Lost and Found
Part 1-11
By Emma
Disclaimer: I do not intend to infringe on any of the people truly involved
in the production of Roswell, the TV series and the books. I am neither
affiliated with the WB or Melinda Metz, but I am a crazed fan who needs to
write pretend stories to keep from going mad during the week. For this
story, the only things I own are the characters Audra Cristiensen, James
Conway, Anna Lisa Evans, and Ben Thomas.
Rating: PG or PG-13 (strictly for content)
Category: Max and Liz (of course); Future Fic
Spoilers: Well, I don’t believe in ‘em, so you won’t find any here. This
is a future fic, but I’m not incorporating any of the most recent episodes.
Imagine this one picking off 10 or so years into the future, from the
direction Sexual Healing was headed (i.e. the pre-Tess era).
Feedback: Why not? But be nice. I still bruise easy. : )
Author’s Note: Some of the things I have in here all have a purpose. In
other words, if there is something you think I should have explained, there
is a very valid reason why I have chosen not to include it, or done the
opposite of what you may think should happen. Anyway, you’ll understand
more as this story comes along. For once, I actually know how this story
will play out, and will end. So, the time it takes for me to get this done
will be relatively short -- I just need the time to actually type it up.
Also, I understand the season finale has aired, so my advice to you is to
forget the past two months of episodes. I know it will be hard. But
otherwise, many of the points discussed in this fic will not make sense. I
just have a second comment. Have you noticed that my rambling at the top
always manages to be a fic in itself? If you have read up until this far,
you deserve my commendation. In fact, I bestow upon on you an Emma star.
Alright, alright. I can take a hint. I’m done. :)
*****
LOST
Part 1
*****
Audra Cristiensen sighed, and leaned back in her chair. She had been
working on her research paper for days now, and nothing seemed to be working
right. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly 3 am in the morning. It
was due the following day.
Audra heard a dull murmur. She looked over to see her fiancé, James Conway,
turn over in their bed.
“Audra, honey? I think you need to sleep.”
“I know. I’ll be there… eventually.”
“No,” he said, firmly but gently. “You need to sleep. Now. You haven’t
slept in days. I haven’t slept in days.”
“I’m sorry, James, but -- ”
“No ‘buts.’ Just come to sleep.”
Audra sighed, and closed her notebooks. “Okay,” she sighed.
Audra slipped under the covers, as James wrapped his arms around her.
A few minutes passed.
“Audra? Are you still up?”
“Yeah…”
“What are you thinking about?”
Audra kept silent. She wasn’t really in the mood to talk to James about
what she had really been thinking about. “The wedding…” she lied.
“Oh.” She heard something strange in James’ voice, but she couldn’t trace
it. Was it fear? Uncertainty? Resentment?
“Well, I should start planning things soon,” she began.
“Do you want me to get a planner or something?”
“No. I can do it.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
Soon, James was off to sleep. Audra wasn’t sure what was going on. It was
like something was waking up inside of her. She was feeling things she
hadn’t felt, but yet they seemed so familiar. Something seemed wrong, but
she couldn’t place it.
She mulled over her troubling thoughts, and finally fell to sleep.
*****
Max Evans stared out the window. It was as if the pain had hit him just
today. It never diminished.
Ever since he lost his wife, Liz, things had never been the same. It wasn’t
as if they had been “normal,” and “typical” before. But he didn’t think it
was possible to love someone so much -- and yet, he had loved Liz even more
than that. And she had loved him that much too.
Ever since the fateful day she had been taken away from him, he hadn’t been
the same. He hadn’t slept well, ate well… lived well. Every day was pure
torture.
The only reason he was able to live was for their daughter, Anna Lisa. She
was a living and breathing reminder of Liz. She was only two, but the
resemblance was uncanny. She was a beautiful child -- dark, silky
chestnut-colored hair, big, shy eyes and the most endearing smile… All Anna
Lisa had to do was smile, and Max was cheered at the sight.
Max didn’t know yet if Anna had his powers, but he was guessing she wouldn’t
be completely without them. He was glad he was there to care for her. He
wouldn’t know what to do if she was all alone. He didn’t want to think
about her ever being alone.
Max hadn’t been in contact with anyone from Roswell in years. Even his
sister. The last he’d heard, she was working 2nd rate acting jobs in
Hollywood. He’d only talked to Michael, once, and that was just after Anna
was born. At that time, Michael was a starving artist in New York. He had
broken things off with Maria early -- way back in high school. Max had no
idea what she was doing, and he had guessed Alex had gone to college out
east somewhere. But, Max had never been close to either Maria or Alex, so
he didn’t really know.
He was all alone.
Max was currently in medical school, but being a single parent and trying to
become a doctor, as well as working part time to pay for the rent, was one
of the hardest things he could think of.
Max knew he should head to sleep. It was past midnight. He would have to
get up early the next day.
Just as he was about to leave, he felt a flash. He hadn’t had one in years.
