Faye popped the key into the ignition and the cruiser started with a roar. She paused for a second, took a deep breath, and opened the hatch door. She flew out of the garage and into the night. It would take a while for her to get to Mars from Ganymede. Faye placed the ship on auto pilot and slowly closed her eyes…
She was standing in the middle of a park. Birds chirped happily around her, soaring through the warm afternoon sun. She looked around for a moment when someone sitting on the grass nearby caught her eye. Spike stared up at the clouds, a cigarette hanging from between his lips. A small wisp of gray smoke floated up into the deep blue sky.Faye smiled and walked over to him. She sat down slowly next to him, unsure of what to say.
"Want a smoke?" Spike never turned his head. He just continued to look at the clouds as the slowly drifted through the sky.
"Sure." Faye took the cigarette from Spike's hand and graciously accepted his silver Zippo. She flipped it open and placed the small orange flame near the end of the cigarette. The tip glowed orange for a moment and then died down.
"Watching these clouds," Spike took a drag from his cigarette. He blew the smoke out in a small ring. "Makes me hungry for marshmallows." Faye laughed. Spike smiled at her. His different colored eyes met her dark ones for a minute before both of them looked at the ground.
"You weirdo." Faye took a long drag of her own cigarette. She looked up at the clouds and, to her surprise, were marshmallows. She looked at them for another moment and then looked back at Spike.
"Your dead. I got a letter telling me you were dead." Faye looked at the man.
"Yeah, I know." Spike smiled at her. "I told you, I've already died. You can't die twice can you?"
"Well… no, but you can't really be here."
"If I weren't here, would I be able to do this?" Spike leaned closer to her. His cigarette fell out of his mouth and now lay on the grass between them. Faye leaned closer too.
"You gorgio." She could feel his warm breath on her face. Faye could almost taste his lips. She let the cigarette fall from her limp fingers. Spike put his hand on her cheek.
"I love you." Spike smiled.
"And I lo-"
"AUTO PILOT DISENGAGED." The voice awoke Faye quickly. Her head jerked forward and smacked into the front windshield.
"Shit!" Faye rubbed the bump gingerly. Pain surged through her whole head. She winced in pain as she reached in to her purse and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol. She popped two pills into her mouth and swallowed them dry.
Faye was no longer flying through space. Tall buildings loomed above her. She had finally arrived on Mars. Faye yawned.
"What the hell was that all about?" She took the key out of the ignition and opened the door of the cruiser. As Faye stepped out into the light, she pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. Within ten seconds, small wisps of smoke were floating effortlessly upward.
Faye looked up and down the street. The address she had said "73921 Noverta Avenue." After a minute of asking directions, she found the right place.
"Going to the morgue. What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon."