Part 8: Slave

Alex and I walk into the main building. The school bell rings and Alex looks around for Maria.

"Alex, I can't skip class again," I say.

"Oh yes you can. If you can tell me you're a zombie, then you can skip class," he says. He continues to look around and he spots Isabel coming towards us.

"Alex, no, we can't tell her," I say pleadingly.

"Why not?"

"Because she'll tell Max."

"Hi, Alex, Liz," Isabel says, greeting us. "Alex you look good today."

"Uh, thanks, Isabel, you too, of course."

"Thanks, um ok I guess I'll see you later," Isabel says, feeling the weird vibe between the three of us.

"Liz, ok, so for the sake of not giving me a heart ache, are you serious? Are you sure that this guy or whoever told you the truth?" Alex asks.

"I'm dead serious," I say. "Not good use of the word, huh?"

"No, it's not. Look, we'll go to the Crashdown right after school," he says.

I nod my head in agreement as he gives me a gentle hug. "Don't be late to class."


The Crashdown

After waiting 30 minutes for Maria to take a break from waiting tables, we gather in the back booth. Usually Maria will take a break for any reason, but of course, this time she took her time.

Why is it that when you need a person they never come around? It always happens. Never fails.

"What's happening my people?" Maria asks.

I have a feeling that Maria's giddiness will go away in a couple of minutes.

"Nothing much. Liz here has something to say," Alex says, urging me to tell Maria.

"Yeah, I do ----" I start, but Maria gets up to meet Isabel and Michael.

Alex stands up quickly, knowing what I am thinking and blocks Maria from getting to them. "Maria, she only wants to tell us."

Maria looks at me and she understands that this is private and sits back down. "Ok, so what's going on?"

"Remember when I wasn't feeling well at Alex's house and we were trying to figure out why I was having those memory lapses?"

"Did you figure something out?" Maria asks anxiously.

I look at Alex nervously. He nods his head in support.

"Yeah, I did, or rather I think I did. The other night when I was walking home from the billiard this man approached me and told me that when I was shot at the Crashdown, and when Max healed me, that he did something to me. I was supposed to die. Gabriel is like the person who brings people to where they are supposed to be in the afterlife. So because Max healed me the way he did, if I'm not around him or think about him or anything dealing with Max, I begin to have those memory lapses, and as time progresses I begin to fade, and if something happens to Max, then something happens to me. I always knew Max and I had a connection, but not this strong." I finish, looking around to make sure no one has heard. I lock eyes with Michael, but immediately bring my attention to Alex and Maria.

"And this afternoon I was on the bleachers and I heard Liz talking to Mike," Alex says.

"White Mike?" Maria asks.

"Yeah, he's dead, and since Liz is dead, she can see him and speak to him," Alex says with some queasiness.

"Oh, merciful Zeus! Liz you're not serious right? Alex made you play a trick on me because we never told him about the Czechs, right? Please tell me that what you said is not true," Maria says, starting to get a little choked up.

"Maria, I wish it wasn't true," I say. I can feel tears forming, which are about to fall. "But it is. Maria I can't live this way. I can't be Max's slave."

"Liz," Maria says. We both cry together. She wraps her arms around me and I can feel Alex's arms around me as well.

~

"Something is up between those three," Michael tells Isabel.

"What do you mean?" Isabel asks back.

"Look at them, they look like they saw puppies being murdered."

"MICHAEL! Don't be cruel. They are after all best friends. Leave them alone...I thought you didn't want to associate with the humans," Isabel says, emphasizing the human part.

"Fine, whatever you say."

~

"Oh God Liz, I'm so sorry, is there anything I -- we can do?" Maria asks me. She wipes her tears away with the hem of her uniform.

"Please, don't tell Max yet. We just got back together, I don't what us to break up again," I say, wiping my own tears.

"But if Max has something to do with this...I mean he can help you, he has the alien resources," Maria says.

"No he doesn't. They don't know where they are from. The first big break was that orb we found in the desert. And yes, Max does have something to do with this. If not I wouldn't be getting those flashes of him and the need to be with him."

"The need? Is that why you were in the Eraser Room doing that heavy duty making out?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, probably. When I was in there with him, I felt alive. I felt absolutely wonderful and afterwards, I felt horrible, like I was fading away," I say, remembering the moments we had in the Eraser Room.

With those pleasurable moments, I feel different. I feel good, alive. Please, God, let me have more moments like those. Where I feel loved and wanted but without the restrictions of feeling dead afterwards. I want to be alive and to be with Max.

"So, where do we go from here?" Maria ask warily.

"I don't know. I have to wait for Gabriel to come back, he said that he'll have some more information, but for the time being let's just act normal," I say, taking a deep breath.

"Liz, I'm not so sure about this," Alex says. He's always been the protective brother type. I guess since us three have no other siblings we cling to one other like we are family.

"Liz, he's right. Can't we try to find out more informatio?" Maria asks. "Couldn't we ask River Dog? Maybe he's heard of something like this before."

