The Search for Christilone (Chapter 3)

The Journey


Matthew was talking to Pete on his cell phone when he pulled up to his parents house. “I don’t what they want yet Pete they just said to meet them at the house and that they had something to tell me…Yeah I’ll call you when tonight and tell you everything…Hey Pete I just pulled up so I should go…Yeah I’ve already got the plane ticket I’ll be there the beginning of May…I can’t wait for me to meet her either Pete she sounds like she’s really something…Pete don’t ask me that I’ve told you a million times my love life’s over…I have gotten over her Pete, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to go around looking for some random girl to fall in love with…I guess if the right girl comes along I might consider but unless that happens we’re both going to have to live with the fact that right now you have Megan and I have no one…Look Pete I really need to go my mom just noticed me sitting in the driveway…alright I’ll talk to you later…bye.” He clicked his phone shut and got out of the car sticking the phone in his pocket as he walked up the porch steps and into his mothers waiting arms.
“Hey mom.”
“It’s good to see you Matthew. How are things treating you?”
“Good I started taking a couple night classes again just a few but I’m getting a A’s and B’s.”
“What kind of classes?” His mother looked hopeful
“Not anything in astronomy that ship has sailed I’m actually thinking about going into journalism like dad.”
“It’s a good career son,” His dad said as he rounded the corner, “But just because your old man does it doesn’t mean you have to give up your dream.”
“Dad I can’t it’s just too painful.”
“Don’t let a girl control your life Matt.”
“Just because she majored in it doesn’t mean you have to give it up.”
“Dad it’s more than that, it doesn’t matter I’ve made my decision, Linda can’t be a part of my life and I’ve learned to accept that but it doesn’t mean that I have to do things that remind me of her.”
His mother spoke up now. “Son that’s kind of what we needed to talk to you about.”
“Mom –“
“Just listen to your mother son this is important.”
Matthew nodded and sat down on the couch across from his parents who looked genuinely nervous which scared him.
“Last night I down to Chicago to meet with a high school teacher there named Mary Gerard” She paused as if that name was supposed to mean something to him. “That name doesn’t mean anything to you?”
“Should it?”
“She’s Linda’s sister, Matthew,”
Matthew’s heart caught in his throat in surprise and then anger flooded him “Your prying into my life, Linda is none of your business stop trying to figure out what happened between us.”
“Relax son what happened between you and Linda wasn’t my reason in talking to Mary.”
Matthew wasn’t completely convinced “Then why did you meet with her?”
His mother looked at Chris for support her husband grabbed her hand and looked at their son. “She met with Mary to talk about me.”
Matthew was really confused now and let his face show as much.
“Matthew your father and I aren’t all we say we are.” His mother’s voice broke and tears began to stream down her cheeks and sobs began to rack her body. Chris placed his hand on her back now and grasped for the best way to tell his son what he had to tell him.
“Son your mother weren’t born in America, we were born in a place where we were prisoners of an evil force. We escaped with you to America when you were 3 years old.”
Matthew was still confused. What on earth did this have to do with Linda’s sister? “I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”
His father sighed “You know that disease you have?”
“The one in my eyes?” Matthew had been born with a horrible disease in his eyes that caused him to be born without pupils. His parents had told him it was common eye condition in children whose parents had something called Jukan DNA. It had become such a common part of his life that he had never questioned it. He had worn contacts for as long as he could remember so that no one knew he had less then normal eyes and he had assumed that many other people with the condition did the same. Now for the first time in his life he was actually considering the fact that his eyes might not be as normal as he had always thought. “What about it?”
“It’s not a disease, Matthew. You’re an albino.”
Recognition was slowly beginning to come over Matthew but he was still confused.
His mother had stopped crying for the most part and spoke up again. “Matthew in the note Linda mentioned someone named Christilone.” She glanced at her husband before continuing. “Matthew Christilone is…he’s” She couldn’t continue.
Matthew was getting irritated now. He stood up and although he tried to keep his cool he couldn’t hold back any longer. “He’s what? Dead? Sick? On the other side of the universe what?”
“I’m Christilone Matthew.”
Matthew dropped back onto the couch trying to grasp what his father had just said. “You’re what?”
“I’m Christilone.” Matthew felt like crying his father was Christilone he had spent 3 years searching for a man that was right under his nose his own father. But even more than that his parents were Imaginese which meant only one thing, he was also Imaginese which meant… “I have to get to Imaginess, I have to tell Linda.” He was on his feet and to the door before his parents was able to realize what was going on. “How are you going to get there? Kira shouted after him. Mary’s words echoed through her mind Linda has changed. Better for him to think of her the way she was… Linda has changed… changed… changed!
“I’m going to Chicago.”
“Matthew wait –“But it was too late Matthew was already out the door and in his car before she could say anymore. “Kohath please be with my son he doesn’t need anymore heart break. Please have mercy on his heart.” She felt her husband come behind her and she melted into his arms as he took hold of her. “Oh Christilone did we do the right thing?”
“Yes Kira, I think we did. He’s in Kohath’s hands now.”

