DeniseZen

by Jamie Antonia Symonanis

  “Come on. One more block and we’ll come around and call it a night,” Denise said.

  In the middle of the block Denise noticed an Indian Jewelry and Craft Store. “I’d like to stop in here real quick,” she said, pointing to the store.

  “If you wish,” Kinsa said.

  Once inside, since neither Denise or Layla were big on jewelry, and no one from the Tyrine ever wore any, they gravitated to the huge selection of pottery.

  “Oh my look, a salamander,” Denise said, pointing to a gorgeous orange pottery with a black salamander on it adorned with white dots. “This one is for me. I’ll use it as a planter.”

  “I hope it survives our journey,” Layla said.

  Denise turned to see Kinsa holding a small figurine and walked over to where she was standing. “She’s a rain goddess, well, it looks like a female to me anyway,” Denise said.

  “It’s beautiful,” Kinsa smiled.

  “A souvenir for you, of a part of our species that manages to dream and be creative in spite of the direction we chose,” Denise said, taking it gently out of her hands. She walked over to the cashier and paid for her pottery and the figurine.

  Once outside they strolled back to 5th Street and turned left.

  “It’s a lot less crowded here for you to make your departure,” Denise said.

  “Where’s your ride?” Layla asked.

  “Right above us, now,” Mari said.

  “Mari, can you take my pot with you for safekeeping?” Denise asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Cyn will be in touch with you early tomorrow. Have a restful night,”

  When they turned the corner onto Copper Avenue Northwest, Kinsa and Mari activated their suits and vanished from site.

  “Sweet dreams,” Denise said.

  “Come on baby,” Layla said. “You’ve been driving me crazy walking in front of me for blocks.”

  “Time for love?”

  “Time for love.

  Chapter 39

  Enlightened

  After a breakfast of apple cinnamon pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage and nine-grain toast, Denise and Layla checked out of the hotel and loaded up the Mustang, securing the modified suits.

  “Out of season for Apples, but that was a delicious breakfast,” Denise said.

  “It was indeed. Definitely the best hotel yet,” Layla said.

  Back on Highway 40, about ten miles out of Albuquerque, Layla put the Mustang into stealth mode and slowed to the required speed to board the shuttle piloted by Cyn.

  They had a few hours before they were to meet up with Yoomee. Cyn took them on a slow flight over the area where the meeting was to take place. From there they focused on the area ‘Between the Eyes’.

  “Amazing. They do look like eyes from above,” Layla said.

  “We’ll be staying in Gallup tonight,” Denise said.

  “Great Native American hub.”

  When it was time, Cyn dropped them off on a barren stretch of Highway 412 that would take them to Bluewater Lake, still in the Mustang silver Taurus.

  “Think she’ll be alone?” Layla asked.

  “Yes,” Denise said. She cracked open a bottle of water and handed it to Layla.

  “Should I bring along a backpack?”

  “Don’t think it’s going to be necessary on this trip.”

  Denizen. The name sounded so subtle in Denise’s mind she did not know if was just her thoughts.

  Myla. Is that you? I am Denizen.

  Yes. Awake. Visitors. Soon.

  They have you awake, conscious, for visitors?

  Yes. Will try to show you. Unsure if I can. Feel so weak.

  We are close Myla. Stay strong.

  Yes.

  Denise did not bother her with details about Myla’s last journey or where she was. It seemed pretty clear she’d been sedated since Lubbock.

  “You’ve heard from her?” Layla asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure it was her and not our star we’re going to visit?”

  “Yes. She’s awake and weak. They have her conscious to meet someone.”

  Denise relayed the information to Trepa who passed it on to the Tyrine.

  “Houses. This is a rugged area but quite beautiful in its own way,” Layla said.

  “It’s not far after we veer to the left somewhere up ahead.”

  Once on the stretch of road that curved to the left, Denise looked at the map Ahtun had given her. “The third road on the right. Follow that until it ends very near the lake.”

  “There nothing soft in New Mexico is there,” Layla noted.

  “Sand is soft.”

  “Yes, I guess it is,” she giggled.

  “You’re here and you’re soft,” Denise smiled.

  “Not now honey. I’m in heat on this trip.”

  “Ha.”

  “This is the third road on the right,” Layla said.

  “Yep.”

  Denise wondered where Cyn was in the shuttle and sighed in amazement.

  They parked where the road ended. “It’s just a short walk from here,” Denise said.

  She slid her iPhone into her left front pocket and they walked across the uneven rocky surface towards the lake.

  They saw a woman sitting on one of a few rocks that descended like steps. From behind, her jet black straight hair was so long it touched the ground where she sat.

  “Yoomee?” Denise said.

  The woman turned her head to see who spoke and smiled. “I am Yoomee. You must be their friends.”

  “They?” Layla asked. She couldn’t get over how young she looked.

  “I’ve been listening to them. They are very close this morning.”

  Yoomee stood up and motioned for them to follow her. She wore a light beige long tunic with a deep v-neck over what appeared to be a white tank top, boot cut blue jeans, and suede flat cowboy boots that matched the color of her top.

  I feel so awkward, like a child, always being shown what I cannot see. Denise thought.

