Dreamjumper

Chapter Ten

As we made our way down the main highway, Alistair turned on the car radio. He selected a song from his iPhone, and cranked the volume up; it was a slow song, not very similar to the ones that Diadem had played a month ago.

"You like to listen to music?" I asked hesitantly, looking out the window at the passing scenery.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that he nodded. "Do you want me to change it?" he asked.

"No, no. It's fine. This song is nice," I replied quickly.

"I wish that I had something on here that you would like, but unfortunately I do not," he said, motioning to his phone.

"A hipster music fan, huh?" I asked, smiling as I continued to look out at the foliage and architecture falling away behind us.

"I guess you could say that. Was that supposed to be sarcastic?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Only if you listen to Halsey."

"I have no idea what a Halsey is," he laughed.

"Then I wasn't sarcastic," I replied, my grin growing wider.

I supposed that if Alistair and I were going to be fighting crime with each other, we should at least be friendly - even if I would never talk to him under normal circumstances.

Suddenly, I remembered something that I had thought about in the hospital but had somehow forgotten, though it was pretty important.

"So, um ... how long were you standing there before I woke up? You know, in the hospital room," I asked, picking at a loose thread on my sweatpants.

He turned that same shade of pale pink as he had that night, looking embarrassed. "Oh no, my deepest apologies ... I assumed that you knew already; I woke you up when I came in. I tripped on some cords," he replied. He looked absolutely mortified. "I was not standing there aimlessly. I would have woken you up myself if my accident had not."

"Okay ... that makes me feel a lot better," I replied, sinking down into my seat with a mixture of an exhale and a laugh. Alistair wasn't a creep ... good to know. "Can I ask you something else?"

"Of course. You deserve to know," he said, turning onto the road that led to Jensen Bridge.

"How come I don't look any different? I mean, aren't I supposed to undergo a physical transformation, too?"

"Well, the first part of your transition is complete. That activates only your healing abilities. The second part of your transition has yet to happen – that is what changes your appearance, allows you to enter into people's dormant minds ... and also gives you the best ability of all."

"The best ability of all? Isn't being able to heal yourself and save yourself from death kind of incredible?" I asked, giving him a bewildered look.

"Well ... I guess that one is the best. But this one is the second best," he said with finality. "You will be able to fly."

I felt my heart start to pound in my chest at these words. I'd never forgotten them since that night I'd transformed; I'd wanted to fly so badly, and having to wait for it had made me restless; but it had also given me hope for the future.

"How do I go through the second part of the transformation?" I asked, trying to disguise the elation in my voice.

"The same way as the first. Another dreamjumper has to touch you," he replied, making me glance down at his hands.

I noticed that he had put on gloves after he turned on the music; they must have been to prevent me from turning early. They were the same pristine white as before, though instead of matching his outfit, they contrasted; he was wearing a navy jacket with gold accents now, and black dress pants.