Matthew pulled up to Mary’s house late that night. He had been here only once before but he would never forget this house for as long as he lived. He knocked on the door and waited. The porch light flicked on and a second later the door opened. “Matthew what are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you”
She nodded and opened the door wider so he could enter he noticed then that she was dressed in pajama pants and a sweat shirt. A little blond boy was laying on the couch covered in blankets half asleep the colors from the screen flitting across his face. His mother crossed the room and switched off the TV. “Kyle honey I think it’s about time for bed. Why don’t you go upstairs and have daddy tuck you in maybe he’ll read you a bed time story.” Kyle sat up and rubbed his sleepy eyes then stumbled up the steps in search of his father and warm bed. Mary sat down on the couch pushing the blankets to the side and motioned for Matthew to sit in the seat across from her.
“So Matthew what is it this time?”
“I’ve found Christilone and I need your help to get to Imaginess.”
Mary’s face had paled she stood up and paced to the window a light rain had begun to fall. “Matthew –“
“Please Mary… I can’t do it without you. She can find her parents now it’s the only thing she’s ever wanted. Please help me.” Mary didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth she would help him as best she knew how. Mary sighed.
“Look Matthew there’s not much I can do. I can make a phone call and see if someone can come and get you but that’s all I can do.”
“Thank you so much Mary.”
“Look why don’t you sleep here tonight. No point in you driving all the way back to Springfield tonight. I’ll call them tonight and tell you the answer in the morning. Try getting a good night sleep.”
Mary slipped into her room. Tom was reading to Kyle so the room was all hers. She slipped to the closet and grabbed down the box a moment later it was open and she pulled the phone out. Her finger hovered over the one for a moment but then she changed her mind and switched to the two. A moment later Sira’s voice filled the phone. “Hello?”
“Sira it’s Mary.”
“Mary! What is it?”
“It’s Matthew he’s found Christilone.”
“What!”
“He wants to see Linda.”
“No he can’t.”
“I know but how do I convince him of that without hurting him?” There was silence on the other end then Sira’s sigh filled her ear.
“There’s only one thing to do. He needs to come to Imaginess.”
Mary was surprised but Sira was sure to know better than she did. “Alright where do I have him meet you?”
“Have him meet me at Neila in 1 Vol that’s 2 earth days”
“OK thanks Sira.”

