Aspen and the Dream Walkers (16 page)

Norma rubbed at her eyes with the remaining
paper towel and sniffed softly. “Stephan was so nice to you when I
first met him. I didn’t realize that he only wanted an unpaid
housekeeper and someone to look after his daughter. He already had
a house, and we were about to be kicked out of ours. I didn’t have
a job and the rent was due. Before your dad died, he spoke about a
new house that he’d been building in his dreams. I wish it was the
truth. I’ve tried to go there in my dreams at night, even though
it’s not real, but I can’t even imagine it while I’m sleeping.”

Norma took a deep breath and wiped her nose
again. “Stephan was there when I was at my lowest, and his offer of
help came at the right time, or so I thought. I never thought he
would change into such a mean person.” She reached out and grabbed
Aspen’s knee. “I hate the way he treats you, don’t think I don’t
know what he’s doing. I’ve just kept quiet because there isn’t a
thing I can do about it.”

Aspen hugged her mother again. “Don’t worry,
Mom, we’ll work this out together. I thought you wanted to be with
him. I’m older now, you’ll see, we
can
get through this.
Give me a little time and I’ll have a solution for you. I
promise.”

Norma gave her daughter a sad smile. “Just
remember that I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom. Now get up and wash
your face. I’ll help you fix dinner.”

Although Norma was still shaky, she rose from
the chair and soothed the creases from her shirt.

Aspen smiled at her and said, “I’m just going
out for a sec, I’ll be back soon. Don’t start dinner without
me.”

She gave her mom another hug and breathed in
the vanilla scent that was so familiar to her. Once she’d released
her, she darted toward the kitchen. Her backpack was under the
table and she dug around in it for a quarter. The bag couldn’t stay
there, and she made a mental note to take it to her room when she
got back.

After finding the quarter, she raced down the
driveway and out into the street. A pay phone was situated in the
middle of the block, and she headed straight for it. Dylan’s number
was imprinted in her brain; she’d stared at it enough times in
class. The metal buttons were difficult to press, but she punched
in the number and deposited the quarter when asked.

Dylan answered on the first ring. “Aspen,
what’s wrong?” His voice sounded thin and distant as he spoke.

“How did you know it would be me?” she
asked.

“You’re the only one who has this
. . . Never mind, what’s the matter?”

“Can you meet me at the playground on the way
to my house?”

Dylan was quiet for a second. “What time?”
His voice didn’t sound warm, and she worried if she’d been right to
call him.

“Um, now?” she said softly.

“I’ll be there right away.”

When he said good-bye, she replaced the
receiver and walked to the park. The overcast sky reflected her
mood as she strolled toward the recreational area. Huge oak trees
shaded the road on both sides, and she stepped between cars that
were situated tightly end to end in small parking spaces along the
curb.

She felt Dylan’s eyes on her before she saw
him. He paced in front of the green metal gates, and once he saw
her, he marched over to her and grabbed her hands. A warm glow
reached out from his palms and traveled through her body.

“What happened?” His concern was so genuine
that she felt a tremor of emotion in her chest. Her mouth tilted
downward and he pulled her against him gently. His jersey smelled
of wood smoke and leather, and she relaxed her cheek on his chest
as his power surged through her veins.

Aspen breathed deeply. “It’s my mother. She
was crying when I got home.”

Dylan increased the pressure of his hug and
then allowed her to step back with his hands still on her. Her hair
stuck to his jersey, and she concentrated on pulling each strand
free as she spoke.

“Stephan had a huge fight with her and she
wants to leave him but she’s afraid that she’ll have nowhere to go
and she doesn’t want us to be out on the streets but she can’t live
like this anymore and I’m worried about her . . .” She
looked up at him with luminous eyes as she babbled away.

“Whoa, whoa. Hold up there.” Dylan held her
at arm’s length and searched her face. “Did he hit her?” he asked
solemnly.

“Nope.”

“Did he hurt you?” His blue eyes glinted
dangerously.

“No, I wasn’t there when it happened.”

Dylan relaxed slightly and breathed again.
“So does your mother want to leave?”

