The Waiting Game

We're still alive, whatever that means these days. Things have been
so strange since we got back to the real world. We've seen Gabriel,
and he says that he doesn't remember anything about the last two
weeks. I think he's lying, though.

Now that Joe and all the WindWalkers are gone, and the Agents seem to
know all about what's going on, I see no problem with telling you what
happened.

Joe told us the other day that we were going to meet with one of the
people who had been turned by the Firebringers. Christine and I were
afraid, obviously; the last time something like this had happened, we
watched Bob crushed by Torment.

Instead, he took us to the house we remembered to be Gabriel's, from
when we were there when Unton was still gone. Joe took us inside.

Gabriel's mother was sitting on the couch, and she just stared right
through us as we walked in. I don't even think she could see us.

Gabriel was sitting at his computer. It was like, destiny or
something... We just looked at him, he looked at us, and then he
grinned.

Joe left, and Christine and I were alone with him. I could feel
Christine shaking.

"Hello," he said. "Colby? Christine?"

We said yes, that's who we were, and he grinned again. "I'm Gabriel."

I noticed he kept his hands hidden in his pockets, and that sort of
made me nervous. I remembered that alien infectees were supposed to
have black marks on their knuckles. Obviously he didn't want us to
see something.

"What's going on?" I asked. "What are the Firebringers planning? It
doesn't have to be this way, you know."

"The WindWalkers aren't what they seem," Gabriel said. "It's not like
they're telling you. The Firebringers are the ones who want to learn;
they do want to take some of us back to their home planet, but as an
ambassadors rather than as slaves."

That knocked me for a loop. Was it possible that he was telling the truth?

He just laughed. Then his head snapped around to the door, so I
turned around and a half-second later I heard someone screaming. It
sounded like a woman. We ran into the other room and a big, muscular
guy stood in the doorway. The woman was Gabriel's mother, and she was
pointing at the newcomer and shouting, "Him! It was him!"

Christine drew in a breath as she saw the man. "Chet," she whispered.

--I have to go, there's something happening outside.

It Has Happened

Unton has rejoined the world.

This morning we went to sleep in the Needle and woke up back in the motel room we had stayed in when we first arrived in Unton. I'm typing this using my laptop.

The longer this goes on without any word from the WindWalkers, from Joe, the more afraid we get. There is no sign of the WW anywhere in Unton.

I don't know what to do. Someone told me the Chosen has been found... Erica has realized her destiny, has realized what she has to do. But what is it she has to do? How is she going to save Unton?

Until we hear from Joe, we're not leaving.

Christine: A Report

Hey, everyone, it's Christine. Colby's currently passed out on the bed (sleeping, not fainted) and he asked me to log in as him and let you all know what's up.

It's been a while since we've checked in with you guys, so we're sorry. I'm going to try and get y'all caught up.

First, as someone suggested to Colby, we went to Krogers on Sunday (a grocery store) and went back into the office to check Saturday morning's tapes. It seems like everything was fine, normal, until... at 7:07 am, there was a huge flash of light, the screen went white for a full sixty seconds, and when the light faded the people had all disappeared.

So now we know when it happened. It still doesn't really tell us why or exactly how, though.

Next, we looked up Gabriel Lawson in the phone book in one of the empty houses. We found his address and went to check it out. The back door was open, so we went inside. We had our tasers out, no need to worry.

We found his computer up and running, to some Student.com site. All we could do was edit the one page that was open, so we left him a message... maybe you saw it? We asked a question or something.

We were both really tired, so we went home and I tried to talk on AIM that night, but I wound up accidentally shutting off the laptop and I was too tired to continue.

Monday, something really odd happened. We don't know what it was, but neither one of us remembers that entire day. It's like we slept through it. Or something.

Yesterday... we spent the whole day resting and writing down a plan. It's strange... time seems to move differently here. It feels like we spent hours and hours on this, but now that I look there's not really much here. We both have had headaches ever since we arrived... so, here's what we came up with yesterday.

Tonight- send an email to the aliens asking for entrance into the alternate dimension.

Tomorrow- hopefully, find Colby in the other dimension and figure out what the hell is going on.

---> If we're not given entry, we're going to leave Unton tomorrow night.