Matthew bumped along a cracked road in Dubuque, Iowa. Mary had told him that he would meet someone in a small wood called Neila by the people of Imaginess which meant death. The forest was behind a farm that Mary had informed him was owned by her parents. She had told him it would be pretty easy to get in with out being noticed but if he did she had assured him that her parents knew about Linda and would most likely let him pass if he stated his business and to be sure of this she had given him a small hand full of flower nuts that could only be found on Imaginess.
His phone rang beside him and he looked to see that it was Pete. Most likely calling to find out what his parents had wanted the night before. He picked up the phone and flipped it open. “Hello!”
“Hey Matt you never called me back last night what’s up?”
“Yeah! Sorry about that. I ended up driving to Chicago to visit Mary Gerard.”
“Who’s that?” Pete’s tone suggested that maybe Matthew might be interested in Mary.”
“She’s Linda’s sister and Pete she’s married and in her thirties.”
“Oh too bad. So why’d you go and visit her?”
Matthew sighed, he’d never told Pete the truth about Linda. Linda had trusted him to keep it a secret and up till now he had kept it a secret but now that he was an alien as well it was as much his secret to share as it was Linda’s but still he didn’t want to put the pressure on Pete and he definitely didn’t want to ask his friend to keep the secret from his future wife.
“I needed to find out where Linda is.”
“Matthew can’t you just let the past die?”
“Not this time buddy.”
“So where is she?”
Matthew hesitated for only a moment. “Dubuque.”
“Iowa?”
“Yep,”
“You’ll be back in time for the wedding right.”
“That’s still two months away.” Four by Imaginess time. “I should definitely make it and if everything works the way I want it too and if you and Megan don’t mind I might just bring Linda with me.”
“I sure don’t mind but just be careful man it’s been 3 years. A lot can change in 3 years.”
“Yeah whatever Pete. I’ll show you, in two months I will be entering that church with a beautiful redhead on my arm.”
“Hey I’m just telling you to not to get your hopes up…but I sure hope for your sake that your right.”
A brown farmhouse had come into view and Matthew finished his conversation with Pete, parked his car a couple yards away from the house and made his way toward the house. He saw a woman go into the barn with a bucket and he figured he was safe to head toward the woods he ran for the cover of the trees and once he was safely hidden by the trees he stopped to breathe.
“Why were you running?” A little girl about 10 or 11 stood in front of him with twin boys who looked to be 15 or 16. Matthew had jumped at the sound of the girl’s voice but he relaxed when he saw that there were no adults with him.
“I like the exercise.” He responded matter-of-factly. The girl nodded taking him at his word but the two boys were looking at him suspiciously. One of the boys grabbed his younger sister protectively and pulled her back as his brother stepped forward. “What are you doing in these woods or on our land for that matter?” So these were Linda younger siblings. She had mentioned that she had younger siblings but she had never mentioned that they were this much younger than her.
He turned toward the young girl. “You must be Jenny.” Then to the boys “And Trevor and Tyler.”
The boy in front of him was taken off guard by this and it took him a moment to find his voice. “How do you know our names?”
“I know your sister Linda. I came to these woods to meet some friends of hers who are going to take me to her. My names Matthew.” The boy closest to him still looked unconvinced and the boy behind him looked as if he hadn’t gotten over the fact that Matthew knew their names. “Look I have some flower-nuts that I got from your sister Mary. She told me to give them to you to prove that I know your sister.” He pulled out the sack and poured a couple into his hand. Jenny had become excited at the mention of flower-nuts and had pulled away from her big brother and took a couple of the nuts from Matthew. “Jenny” the tougher boy scolded her “don’t take candy from strangers. He’s made his point but don’t eat the nuts.” He marched over and took the nuts from her and handed them back to Matthew. “we’ll let you pass but we won’t take any of your nuts our sister sends us flower-nuts once a month.”
Jenny looked upset and as the three of them walked away he could hear her complaining about how her nuts had run out just last week. He suddenly got an idea he had a small tin box of mints in his pocket he quickly pulled it out, ate the last of the mints, and placed 3 of the largest nuts in the tin then wrapped the bag tightly around the rest of them and placed them under a tree with the tin on top. He only hoped Jenny would find them before an animal did. The nuts in the tin would most likely be safe but he wanted her to have all the nuts.
When he was done he continued his journey though the woods until he reached the clearing Mary had told him about. He sighed with relief when he saw the pod with Sira standing next to it. He quickly ran up and hugged her. It had been 3 years since he had seen her. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“It’s nice to see you again too Matthew.” She said laughing. The two of them climbed into the pod. Matthew could hardly contain his excitement. He was going to see Linda again. He was going to Imaginess.

