Dead Dreams ((Young Adult Paranormal Romance) ( Dead Dreams Trilogy)) (38 page)

“
Do you know which way we’re going?
”
She asked tentatively.

“
I think so, something’s telling me to keep going straight for a while.
”

Before they had the back pack
s filled with clothes,
sleeping bags
and the tent walking was easier-
now it was more
laborious
slowing them down.

“
How come it’s difficult to carry this stuff if we’re dead?
”
Summer asked.

“
Don’t ask me, I’m no afterlife expert.
”
He snapped back.

Cutting her short
forced her to turn
away not wanting to be part of his isolated bitter mood
and s
he
wished and hoped
that
once he’d found
the answers to his questions
he would
be nicer
.

“
Don’t you give a shit ab
out how you died?
”
He asked
her.

“
I seriously don’t know and I’m not stressing over it right now, can you imagine if it was the two of us freaking out at once?
”

“
That would be
a real nightmare and
…I’m sorry for being a pain.
”

Sadly there wo
uld be no happy ending for Adam.
N
o going home to the loving arms of his mother Julie and no chance of putting everything in order for the future. He had never yearned
so much
for what could
have been more than he did now. Regrets and guilt raged
over him as he walked, grateful that he had Summer by his side
-
but she was no consolation for a life lost.

Dad, where are you, when I need you the most you’re not here…why did you let me down?

Have I been that bad that you’re ignoring me? Please come out of t
he shadows and take me with you, please.

They came across a small restaurant with an inviting food menu outside. Looking like a family run business Summer was the first to run up and take a look at the menu. Adam was more enchanted with the black Harley Davison parked outside. Going around it he was impressed with the paintwork and devils head that stood out on the gas tank.

“
Admiring the bike boy?
”

A heavy set man
stood right next to
him
with
his tattooed arms folded and a
red bandana covering his long unruly hair
.
H
e was
menacing to look at
,
but his demeanour was friendly.

He can see
me, another dead dude.

“
This is one mean machine.
”
Adam said breaking the ice.

“
Thanks man, it’s my pride and joy…I don’t go nowhere without my
Harley
.
”

Summer came bounding over and crawled all over the bike, if she could have drooled she would have done.

“
I just love this.
”
She said.
“
It’s so cool, can I have a ride?
”

“
Maybe later honey, the names Dave and who are you guys?
”

With introductions over Dave asked them to join him for something to eat. Adam wondered how this would work, going into a buffet restaurant was easy, but what would they do w
ith a menu and ordering?

“
Dave, I was thinking, how do you get food from the menu, I mean the waiting staff can’t see us.
”
Adam asked hoping that Dave knew he was dead as well.

“
What menu? We just head for the kitchen help ourselves find a table and sit down to eat, you kids have a lot to learn about being dead but I’ll teach you the ropes, it’s easy.
”

Like
enthusiastic
students soaking up knowledge they happily agreed to follow
the leader
into the restaurant to watch and learn. Everything was suddenly new to them and having someone who was willing to show them how to be dead in the living world was a godsend. Summer laughed when Dave lit up a cigarette the moment they walked
past the no smoking sign and entered the restaurant.

“
Anything’s possible now kid.
”
He said.
“
You’re free as a bird.
”

Ins
ide the restaurant the living
world becomes
their oyster. Taking Dave’s advice they sauntered around the place weaving between tables and unsuspecting diners. Adam’s mood had brightened a little as he laughed at Summer dancing around a couple eating bacon and eggs.

Dave went straight into the back returning with plates of hot food.

“
Table by the window please.
”
Summer said jokingly.

“
At you’re service
honey
.
”
He
replied.

The three of them sat down to bacon, eggs and hash browns with Dave spoiling them even further with fruit juice and coffee.

“
This place is pretty busy, what happens if someone comes in and sits down where we’re sitting?
”
Adam asked.

“
Nothing at all, we
don’t feel them.
”
Dave replied considering himself a well-heeled expert.

“
It was like the cars, you know, we didn’t feel them driving through us, did we?
”
Summer said.

It was almost like being in a separate reality
existing
alongside another. Except one universe was living and breathing and the other was little more than a drifting state of
consciousness
with no real attachment to the living world. After filling themselves with food Adam waited for Summer to go do her thing in the bathroom, but she stayed where she was chatting with Dave about his journey across the country on his motorcycle.

“
I’
d love to do that, I wanna
take off to the
forest
on two wheels.
”
She told him
excitedly
.

“
It’s doable, I can take you up there for sure.
”

“
Your
Harley
can only ta
ke two…what about me?
”
Adam was worried she was doing it again, making plans without consulting him
.

“
I’ll get hold of
my buddy
Caesar
he’ll take you
,
then we can all
head up there
together.
”

Adam didn’t
like the fact that
he was being drawn into a situation he wasn’t
sure about. Having met Dave less than five minutes earlier
Summer had
already cajoled him into taking her
on a road trip
without even thinking
there could be
consequences.

He was
,
up until that point on his way home to the cemetery to undo the riddle of when he died
.
N
ow it looked like he’d been side tracked by Summer and a biker he hardly knew.

“
Don’t we have something to do first?
”
He said reminding her.

“
Oh yeh, but I’m sure Dave will let us pass by the cemetery.
”

“
Why the hell go to a cemetery?
”
Dave remarked.
“
You aint there, there’s no point.
”

“
I want to
see if I’m buried there, then I’ll know
when
I died.
”

His strange new w
orld had taken on a new meaning. The worry of
finding somewhere to be,
or
where the next meal was coming from or
,
thinking about w
hy they
kept gettin
g into unexplainable situations was gone.
It had become much more simplistic,
it was all about getting
to the bottom of how he’d died and when. Summer didn’t care to go down the route of truth, preferring to set her sights on road trips to the
forest
and beyond, seeing things
she’d only ever dreamed about-
content to be a wandering stuck spirit.

Dave assured him that they’d pass by the cemetery but first he had to find
Caesar
.

“
I’m just gonna take off for a while, I know where he’s hanging so you kids stay here, I’ll be right back.
”
He told them.

They sat quietly waiting, not saying much to each other apart from the occasional comment about the customers. Summer was fascinated with a family of five sitting close by enjoying their meal. Dad was kidding around as mom laughed and the kids giggled. It was a picture perfect family scene that struck a chord deep in her heart. How she’d wished for just one second to be part of something so loving and real as she looked on with a deep sadness.

“
Do you really believe he’s coming back?
”
Adam remarked.

“
Of course he will, why wouldn’t he?
”