--

Ok, that's about all I can think of. It's about time for Colby and I to go find some lunch. Hopefully you guys have heard something... leave us comments, and we'll try to figure out what to do next.

Ghost Town...

OK, we're freaking out. Something is seriously wrong here...

We made it to Unton at about 9:00 this morning. Since then we've been walking around town trying to find... ANYONE.

Guys, the whole town is empty.

We broke into a motel, because there's NO ONE here, and we're resting now... but it's so weird. We've looked in windows, gone in restaurants that should have been full of people... but there is absolutely no one in this whole frickin town.

I don't know what to do now... I tried calling Gabriel again but still no answer.

Any suggestions? Christine looks like she's going to burst into tears at any second...

PS. Just letting you know, I did get the survival guide before we left, so we stopped at WalMart on our way out and picked up the extra stuff. Great idea, bringing zip ties... dunno who thought of it but they might come in handy IF WE CAN EVER FIND ANYONE!

Leaving Soon...

Christine and I are leaving in less than an hour. We're leaving my apartment at 8:00 pm and driving straight through until morning... well, maybe not straight through, depending on whether or not the driver gets tired.

But. The link that you guys have been spending me DOES NOT WORK. I can't access that site for some reason. Can someone please copy/paste the Survival Guide into an email, or a comment on this blog?

I guess we can get it when we arrive in Unton tomorrow morning, but... If there is stuff in there I should bring that I haven't thought of, I'm not sure if an alien in WalMart is going to sell it to me. :P

So. Please. ASAP. We're nervous and excited and we want your help, as much as you're willing to give.

We called Gabriel and left a message saying that we were coming, but he hasn't replied as of yet. So, it's going to be touch-and-go for a while.

Anyway, please, send me that survival guide. It just might help me survive. Imagine that...

Just A Quick Update

First: Christine wants the Alien Hunters to know that she thinks I was way too harsh in my "Trust Issues" post last night. She doesn't want me to alienate any supporters. So, let's all move past what happened yesterday, forgive and forget as they say. OK?

Second: Christine is spending the night at my house, and we're going to stay up going over plans and stuff for our trip to Indiana. We're sleeping most of the day tomorrow, and then driving through the night, so we get there Saturday morning.

Third: Again, Christine mentioned that you guys had a list of stuff we should be careful of, or bring with us, when we go to Unton tomorrow night. Well, I kind of need that... especially if there's important stuff to bring along... So... the quicker the better?

Fourth: The phone calls have started again. Too bad I'm going away.

Trust Issues

Christine sent me an email today around noon, 12:30, ish. I dunno. She asked me to call someone and say the word alien, and to make my voice sound as high as I can. She said someone told her they would give her Gabriel's phone number if she could call them and say "alien."

So, of course I complied. Her email sounded really frantic. Then I hear that this person was giving her grief for it being obviously a guy that called him. She met me for lunch because she was so upset... apparently all the Alien Hunters (that's my pet name for all y'all who are so concerned) think that we're the ones you need to be watching out for?

Guys, please. We're in New Jersey. We've been drawn into this whole thing because of our dreams. The aliens haven't landed here (that we know of) and for sure they haven't taken us over.

Listen. I understand that you're probably freaked out by the alien invasion currently taking place (and from two different planets, if the stuff some of you have sent me is correct), and I totally get the need to be suspicious. But we've been nothing but upfront with you (except for Christine's "secret" which I totally regret putting in my profile. I'm sure we'll tell you when we're ready.)

People, please, back off. Christine is freaking out about going to Indiana, and now she thinks the Alien Hunters (who have been giving her a lot of mental support) are turning against us.

No hard feelings, just, in the future, let's all be honest, ok? I'm not really angry, cause I'm totally grateful for your support, but Christine's going through a really tough time and she doesn't need people putting her through tests that came from some random blog before they'll tell us anything that COULD SAVE OUR LIVES.

Thanks, and by the way, we're leaving Friday. She mentioned something about a list of info we'll need, that one of you has but doesn't want to give up... can someone please part with this info? Again, you may have blood on your hands if you don't.

((If you don't know what I'm talking about, then sorry... :P))

A Bit Better Now

Ok, now that some time has passed, I'm a bit better... things are still swirling around my head but I'm trying not to think of them.