  Don’t. Yoomee said.

  “With and in all things we are relatives. I heard her speaking to you. If I have, I am certain others have as well,” Yoomee said. She motioned for them to be seated on rocks that appeared to be remnants of an old dwelling.

  “Is that a good or bad thing?” Denise asked.

  “Neither, it just is.” Yoomee turned towards the northwest. “She is out there,” she said, lifting her head. “She is not far at all.”

  “I have wondered if there is a way to pinpoint a thought, like finding a cellphone that is turned on,” Denise said.

  Yoomee had turned towards Layla and stared at her for a few minutes, as if pondering the question. “There is, but neither you or I have the ability to do so,” she said standing up. Neither Denise nor Layla noticed that when she did, she had a rock in her hand about the size of a golf ball. She took a few steps towards the lake. “Do you know what this place is?” she asked.

  “No,” Denise said.

  “Some of the oldest human life that existed on this continent lived throughout this region. Back then we were not only visited often by friends such as yours, but we were greatly influenced by them. Each time they returned, or new ones arrived, human existence seemed to advance. It did so then for all the right reasons. Those that have your friend, Myla, want what your friends have for personal gain, for harm more than good.”

  “I believe you are,” Denise started to answer before she stopped speaking abruptly when Yoomee turned and hurled the stone in her hand as hard as she could at her and Layla. Instinctively, Layla threw her hand up to protect them. When she did the stone careened off in another direction, as if bouncing harmlessly off an invisible shield.

  “That was not your friends who did that Layla, you did.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes.”

  Yoomee beckoned Denise to join her. They gathered a few stones and took turns rapidly throwing them at Layla. Each time she d
eflected them before they even got near her.

  “You are Supergirl, I told you,” Denise laughed.

  Layla stood up humming music from the old Superman television series with both her arms up in the air flexing her muscles. “Yoomee, there isn’t any Kryptonite in these hills is there,” she laughed.

  For the first time Denise saw Yoomee smile. Her hand was shaking after throwing the rocks at Layla that were clearly sailing at her head and may have caused some damage if not deflected.

  “You’ve a rare talent, a level of telekinesis if you will that is rare, and you can control it with ease. It will only improve the more you use it.”

  “Keep practicing my dear, you may not be at the ‘stop a bullet’ level yet,” Denise smiled.

  “Ouch. Wouldn’t want to willfully test that out,” Layla sighed.

  “The area just behind us, to the west, is an area Native Americans call The Love Dancers,” Yoomee said.

  “And why is that?” Denise asked.

  “Will your phone work here?”

  Denise took out her iPhone and it indeed had a connection.

  “Search for Bluewater Lake on your Google Maps,” Yoomee said.

  Denise did as she asked and showed it to her.

  “Zoom out a bit.”

  Denise zoomed the view out.

  “That’s good. Can you see the dancers in this area, wearing headdresses with their arms in the air?”

  “Yes I can,” Denise said.

  “Now notice that the area they are in forms the shape of a heart.”

  “That’s pretty clear,” Layla said, looking at the same view on her own iPhone.

  “Now zoom out a bit. You will note that this entire area is part of the left eye.”

  “Between the eyes,” Denise said.

  “This lake points to where Myla is being kept. Your plans were to travel to Gallup. A good choice, and one that you made some time ago yes?”

  “Yes, days ago,” Denise admitted.

  “You said Native Americans called this area by that name. How did they know, I mean you cannot tell from down here,” Layla smiled.

  “You are not the first humans to go upstairs and return,” Yoomee laughed.

  “Never thought so,” Denise said.

  “I will not take up any more of your precious time. Your friend is here,” Yoomee said, pointing to a spot on the map near Gallup. “They are making preparations to move her again. I have seen it happen, and I have seen you in pursuit. Be careful, and use every tool at your disposal to rescue Myla.”

  “We will, thank you,” Denise smiled.

  “You will need them all before this is over.”

  “I did not see a vehicle nearby, do you need a ride?” Layla asked.

  “No.”

  They hugged and said their goodbyes.

  “One more thing Denizen. Do not take a room on the ground level while in Gallup. You will see clearer.”

  “Never liked the ground level,” Denise smiled.

  “Love and dance,” Yoomee smiled.

  “We cannot stop love,” Denise said.

  “And we love to dance,” Layla smiled.

  They walked back to the Mustang and made their way back to Highway 40 that would take them to Gallup.

  Chapter 40

  Gallup

  Since their backpacks were certainly large enough, Denise and Layla decided to take their suits from upstairs along with them to the hotel room and on any excursions in the area.

  Denise chose a room at the Hampton Inn since it looked like the tallest hotel in Gallup, and each floor had a laundry room.

  “We better stop for laundry detergent when we go out later,” Denise said as they made their way up to their room on the top floor after checking in.

  “Oh, we’re going out later?” Layla asked.

  “Yes. I’m asking you out on a date.”

  “A date? Ok, where?”

  “You know, we’ve been in the arid, wide open southwest for what, the better part of a week now? The weather has been clear with little or no clouds in the sky, and we have yet to head out somewhere to gaze at the stars.”

  “Ooh, that kind of date. I accept.”