The Search for Christilone (Chapter 2)

The Letter

Kira had an hour to kill. Her son didn’t get home until four and it was now 3. So when she had got home she had slipped up to her son’s room and started cleaning again. She had cleaned most of it the night before when she couldn’t sleep and only had a little bit left that would hopefully last her husband got home.
She had grabbed the vacuum cleaner and had set to vacuuming the ceilings and corners. With a little bit of effort she was able to move the dresser and vacuum behind it and then after it was firmly back in place she pushed the bed aside.
She had just turned the vacuum cleaner on and begun working her way along the edge of the wall when she noticed something lying on the ground. She turned off the machine and leaned down to grab what turned out to be an envelope. She straightened herself, sat down on the bed and opened the envelope. The envelope had been opened she pulled out the paper that was inside:

Dear Matthew,

Of course I’m going to remind you that I think you’re wasting your time but since your set on finding him, here are the things that you need to know. My father told me I needed to find him and then he told me that you could help. As you know the name is foreign. But otherwise I don’t have much that can help you. If after awhile you haven’t found anything you can call my sister, Mary who might be able to help you some.

The letter went on giving some information about her sister: Phone Number, Address. Place of Work and so on. It was signed: Linda. Kira stood and went into the computer room and grabbed the phone. With shaking fingers she typed in the number.

Mary sat in her living room watching TV with her 6 year old son Kyle when the phone rang. She gently pushed her son off of her and got up to get the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi.” Came the hesitant voice on the other end. “Is this Mary.”
“Yes it is, may I ask whose calling?”
“My names Kira Baker. I have some questions I’d like to ask you about your sister Linda” Mary’s heart flip-flopped but she steadied herself trying to keep her cool until she knew what this was all about.
“What do you want to know?”
“Do you think we could talk in person? I live a couple of hours from Chicago I could drive up there this afternoon if I need to and we could meet for coffee.”
Mary’s heart was pounding even harder now but she still had enough control to keep her voice steady. “OK” she almost told her to meet her later in the week but thought better of it. Better to get this out of the way “How long will it take you to get here?”
“2 hours if I leave immediately.”
Mary glanced at the clock on her wall: 3 o’clock “Alright then how about you meet me at Joey’s coffee at 5 in the far back corner.”
“OK, thank you so much.”
Mary hung up the phone and realized her hands were shaking. She clutched them tightly and then went over to the TV and turned it off. Kyle was sleeping now and she leaned down and kissed his forehead and pulled a blanket up around his neck.
Her hands were still shaking as she turned the handle to her bedroom door. Linda, she had to call Linda that was the only thing that would put her mind at ease. She raced to her dresser and opened up the top drawer. She dug through the clothes until she found the key and then raced to her closet she quickly pulled down a small steel box. She put the key in the lock and turned it until she heard the click and then flung the box opened. Inside sat a single small phone which she grabbed and quickly pressed the 1 key and waited while it rang. Linda would know what to do; she always knew what to do.