“Yes. I didn’t realize it but she hates him
as much as I do. We’re stuck and I don’t know who to turn to.” Her
lip trembled.

Dylan kept quiet for a bit. Moments later, he
tucked her under his arm and walked into the park. Aspen wondered
if he knew how his touch affected her, but she didn’t say a
thing.

“How long has he been treating you
badly?”

Stray oak leaves on the ground formed a
perfect target for her feet, and she kicked at them as she moved
along the cobbled walkway.

“It’s been a while. He doesn’t hurt me
physically, he hurts me with words. If he struck out at me I’d be
able to hit back, but I can’t defend myself against words and
feelings.”

She looked up at the pulse ticking at the
base of his neck. Children screamed in delight on the playground
equipment, and a dog barked excitedly near them. As soon as she saw
her favorite garden shed, she headed straight toward it.

“I can’t tell anyone because he does look
after me and my mom financially, but everything else that should be
there in a family is missing—or at least I think it’s missing. I
don’t know how it’s supposed to be, but this just doesn’t feel
right.” She stopped in front of the metal door. “This is my special
place. I come here to get away.” With a smile, she pointed at the
shed.

Dylan stared at the rusty door in disbelief,
but opened it for her as she stepped inside.

Once inside, she sat down on the bench and
dusted a space for Dylan to sit. “Do you know what I can do to make
my mom smile again?” Aspen looked up at him.

He sat down and tucked a strand of hair
behind her ear. “I’ll make a plan. I’m going to speak to Leeman to
see what can be done. There’s a place that you can go to, but your
mother won’t be able to go there and you wouldn’t want that.”

“No, I won’t leave my mom,” Aspen exclaimed.
Everything seemed hopeless and she drew her knees up to her chin
and wrapped her legs with her arms.

Pulling his dream catcher out from beneath
his T-shirt, he stared at her. The metal of the charm shone like
spun gold in the light.

“There are things that you need to know,
Princess. You’re not fully clan—your mother is Earthly. That means
you have two ways to get to Lanta. If you sleep at night, you’ll
dream and your dreams will take you to us. Your body still gets to
sleep while you’re gone, and that’s the best way for you to
travel.”

He tilted the dream catcher and its
reflection sparkled in the small shed. “You can also travel with a
dream catcher. Do you see the pattern over here?” The afternoon
sunlight shone directly on the charm, and she bent her head to look
at an indentation in the design.

“Yes.”

“Put your index finger on it and concentrate.
You’ll need to send a small spark of power to it.” Reaching over,
she touched the spot and thought about a blue bolt of electricity.
Instantly, her arm tingled and a blast of air hit her face. The
room became brighter, and in the next moment, she found herself
sitting on the soft grass of Lanta. The river gurgled next to her
and warm Lemona air filled her lungs.

“Wow. How did that happen?”

Dylan smiled at her. His eyes crinkled at the
corners with pleasure. “This is the way I travel. I don’t need to
sleep because I’m a full clan member. You can travel like this too,
but you will grow tired and will need to sleep, so only use this
method for emergencies or if you have to travel in the day. Press
the same spot and concentrate to go back home.”

“That’s so awesome.” She jumped up and dusted
her pants clean. “My clothes!” she shouted. “I’m wearing my normal
clothes.”

“Yes, most of the time you’ll get to keep the
clothes you’re wearing when you travel with the dream catcher, but
it’s not an exact science. The dream catcher takes us between Earth
and Lanta. It transports us there and back.”

“Cool. Can I use it to jump to places once
I’m in Lanta?” she asked.

“No, it only transports us between Earth and
Lanta, not back and forth in Lanta.” His mouth curled into a
lopsided grin. “You can travel back and forth on Earth, but not
here.”

“Okay. I’ll have to bring spare clothing when
I use the dream catcher and store it at your place then.” She
smiled brightly.

“I’ve got a better idea.” He grinned and
pulled her up. “Come with me.”

Silently, she followed him along the river’s
edge. The water lapped at the pebbles scattered along its path, and
the smell of apple blossoms filled the air. Dylan led her toward
his house and Goldilocks honked at them from behind the white
picket fence.

