Separation Anxiety

Part One

When Mindy awoke to find Mork missing from his place in bed beside her, she wasn't alarmed. She knew he was a restless sleeper who woke early most mornings to release all that excess nervous and excited energy by taking a long run on the nearby trails. She expected to see him any time now, bursting through the door wearing his track shorts and tennis shoes, his body glistening with sweat, his muscular, athletic thighs exposed for her to admire. He would take her in his powerful arms and kiss her passionately, the pungent odor of his sweaty body oddly alluring to her. She smiled when she thought about it, longing for his return. Getting up at a leisurely pace since it was the weekend and she wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere important, she plodded towards the kitchen in her robe, yawning as she reached for a bowl of cereal. After pouring the milk, she entered the living room and sat on her sofa, turning on the TV to watch the news which was her usual morning routine. Before she could eat the first spoonful of her cereal, she dropped the bowl in shock, stunned by the images she saw on her screen.

"Boulder police are still working to confirm the identity of the man who plunged from the highway into the creek," the reporter said. "No one is sure how the Jeep managed to collide with the guard rail and roll down the steep embankment, but an investigation into the accident is pending."

Mindy approached the TV, getting as close as she could to the screen before it became a blur to her eyes, studying the news footage with intense interest. She couldn't be sure because it was barely recognizable, but she thought that the twisted, mangled wreckage of the Jeep looked familiar. It looked like her Jeep. She didn't know why she thought that, since there were many people in Boulder alone who owned Jeeps that looked similar to hers, but somehow she knew. She also knew who had been driving it. One time when they were off road on a secluded section of land, Mork showed her how he could drive using only his powers. He didn't even need to use the steering wheel—his mind controlled every operation of the vehicle. As if showing off for her, he propped his feet up on the dashboard and leaned back, closing his eyes and grinning as the Jeep continued to move on its own volition, unaided by his hands. She had been impressed, but another part of her was concerned. She warned him that driving it that way could cause an accident, and she made him promise that he would never do it without her permission. Now, as she watched the horrific coverage of the accident, she began to wonder if he hadn't heeded her warning. Running to her window, she looked outside to see if her Jeep was still there, untouched and intact. When she found it missing, she felt the pit of her stomach drop in a nauseating flip, every muscle in her body becoming tense and tightening, momentarily paralyzing her where she stood. Without thinking, she rushed out of her apartment in her robe, leaving the door ajar.

She borrowed a friend's car, barely giving her an explanation. As she drove to the scene of the accident, she tried to remain aware of her surroundings and not allow her frantic, racing thoughts to distract her. After all, she couldn't help Mork if she was involved in an accident, too. The closer she got to the scene, the more chaotic it became, multiple cars blocking her path, stuck in complete gridlock as emergency crews worked to clear the area. Unable to see what was ahead of her and losing patience, Mindy abandoned her friend's car and began running towards the scene, desperate to know what had happened to Mork, hoping he had survived. The crash site was complete mayhem, swarms of ambulance, police, and rescue teams surrounding it, along with military vehicles which Mindy found strange at first until she realized they knew about Mork's alien origins and were probably trying to contain the area to protect his identity from becoming public knowledge. Some of them could have been his co-workers on the secret government projects he worked on, for all she knew. She figured since they knew she was his girlfriend they would let her through the barricade they had set up around the perimeter, but a pair of strong hands grabbed her, preventing her from moving ahead any farther.

"Where do you think you're going?" A stern voice asked her.

"Please…" Mindy said, panting from running. "I have to…get through…"

"Nobody is allowed through here, ma'am," the man said.

"But I know him! Please, you don't understand. I have to see him! Mork!" Mindy shouted, struggling against the man who held her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Mork!"

In the distance, she saw military doctors loading Mork's body onto an unmarked vehicle. Strapped to a gurney and attached to an IV, his neck in a brace and his body swathed in bandages, he was barely recognizable, but she could tell it was him, a tuft of his brown, wavy hair protruding from beneath the bandages on his head. Blood from his wounds seeped through the bandages, revealing the true extent and severity of his injuries.

"Oh, God," Mindy said, her voice barely audible. She felt as if she could choke on her words with the grief she felt. She increased her struggles against the man who restrained her until they became violent enough that she was able to break free of his grasp, continuing her run towards Mork.

"Stop her!" The man who had held her shouted.

In response, several armed soldiers pointed their weapons at her, trying to deter her. In a wild, frenzied state of hysteria, beyond concern for her safety, Mindy continued forward, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mork!" She screamed. "Oh, please God no….Mork!"

The men who surrounded her grabbed her, struggling to pull her away as she fought them with every ounce of strength she had available to her, her body adrenalized, her limbs flailing as they lifted her off the ground.

"No! Let go of me! Mork!"

The men dragged her to another unmarked van, placing her inside and locking the doors. She pounded on them, continuing her tearful pleas and shouts, oblivious to the calm man who sat near her until he spoke.

"Relax, Mindy, he'll be just fine," he said. "My men will take excellent care of him."

Ceasing her struggles, Mindy turned to face the man, her expression wild with rage.

"How do you know who I am?" She asked. "Do you work with Mork?"

The man shrugged. "You could say that," he said.

She studied him. He looked more like he belonged as a model in a men's clothing catalogue or a romance novel than a government scientist, his appearance polished and sophisticated, his clothing expensive and immaculate. He was so eerily good-looking that there almost seemed something unnatural, almost sinister about it, something untrustworthy. He was about her age, and seemed to be aware of how attractive he was, giving her a charming, pleasant smile that enhanced his chiseled, rugged features.

"Please, don't let him die," Mindy said, unmoved by his slick appearance or handsome looks. Her lips trembled as she began to cry again, collapsing to the floor of the van. "He's everything to me."

The man smoothed his thick, dark hair back with his hand, insulted by her failure to notice him. He told himself to remain patient. In time, she would appreciate him. She would need him more than she knew. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her trembling body in a comforting gesture.

"Now Ms. McConnell," he said in a soothing tone, "it does nothing to help Mork if you're in a hysterical state. I suggest you remain calm and allow us to handle the situation."

"How can I remain calm if Mork may be dying?" She asked. She sighed deeply. "I feel so helpless."

"I understand what you're going through, believe me I do, but you have to remain strong. You're only going to make yourself ill worrying this way."

He turned and reached into a nearby black attaché case, pulling out a hypodermic needle. As he prepped it, Mindy became aware of what he was doing, watching him with concern.

"What's that?" She asked.

The man gave her another one of his charming, pleasant smiles. "It's something to help calm you down," he said.

Before she could react, he injected her with the clear substance inside the hypodermic, causing her to lose consciousness, collapsing at his feet.