They stood in front of the window of the pet store where there were three very furry puppies playing together.
"Oh, please, Jesse!" Isabel gave her new husband a million dollar smile and batted her long eyelashes.
"Soon, Iz. I promise," was his response as he avoided her gaze. "And don't look at me like that!"
Isabel grinned, and grasping Jesse's hand, the two walked on…
"Isabel!"
Liz's piercing call stopped Isabel in her tracks. She was suddenly aware that she almost entered a busy intersection where she would definitely have been hit by one of many speeding cars.
"Distracted?" Liz questioned.
Isabel offered a crooked, apologetic smile and as the traffic broke, the two girls crossed the street and walked on in silence. It had been only a few months ago that she and Jesse had decided to get a puppy. Now here she was…
The group had split as Max had paired them, each heading a different direction in search of a postcard, addressed to Max. Isabel almost wanted to laugh at the ridiculous nature of her life at this point.
Liz and Isabel had come across one store that rented mailboxes-but no messages had been left. The store clerk, a young teenager, had given them suspicious stares after they had asked for a postcard addressed to Max. They had quickly left the small store-suppressing the urge to giggle.
Twenty minutes and four blocks later they had not come upon any other mailbox locations or a Post Office. Now they were at the edge of town, only the desert landscape and a few houses beyond them.
Stopping, Isabel jumped as Liz suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Liz!" she exclaimed, ready to remind her new sister-in-law not to scare her like that.
"Shh!" was Liz's response, "Don't make any sudden movements. I think we're being followed."
Isabel wanted to roll her eyes. Didn't she remember that Isabel was alien and could protect them if necessary?
Liz, probably realizing how silly she sounded, released Isabel's arm.
Cautiously the two girls slowly turned to look behind them, than they did start laughing. The sidewalk was empty except for a scrawny, dirty mutt. They were being followed by a dog.
Isabel, wiping her eyes, felt her laughter fade as she recalled again the memory she had just been thinking of; she and Jesse shopping for a puppy.
Isabel stared at the skinny dog, its large chocolate eyes examining them like they were the strange ones. Isabel started towards it, ignoring Liz's protests from behind her.
"Isabel! Stop," Liz grabbed Isabel's arm. They were about five feet from the dog, which continued to stand and stare, its skinny tail wagging slowly.
"It might bite," Liz cautioned as Isabel reached her hand out to the animal, allowing it to get her scent.
The dog stepped forward and opening its mouth it began licking Isabel's hand, its tail now wagging fiercely.
"I don't think he's going to bite," Isabel smiled over her shoulder at Liz.
Isabel, noticing a thin rope tied around the dog's neck, pulled on it, revealing a very grimy tag indicating the dog had received all its shots, and that its name was Shizzam.
"Shizzam," Isabel whispered. Immediately the dog responded by sitting and offering its paw to be shaken.
"Uh, that was weird," Liz observed as she kneeled next to Isabel. Isabel just laughed, and grasping the dog's paw she shook it.
"Well, he used to belong to someone. He's got a name. And these tags…," Isabel tried to scrape some of the caked on dirt off, "it looks like he's from somewhere in Colorado, I think."
"Poor boy, I bet someone is missing you," Isabel added, scratching the dog.
He was a very light tan color, with spots of darker brown and white surrounding his muzzle and eyes. His ears were black, and his tail was also black with a white tip. Isabel couldn't even begin to guess what breeds had to mix to create such a strange looking dog.
The dog, Shizzam, leaned into Isabel, letting her scratch and pet him. Liz, who was squatting next to Isabel, reached out and the two girls showered the scrawny dog with attention.
Several minutes later Liz stood.
"Isabel, we should get back. We are on kind of a tight schedule."
Isabel, knowing Liz was right, sighed reluctantly. Everything came back to the alien business. When will we have to stop fighting just to live? Isabel wondered.
Giving Shizzam one last pat, Isabel stood and she and Liz started back, taking the same path they had just walked. Isabel, feeling bad for leaving the dog behind, turned to look back and stopped as she saw him following them.
"Uh, Liz, I think we have a slight problem," Isabel stopped and as Liz turned, the dog started trotting towards them.
"Great," was Liz's reply.
"Nice mutt."
Isabel smirked as Maria smacked Michael's shoulder.
"I think he's adorable," Maria added, leaning down to pet Shizzam. Michael glared at the dog while rubbing his arm where Maria had just punched him.
"Well, he kind of followed us," Liz explained as she, Isabel and Michael stood around the dog and Maria. Max and Kyle hadn't returned to the van yet.
