Flyover City! A Novel (with Superheroes)

34. The Plot Thickens

I was floating, immaterial, in a perfect, fitful sleep. The sharp aches that were twisting their way through my muscles were anchored to my body, somewhere far below. 

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a voice whipped me back into existence: 

"It's time."

My eyes snapped open. I was about to yell at him for waking me up so early, ritual be damned, but I wasn't so sure this wasn't just more dreaming. His face hovered above mine, upside down from where my head was hanging out from Gwen's trunk. I couldn't make out his matted grey hair beneath the hood, or the dirt caked in his cheekbones. All I remember now is the glint of emerald in his eyes.

I crawled out from the back of the car, feeling like I was eleven years old again, getting woken up for a family vacation. The world had that same air of potential, like it was just waiting to be filled with something other than whatever constituted daily life out here in the middle of nowhere, in this abandoned trailer park. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, to witness a faint orange glow out to the east.

"Our friend is a heavy sleeper," he mused. I turned and saw Gwen stirring, but then I realized who he was talking about. 

"Yeah, well, I guess a couple shots of Jack a night will do that to a guy." I said, surveying the candles set up around the mandala.

He grunted in agreement. "The dreaming will be richest in just a few minutes."

Great... no coffee, then. I sat down, mirroring his posture: criss-cross applesauce. "So, what's the dealy-o, anyway? Is Kyle, like, the reincarnation of some great lama? The Super-Buddha?"

"Hmph. He's dealing with enough as it is; lets not saddle him with that particular stigma. He is, shall we say, gifted, with far greater abilities than he realizes. A few years ago, Darkstreak sustained a near-fatal injury." -  Mistress Katana's blade, I remembered - "While meditating in a deep trance, traveling through another plane of existence, I came across his unconscious self, balanced on the border of life and death. In that pure state, his unburdened mind was able to mend his physical body. But as of yet, he hasn't been able to use those abilities while awake. I've called out to him, only to find a spirit polluted by self doubt and regret."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. But where do I come in?"

"You are his friend. I am hoping that makes a difference."

"Huh. Well, I'm hoping he still thinks so. You know, if I found you a few weeks ago, we could have just swung by his apartment."

"We can only make the call," he said, "it's up to him to answer. Our window is closing, we must begin..."

I shifted my ass-cheeks to try and get a little more comfortable. "I'm pretty new to this whole meditation thing. Do I need to focus on something? Or keep a happy thought, or..."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Behind me, Gwen whispered, "Joel, I think the first rule is 'shut up'."

"Hmm. You know, she is useful." he said, with a wary smile on his lips. "Just close your eyes, I'll do the rest..."

I tried to do the whole 'empty vessel' thing, but the flickering of the candles still registered through my eyelids, keeping me firmly situated in the time and place. And then, he began to chant: "Om Mani Padme Hum... Om Mani Padme Hum..." Of course I was trying to take it seriously, but I couldn't help but feel like a kid messing around with a Ouija board. 

But then, there was a subtle shift. The chant began to sound more natural - not even like a voice, anymore; it was ambient noise, in whatever strange place I was being led to.