The DreamWalker Series

Ebb and Flow - 1

It was a glorious summer night. The moon illuminated the landscape in a silvery sheen, the crickets singing out all around her. Though it had been dark for some time, it was still hot, and she pulled off her jacket, hanging it over the seat of her motorcycle. Ellette inhaled deeply through her nose, throwing her head back to enjoy the simple beauty of the night.

After some time, she decided to walk along the dirt path that snaked through the vast, old park. Lamps were scattered throughout the man-made wilderness, but it made little impact on the shadows beneath the trees. Any number of unsavory characters could be lurking just out of sight, and some likely did.

She didn't care. This was her world. She'd known fear, she'd known homelessness and despair. She still feared those things, but tonight, in this reality, she was fearless, invincible. She was here for a reason. What reason was, she wasn't sure just yet. She soon grew frustrated. What a waste of a wonderful night, she thought, circling back to the parking lot again. Nothing was happening.

Ellette leaned against her bike, arms crossed, staring at the shadow-filled park. There were people here, a scattering amongst the benches and picnic tables, minding their own business. Nothing that seemed to pique her interest, to draw her. She let out a long, heavy sigh and wandered over to the park bench. Something would come, or there was something she was missing.

"You know, this isn't a very good neighborhood to be wandering around alone at night."

Ellette stood, startled by the voice that seemed to have materialized from nowhere. She let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was a young man, maybe sixteen, lanky, blond, unthreatening, and rather pretty. Ellette grinned, running a hand through her glossy black hair.

"Then what are you doing out here?" she scoffed.

He sighed his body language speaking volumes. His shoulders hunched ever so slightly, defensive, anxious, and on edge. "Listen," he said softly. "You cannot just come parading through this park at night and not expect someone to notice you."

She resisted laughing. She'd wanted to be noticed, to draw someone out. His concern was endearing. Though she had resisted laughing, she still smirked at him, and he'd clearly noticed.

"You see those guys over there?" he hissed. "No, don't look, but those guys over there... they've been watching you. I think you should leave, now."

"Alright. Only if you come with me," she said with a grin. This was it. This was who she was here for. She was sure of it.

He ran his hand through his hair before accepting defeat and shrugging. "Fine, where to?"

She tossed him her spare helmet, which he caught deftly. She took note of that. Anxious, though he was, he clearly had physical aptitude of some sort. "I don't know the area. You tell me."

He glanced back at the men lingering in the park and back to her before approaching her and her motorcycle. "There's a cafe up the road here, to the right," he suggested, pointing down the road. She stared off in the direction he'd gestured to before climbing on the battered old bike.

"This place got a name?" she asked before pulling on her helmet.

"Umm, The Dinky Diner, I think... at least that's what everyone calls it." She could tell he was second-guessing his decision to join her, but she'd coerced others to take a ride with her before. It wasn't like he had anything to fear from her. Ellette was not an imposing person, willowy, and almost overly thin. Physically, he had a clear advantage. He was slender but not slight, and quite tall.

"Aright, you coming?" she asked, pulling the helmet on, the visor still flipped up. He hesitated, helmet in hand. "Look, you want to protect me from those big scary men in the shadows?"