He couldn’t see anything exactly, but what he felt shocked him. It was as
if Liz had been there. That wasn’t uncommon -- he had hallucinations about
Liz all the time. But, unlike before, it seemed that she was actually with
him.
Max shook it off. He was obviously becoming delirious. He needed to sleep.
A tiny wail emerged from Anna Lisa’s room. Max sighed. It didn’t look like
he’d be sleeping tonight.
LOST
Part 2
*****
Audra sat straight up, panting and sweating. Her dream had been terrifying.
She had no idea what was going on. There were blurred images, voices all
around her, yelling, screaming. It was like she was being suffocated. She
couldn’t make out of any of the faces. But everything seemed all too
familiar. And everything about her felt different. She had never felt this
way before. It was the single most horrifying thing in her life.
Audra rubbed her eyes and realized it was morning. She whipped her head to
the alarm clock. It was past 9:30! That’s why James wasn’t there.
Leaping up from her bed, she grabbed any clean clothes. Looking outside,
she saw that it was actually sunny for once. Living in the normally cold
and drab city of Boston, the hot sun was only a summer thing. Audra grabbed
a relatively clean shirt and skirt, and headed out the door.
*****
It had been another restless night for Max. He had wanted to try sleeping
pills, but was afraid that it would have some fatal chemical reaction to his
“unusual” situation. So, he continued to live as he did.
A typical day consisted of waking up from yet another sleepless night,
tending to Anna Lisa, eating some haphazard breakfast, dropping Anna off at
a day care center, heading off to school, working part time at night,
picking up his daughter after he was done, coming home, feeding Anna,
attempting to feed himself, studying, taking care of Anna, not sleeping…
and the cycle continued, day in and day out.
It had been hard for Max to find an apartment. His parents agreed to help
him, though he had lost touch with them also. He would call a few times a
year, but other than the check that came monthly in the mail, his
communication tie had been severed.
He refused to talk to anyone about Liz. He wouldn’t talk to his parents.
And as for friends, he had none. He was the only student in his class that
had a child, so he didn’t go out for drinks or whatever the rest of the
class did to celebrate exams, or, more frequently (and humorously), things
like Tuesdays. He had many more responsibilities than the rest could ever
imagine. He had cut himself off from anyone around him. At first, everyone
was puzzled. Max was young -- 25, and one would think he’d want to have
fun. But as soon as his peers realized he was different than them, they
ignored him.
Max had never felt so alone in his life.
To relieve the pain of his days, he would remember Liz. The memories he had
of Liz, along with his life with Anna, were his only true sources of his
meager happiness. He would give anything to bring Liz back. Max had tried
hard to shut out the day she died from his memory bank. To think of her in
the pain she must have gone through -- he would never forgive himself.
Liz had been in labor. He had to deliver Anna himself -- they couldn’t go to
doctors. It had been relatively easy. In fact, the entire pregnancy had
been much easier than they both had expected it to be. Max had never seen
anyone as happy as Liz had been the instant she saw their daughter.
*I want to name her Anna Lisa.*
*That’s a beautiful name.*
*She’s such a beautiful girl.*
*She looks just like you, Liz.*
*I love you, Max.*
*I love you...*
He had left her alone for mere minutes. He had just turned to clean up
Anna. But when Max came back, Liz was gone. He couldn’t understand. He
had only left for a few minutes.
Max didn’t know what to do. He had searched high and low for months on end,
but to no avail. She was nowhere to be found.
Then, one day, he got the phone call. The police had given up the search.
They said that they would keep some investigators on the case. But Max knew
better. They wouldn’t.
He still tried to find her. But anything he did proved futile. Slowly, but
surely, Max was losing hope. He was starting to believe what the police had
been insinuating. That Liz, his sole source of survival, his symbol of
beauty, compassion, and love, was dead.
The agony Max felt that day was nothing compared to what Liz must have
experienced. If he didn’t have to care for Anna, Max would have killed
himself. But he knew Liz would want him to care for Anna Lisa. He knew it
as well. But any time Max thought about what Liz had to have gone through,
he dove deeper into his depression.
And he truly believed it was all his fault. He could have saved her, he
constantly told himself, if only he hadn’t been so selfish. If he had just
left things platonic with her, way back, in high school. If he had never
shown her that they were meant to be together. He could have saved her,
himself, and Anna from ever experiencing this kind of pain.
Max tried to blot out these memories. He tried to think of Liz, full of
life and vitality. Her beautiful soul simply emitted into her features. If
Liz was beautiful on the outside, she was even more incredibly beautiful on
the inside. Max felt so honored and loved that only he had been able to see
inside her. To be able to connect with the one person who meant more to him
than his own life and safety themselves.
Every day he had shared with Liz was even better than the last. But the
night they shared that brought Anna into their world was among the best.
Max had never been closer to Liz than that day, and he didn’t even think
that was possible. It was the single most beautiful, amazing and wonderful
experience of both of their lives. Max honestly didn’t know where his body
ended and where Liz’s began. It was as if they were one. The way it was
meant to be. The way it should have been…
But it wasn’t.