Instead, I have to concentrate on what's been bugging me. I looked back through the source code of the blog to see if I could find something else important, and I saw "dashes dot html." For some reason, that to me feels like the key to this whole thing. I have no clue what it means or how to use it, again, but it seems like it should be important.

Right? Or... am I way off base?

---

Christine is also done with Harry Potter. AAGH. Sorry. I'm done with talking about the best book I've ever read. GAH. I did it again.

---

This afternoon Angelica called Christine again. She said that she had heard from Chet, and that Unton had been without power for days. She said Chet's sister was in the hospital, dying from internal injuries, and that Chet would be there for a while, unable to be contacted.

So now we're stuck. The dreams have come back, for both of us now- me dreaming of the floating eye, and Christine gazing upon the web of connections drawing us all closer together. It seems ever-more important to contact Gabriel and Chet, but they're stuck in Indiana without any means of contacting anyone.

It seems like the only thing to do may be to drive out there.

What do you guys think?

The Deathly Hallows

... I have finished.

Let me tell you, it was AMAZING.

But I must stop there, for I cannot bear to remember the tragic end to the best series ever written.

Bunches of Updates

OK, there's a lot I have to write about.

First- There have been a whole lot of people contacting me and Christine lately to help with our... um... problem, if you will. :) That's awesome, thank you guys for being concerned. We're really thankful for your worry, and if what I'm about to say next is any indication, we're going to need you. Soon.

Second- Last night I had the same dream Christine did. Only this time there was something different about it. I stood on the field, same as always, but this time instead of walking toward the tree and up into the air, I turned around. There were the two gigantic needles, with the web stretched between them. But- here's the thing. There was something else there. At least half of the web seemed to have been... burned. There was something dark red spreading across it. And I just felt terror, like nothing I've ever sensed before.

Third- Someone emailed me and told me that there was a hidden message in the source code of this blog. I just want everyone to know, I did not put it there. When I copy/pasted that link into my browser, and I saw the feather and the tree, I just had chills all up and down my spine. It seems to me like whoever wrote that web page knows what's happening. I have to figure out who it was and get in touch with them... I HAVE to. I need to know the meaning behind "A Prophecy of Stars." Also, it really seems like there should be more to that page. Whoever it was went through the trouble of hiding all of that in my blog's HTML, and that's all I get? A teaser? It seems to me like that "Follow... the path to the stars" has something to do with it. But I have no clue where to go from there.

Fourth- Christine and I have uncovered something. If you will. But I can't tell you that now... more at a later date.

Fifth- I'm working on trying to get in touch with Chet and Gabriel. Something happened in Indiana today, I think... Someone emailed me and told me they were talking with Gabriel's friend, or something, and he just left quickly after telling them Gabriel's mother had been hurt. Christine has been trying to reach Chet on his cell ever since yesterday morning, to no avail. Also, Chet's girlfriend Angelica called her asking where Chet was... she was afraid he had gone back to Christine or something.

Sixth- In the spirit of keeping this blog like a journal, I just wanted to write about the next few days... Christine and I are going to one of them Midnight Parties to pick up the new Harry Potter book... she's SO excited. :) Also, on Saturday, after she's done reading (the woman is a SpeedReader^2, if you ask me), we're thinking about driving out to Indiana to see what's up. I'll keep in touch the next few days, letting you guys know what's happenign.

A Web Of Connections (Or Lies, Depending...)

So, here's the big news I promised everyone but was too busy with Christine last night to write. (wink, wink)

Anyway.

Christine and I met for breakfast yesterday morning, and she told me that she had a dream the night before.

She said she dreamt of a large spider web strung between two large needles. Like, hypodermic needles, she said. There were faces inside this web. Me, her, and many, many other people she didn't know. But at the center of the web was Chet (her ex-boyfriend) and his nephew Gabriel.

She said she woke up with the strongest sensation that she needed to find Chet and Gabriel and speak to them about my dreams, about a Prophecy of the Stars.

She believes me wholeheartedly... she said she read my blog, she thanks me for calling her hot, and I should find out what this means.

Another Dream

I had another dream last night. I was standing in the same field, as usual, but this time instead of flying up to see the eyeball, it came down to me.