Kira placed the phone back on the desk with shaking hands. She checked the time on the computer, raced down the stairs, scribbled a quick note to her husband, grabbed her keys and raced out the door.
She drove with as few stops as possible. Traffic couldn’t have seemed slower to her. 6 out of the 8 lights on the way to the interstate stopped her, the lady in front of her drove at what seemed like 10 miles an hour and a 50 car train decided right then to move across town. Finally she made it to the interstate and felt like she could breathe again even though her lungs still felt half closed. She tried taking a couple deep breaths and flipped on the radio to a classical station. The peaceful piano music filled the car for about three minutes before a news anchor came on. She flipped off the station.
Finally, after a very grueling 2-hour-drive the pulled into the parking lot at Joey’s. She took a deep breath not sure if she was ready to hear what this woman had to say. But she had to know if for no other reason than to put her mind at ease that the truth was safe. And if it wasn’t? Then she would do her best to undo what ever Linda had done.
Kira turned off her car, took a deep breath and opened the door. Ok Kira just play it cool like you don’t know anything. Let her be the first one to make assumptions
.
Mary couldn’t have been more nervous about this meeting. She had called Linda and explained the situation. It had taken Linda a moment or to before recognizing the name. It was Matthew’s mother she had said. This meeting could be important. “Just play it cool like you don’t know anything. Make sure she’s the first one to make assumption.” Mary had agreed.
As soon as her husband Tom had come home she had explained that something had come up with her sister and that she would be back in an hour or two. Her hands shook the entire 15 block ride and as she parked at Joey’s she took a deep breath and shot a quick prayer that this meeting would be more of a waste of time than anything to really worry about.
She slipped into the building and was immediately bombarded by the smell of coffee. “Mary!” A young girl about 15 greeted. “What are you doing here it’s not a school day?”
“I know that Ginger.” Mary smiled this was one of her favorite Biology students. “I’m actually here to meet someone.”
“Oh you mean that nervous looking woman who came in about 10 minutes ago and went to sit in the back.”
“Yep that’s probably her. Thanks!”
“Do you want me to bring back the usual for you?”
“Yes please, But double chocolate, I have a feeling I’ll need it for this conversation.”
“Ginger smiled, “You got it Mary.”
Mary worked her way to the back of the small corner side diner. It was her little piece of small town luxury that she got in this big city. One of the few places that everyone knew everyone.
A small woman sat in the booth at the far back looking out the window. The cup of coffee in her hands hadn’t been touched and she could tell by the smoke that it had been sitting there for awhile. “You must be Kira?”
The woman looked at her startled and then a weak smile filled her face. “Yes that’s me.”
Mary removed her jacket and set it and her purse down on the bench seat before sliding in. “So I see you got here safely.”
“Yes, all though it must have been the longest 2 hours of my life.”
Mary smiled and raised her eyebrows in exasperation, “tell me about it!”
“So you’ve been as anxious as I have about this conversation?”
“Of course I have. You have to understand Mrs. Baker –“
“Oh please call me Kira.”
“All right Kira! You have to understand that my sister is a very private person. For reasons that I’m sure if you knew them you would agree that they are meant to stay in the family.”
“I’m sure your right but you must also understand Mary. That whatever these reasons are I’m afraid my son has gotten tangled into them as well.” She paused for a moment as Ginger came with Mary’s drink and set it on the table. “I’m not the type to pry into other people’s business but when my son becomes involved –“
“Is your son in any kind of danger Mrs. Baker?”
“No not that I know of.”
“Has he asked for your help concerning this situation?”
“No.”
“Now I don’t mean to be rude Mrs. Baker but wouldn’t you consider this prying into your sons business?”
Kira opened her mouth to object but closed it again. She clenched her eyes closed and took a deep breath. “This isn’t just about my son.”
“Then who is it about?”
“My husband.” She stopped and took another deep breath. “My husband and I have worked very hard to cover up our pasts. Things that would do no good for our son to know.”
“What does this have to do with my sister?”
Kira reached into her purse and pulled out a single sheet of paper. “I found this under my son’s bed when I was cleaning up in there this morning. He recently moved out and I wanted to make sure it was clean enough for company.”
Mary nodded and took the letter from Kira. When she was finished reading it she gave a deep sigh “This changes everything.” She handed the letter back to Kira and finished the last of her coffee as she considered the best way to begin. “How much has you son told you about his relationship with my sister?”
“Only that he loved her but that she didn’t feel the same way for him. I assumed that she was the reason he quit school.”
“That isn’t completely true. Linda has never loved any man like she loved your son. But there are things about her that would cause the relationship to never work.”
“The same things that keep her so private?”
“Yes, your son stumbled upon the truth and a lot of things changed. She sent him back home with this letter and told him she didn’t want to see him again.”
“Who is this person that my son was supposed to find?”
Mary hesitated before continuing. “His name is Christilone. Linda was told by her father –“
“You mean your father.”
Mary shook her head. “Linda was adopted.” Mary could see that Kira expected more to this answer but she didn’t continue. “Anyway her father told her that she needed to find this man.”
“Why?”
“Now that is between Linda and her father. Matthew came to me about a year ago trying to get help but I didn’t have the answers to his questions. I sent him away dejected telling him that it wasn’t worth it. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“And what doesn’t he know?”
“That Linda has changed. Better for him to think of her the way she was.”
Kira sat back silent. No more questions, no more accusations just an eerie silence that hung over them and made Mary slightly uncomfortable. Finally after about 5 minutes of silence Kira sat forward placed both arms on the table clenching her hands together to keep them from shaking and said.
“I can help you find Christilone.”
“How do you think you can do what my sister has been unable to do?”
“Because I know something your sister doesn’t.”
Mary sat back and crossed her arms in front of her. “And what’s that?”
The truth about Christilone.”