Liz had barely even seen Anna Lisa. If only Max hadn’t turned around… He
should have heard something. Liz would have screamed if someone had taken
her away. ‘If only I hadn’t been so preoccupied… If only I wasn’t such an
idiot…’ Max chastised himself every second of every minute of every hour of
every day. To have had Liz and not only to let her get away, but to
completely lose her was all his fault.
Because of his stupidity, he believed, Anna Lisa was without a mother. He
was without his soulmate. And Liz, his beautiful, sweet Liz, was without
life.
*****
Audra hurried home from school. For some reason, she really needed to be
home. She’d been having the strangest headache all day, and all she wanted
to do was come home.
Audra walked through the door, and saw James deeply engulfed in a
conversation on the phone. He had his back turned to her, so she tapped him
on the shoulder to greet him. James jumped in total shock. Gasping he
turned around.
“Audra! You scared me!”
Audra was confused. All she did was tap him lightly. Why was he so
jittery?
“I’ll call you back,” James said quickly into the phone, and then he hung it
up.
His eyes were flashing, but he had a smile on his face. “Sorry.”
“Who was that?” Audra said nervously.
“Oh, that? That was just… a friend.”
“Oh…” Audra’s voice trailed off.
“So,” he said, apparently trying to change the subject. “What are you doing
home so early?”
“Why? Do you not want to see me?” Audra meant it as a joke, but James
didn’t laugh.
“No... I just wanted to know if you were feeling okay.”
Audra sighed. “I’m fine, James, thanks.”
“Great,” James replied, and after Audra continued to look at him, he put his
arms around her.
“So, what do you want to do tonight?”
“I don’t know. I’m actually kind of tired…”
“Do you mind I spend the night out with the guys?” James asked quickly.
“No, sure, that’s fine.” Audra was actually relieved. James was great
company, but tonight, she wanted to be alone. And yet, she didn’t want to
start to explain why. For some reason, something was telling her not to
tell James about what was happening to her.
LOST
Part 3
*****
Max went through another monotonous day. Whenever he wasn’t around Anna
Lisa, he asked himself why he continued living like this. It would be so
much easier to kill himself, and just be with Liz. Be with her where there
were no restrictions, or limitations to their lives.
They had spent a good deal of time after high school running from the FBI.
They had barely managed to ward them off. Every day was like being on the
run. But somehow, everything worked out, and they were left alone.
Liz ended up going to Harvard, and Max went to Stanford. It was incredibly
difficult on both of them. But, they were the one couple who proved that
long distance relationships were feasible and more than possible. Liz had
gone to California for the summer before their final semester. She had
taken an internship at a hospital near Stanford, where Max was working too.
Being near each other so much was something they hadn’t experienced in
awhile.
They were married as soon as it was possible, which ended up being after
their separate graduations. Almost no one had been there. None of their
friends had come. None of their parents had even known. But, they hadn’t
minded. It was simple, elegant and understated. Neither of them were for a
big, lavish wedding anyway.
They ended up moving to a small apartment in San Francisco. Both had been
accepted to the graduate programs they wanted at Stanford -- Max in the
medical program, and Liz in molecular biology. Though they weren’t
specializing on the same things, they were more than happy to just be in the
same building together.
Max remembered the day Liz had told him she was pregnant. She had been so
scared. He had as well. But they knew they would get through it. Just as
long as they were together.
*Max? I need to tell you something.*
*What?*
*Um…*
*What is it Liz?*
*I don’t know how to say this…*
*How to say what?*
*I… I think… I think I’m pregnant.*
Silence.
*Max?*
*Are you sure?*
*Yes.*
*Wow… I didn’t think it was possible.*
*Are you mad?*
*Mad? Why would I be mad?*
*Because… this isn’t going to be normal.*
*I know. But, don’t’ worry, Liz. We’ll get through it, okay? Whatever
happens, I’m here for you.*
*I’m glad.*
*How are you feeling?*
*I feel fine. I guess. I just can’t believe it. Do you… do you want
this?*
*I didn’t think we could… you know. But, yes, I think I do. As long as
it’s with you, it’ll be incredible.*
*Thank you.*
*For what?*
*For being so amazing. I love you.*
*I love you too, Liz.*
Liz had been worried that Max would be upset with the news. But when she
learned that he was just as excited about the baby as she was, she had lit
up. The last year Max had been with Liz was the best. She began to glow as
only an expectant mother would. One look at her smiling, gleaming face
brought an immediate smile to his lips. She had been looking forward to
being a mother the entire year.
And in an instant, it was all taken away.
Max swore vengeance on whoever had ruined all of their lives. But he
couldn’t find them. Whoever had done it knew exactly what and how they were
doing it. They had covered up their tracks extremely well.
And sadly, Max’s ‘friends’ from high school were no help. He had tried to
contact Maria and Alex, but to no avail. And Michael and Isabel had never
been particularly close to Liz. In fact, with the exception of Michael, the
other three didn’t even know about what had happened. He didn’t know how
close Michael was to everyone else, but if Max himself didn’t talk to them,
he found it absurd to believe that Michael would.