  Denise dragged her to the bed after they settled in. “Time to chill.”

  “Sweet.”

  “Hey. There’s a bit in the news that women who wear less clothes actually live longer, up to twenty years longer,” Denise said to Layla coming out of the bathroom.

  “I wonder if they could make these suits something smaller, you know, like a medallion we could wear around our necks,” Layla laughed.

  “Then we’d never need to wear clothes,” Denise laughed.

  “What should we eat?”

  “Something with a drive-thru. I’m not up to a restaurant. Let’s gets some burgers and multiple Café Mocha’s and go see what we can see.”

  “Ok.”

  In regards to Layla’s suggestion for something to wear rather than a suit, we are working on it. Kinsa said.

  Thank you. Denise said.

  Layla changed the appearance of the Mustang to a 2010 VW Beetle, this time in silver.

  “We’ve been lucky with silver. Silver Beetles and all luv,” she laughed.

  “Good girl car. Oh yes, Kinsa said they are working on an alternative option to the suits.”

  “Sweet.”

  “Don’t you ever want to drive this beautiful vehicle?” Layla asked.

  “Sure I do. I’m just too busy thinking. Wonder why I did not hear from Myla again?”

  “Yes, we must not lose focus on why we are out here.”

  They pulled up in the drive-thru at McDonald’s.

  “Let me get four cheeseburgers, two large fries, and four Caffe Mocha Lattes cold please,” Layla said.

  The young woman taking their order was a Native American. “That will be $19.20.”

  “Can you recommend any place not to far to get away from the city lights and star gaze?” Denise asked.

  “Yes. Out where I live the sky is full of stars. It’s near Red Rocks State Park.”

  “Sounds nice.”

  “Take I-40 to 566 north, turn left there to the Park. It is only about nine miles.”

  “Well thank you very kindly,” Denise said.

  “Yes. Thank you,” Layla said handing Denise the food.

  “If you are going to pick a spot to lay down, pick one away from any brush or other vegetation, and rocks.”

  “Snakes?”

  “And scorpions.”

  “Thanks.”

  They pulled over to eat before heading out of town.

  “Wonder how many critters are out in that field alone,” Denise said when they were traveling north on 566.

  “Maybe none. We could stay by the car if you like.”

  “Never had to worry about scorpions in Southern Illinois,” Denise laughed.

  “Yeah, well honey we ain’t in Southern Illinois that’s for sure, that’s for dang sure.”

  There were a few cars and vans in the parking lot. The Red Rock formations loomed overhead nearby. Denise stuck her head out the window. “Maybe we should ask for a convertible?” she said.

  “I wonder?” Layla said. She thought about a VW Beetle convertible, with the top down but it did not take. “Didn’t think so.”

  “Are we getting spoiled?”

  “Nope.”

  “Come on,” Layla said, removing a blanket from the trunk. “There’s a picnic table over there.”

  “Yay, no scorpions.”

  “It really does look like more stars are visible in the sky,” Layla said.

  “Here, let me help with that.” They spread the blanket out on the top of the picnic table and laid down on top of it.

  “Oh look, a shooting star.”

  “Make a wish.”

  “Layla stared at her with a grin on her face. “Done.”

  “Now that we’re here, it would be quite a hike up to the top of that mountain,” Denise said. “They don
’t look that high when driving on the highway.”

  “Yes it would.”

  Denizen. Watch.

  Myla.

  Can you watch?

  Yes.

  Denise saw at least five men and one woman coming and going in her room. It did not look anything like the dorm room in Lubbock. This looked like somebody’s bedroom that was cleaned out and being used to keep her in. She focused on each of their faces in detail. Denise’s photographic memory would remember each one. She shifted to the view of one of the men standing at a window. When he moved the drape aside she saw the headlights of cars going by, and a large rock formation in the distance that looked a lot like those they had passed coming into the park.

  “She’s near, here, very near,” Denise said.

  “Really?”

  “Wait.”

  We could move the whole trailer if we need to.

  Not necessary. It .. … far.. …wnsville.

  Just want .. …. her. We’ll ne… … a ..tter price.

  WHEN? Did they say when Myla?

  No. Moving again. I feel you close Denizen.

  Can you move about your room?

  Only when others here.

  You are in a trailer?

  Yes.

  Stay strong Myla. We are very close.

  Denizen.

  Yes Myla.

  Be careful. They see all.

  Chapter 41

  Red Rocks

  Denise was up for hours on her MacBook Pro, marking spots in Google Earth where they planned to search at first light. She made arrangements with Nola to be picked up on Highway 566.

  “Ok with you if we just hit McDonald’s again for a quick breakfast and coffee?” Denise asked.

  “But of course.” Layla was filling the backpacks with water, snacks and the suits from the Tyrine.

  “I’m not feeling so optimistic that we should check out,” Denise said.

  “Me neither.”

  “Let’s stop at a gas station on the way to McDonald’s.”

  “Did we forget something?”

  “Nope, I just need to get something.”

  Denise came out of the gas station with some chewing gum and a Bic lighter. “I read somewhere last night it is good to chew gum in the wilderness.”

  “Ha. I need coffee.”