It blinked rapidly, and then I heard a voice-

"Colby, you are missing something. We are coming... be ready."

I don't know what that means, but I need to think about it. If you have any suggestions at all, let me know... comment or email me. Or IM.

---

Oh, another thing. Those hang-up phone calls? They've stopped. I don't know if maybe I was missing something THERE, or if that was unrelated to the dreams...

Ugh.

Well, I'll be on to chat later. If I get time. I'm meeting Christine for dinner later, so don't expect me to be on for too long.

Crazy Day At Work

Tough day at work today... Boss was being stupid, co-workers ignoring me...

Very odd.

Very, very odd. Dunno what's up.

So anyway, Christine and I made plans to go to the movies again tomorrow... she wants to see Harry Potter again. Sure, what the heck... I'll go with her. Just for fun. It wasn't that bad, anyway...

I dreamt about the floating eye again last night... except this eye was floating in a bowl of soup, not up in the sky. Christine worked in David's Diner, and she handed it to me and I said, "Waiter, there's a feather in my soup." Then I woke up.

Weird, huh?

Oh, and someone has been calling my house and hanging up before I have a chance to say "hello." The caller ID says PRIVATE CALLER which means they're blocking their number. If it happens a few more times I might call the cops... see if they can't trace where it's coming from.

Gonna go watch some TV for a bit.

Christine: "I've Never Heard That Phrase Before"

Ok, at the urging of this guy I met online, who seems to want to help me figure out what "A Prophecy of Stars" means, I called Christine.

We talked for a while about Harry Potter (she's a HP maniac, just like me... :-D ) and then I asked her if she'd ever heard that phrase before.

She said no. So I dunno...

Maybe I'm imagining things. Maybe I should see a therapist... :/

The Order of the Phoenix

I saw the new Harry Potter flick today with Christine. I avoided mentioning the feather, and we had a good time.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with both the movie and Christine. She had this really cute top on... but anyway. The movie.

Dumbledore annoyed me, as always. Richard Harris... someone resurrect that guy. :) Michael Gambon needs to get that ponytail out of his beard... if he took it away, then he might be better.

But I really liked it. Really.

And now I'm really psyched for the 7th book.

---

I haven't had any weird dreams in the past few days, so maybe all the strangeness has left me. I'm avoiding mentioning it with Christine, and I can foresee a happy relationship between us.

Maybe.

I hope.

Ok, I know it's going to bug me until I find out about that feather... GRR.

Sorry, you don't want to read about this. So anyway.

Maybe I'll blog later... I can't think of anything else to say.

A Phone Call

Well, I talked to Christine on the phone a little bit ago.

She denied remembering the feather.

Again.

*scowl*

Nervous

Should I call Christine? See why she hasn't spoken to me since the Feather Breakfast incident? I don't know if that's a good idea or not, since she seemed kind of weird yesterday morning.

She definitely freaked out about that feather. I keep playing that over and over in my head, and it seems like I definitely am not making it up. She was scared. Of a goose feather. And I dreamt of many feathers the other night.

What if she's having the dreams too? What would that mean... for the way I look at the world?

I don't know what to think.

Blah.

Oh, Feather! Can You Feather!

Yeah, I don't know what was up today. Christine and I met at David's again, this morning before breakfast.

I may have been imagining it, but I could swear she slipped the word feather into the conversation in the randomest places. "Hi, Colby, how feather you today?"

"Waiter, I'd like a feather- I mean, bagel, with cream cheese."

"What's taking this feath- food so long?"

I decided not to ask her about it, cause it freaked me out. Hitch didn't say what to do when you think you're going insane.

A Feathery Situation

I asked Christine about the feather today while I was at work. We talked on AIM for a little bit, but not long; my boss has been watching us more often than he ever has before. Whatever. He's weird anyway.

I asked her why she was freaked out by the feather, and she denied it. She said she didn't even remember seeing any feather.

I hate AIM, because you don't get to see expressions or hear voice tones. They always told me more than words anyway.

She signed off soon after that. I think I'll call her later and see what's up.

The Picnic Problem

Ants. What else? They're always a problem at picnics, and ours today was no different.

>_<

But it was fun. I wound up tickling her at one point, and we went rolling down a hill.

And then things got weird.