It was so odd, and surreal. It was as if they all had just disappeared.
*****
An excruciating pain tore through Audra’s abdomen. She had never felt such
pain before in her life. Everything was black around her. She heard deep,
dark, mysterious voice. She felt as if it was talking about her. She had a
terrible feeling being here. All of a sudden, she saw a large, thick needle
placed before her eyes. She opened her mouth to scream, but she couldn’t
here anything.
Audra sat up, drenched in sweat. She blinked her eyes, as they tried to
adjust to the black of the room. The clock read 2:49 am. James moved
beside her.
“Audra? Are you okay, honey?” he asked in a tired voice.
“I just had a bad dream.” Audra was still breathing heavily, thinking about
it.
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t think so. I need to get up.”
“You want me to make you some coffee, or tea, or something?”
“No. Go back to sleep. Sorry. Go back to sleep.”
“It’s okay, Audra -- ”
“NO!” Audra was surprised at the level of her voice. She calmed down.
“You need to sleep, James. I know you haven’t been sleeping well. Go back.
I’ll get something to drink, and I’ll be right back.”
“Okay…” James said uncertainly.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry. Thanks, though.” Audra kissed his forehead, and
left the room.
Audra stood outside the door for a few minutes. Soon, she could hear James’
deep breathing.
She didn’t know what had come over her. For the past few nights, she had
been having nightmare after nightmare. But for the first time since she’d
known him, she didn’t want to tell James about it. Something inside of her
was telling her that he wouldn’t understand.
Audra turned on the kitchen light and sat down at the table. She had known
James for a few years now. They had met in grad school, both doing their
graduate work; Audra in astrophysics and James in computer science. The
attraction had been instantaneous. James was incredibly good looking --
tall, lean, tan and blonde. He had moved from sunny California to Boston,
and always joked how he still couldn’t get over the difference between
Malibu and Boston.
James was a great guy. He was friendly, intelligent, funny and just a great
person to be around. She would have loved for her family to have met him.
But they never could.
Audra remembered the terrible day James had to break the news to her. She
hadn’t been at home to receive the phone call. But James had. She could
tell from the look in his eyes when she got home that something was wrong.
Her entire family, her mother, father, and two younger brothers, all had
perished in a freak fire at their house. She had just moved in with James
-- they never even met him.
Audra felt a tear slip down her cheek. Other than James, she had no one.
Both of her parents had been only children, and all of her grandparents had
died soon after she herself was born. She was all alone, except for James.
Which was why she was glad to have him. He had been very supportive, all
those years. He could have been having meaningless relationships with other
women. But he chose to stay with her. And she was grateful for that.
But something was happening to Audra that she didn’t understand. The
flashes of sound and image that she had been experiencing seemed to open
long-closed feelings. It was like there was something else out there. Some
ONE else. Something she didn’t understand. Something --
“Audra, you really should come back to sleep.” Audra jumped at the sound of
James’ voice.
“Sorry,” he grinned. “I didn’t mean to scare you like that.”
“Oh,” Audra mumbled. “It’s okay. I can’t sleep.”
“Well, why don’t you just watch some TV, or something?”
“I really don’t think anything good is on at this time of day, James.”
James laughed, and said, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Well, I’ll leave the
hall light on, for whenever you want to come back, okay?”
Audra put on a small smile and nodded. James waved and went back into their
bedroom.
Audra finally decided to go back to sleep. After a drink of water, she made
her way back to their room.
On her way back into the bedroom, a dull murmur made her stop moving. The
door to their bedroom was closed. The sound was coming from within there.
Audra put her ear up to the door. She couldn’t exactly hear anything, but
James was talking. Talking to who? She tried to listen hard for any
phrases she could. “…she doesn’t know…soon…can’t take it
anymore…end…when?…what is the…”
Audra had no idea what was going on. Was James talking to someone in the
room, or on the phone? She had no clue what to do. But she knew she was
scared. James sounded sinister. And mad. His voice was raised, and it
sounded like he was pacing furiously around the room. He had never acted
that way before.
Suddenly, Audra didn’t want to be near him. Something was definitely wrong.
She had to get out of here.
LOST
Part 4
*****
“Daddy!” Anna’s tiny voice called Max. She sounded as if she was crying.
It was almost midnight. Anna could almost be timed on her crying schedule.
It didn’t really matter to Max. It wasn’t as if he had slept a day since
she had been born anyway.
Max went into Anna Lisa’s room. “What is it, sweetie?”
Anna Lisa stared up at him through her big, brown, tear-filled eyes.
“Daddy…”
“What, honey? Are you tired? Do you want to eat something?”
Anna shook her head defiantly.
“Do you want me here with you?” Max asked, his voice revealing just how
tired he really was.
Anna didn’t say anything.
“Anna Lisa?” Anna was acting different. What was going on?