The Search for Christilone (Chapter 1)

The Search

2 Years Later

The car sputtered and shook as Matthew pulled into Marcy’s Diner. As he turned the car off he could almost hear the machine sigh in relief that the journey across town was over. Matthew slammed the door ignoring the poor car’s groan of protest at being so mistreated. He was in too much of a hurry to care as he raced toward the back entrance.
As he entered the building the early morning smells of frying eggs, pancakes, bacon and sausage and coffee brewing filled his nostrils and he took a deep breath as he grabbed his apron and tied it behind him. Then grabbing a notebook off the shelf above he raced toward the door that led to the restaurant and all the waiting customers. Hannah an older woman in her 30’s stood by the stove where the bacon and sausage sizzled in their own grease she held a spatula in her hand and had grease stains on her apron and face. She made a clicking noise with her tongue as he passed and he stopped long enough to look at her. “What?” He arms were crossed in front of her the spatula leaving a new grease mark on her apron.
“You’re late…again.” She shook her head and her eyebrows rose at him slightly.
“Which is why you should stop holding me up when I have work to do.” He turned back toward the door again but Hannah’s voice stopped him short.
“You’re too late young‘un.”
Matthew turned toward her again. “What do you mean?”
“Marcy replaced ya’ this morning. Young girl about 16 came in asking about a job. Marcy interviewed her then and there and told her she could start immediately.”
“She can’t do that.”
“Why not she owns the place.”
“But I need this job.”
“Well for someone who needs it you sure don’t act like it.” She turned to the stove and flipped the sausages and then came over to Matthew’s side. “Look Matt you’re a good kid you’re just a little lazy. You got to work if you’re going to succeed in this world now I don’t know you that well but I’ve seen ya’ working. You’ve got potential…but you’ve also got some serious distractions that need some taking care of.”
Matthew nodded as he removed the apron and placed it on the hook. “Thanks Hannah. I’ll try to remember that.”
Matthew made his way out of the building and slammed the door on the beater car. He turned his key in the ignition. It groaned in protest and he turned the key again. It groaned some more and then it started. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward home. Just one more thing to add to his list of failures. He lived with his parents, he’d quit school, now he’d lost his job and he hadn’t seen the girl he loved in three years. His friend Pete was graduating in 2 months and had plans to get married in the next couple years and start a family and have a big house on the beaches of LA. Big plans for a big achiever.
Matthew pulled his car into the driveway of his parent’s house. His dad was a new man and worked strange hours but he was luckily away today. His mom had worked at a nursing home for the last 5 years ever since Matthew had graduated high-school she had Homeschooled him all his life and had fully expected her son to be a successful astronaut just like he always dreamed but when he had come home 2 years earlier to tell them he was dropping out her dreams had been shattered. Of course Kira and Chris had agreed to let their son move in with them and didn’t even charge him for room and board.
Matthew’s heart dropped when he saw his mother’s car in the driveway. She most have taken an early day to bake cookies for the Mrs. Riley a shut-in who lived down the street. As he came inside the smell of butter and chocolate confirmed his suspicions. Matthew hoped he could get to the stairs without being heard but Harvey his mom’s German Shepard gave him away. “Chris is that you honey.”
Matthew sighed and looked at the dog grudgingly, “No mom it’s me.”
Kira appeared at the entrance to the kitchen floor clung to her hair and clothes. “Matthew sweetie what are you doing home? I thought you had to work today.”
“I did…I got fired.”