There was a goose feather on the ground, which was no big deal considering there are tons of geese around the park. But when Christine saw the feather, she stiffened. We went back up the hill, and she was breathing hard. I may have been imagining it, but I think the feather really scared her.

Which scares me. What if... Nah, I can't think of that. Because it would be too weird.

Sunday In The Park (I think it's not the 4th of July)

Hitch says, BEGIN EACH DAY AS IF IT WERE ON PURPOSE.

I used that line with Christine when she called just now. She laughed, and said that I was really good with words.

... hmm. I feel kind of bad now.

---

We're meeting in the park later for a picnic. Do people usually date every single day?

It's been so long since Erica, and we were kind of thrown together at the beginning anyway, so I don't... really remember...

A Dream-Free Night

A dream free night. That says it all.

However, here's something odd.

I googled "A Prophecy of Stars" and I found two hits- one, a poem by some guy named John Miller, whom I've never heard of.

The other hit was the lyrics of a song by "In Age And Sadness," some indie band- that I've never heard of.

No, I think my "Prophecy of Stars" is something much different. And I don't know if I'll ever figure it out.

Dinner Wrap-Up

We came back from dinner a few minutes ago. I really wanted to invite Christine up to my apartment but I decided against it... I hope I didn't disappoint her. I'm just not quite comfortable with that kind of thing yet.

Dinner was great.

We had a lot of laughs, and I couldn't stop smiling the whole time.

---

Hopefully I won't have any dreams tonight.

Lucky Number Seven (Seven Oh Seven)

OK, as you all know (all 0 of you who are actually reading this) today is 7/7/07, supposedly the luckiest day of the century. (I say, what about 2077? Then we have 7/7/77... But I guess there aren't 77s on the slot machines.)

Anyway.

It was a lucky day for me, in fact. Christine called me at 10:00 this morning and said she wanted to know if I was interested in her. I said of course I was, trying to muster up the courage to not sound like a babbling idiot. In my head I kept saying "Basic Principles - no matter what, no matter when, no matter who... any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet; he just needs the right broom."

I could tell Christine was nervous too. "Ok..." she said.

"Christine, do you want to be my girlfriend?" I asked. "I mean, I totally understand if you'd rather be friends-"

"Sure," was her reply.

I'm floating on top of the world right now. Hopefully I don't see any large spheres...

We're going out for dinner later tonight. I'm picking her up at 8.

Breakfast at Tiffany's (Or David's Diner... same diff)

OK, I'm at work right now. I just got in, and I'm taking some time to blog before I start actually doing stuff.

I met Christine for breakfast at David's Diner, which is down the street from where she lives. (I think I said that already.) Anyway, I got there first.

I waited about three minutes, totally convinced she wasn't going to come. When she did show up, I felt like I was going to barf. And here I am, a grown guy of 26. Nervous on a date. :-\

So anyway, Christine came into the diner and sat down next to me. She smiled and said hello.

She ordered eggs, bacon, and toast... I just had a coffee. It's great that she felt comfortable enough to order a meal, when I didn't... it just makes me like her more.

Well, as you can tell, that was our third date.

Afterwards, as I dropped her off at her consulting firm, I kissed her goodbye.

Let me tell you, it was great. I really hope she interprets it the way Hitch says she will... I followed all his advice and I think I kissed her right. :) As you can tell, I haven't had much practice at this kind of thing... things with Erica were always different.

So, I'll let you know when she calls.

Freaking Out

OK, I'm freaking out. It's been almost twelve hours since our meeting and our kiss, and she still hasn't called.

AAGH!

Another Dream

OK, another dream last night. I don't know what's up with my subconscious, but it's really trying to tell me something.

I was standing on a hill, and there was a gnarled old tree in the distance. It was covered in feathers. Then there was a loud noise, like thunder, and all the feathers blew away. It was beautiful.

Then I was flying- and then I was falling.

I hit the ground hard and woke up shouting "A PROPHECY OF STARS."

I really want to know what that means.

The AIM Surprise

This morning I woke up and signed on to AIM immediately, and to my surprise, Christine was on!

We chatted for a little while, about nothing too personal or anything. We talked about the Harry Potter movie and book coming out, and we talked about some other stuff like the weather. Then she had to go to work, and so did I.