“Daddy, look.” Slowly, Anna lifted her arm over her stuffed animal. She
turned her small, round face up to her father, and carefully looked at him.
Max looked down at her, confused. With a partly unsteady wave over the toy,
Anna changed its color from white to green. Giggling, she did it again,
this time adding polka dots and zebra stripes.
Max’s tired eyes widened. “Anna, what are you doing?”
The tears had stopped rolling down her round cheeks. She looked up at Max
again, a proud smile illuminating her tiny face.
Max looked down at her in shock. He didn’t think Anna could be doing things
like this until she was much older. He had assumed being half-human would
have retarded her alien growth, not strengthen it.
He had assumed wrong.
*****
Audra stood frozen outside her door. She wasn’t sure where to go, but she
knew she had to leave. All her things were in her bedroom. But her wallet
wasn’t. Glad that she had slept in something other than pajamas, she
grabbed her backpack, her coat and some money, and carefully left the
apartment.
She would have seemed to be overreacting, if this were any other case. But
something was definitely wrong. The way in which James had been talking had
just paralyzed her. It was like he had been talking about her. He was
talking about her to someone else at 3 in the morning. And the fact that
something was telling her to run away made her want to leave even more. It
seemed to make no sense.
She knew she shouldn’t be out, alone, this late at night, in the city. But
something deep inside her was telling her not be in her apartment any
longer.
Audra wasn’t really sure where to go. She didn’t have any close friends.
She mostly spent all her time either studying or being with James. And
being with James was clearly no longer an option.
She wanted to be in a public place for some reason. What place was open at
3 am, and was filled with people? Audra racked her brain. The only place
she could think of was the airport.
Running outside, Audra found a payphone nearby. She felt like her every
move was being watched. She opened the dangling phone book in the booth,
and frantically searched for a 24-hour cab service. Luckily, she found one.
Soon, Audra was in a shady-looking taxi with an equally shady-looking cab
driver. She was glad she had taken self-defense classes last year.
Within minutes, she had reached the airport. It certainly wasn’t busy, but
it was nearing the morning hours. People would be there soon.
Glad she had her credit cards and a fair amount of cash on her, Audra went
up to the ticket counter. There was a single person behind the counter.
“Hi. Can I help you?”
“I need to get out of here.”
“Pardon me?”
“Can I buy a ticket to somewhere?”
“Excuse me?”
“Are there any standby tickets or anything available?”
“Now?”
“I realize this is ridiculous, but you have to help me.”
The woman looked over Audra’s disheveled persona, and seemed to soften.
“Let me see what I can find. I hope you have money.”
“I do.”
“Alright.” The woman sighed, and looked over her records. “Okay. We have
three tickets left -- Austin, Texas; Bangor, Maine and San Francisco,
California.”
“San Francisco,” Audra replied automatically. It was like something was
telling her to go there.
“Ok. San Francisco it is. I’m going to need some kind of photo ID, as well
as a major credit card.”
Audra handed over all her cards. As she stood patiently at the counter, she
looked around. Everything was scaring her. She felt like everyone was
against her. Soon, she felt the eyes of the ticket woman boring into her.
“What?” Audra asked.
“I’m sorry, but you look so familiar. Do I know you?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Did you go to school around here a few years ago?”
“No, but I’m in school here now.”
“Oh.”
“Why?”
“You look a lot like someone I used to know.”
Audra didn’t say anything. The woman’s familiarity had bugged her too, but
she didn’t know what to make of it.
“Sorry. I guess it’s just really late, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. You’re all set. Flight 977, gate 35. It boards in an hour.”
“Thank you very much.” Audra picked up her ticket and started to leave.
“Miss?” the woman called. Audra turned her head. “Good luck.”
*****
Max wasn’t sure what to do. When he had first come out of the pod, he too,
hadn’t been sure what to make of his powers. But, somehow, he, Isabel and
Michael all had figured out not to use them in public. But Anna was just a
baby. How could he leave her at the daycare center now? People would know
something was different about her. And if the wrong people found out --
namely the FBI, who had terrorized him for so long -- and took her away from
him… Max didn’t even want to think about the possibility of losing the most
important thing in his life.
He had no idea how to juggle this. He couldn’t give up school and work, but
he couldn’t leave Anna alone either.
He needed someone with him. He needed a friend.
Max racked his brain. He didn’t know who else he could call but his sister.
Picking up Anna from her crib, he hurried into the kitchen. He put Anna
in her high chair, and said, “Anna, can you be a good girl for Daddy, and
not do your magic tricks anymore?”
Anna giggled and shook her head ‘no.’
“Anna, sweetie, can’t you just do this for Daddy? Please? We can play
peek-a-boo if you stop…”
Anna Lisa’s eyes grew wide. She quickly nodded her head and sat quietly.
Max rummaged through a phonebook that Liz had compiled a few years back. He
blew the dust off of the book. It wasn’t like he actually called people
anymore.
