A New Beginning

20

Kyle finished the tune-up and decided to call it a day. There wasn't much more he could do, at least not before he had to meet his friends. The van's engine had new points and plugs, and he'd gotten all cylinders working. The brakes were new, and he'd replaced all the belts and hoses.

Given more time, he would have done more with the suspension and taken a very close look at the carburetor. For that matter, he would have stripped both the engine and the carb and completely and rebuilt them.

But they were out of time. The van would get them hundreds of miles from Stonewall, at least. That would have to be enough. He had done all he could.

After he cleaned himself up, he headed into the office. Stepping inside, he reflexively looked for Dawn, scanning the small room for a moment before he realized the fool- ishness of the act. Still, her perfume hung in the room, and he imagined that he could feel her there. Yeah, I've done all 1 could, he thought. I'm a regular hero.

Kyle did what he had to do quickly. Using the com- puter, he found out the going rate for his timing chain. Then he figured out what he had earned from Dan so far. It wasn't enough, but he knew that would be the case. So he took an envelope and put in the difference with the money Liz had left him.

Then he pulled the van up to the pump and filled it with gas. Going back inside, he put the money for the gas into the envelope.

Grabbing a pen, he jotted a quick note on the side of the envelope: Dan, thanks for everything. Here is the balance I owe you for the timing chain and some gas.

It wasn't enough, Kyle realized, but he didn't even know how to begin to say the things he wanted to say. In the end, he just scrawled, I'm sorry on the bottom of the note and signed his name.

Taking the letter outside, he placed it in the garage mailbox, which was nailed to the wall outside the door.

He quickly parked the van by the side of the garage, making sure that it was pointed toward the road. All they would have to do now was get into it and drive. Walking around back, Kyle took a last look in the room where he and his friends had stayed. He wondered what Dan would make of some of the "improvements" that Isabel had made.

He wondered if Dan ever went inside that room. Johnny's room, his mind supplied.

Kyle wasn't sure where that thought came from, but he was sure that he was right. The room had been Johnny's. Maybe a playroom or something when the boys were younger, then a teenage rec room when Johnny was older… before he went to war.

There was more than one ghost in the garage, Kyle real- ized.

Collecting the towels and blankets, he carried them outside and shut the door behind him. Kyle was sure that Dan would not be back in the room. It was a shame, he thought. It was a good place… it had been a good place. And it must have meant something to Dan once.

Now it was just a painful reminder.

Kyle heard the door swing shut as he carried the linens to the office. Inside, he placed them on the couch and headed off to meet his friends. He spared a glance down the road, where Gomer and Dawn had met with the aliens who had taken her. He remembered the dark cloud, the ship, and the feeling it had given him in his stomach. He wasn't looking forward to driving past that spot, but it couldn't be helped. They would leave it and all of Stonewall behind soon enough.

As he headed down the empty Main Street, Kyle realized that he was sorry to be leaving Stonewall. They had gotten stuck here, and the town made Roswell look like New York City, but there it was. It didn't make sense, but Kyle real- ized that he had better stop trying to make sense of his life… it certainly hadn't gotten himself anywhere lately.

Kyle reached the diner just as the sun was started to set behind him. Through the window he saw his friends milling around inside the empty diner. He found himself wondering if there had been any customers for the evening rush.

There was something in the air again in Stonewall. Kyle had felt it yesterday before Dawn was taken. The feeling was even stronger today.

His friends greeted him as he walked in, their faces somber. He could see painting gear piled up near the kitchen door. Then he realized something was wrong. Jimmy wasn't at his place by the window. A moment later, Bell came out and Max approached her. "I'm sorry we won't be able to finish the painting job," Max said.

"Finish…?" Bell said, confusion on her face.

"We have to be going," Liz said.

Understanding spread across Bell's face. "If I didn't live here, I'd be going too. In fact, I've been thinking that this might be a time to make that trip to the Grand Canyon Sam and I have always talked about. As for the painting, you kids did a beautiful job. Thanks," Bell said.

"The front is done, and the side and back are scraped, patched, and primed. Sam can do most of the painting that's left with a roller and an extension pole," Max said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. It looks like business is going to be slow for a while. We'll feed you kids and send you on your way," Bell said, turning back to the kitchen. "Sam, last order of the night," she said.

Kyle noticed that Maria was already in her street clothes. Liz, however, was still in uniform and was busy cleaning out the coffee machine.

"It's time, Parker," Maria said.