"I don't know," I say hopelessly.

"Let's go this weekend," Alex replies with determination.

"No Alex, we should go tomorrow after school. This is serious and he could have answers," Maria responds.

"What about our parents?" I ask them. Leave it Maria to think of a good getaway plan.

"We'll tell them that we are staying over at each other's houses, studying or doing something schoolish," Maria says with a devious look.

Maria's a lying genius.

"So, we good?" Maria asks.

"We're good," Alex responds for the both of us.

"Guys, I'm kinda beat and I have some homework to do, do you mind if I see you guys later?"

"Yeah, I gotta go play with 'The Whits'. I'll stop by later," Alex says, getting up. He gives me a hug and starts to leave. He doesn't leave however without giving Isabel a wave and a smile.

"Chica, don't worry...everything will be ok," Maria says. "I'll bring you some ice cream, later, k?"

"Thanks, Maria, thanks for everything," I respond. We give each other a hug and head to the back room. I go upstairs and she gets back to her orders.

~

"Michael, where are you going?" Isabel asks.

"Maria," Michael says matter-of-factly.

"God, Michael, you express your feelings so well," Isabel says with sarcasm, but of course Michael is unmoved.

~

"Hey, Maria," Michael says to Maria's back.

She becomes startled. "Oh, hey, come to stick out your tongue again? Because you know that that's becoming really old. Like how old are ---"

"MARIA! Is everything ok?" he asks with an unusual gentle tone.

"Since when you do care?" Maria asks with sarcasm.

"Maria, why do you always act that way? I just wanted to see if everything was ok with you and Liz."

"Why would something be wrong with Liz and me?"

"I don't know, just wondering," he says.

"Well, you know, the usual girl stuff," Maria says covering up the real reason.

"Right. Girl. Stuff."

"Yeah, so is that all?" she asks, pushing for a little more. Maybe a date.

"No, that's all," he says as he abruptly exits the back room, leaving a confused Maria behind him.

"That always works," she mutters to herself. She grabs the bowls for ice cream and the tub of rainbow ice cream and heads upstairs.

~

"So, P.I. Guerin, find anything out?" Isabel asks as Michael returns.

"No, she said girl stuff," he responds back.

"Why do I get the feeling you're not going to stop snooping until you find something out?"

"Because Isabel, sometimes you have to snoop around to find what you're looking for," he says, taking a sip of his cherry cola. He makes a slight face and adds tabasco sauce to it.

"Yeah, we all know what good that has done for us."

~

"Chica, I come bearing oh so fattening ice cream which will probably go straight to the hips. But hey who cares? Let's live a little," Maria says, opening Liz's door.

She immediately sets it down when she sees Liz on the floor, clutching her stomach.

"LIZ! What's wrong?"

"Maria, the bullet wound, it hurts," I say on the verge on tears.

"C'mon lay down," I hear Maria say as she takes me by the arm and directs me to my bed, which I missed by inches when I fell.

"God, it's Max, he's doing it, he's the one who made the bond," I say.

"Liz, no he would never do anything to harm you. Do you need a picture or something of him?" she asks, beginning to panic.

"No, that's ok, I have all I need to remember him," I say. I close my eyes and think of all the moments Max and I have had: our date at the billiard, our first kiss.

God, I can't live like this.

Slowly but surely the pain subsides.

"God, Liz, you do not know how much you scared me," Maria says eating the ice cream she brought up for me.

Not that I mind.

"Well, times that by 10 and you'll understand how I feel," I say, looking up at her. "And I don't want your pity...and don't think I'm a freak or something."

"Of course not, Liz. This is something that you didn't cause yourself and of course I wouldn't think you're a freak because let me tell you...that alien downstairs with the hair is a freak, not you. Liz you're the glue that holds everything together. You're the ying and I'm the yang and Alex is the line in between. Liz, don't ever think that."

"Thanks," I say. "I feel better."

"Good. Oh and sorry about the ice cream, you know me...when there's no oils, there's always ice cream," she laughs.

She straightens up and says, "Liz, shouldn't we go tonight to see River Dog? This can only get worse, we shouldn't wait for tomorrow because who knows what will happen."

I know she's right, but I don't want to admit it. I don't want River Dog to tell me what's going on because if he does I might not be able to handle it.

But at the same time I want to find out the reasons behind this. Why me? Why now of all times?

"Yeah, ok," I answer weakly.

Maria looks at me as if she didn't hear my response, but understands how I'm feeling.

"I'm going to call Alex, I'll be back in a few. Lay down and get some rest," she says as she leaves the room. She takes one look at me and I manage a small smile to show Maria that I'm ok.

When she leaves I rest my head on my pillow and let out a well deserved sigh.

I stare at the ceiling, waiting for Maria to return, but I begin to fall asleep.

"Max, please, do it, it's the only way," I plead with him.

"I can't. I can't do it, please Liz, don't make me," he begs, tears falling from his eyes.

I jump out of bed, my vision blurring.