I got in to work around 9:00 and signed on to AIM using meebo.com, and I found that she was also online!

I chatted with Christine all day. It was awesome. I really like her, and I think she's into me too.

I'll write more tomorrow... I'm meeting her at the diner down the street from her house for breakfast.

Not A Bad Day!

I saw Christine again today. I'd almost forgotten just how beautiful she really is. She called my cell just before lunch, and we met for coffee down the street. I had a great time... she's so much fun. Did I say that before? She's really funny... she's got this whole deadpan thing that I really like.

We traded AIM screen names. (I know, how lame is that?) But now we can chat apart from on the phone. And who knows? Maybe... things will move into the next step. I mean, two dates already... you know what happens on the third one, right? On the third date I'm expected to kiss her, and according to Hitch, she'll know whether or not I'm the right one for her. So I've gotta make this good. (Yeah, it's pathetic, I know...)

I'm liking this blog thing, although no one is reading it. It's kind of like an online journal, open for the world to see, but private because no one wants to see. Blogs are more for the soul, I think, than for getting a message out.

That's just my idea, anyway.

All in all, not a bad day!

The iPhone

I saw my first iPhone today.

I was standing in line at the ice cream shop in town and a guy had it out behind me. He was showing his girlfriend, who was positively drooling. He had it play music, he was surfing the net, he was playing videos...

I'm so jealous.

Can you imagine what they're going to be like in 5 years? The original iPods seem so antique now, but when they came out they were a technological revolution. These iPhones are only the beginning... You know, I think Apple could take over the world.

... yeah, I'm tired. It's too late to be awake.

...Blah

Nothing new to report... today was boring. Same old desk job at a failing paper company.

Whoop dee doo.

On Wings Of Sleep

I had the strangest dream just now. (It's really early in the morning.)

I was standing on a field, while a feather floated past. It was brown. The feather fascinated me, and I as I wondered what the bird it had come from looked like, I was suddenly flying. I soared over the field, dipping up and down and breaking through clouds. I went up above the clouds, and I saw something.

It was large and round, like a globe or a ball or something. It was red, flashing, and moving way too fast to be anything manmade. As I hovered, staring, it flashed green and suddenly became transparent.

All I could see inside was an eye. It was purple.

I don't know what it means, or why it freaked me out so much. What I do know is that I woke myself up by saying "A Prophecy of Stars."

Whatever that means.

What Now, Chet? (Hah)

Christine was so hot! And she was intelligent, too... I really liked hanging with her tonight.

We met for dinner at the Chez Louis in town, this faux-French place where the waiters all wear tuxes and speak in fake accents. Because it's so cheesy, one of those "theme" restaurants, if you will, it was actually kinda cheap.

She was really easy to talk to. She works at some consulting firm in town... I didn't quite catch the name. She just got out of a long relationship with a bodybuilder named Chet (strange, for her, to go from a bodybuilder to... me.) Anyway. He didn't have too much in the brains department, so she said she's glad she met me.

We left each other's company at the restaurant; nothing happened. I gave her my number though, and she gave me hers, so maybe we'll see each other again soon.

So now I'm sitting here in my dark living room, typing about the first date I've had in weeks. Fun, huh?

Mother and Father

This morning I talked to my mother for the first time in a few weeks. She's doing well, dealing with the loss of my father as can be expected. (He died three months ago today, actually.) I feel kind of bad that this was the first time I'd spoken to her in so long, but she didn't seem to mind.

A lot of guys hate their mothers, when they're teenagers at least. I never went through that phase. My father was an alcoholic, and I was an only child, so guess who all of his rage was taken out on? So my mother and I were close.

Today I'm going on a blind date with someone named "Christine." That should be interesting. :) It's been a while since I've dated... ever since Erica, that is.

So anyway, I'm gonna go for now. I'll write later to tell you how the date was.

Random Musings

A Prophecy of Stars... what does that mean? I've had that phrase in my head for weeks now, and I don't know where I got it from. It sounds so... mystic, doesn't it? So... mysterious, so... important.

Anyway, this is my new blog. My name is Colby Shaw, and I'm 26 years old.

I'm going to write about my daily life here (but maybe not daily, that is).

So... yeah. I don't know what more to put here now, so I'll write when I have something to say.