"Did you guys find anything?" Liz asked Michael as Maria ran off with the dog.
"No," he answered shortly, still glaring at the dog.
"Michael, what is your problem?" Isabel asked, unable to keep the annoyed tone from her voice.
Michael turned his glare from the dog to Isabel. "I don't like dogs, okay?"
"Look, Max and Kyle are back," Liz blurted before Isabel could respond, probably saving them all from a pointless argument. They all turned to the west where Max and Kyle were walking back from town.
"Read it again," Michael said.
Max and Kyle had found what they had been seeking. On the edge of town had been a small, out of the way mailing center where a postcard waited for them.
"Are you laughin' yet," Max read, "and laughin' is capitalized," he added. The postcard featured a picture of an old western movie, High Noon.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" Michael demanded, very obviously frustrated.
"I have no idea," Max replied, sounding defeated.
"Well, obviously laughin' is the important word, since it's capitalized," Kyle blurted, "so all we have to do is figure out what is meant by it."
"Yeah, all we have to do," Michael snapped. "No big problem trying to-."
"Shut up, Michael," Maria blurted, cutting Michael off. He frowned at her, than crossed his arms and pouted.
Isabel tried to think through the clue. Shizzam, or Shiz-as she'd nicknamed him, was at her side, his tail wagging as Isabel absently scratched behind his ears.
"Maybe it's another town," Liz offered, "That seems to be the game he's playing."
"Brilliant," Max smiled at Liz, causing Isabel to roll her eyes catching Kyle doing the same thing. They grinned at each other, sharing a moment of their own.
Max retrieved the Atlas from the van and opened the book to Arizona.
"Here we are," Max laid his finger on Flagstaff. "There are only a few possible routes out of here, so…,"
Max's voice trailed off as they all crowded around the atlas.
"Here," he said as they all looked to where he was pointing. There was a small town on the Arizona-Nevada border; Laughlin, Nevada.
"Iz, we can't bring the dog. Seriously. Think about it!" Max insisted for the third time. Isabel and her brother were walking with Shiz, the others were waiting in the van for them to return.
"But we can't just leave him here in the desert!" Isabel looked down at the mutt, his large chocolate eyes piercing her heart. Isabel silently cursed herself. She had fallen in love with the mutt.
"Isabel! He can't come. That's it. We'll take him back into town and drop him off on a residential street corner. Someone is bound to pick him up. And maybe they'll track down his owners, since he has those vet tags from Colorado," Max put his hand on Isabel's arm. "We have to take care of this problem with this mystery guy. We need to be fast, and silent, and mobile. We can't cart around a stray dog. I'm sorry."
"I know you're right. But he's so sweet, and he really likes me. And, well," Isabel paused as a lump formed in her throat, "he reminds me of Jesse. We were going to get a puppy…before everything blew up in our faces."
The brother and sister stood in the darkening afternoon, while Shiz paced around them, a slight whimper escaping him. Isabel was certain he knew what was going on and was trying to plead his case to come along.
"Let's go," Max softly spook, taking Isabel's hand and gently leading her back towards the van. Isabel let Max guide her. She was curious to talk to him about Kyle, but she was tired. She really didn't feel she could handle Kyle-drama at the moment.
Back at the van, Michael sat in the driver's seat with the van running, Metallica once again blaring from the radio. Maria sat in the passenger seat and as Max and Isabel climbed in after the dog they both turned.
"Is that smelly mutt coming too?" Michael grunted, scowling.
"No," Max firmly stated before anyone else could respond.
There were murmurs of protestation from the others, but no real battle was fought over the dog. Isabel held him as they drove through the town, looking for a good spot to drop him. Max directed Michael towards a street across from a small city park where there were about four children playing.
"This is it, Izzy," Max said, sliding the van door open. "If one of these kids doesn't take the dog home I'll be surprised."
Isabel said nothing as she hopped out of the van, Shiz following her, his tail wagging, his eyes looking to her, waiting for what was next.
"Go, Shiz," Isabel whispered as she kneeled down to hug the mutt. "Find a good home, if you can."
The dog seemed to understand. He backed away, his tail no longer wagging as Isabel climbed back into the van. A single tear fell from her eye. Shiz stared at the van until it was out of sight. Isabel knew, because she stared at Shiz until he was no longer in sight.
Isabel didn't know why a mangy mutt that she'd only spent half a day with would have such an affect on her, but she felt as if she were losing everything she'd had all over again.
The van, silent except for the throbbing beat of Metallica, drove west into the setting sun-destined for Laughlin, Nevada.