“Hey, Gold.” She greeted the big bird. “I
haven’t seen you in ages.” The big goose fanned her tail feathers
and vibrated them excitedly.

“We’ll come back soon, Gold. I’ll have some
food for you then,” Dylan promised.

The bird honked loudly as they passed by, but
they continued walking. Dylan was headed for a large house that
stood apart from the others. Weeds and bushes grew around it. The
timber siding was sorely in need of paint, and Aspen noticed places
where shingles were missing on the roof.

The porch steps creaked as he climbed them,
and he jerked the door open on rusty hinges. With a wave of his
hand, he motioned for her to look inside.

“What a beautiful old house.” She breathed in
awe. “It just needs a little paint and a lot of TLC, and it’ll be
as good as new.”

After letting her enter, he led her into the
living room. The room had a high ceiling and wooden floors. Linen
sheets covered the couches, and a dusty coffee table was centered
between the chairs. A large fireplace faced the furniture, and the
ashes from an old fire lay like a carpet over the stones. A can of
paint and a paintbrush sat at one side of the room, and it seemed
as though someone was fixing the walls. The house smelled of paint
and turpentine.

“Whose house is this?”

Dylan took a deep breath and turned to face
her. “It belonged to your father.”

Aspen’s chest burned and her knees weakened.
“It can’t be. Why haven’t you showed this to me before?” Her
fingers dug into his forearm, but he didn’t flinch from the burst
of electricity that shot from her palm.

“I didn’t think you were ready to see
it.”

Aspen shook her head and stared at the room
around her. Feeling overwhelmed, she moved forward to see what
memories the house held of her father. With her bottom lip clamped
between her teeth, she looked back at Dylan as he waited by the
doorway.

The floorboards squeaked as she walked
through the living room and into the hallway. The first door
opposite the living room led into a medium-sized kitchen. Dust and
cobwebs covered some of the surfaces, including a large table and
chairs in the middle of the room, and an old cast-iron stove and a
sink against the wall. A bucket of soapy water and a mop stood
against the kitchen door as though someone had cleaned up.

She stepped back into the hallway and turned
into the first door on her left. A porcelain claw-foot bathtub
stood in the center of the room. Old towels lay neatly across a
wooden chest of drawers, and a massive sink hugged the wall. Once
she’d left the bathroom, she entered a room to her right.

It contained a single bed, a closet, and a
chest of drawers. The curtains were shut, and the air smelled
stale. After a quick perusal of the small room, she crossed the
hallway and entered the room opposite the one she’d just
vacated.

This one was larger, and it contained a big
bed and two closets. It must have been her father’s. She choked
back a sob and picked up a long-sleeved shirt draped over a chair
in the corner that could only have belonged to him. It was covered
in dust and was brittle beneath her fingers. Evidence of her dad
lay around everywhere. A comb rested on top of the chest together
with a pencil, and a pair of leather boots rested neatly outside
the closet door.

The last room was opposite the master bedroom
and she opened the door to peer inside. A white crib and a single
bed stood near the window. She walked over to the crib and touched
a mobile of small stuffed animals that hung over it. A fluffy
blanket was tucked around the mattress, and it peeked out through
the slats. This room smelled fresh and the quilt had been cleaned,
and the floor had been scrubbed until it sparkled.

“This was your room.”

Aspen spun around as Dylan spoke from the
doorway.

“Your dad would bring you here because you’re
a Dream Walker, but he couldn’t bring your mother. She’s not part
of us.”

Absolute sadness fell over her as he spoke.
“So I’ve been here with him before?”

“Yes, I’ve been told that he brought you here
at night. He wanted to make a home for you but he couldn’t leave
your mother behind. Demothi tried to create a spell to get her to
come over. We haven’t had humans here for centuries, so it was very
difficult to do. Your dad died before Demothi could finish the
spell.”

This was too much for her to process and she
collapsed onto a fluffy rug on the floor. “My poor dad. He told my
mom the truth all along. He’s just been a distant memory for me. I
remember him vaguely, when I see someone smile in a special way or
if I smell a certain type of aftershave. But I can’t picture him
anymore,” she added sadly.