“Fired, Matthew you need to take your life more seriously your father and I won’t be here forever and one day you’ll need to take care of yourself.” Kira sighed and Matthew could make out the hesitation in her eyes. “Matthew your father and I have been talking and…well we feel like you’ve been taking advantage of us. It’s been three years and it doesn’t even seem like your trying.” She hesitated again and then continued “we’ve decided that your going to need to start paying your fair share of the utilities around here or else find your own place.” Matthew nodded he had known that he couldn’t expect his parents to spoil him forever and that time had finally come. He was 21 years old plenty old enough to make his way in the world the only problem was he didn’t try.
Matthew made his way up the stairs but instead of stopping at his bedroom he turned into the computer room. The problem was he had no motivation. He didn’t want to make a way in this world he wanted to make a way in hers, in Linda’s. Matthew pulled up Google and typed in the name for what was probably the millionth time in the last 2 years: Christilone. He pressed enter and another page popped up underneath the name it said “Did You Mean: Crystal Lane followed by 4 or 5 pictures of the singer. He ignored that and skimmed through the list of links underneath. “Crystal Lane makes top 10.” “Crystal Lane to tour on England?” “Is Crystal lane seeing Kyle?” Matthew skimmed through the gossip and the ads for crystal jewelry and loan ads. Nothing caught his interest. He exhaled loudly and fell back in the chair. It was hopeless he would never find the man. All he had to go on was a name and nothing more.
Christilone. Was it a first name or a last name? Or a nickname? He had tried every person that even remotely sounded like Christilone but the answer was always the same. “Never heard of him.” He had searched every library called every place he could think of contacted anyone that sounded anything like it and tried nearly every site and still he came up empty.
Matthew flicked the computer off and slipped into his room throwing himself on his bed in defeat. He rolled over and grabbed his folder and skimmed through the pages. Over the last three years he had begun keeping a journal of his progress but the progress hadn’t changed much in the last couple months. He’d tried everything he could think of. He pulled a stack of pages out of the folder at the top was a list of all the people he had called, all the companies he had tried, the websites he had checked out and the books he had looked at. Next there was a graph of his progress; it was completely flat-lined. He skimmed through a couple more pages of observations and then threw the pile on the bed. It was hopeless three years of searching for a man that obviously didn’t want to be found. He had wasted too much of his life on this. Hannah was right he needed to try harder if he was to be successful…like Pete.
First thing tomorrow he would find a job and when that was done we would find an apartment and leave his parents in peace. He wouldn’t finish school it was too late for that now but it didn’t mean his life had to be a failure.
Matthew gathered the pages and stuffed them back into the folder then he stuffed the folder far back on a shelf where he intended to forget about it. He was so excited about his sudden decision that he didn’t notice the small envelope that had fallen out of the folder and was blown under the bed


1 year later

“I’m so proud of you Matthew.” Kira Baker sat across the table from her son a glass of lemonade in her hands and the sun shining off her hair making it seem almost green. “You’re finally doing something with yourself again. You have a job again and you actually found a nice apartment that you can afford. Now you just need to find yourself a girl.” She watched the look of pain cross his face as if she had just opened an old wound and he stood to rinse his glass and place it in the dishwasher. He paused and looked out the window as a blue jay landed on the railing of the porch for a rest.
“Son, what is it?”
The bird took off and he turned towards his mom who had come up next to him. He saw the question flitter across her face and he shook his head.
“Talk to me,”
“Her name was Linda Cuthbert I met her 3 years ago. I fell for her but she didn’t feel the same way about me.”
Kira placed her hands on her son’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, where is she now?”
Matthew pushed the hand off his shoulder. “It doesn’t matter, she’s gone.” He headed toward the door. “I’m going upstairs.” And with that he left her wondering what type of a girl could hurt her son so bad and if there was anything she could do to mend his broken heart.