"God that doesn't make sense, what did I want Max to do?" I recall.

I didn't see any figures, just darkness and my voice and Max's voice. God it was terrible! Whatever I asked him to do, he couldn't. He was crying, but I was pleading with him. God what is it???

I'm interrupted as Maria enters my room. "I called Alex, told him what's up and he's coming over now. Are you ok? You look pale."

I wipe the beads of sweat from my forehead. "Maria, it was horrible. I feel asleep, and I heard Max saying 'I can't, I can't, don't make me do it'. God, he was crying. What was I forcing him to do? Maria, I don't get it."

"Shh, it's ok, Liz. We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise," she says, combing her fingers through my hair. "I wish I could stay here with you, but I have a couple of more tables to wait on. When Alex gets here, we'll split. K?"

"Yeah, sure, Maria."

I continue to stare at the ceiling, thinking about what I heard in my dream. The weirdest thing was that there were no people, but I know I heard Max and I.

What could that mean? What was I making him do? Whatever it was, why was I forcing him? 'It's the only way.' What could that mean?

I make my way to the bathroom and splash water on my face.

I exit and sense someone is in my room. A hand touches my shoulder and I immediately jump around. "God, Gabriel, you have to stop doing that!"

"Sorry, Liz, I didn't mean to," he says apologetically.

"No problem, just give me a warning next time," I say. "So, any news?"

"Yeah, good..."

I immediately perk up....

"...and bad."

.....figures.

"So the good news is that there is a way to get free from whatever bond is holding you to the earth. Bad is that we're still figuring out how to do that."

I tell Gabriel of my theory and he nods his head in agreement.

"That would explain the Max connection. So you have to make sure that Max remains safe."

"Right. I told Maria and Alex what's going on and we're planning on going to see someone who can help," I say.

"Is he trustworthy?" he asks.

"I think so, he's helped Michael, so I think so."

"Ok, good, I'll be back soon."

"Hey, Gabriel, just out of curiosity...do you have a connection to Gabriel, you know 'the angel' by the gates?" I ask curiously. I've really wanted to ask him this question.

He chuckles lightly. "You know, I get that a lot, and yeah I am. That's me."

"Ok, just wanted fulfill that scientific part of me, even though, well..." I started to ramble. "That's not very scientific."

"Well..." he says. "It's natural."

Gabriel leaves and this time I get a good look as to how he leaves. It's just like anyone would leave a room. He floats a little then disappears.

Oh no it's happening again! Oh God the pain, please stop this!

I look at my hand and it starts to fade.

I panic so badly that everything that Max and I did flies out the window. "Not again, not again," I say to myself.

The last time this happened a day went by. But I didn't know about it or remember it and now I feel it happening again.

God someone please, come! I can't do this alone.

~

"Hey, Max, what brings you around here? Oh yeah, I forgo, you're in love with one of the waitresses," Isabel tells her brother.

"Funny, Isabel," he says with sarcasm. "Where she is?"

"Um, I think upstairs with Maria."

"Ok, see you at home," he says heading to Liz's room.

As he heads to Liz's room Maria sees him and rushes to his side. "Hey, Max, Liz isn't feeling so good, so I don't think you should go up there."

"That gives me a better reason to go see her, right?"

"Yeah, normally, but... hey has Michael, you know, spoken about me?" she asks, stalling for time. She hates lying to Max, but this is what Liz wanted.

"Well, he has said that you should learn something other than giving him the finger."

"Well, you know..." she says throwing her body in front of the staircase.

"Maria what are you doing?" he asks her, getting the feeling something is wrong.

"You know... it's just that... well... I like Michael... he likes me... you should put in a good word for me."

"Sure, but I should go check on Liz. Is everything ok?" Taking a step to go upstairs, Maria has no choice put to go up a step as well.

"Peachy, but you know girl stuff...are you sure you don't want to talk to Michael for me, NOW?"

"Maria, I'll talk to him, but first I want to see Liz. I haven't seen her all day," he say, almost at the door.

The stalling continues... Maria talking incoherently as Max listens and making his way to Liz's room.

Max manages to make his way to Liz's door and turns the knob as he hears Maria's plea not to.

They enter her room. "Liz?" he calls out, surveying the room.

Max looks at Maria and she shrugs her shoulders. He heads for the balcony and Maria goes into the bathroom.

When they both come back into the main room with no luck, the room's temperature drops a notch.

"Is it me or did the room get a lot colder?" Maria asks, rubbing her hands together to get some warmth in her.

"No, it's colder. No breeze could have done," he says.

They stand by Liz's once occupied bed as a form appears on it. Their eyes widen as the realize who it is.

As the body comes into full view Maria gasps and Max rushes to Liz's side.

~

Everything is so blurry, but as my vision clears I see two bodies.

It's Maria. I can spot those silver antennas anywhere.

And the other.....

~

"Liz, what happened?" Max asks me as he smoothes my hair.

I don't know what to say. I didn't want him to find out this way.

"Oh God Max."