in public? We need to find somewhere private that the police won’t check.”
“You’re right, I just don’t know where that is. Do you have any ideas?” I asked.
“Well, we need food and shelter. Thanks to my planning we don’t need clothes or money.”
“How about we take a cab across the state line and rent a cheap motel room with lots of privacy. We can order a pizza and raid the vending machine,” I suggested.
“That is a good idea. We would be out of local jurisdiction and the motel idea is perfect. They usually don’t check identification and mind their own business.”
I sighed and stood up, pulling up Nessa in the process. “Let’s hurry before anything else weird happens,” I suggested.
“Agreed, lets walk back towards the street and hail a cab there. It’s nearing dusk and we will blend in a little better,” Nessa said.
It was that time of day when all the shops and restaurants hadn’t turned their lights on for the evening yet it was still dimming outside. Within five minutes we managed to hail a cab willing to take us to the nearest motel in the next state over. We clung to each other in silence the entire way there and then gave the driver an extra tip for his troubles.
Standing there in front of the motel, my shoulders drooped. “This place looks like a total shit hole.”
Nessa adjusted the bag on her back before responding. “That is the poi
nt. No one will look for two middle class runaways in a place like this. Suck it up Cora. We need to recuperate and I am still fighting this headache and all the crazy voices.”
“Besides, the cab driver was glad to take us. He had an hour left on his shift and we would be his last fare for the night. Then he could make it home in time for his son’s Bar Mitzvah.”
“Nessa, you are getting better at this already. I am glad we won’t have to worry about him turning us in.”
“Ok, now for the real trick. You wait here and I will get the room for us. It is less conspicuous that way I think. Besides, if I concentrate I can read their minds and make sure they are cool.”
I nodded and Nessa made her way to the front office. I leaned on the side of the building and looked at the run down motel. The neon light read Mote instead of Motel and the T seemed to flicker in and out. The paint was peeling from the siding and the parking lot was littered with scattered trash. I grew nervous just standing outside alone.
Shortly, Nessa joined me with a grin on her face. She was waving a key with a numbered key ring on it and I perked up slightly.
“We are room number seven, the one on the end. For better or worse, let’s go on in,” she said.
Unsure but unwilling to stand outside any longer, I resigned and nodded. I followed Nessa as she puts the key in the lock and jiggled it until it opened. The room smelled of must and cigarette smoke. There was one king size bed in the center covered with a god awful patterned thin comforter. Nessa shut the door behind us and locked it.
“This is a dump alright,” I commented.
“True, but we have privacy and the police aren’t likely to catch up with us here. And there is at least a hot shower and a bed,” Nessa countered.
“I guess,” I muttered as Nessa shut the curtains and dropped the bag on the floor.
“Even funnier, the guy at the front desk thinks I am either a hooker or having an affair with a married man. He was more than discrete.”
“I would have guessed affair,” I joked.
“Ok, first thing I am going to do is call information and get us some pizza. I am starving.”
“While you’re doing that, I will take a quick shower and get the rest of the blood off me that I couldn’t earlier,” I said shuddering.
She nodded solemnly and I turned to check out the bathroom. The tub was stained and the toilet had a rim of grime inside it. I tried to ignore the grossness of it and turned on the shower before stripping down and stepping in. The shower was semi-warm but I managed.
It just felt good to see the remainder of the blood swirl down the drain and disappear. I scraped underneath my fingernails until the water turned clear. I felt so dirty with Tom’s blood on me. Things would never be the same again. Reality set in and I let myself have a good cry before the water turned icy.
I shut the shower off and wrapped myself in the small white towel the motel provided. Nessa must have heard me because when I came out to get some clothes out of the bag, she remained silent. Once dressed, I dried off my hair and sat on the edge of the bed next to Nessa.
“So is pizza on the way? I am hungry too.”
“Yeah, should be here any minute actually. Then, we need to figure some things out,” she replied.
I didn’t even get a chance to respond when a knock at the door made me jump. It took me a minute to stop the pounding in my chest when I realized who it was. The pizza was finally here and my mouth watered in anticipation.
Nessa had ordered a two liter of coke and a large peperoni pizza. We wasted no time digging in and had most of it gone in less than five minutes. I washed the last of mine down with the coke and Nessa spoke up.