Finally, he found a number for Isabel. He highly doubted she would even be
there. Knowing how ‘well’ she was probably doing, he figured she moved
around a lot. But maybe he could find a forwarding number.
He knew it was late, and whoever was on the other side would be angry with
him. But he couldn’t care about stupid things like that. This was
important.
Max dialed the number, his hands shaky. He had to find Isabel.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
No one was picking up.
Max was about to give up when a groggy female voice answered the phone.
“Hello?” she said slowly.
“Hi. I need to speak with Isabel Evans. It’s an emergency.”
“Isabel who?”
“Isabel Evans.”
“I don’t know an Isabel Evans.”
“I was told this was her number.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Do you know of any Isabel’s that lived here before?”
“I know an Isabel. What does your Isabel look like?”
“Um, she’s tall, dirty blonde. She was a model or an actress or something.”
“Okay. That sounds like Isabelle du Ponte. Why do you want to talk to
her?”
“This is her brother.”
“You’re her brother and you don’t know what her last name is?”
“We haven’t talked in a few years.”
“No kidding.”
“Can I just have her number?”
“Yeah, sure. Calm down.” The woman rummaged for a few minutes, and finally
came back on.
“Here it is.” After relaying the number, she said, “It’s a Seattle number
-- she runs a modeling agency up there now.”
“Is she married?”
“What?”
“Well, her last name is different. I thought maybe she got married, or
something.” Max was getting frustrated, as he began to regret even calling.
“Isabel? Married?” the girl chuckled, despite her weariness. “Isabelle de
Ponte is the last person to ever get married. That’s her stage name, I
guess. I didn’t know her real last name was Evans.”
“Okay. Well, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” With that, the girl hung up the phone.
Max frenetically dialed the Seattle number. He had learned more in the two
minutes he had talked with the girl about Isabel than he had heard in the
past three years. What had happened to the bond they once had?
‘You’ll find out soon enough, Max’ he told himself.
The phone rang endlessly.
Finally, someone picked up.
“Hello?” a weary voice answered.
“Can I speak to Isabel Evans?” Max asked.
The voice on the other line suddenly went from tired to harsh. “Who is
this?”
“Is this Isabel?”
“Who is this?” The cold voice that was so familiar to him made Max sure the
person on the other end was Isabel.
“Isabel -- it’s me. Max.”
LOST
Part 5
*****
Audra paced around frantically. She needed to leave before James knew she
had left. She had a strange feeling he would know where to find her.
“All passengers for flight 977 to San Francisco, California can begin
boarding at gate 35.”
Audra quickly gathered her meager belongings and boarded the plane. Still
in her sleeping clothes, and barely refreshed from her five minute run into
the airport bathroom, she was still very much on edge.
A young man, who seemed to be around her age, took the seat next to her.
“Hi there.”
“Hi,” Audra said.
“I’m Ben Thomas.”
“Hi. I’m Audra.”
“Strange time for this flight, huh?”
Audra nodded her head. She didn’t realize how tired she was. In her frenzy
to leave Boston, she almost forgot that she hadn’t slept. Being in her
apartment felt so long ago…
“Audra?” Audra heard the voice beside her repeat her name, as if he had
asked her something.
“I’m sorry. What?”
“I just asked why you were going to San Francisco.”
“Oh. Um, I have family there,” she lied.
“Oh, that’s nice. I’m stuck on a business trip thing. Gotta hate those.”
Audra feigned another half-smiled.
“So, are you a college student?”
“Grad student, at MIT.”
“Oh really? I used to go to Harvard. I knew a lot of MIT kids.”
“Well, I didn’t go there for undergrad.”
“Oh. Oh well. You’re there now, right? That’s what matters.”
“Right.” Audra was getting tired. She wanted to sleep. She felt her eyes
droop. She drifted off to sleep, leaning against the window. It was a six
hour flight. She would get plenty of sleep. As long as she didn’t have
nightmares.
*****
“Max?” Isabel’s voice was a mixture of sadness, anger, relief and a tiny
sliver of sisterly love. “Max?!”
“Isabel, I need your help. I wouldn’t be calling otherwise.”
“What’s going on? How are you?”
“Look, I don’t have time for that. This is really important.”
“What’s going on?”
“Listen, Isabel. Did Michael ever tell you… about what happened?”
Isabel grew silent. “Yes, he did,” she replied meekly. “I’m so sorry.”
Max didn’t say anything.
“Look, Max, I tried to call, but I didn’t know what to say -- ”
“I don’t want to hear it Isabel. I need your help right now. Something
happened.”
“What?”
“It’s Anna Lisa.”
“Who’s Anna Lisa?”
“Anna Lisa is my daughter.”
“Your what?!?”
“Didn’t Michael tell you?”
“No. He told me about… the other… thing… that happened.”
