In The Dreaming: Chapter Twenty Two "So Close But So Far" (Fantasy Y/A Novel)

-I wrote the following novel nearly two decades ago. In the years between then and now I've honed my craft, and my perception of this world; my thoughts and ideas; have changed dramatically. However, I still enjoy the premise and have decided to do an overhaul of revisions and rewrites, though likely not until sometime next year. (Though I'm sure I'll do a little as I post chapters)

For now I hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my book writing beginnings...

They are the closest of friends though they have never met in waking life.

Prologue-PT1 Prologue-PT2 Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13

Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16

Chapter 17
Chapter 18 Chapter 19

Chapter 20 Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Oh my gosh, yes, I’m starving, I forgot to eat breakfast.”

Mrs. Hurnard overheard “Oh no, it’s because I rushed you. We’ll all go and have a proper breakfast.”

After they ate they spent a lot of time looking out the windows pointing out interesting sights. Before they knew it they were pulling into the Long Island station.

They stepped off the train and saw that there were other trains boarding and taking off. Apparently Long Island had a number of stations, and people would get off here and transfer onto the local trains.

Mrs. Hurnard looked at her watch. “Jane should be here any moment. Wow, I thought for sure she would be waiting for us, but we made good time.” She looked around, searching the throngs of people for her sister-in-law.

Aliyah watched as people boarded a train across the way. She caught a glimpse of a dark haired boy turned slightly in the window of one of the passenger cars. She stared at him for a moment, then the train began to move. Right then he turned so his full face was visible in the window.

He wasn’t looking at her, but off to her left. She stopped breathing for a second. It was Dark Eyes! No, it couldn’t be. The train was moving and she started to run in that direction to get a better look, but it sped up quickly. Just before his face moved out of sight it looked as if he saw her. She could’ve been imagining it, but did his eyes widen?

Amy plopped a hand on her shoulder panting “What on earth are you doing?”

“I swear I just saw Dark Eyes on that train!”

“Oh come on silly, what are the chances of that?”

“Well he is from Long Island!”

“What? Since when? You never told me that!”

“I know, it didn’t occur to me until this morning that he has an accent exactly like yours. I don’t know why I never thought of it, probably just because I’ve heard him talk since I was little so I stopped noticing it.” She continued staring after the train until it had disappeared from sight.

“Girls! Girls, come on, what are you doing, Aunt Jane is here.”

“What if he saw me Amy, how far is the next station from here?”

“Uh, I think about ten miles or so.”

“Well, what if he saw me and he tries to come back?”

“I don’t know, but I think it would be hard to convince my Aunt and mom to wait around for your dream guy, don’t you?”

Aliyah sighed. “Yeah, I guess so.” They hurried back over to the adults and were ushered into a car. Aliyah stared out the window, lost in a world of trees and running water. When? she thought, when do we meet?

---

Collin woke that morning and realized he had nothing in particular to do that day since his classes had all been canceled for a teacher’s conference. He decided it would probably be best to grab a train in to see his family, it had been about six weeks since he last went. He had hoped he would be headed upstate NY, but Gothan had called and said they would have to postpone.

He dressed and grabbed a bagel, told his roomies he’d see them later and headed out the door to walk the couple miles to Station B. Jake started to offer him a ride, but he waved him off. It was a beautiful day and he wanted a chance to enjoy it.

Located on a side street in the small metropolis of Kosack New Jersey, Jarien was set up just like any other community college with the exception of the small white stone structures that housed the students on the opposite side of the road. He stepped off the cobblestone walkway onto a cracked white sidewalk. This place felt like his home now and he felt a touch of sadness to imagine leaving it the summer of next year. He turned up another side street into a fairly nice neighborhood. He had walked this route so often that he could have closed his eyes and told the color and size of each home that he would pass. When he had first come to live here he thought that it wouldn’t be so bad to someday own one of the charming two story houses, but these days he found himself wanting a bit more space. He now hoped that he could one day settle somewhere in the country surrounded by woods without a neighbor in sight.

He came to the end of the road and turned onto a busier street that headed straight into the center of the small city. The buildings lining both sides of the road were a little rundown, but you could see how once upon a time they had been clean and charming. A pizzeria/deli was located on every corner and these were the only businesses that didn’t change hands every year or so. For some strange reason nobody seemed able to get a foothold. A clothing store would open then close then reopen as a candle shop. Next door a bike shop would open only to be replaced by a surf shop. It had become so that most people would wait to even enter a store until it was closing so they could pay half price. The only place that had been the same since Collin had come here was a Sporting Goods store called Frank’s, but for the life of him he couldn’t see how, there was never anyone in there.

He reached the entrance to the train station walked up to a counter and bought a ticket. “You should have been here five minutes earlier,” the ticket seller stated, “Now you have to wait an hour for the next one.”

He took his ticket and flopped down on a bench to wait. A few magazines were scattered on a table in front of him and he flipped through them without interest. He felt antsy and agitated but couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason for it.

The hour went by excruciatingly slow, but finally he was boarding. It was about an hour and a half ride to the Master station, then another 15 minutes to his stop.

Once inside he found a window seat and settled in. Someone had left a Crichton novel in the pouch on the seat in front of him and he read it until the train was approaching the Master station. He considered taking the book with him then decided to leave it for the next person.

He got out and boarded the connecting train slowly. He found another window seat and leaned against the cold glass staring out into the crowd milling around the large pickup area. Every ethnic background gathered there, some laughing some crying, some looking lost. He wondered what their lives were about. He was jolted by the train beginning to move and it caused him to look at another less crowded place outside. As they began pulling away he caught a glimpse of blonde hair and noticed a girl who looked as if she were staring at him. He leaned closer to the window, but the train was really beginning to move and….Oh my God, was that...? He got up quickly and moved down the aisle trying to get a better look, but it was moving too fast. He could swear that was bright eyes! No. How could it be, she wasn’t from around here. But, it was a holiday weekend what if she was vacationing?

His mind went back and forth then he sighed. It didn’t matter, even if he took the train coming back the other way she would most likely be gone. But if she wasn’t? What if she was waiting for someone and they were late? Am I really in that much of a hurry to get to mom’s?

He decided he was going back just in case. He started to feel a bit excited, but pushed it down. It probably wasn’t her, he thought.

The train pulled in and he virtually flew off it to get on the train that was just leaving to go back.

Ten minutes later they pulled into Master Station and he jumped off. He pushed through people searching. He got up on a platform and surveyed everyone below. Damn, he thought, if only I knew her name, I could shout it! He watched as the people waiting boarded their respective trains. He stayed through two switches then sighed and decided to give up. I have to remember to ask her if she was here, he thought, then he boarded his train and went back the other way staring out the window until the station was out of sight.

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