“I can read your mind you know.”
I looked up my eyes meeting hers and I could see the compassion in her eyes. It seemed to tear through my soul and I started to cry. Nessa wrapped her arms around me and told me it was going to be okay.
“Shush, it’s not your fault, Cora. We will figure this out, I promise,” she said as she consoled me.
Neither of us said anything else until the tears slowed and I pulled away from her.
“It looks like you are controlling your new super power well. I wish I had that kind of control. Maybe mine was just a fluke. It only happened that one time.”
“There is only one way to find out. Let’s practice,” she offered.
“But I don’t know how to do it and I am not going to stand over your murdered body to make it happen.”
“Oh Cora, I will help you. No need to be so melodramatic. Here, come sit on the floor cross legged with me,” Nessa said pulling me down to the floor.
I sat across from her, skeptical. Not sure what to do, I just sat there and waited for her to guide me.
“Close your eyes and picture a dandelion, like the one in the park. Now take a deep breath and envision you blowing apart, scattering into light bits of fluff.”
I did as Nessa said but nothing happened. I opened my eyes and looked at her hopelessly. “I am never going to get it. It is too hard to concentrate with everything going on.”
“Here, let me dim the lighting. This time, don’t give up so quickly. Take your time and really focus. We will try this all night if we have to.”
Defeated, I closed my eyes and took a few calming breaths trying to relax myself. I pictured the dandelion in the park today and took a deep breath as to blow the fluffy seeds in all directions. I pretended I was light and fluffy and started to feel a tingling in my body. I began to feel as light as the dandelion seeds and soon I felt like mist floating. This time, I tried to keep myself in the room, swirling in a humid block.
I was everywhere and all the nooks and crannies of this place were disgusting and germy. As soon as I began to panic about the germs, it felt like a rubber band snapping. With pure force, I was driven back to a state of form. My eyes popped open and I looked at Nessa who was smiling smugly. I grabbed my clothes off the floor and put them back on.
“See, I told you. You can do it without any help from me. It is all about meditation and control. Let’s try it again,” Nessa said.
Just the thought of all the germs made me shiver. “No way, this place is disgusting. I wanted to gag in that form. That was what snapped me back. There were way too many germs infested in this place.”
“Okay, it is really late so I have an idea. Let’s try it again only this time I will go get some snacks from the snack machine and you can follow me. You have to get this down Cora. We can’t afford for you to lose control and draw attention to us when we are out somewhere. Please, try again for me,” Nessa pleaded.
“Fine, but make sure no one is out there first. If I mist back accidentally, I don’t want anyone seeing me.”
She grinned as if she had just won a battle. Then she opened the door and peered outside. When she shut the door, she turned to me. “All clear, you can try again. I will wait until you mist before I head for the snack machine.”
As before, I sat cross legged and imagined the same dandelion. It was easier this time. I pretended I was a fluffy bit and I let the wind carry me. Soon I dissolved into a million pieces, feeling weightless. Nessa jumped up and opened the door, heading for the snack machine. The fresh air was enticing and I slipped out the door and swirled on the breeze.
Nessa got the snacks and I reluctantly followed her back in. She took her time shutting the door but I was not in all the way. I seeped through the doors seams before forming just on the other side with another snap. This time I was grinning like a Cheshire cat when I got dressed.
“That was so amazing!” I gushed. “It is a rush unlike anything I have ever felt. It is like I am there yet I am so free and weightless. I think I have it down now. The dandelion trick works really well, thanks,” I added.
“I never doubted you could do it. Somehow, we were chosen to become special. It just scares me to think about why,” she confessed.
“I don’t know about you but I am totally exhausted. I think it is time we get som
e sleep so we can start fresh tomorrow,” I said.
Chapter 4:
When I woke, Nessa was already up and pacing the room. I tried to wipe the grogginess from my sleepy eyes and threw back the nasty comforter. Nessa looked worried and tired. I felt nothing but compassion for her as she tried to digest everything that the last twenty-four hours had brought us. It was a lot to take in and I was having trouble with things myself.
“Good morning sunshine,” Nessa said.
“Good morning early bird,” I replied.
“I couldn’t sleep anymore. I have been trying to figure things out and thinking about our next move.”
Dissolve Page 3