Max sighed. He couldn’t believe how Isabel viewed Liz’s death simply as a
“thing” that “happened.” Frankly, this was precisely the reason why he had
lost touch with her. To avoid hearing her moronic excuses and the
ridiculous things she said. And the fact that Michael hadn’t even told her
about Anna Lisa… Max knew he should have been the one to have kept in
contact. But Michael and Isabel, regardless of whatever compassion they
would have initially shown him, would just have said, ‘We told you so.’ And
that was not the kind of support he had wanted.
“Anyway, I think Anna Lisa has powers.”
“What?”
“Well, she changed the colors of her stuffed animal. I’m not sure what
else. The thing is, I can’t watch over her, Isabel. I have school, work
and all this other… stuff. I can’t just leave her at daycare anymore. I
need you to come here and help me figure this out.”
Isabel didn’t say anything. Slowly, she replied, “Max, what can I do? What
do I know about taking care of a… baby? And, I can’t leave work…”
“Isabel, I’m in school. I work at night. I can’t do this alone anymore.”
Max was on the brink. He was hanging onto his last thread of hope, and even
she didn’t seem to be helping him. “Can’t you at least come down for a few
days? Until I get this under control?” Max hated to plead, especially to
Isabel. But he no longer had a choice.
Finally, she spoke up. “Okay. When should I come?”
“Now.”
Hesitantly, Isabel asked, “Now?”
“Catch a plane, and get here now. This is an emergency.”
Isabel paused for a long moment, and sighed. “Fine. Let me call you back
when I find something.”
“Okay. Bye, Isabel. And, thanks.”
“Goodbye, Max.”
*****
Audra wanted the flight to be over. Ben Thomas just kept talking and
talking. She wanted to get out, and blend into the crowd. Most of all, she
wanted to get away from the feelings she had left in Boston.
As Audra thought about it, though, she kept wondering exactly why she had
left. Thinking about it now, it seemed ridiculous. What possessed her to
just leave? What possessed her to give up everything she had in Boston? It
didn’t make sense.
Yet… Something felt right. Deep inside of her, she knew, that for whatever
reason she didn’t know yet, what she was doing was right. That leaving
Boston truly was the right decision.
But the practical side of her was screaming: What if she was wrong?
*****
Isabel hadn’t called back right away. Max was getting edgy. It was nearing
one in the morning. He would stay up all night if he needed to… but what if
she didn’t call? What if she had --
RING!! The shrill ring jarred his thoughts.
Max quickly picked it up. “Hello?” he choked out.
“Max -- Flight 18, Gate 17. I’ll be there in a few hours. Call the airport
for the exact time.”
Her voice sounded so strange. He knew it was because he had called her even
though they were estranged. He had hoped that she could look past that
right now.
“Ok -- ”
“Goodbye, Max. Take care. See you soon.” As quickly as the phone had
rang, Isabel had hung up.
Max sighed, and slowly dropped the receiver into the phone cradle. Running
his fingers through his hair, he fell into the couch. He closed his eyes
shut tight, and lay his head in his hands.
If only he hadn’t left Liz alone that day… none of this would have
happened.
*****
“Will all the flight attendants please prepare for landing?”
Audra awoke groggily to hear the captain announce their landing. Looking
out her window, she saw that it was sunny outside. She hadn’t ever seen
such a beautiful sunrise. But why did everything feel so familiar?
LOST
Part 6
*****
Max checked his watch. It was almost 8:00 in the morning. Isabel should be
arriving any minute now. The fact that Max had a total of no sleep in the
past few days didn’t even seem to register in his brain.
He carried Anna Lisa in one arm. Regardless of her uncontrolled powers, she
still managed to bring a smile to his face. She was so fascinated by the
sky. He figured it was something that they all had been born with --
himself, Michael and Isabel included. But, like any other baby, she also
loved watching the takeoff and landing of planes.
Max brought Anna close to a window. He was careful that she didn’t do
anything that was noticeable, and made sure too many people weren’t around
him. Anna gently touched the glass and looked up at the vast sky. Her
mother’s eyes widened, and were completely enchanted by all she saw. Max’s
heart broke just looking at her. He still couldn’t believe that this
beautiful creature was his own flesh and blood.
It seemed so unfair that Liz didn’t even get to experience Anna Lisa.
Gently prying Anna Lisa away from the window, Max walked to check the
overhead computer screen for information about Isabel’s arrival. He was
anxious to see her. He hadn’t seen her in years. Would she be accepting,
angry, sad? She had sounded so distant on the phone after he had told her
the things that had happened. Was she still mad about Liz?
Anna Lisa started fussing in Max’s arms.
“Do you want me to put you down, Annie?”
Anna Lisa just made her typical noises, and he reluctantly set her down.
“Don’t run away, now, Anna Lisa. I can’t lose you.”
Max looked up to the gate. People had started entering the airport. He
searched for Isabel. Amidst the crowd of people, she still managed to stand
out. She was wearing a knee-length dress coat, leather pants, leopard-print
sunglasses, and her was done up. She had left her house at 4 in the
morning, and still managed to dress like a model. Max shook his head, but
had to smile. Always Isabel.