Linda, he had tried so hard to forget her in the last year and he had nearly succeeded. Matthew grabbed a box and placed it on the bed and began pulling books off the shelf one by one and separating out the ones that were junk. He had been moved out for nearly 6 months now but he still hadn’t moved all his stuff into his apartment. He grabbed out a stack of Astronomy books and hesitated. Junk or Keep? No point in completely giving up the dream; the books went in the box. Next was a stack of books that he hadn’t read since he was16 and would probably never read again: Junk.
One of his favorite suspense novels that he had read 5 times and would probably read again: Keep
A biography on Galileo: Keep
Moby Dick: Junk
A book on setting goals: Keep
A dictionary: Junk
Matthew’s Research: ?
Matthew looked down at the folder in his hand. His hand began to shake as he tried to figure out what to do with the folder. My life is going so good right now do I really want to destroy it again? He dropped the folder in the junk pile. What would it hurt to check just once more? He stood and went into the computer room and typed in the name that had become so familiar to him. Did you mean: Crystal Lane. He slammed his fist down on the table. Nothing had changed.

Chris baker stood at the door with his wife as their son pulled out of the driveway with 5 boxes of things he had left.
“I guess it’s time to finally clean out that room and turn it into a guest room. He told me the rest of the stuff he doesn’t want.”
“You going to do that now?”
“No time like the present.”
“I think I’m gonna turn in early tonight.”
“Alright!” He climbed the steps leaving her to stare off in the direction her son had disappeared. After a couple minutes she tore herself away and went upstairs.
She was heading in the direction of her sons bedroom when she remembered that there had been a cookie recipe that she had told Mrs. Riley she would look up for her. She sat down and pulled up Google and in the search box she began to type in Chocolate chip mint but stopped short after the first to letters. The name Christilone sat in the box of recently searched for topics. She pressed the down arrow and selected the name. A bunch of pages for a famous singer popped up but nothing about Christilone. She exhaled and sat back and waited for her breathing to regulate again.
She stood and went into the bedroom her heart was still racing. “Is everything OK?” Chris asked as she came into the room.
“Did you try looking up Christilone on the computer?”
“No, can’t say I did. Why?”
“Because I was looking up a recipe and the name popped up in the box…do you think Matt might of…”
“And why would he do that?’
“I don’t know. I don’t know where he would have heard the name.”
“Did he find anything?”
“No, of course not. But the point is he’s looking.”
“It might be time to tell him Kira.”
Kira looked up at her husband and then nodded. “You’re probably right. He’ll need to learn eventually.”
“Let’s have over this weekend and we can tell him the truth.”
Kira sighed, “Your right I’ll call him after work tomorrow.”

The Search for Christilone (Preview and synopsis)

Synopsis:

It’s been three years since Matthew’s capture by aliens and a lot has changed for him. He’s given up school, slacks at work and is living with his parents again. But behind the meaninglessness is a man obsessed with keeping a promise. A promise to find Christilone.
Finally after a three year search Matthew has finally found him and he can’t wait to tell Linda. But after a very problematic journey to Imaginess Matthew finds that Linda is no longer the girl he left behind three years ago. Even her own workers don’t seem to know who she is anymore.
Has Matthew wasted the last three years doing a favor for a woman who doesn’t even care? And how can Matthew revive Linda’s dead spirit again? What will it take to make Linda love again? And who is this mysterious man that Linda seems to love but no one has ever met? Matthew is determined to find out and in the meantime unravel a couple other mysteries along the way.


Preview:

Matthew looked down at the folder in his hand. His hand began to shake as he tried to figure out what to do with the folder. My life is going so good right now do I really want to destroy it again.? He dropped the folder in the junk pile. What would it hurt to check just once more? He stood and went into the computer room and typed in the name that had become so familiar to him. Did you mean: Crystal Lane. He slammed his fist down on the table. Nothing had changed.