"I'll just do a few things while we wait for the food," Liz replied, moving on to fill a silverware holder.

Kyle understood what she was doing. She was keeping busy and trying to do something nice for Bell, because the woman had been good to her and because Liz felt like she was running out on her.

A few minutes later, Bell started bringing out the food. She and Sam sat down with them to eat. "I'm sorry that we can't give you a better sendoff," Bell said.

"You've done plenty for us," Liz replied. "We needed the jobs, and we wouldn't have eaten much in these last few days without you both.”

Bell shrugged, "I'm glad you girls came. If you ever get tired of the road, you can always come back and work here.”

Then the group started cleaning up, a ritual that felt like long habit though they had only been doing it for a few days. When they were finished, Bell handed Liz and Maria envelopes. The girls opened them, and Liz immedi- ately said, "This is too much.”

Bell shook her head. "I think that's just right.”

"Combined, this is probably more than the diner made today," Liz said.

"Think of it as a bonus, for the painting and every- thing," Bell said.

Liz was about to protest, but Bell shushed her, saying, "Sam feels pretty strongly about it. And you don't want to get into an argument with him. Trust me. For one thing, it takes forever.”

"Thanks," Liz said, tears forming in her eyes. Liz hugged Bell, then Maria, then Michael, Isabel, and Kyle.

They each said thank-you, and Bell looked outside and said, "You kids better get going. It's starting to get dark out.”

Liz turned for the door when Max stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Liz," he said, pointing at the wait- ressing uniform that she was still wearing.

"Oh yeah," Liz said, smiling. "I'll just be a second." Liz followed Bell into the kitchen.

Grabbing her clothes, Liz watched Bell go to the open base- ment door and shout down, "Sam, let's get a move on.”

Smiling, Liz went into the bathroom. She quickly took off her uniform and put on her street clothes. She stopped to check herself in the mirror when she heard a dull rumbling… like the sound of a large truck barreling down the highway in the distance.

The problem was that she wasn't near a highway.

Then she felt a vibration in the floor. As soon as she felt it, she realized what was happening. From that moment on, what followed seemed to happen in slow motion. The sound and the rumbling seemed to be coming from the rear of the diner, in the alley behind the kitchen area where Liz was herself.

Bell, was her first thought. She's back there.

With agonizing slowness, she reached for the doorknob of the bathroom and opened it. The rumbling was now a roar in her head.

The light in the kitchen was dimming, but she could still see the open basement door. She also saw that the back door was open. Bell must be outside, probably taking out the garbage. She found her voice and called out, "Bell!”

There was no answer, but Liz thought she saw a figure silhouetted outside. It was hard to tell because the world went almost completely dark.

No, it hasn't gone dark, Liz realized. A dark cloud was covering it somehow. It was a cloud you couldn't touch or feel, but it somehow covered light in blackness.

No, Liz could feel the cloud. She felt it right in her stom- ach in a twisting mass.

Don't look, she thought, and willed her eyes shut.

She felt only slightly better. Whatever that cloud was, it was penetrating even her closed eyes. She felt queasy, and her legs were rubbery under her.

She pushed all that aside. Bell was in trouble. And she didn't need her gift to see Bells future unless she did some- thing.

Liz didn't know what she could do, but she wouldn't stand here while whatever was out there took Bell.

Before she could think, Liz found herself running toward the back door. Her hip banged into a counter, and she opened her eyes. It didn't help. The dark cloud was everywhere, and she couldn't make out anything.

Using her hands, she felt her way. Then there was a strangled cry. Liz was sure it was Bell.

"Bell! Hang on!" Liz said.

Then there was a voice calling her name.

"Liz!" It was Max's voice.

Max would help. He would know what to do.

Then Liz's hand found the open door that led to the alley behind the diner.

"Liz," Max called again. It was hard to judge where his voice was coming from. Max might be right next to her, or on the other side of the diner. She couldn't wait, and stepped out into the ally, feeling her way through the night air even though she couldn't see anything. Her stomach was doing flip-flops, and she had to struggle not to retch.

"Bell!" a voice called out. It was Sam's and he sounded desperate.

"Bell!" Liz called, reaching out with her hands.

Nothing but air. Then… something.

But it wasn't Bell. Liz grabbed hold of something and then suddenly realized that something was grabbing her back.

It was hard, but alive. And Liz was immediately certain that it wasn't human.

It felt like a claw and pulled Liz forward in a single sharp movement. Liz felt a slight pressure on her neck, and plunged into the darkness.