As she removed her sunglasses, he caught her eyes. She slowly smiled. Max
felt himself smile himself. Regardless of what she had ever said to him
before, it was good to see his sister. He hadn’t even realized how much he
had missed her.
“Max… hi.” Isabel said, coming up to him.
“Hi Isabel.”
The two just stood, unsure of what to say.
Suddenly, Isabel’s eyes narrowed in concern. “Did you bring Anna Lisa with
you?”
“Yeah, she’s right here-- ” Max blinked a few times. He frantically
searched the area. Horrible thoughts crossed his mind. What if someone had
kidnapped her? What if she was lost? What is she used her powers?
“Where is she?!” Max said, panicked. Leaving Isabel standing, he moved
around the terminal, calling his daughter’s name.
“Anna! Anna Lisa! Where are you, honey?”
Max turned one part of the terminal he hadn’t searched before. He finally
caught sight of Anna Lisa’s tiny frame. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Isabel had caught up with him, and pointed at Anna Lisa. “Is that her?”
“Yeah,” Max said, quickly moving forward to get Anna before she ran off
again.
“She’s beautiful.” Isabel said quietly, not wanting to mention how much she
resembled Liz.
“She looks like her mother,” Max said simply.
As she came more into view, Max and Isabel slowed down. Anna looked as if
she was talking to someone else. But who?
As they took a better look at who Anna was ‘conversing’ with, Isabel gasped.
Max was frozen in shock.
Their minds could not believe what their eyes were telling them.
LOST
Part 7
*****
Audra stepped off the plane into the unfamiliar terminal. As it was past 8
in the morning, the airport was already in a flurry of activity. She felt
safe here.
But, she didn’t know what to do or where to go. She figured she should go
ask at information. But where was information?
Before she could move, she felt a tug at her pants. Looking down, she
stared into the eyes of the most precious girl she had ever seen in her
life. The child’s big brown eyes stared deep into her own. Suddenly, Audra
had another flash. But she actually had this one in the day. What was
going on?
“Hi there,” Audra said, not sure of what to say.
“Mommy?” the baby asked innocently.
“Are you looking for your mommy, sweetie?”
“Mommy?” the girl asked again.
“I don’t know where your mommy is. Is your daddy here?”
The little girl quickly nodded her tiny head. Her brown curls bounced, and
her perfect teeth gleamed in the morning sun streaming in from the windows.
She was the most beautiful creature Audra had ever seen in her life.
Audra thought that she should inform someone of a missing child. Lifting
her head, she tried to find some information booth. She felt the tug at her
pant leg again. Looking down, the girl was pointing in the direction of
something.
As Audra followed the girl’s finger, her eyes fell upon a young man and
woman, about her age. They were staring at her in shock. Audra figured
that they were the girl’s parents, and that they thought that Audra was
kidnapping their daughter. Audra didn’t want that to happen. As she went
to turn her head back to the girl, her eyes made contact with the man’s.
She felt another flash, like the ones she had been having before.
More images were coming together. This time, she actually saw the man in
her vision. She saw faces, heard sounds. But most importantly, she felt
things she never had. Or rather, hadn’t felt in a long time… It was like
the world around her had stopped. She was far away from the man, but he
felt so close. She had never met this man before in her life, and yet the
intense way in which he searched her eyes was the most intimate thing she
had ever experienced.
Suddenly, a mass of people rushed into her. A plane had just landed, and
all the passengers were eager to leave their business flights, so they
swarmed past Audra.
Out of the blue, someone grabbed Audra’s arm and pulled her away.
“Excuse me?!” Audra said, bewildered.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said a tall man, with sinister eyes. Her carefully looked
her up and down, and then made a quick surveillance around before releasing
her arm.
Brushing herself off, Audra frantically searched around her for the girl…
and for the man. She couldn’t see either of them. In the time that the
plane had landed and the waves of people had washed over her, the girl had
disappeared. She struggled to find the man who had fascinated her so.
There was something about him she couldn’t exactly place -- but she had to
find out who he was and why she felt the way she did in his presence.
She heard a distant voice calling something repeatedly, but she couldn’t
make out what it was. The terminal was too loud for her to pinpoint the
source of the voice, and soon, Audra lost track of the faint sound she had
heard.
She had never felt so small in such a large place -- like a single star in
the entire universe.
*****
“Liz!” Max called frantically. The woman who had been near his daughter --
their daughter -- had been Liz. He was so sure of it. She looked just like
her. The beautiful chestnut hair. The creamy, flawless skin. The petite,
lithe frame. And her eyes. The eyes that he became lost in. They
connected -- he knew she felt it too. But it was different. Maybe it had
been because it had been so long since he had been with her, but it was as
if a cloud had come over her. She seemed to struggle to find him. What was
making her think this way?
“Liz!” Max yelled. Max was causing people’s heads to turn and look at him
as if he had four heads. He could care less. The only thought on his mind
concerned Liz. Where had she gone?
In his frantic search for Liz, he had almost forgotten about Anna Lisa.
Where was she? Who was he to find -- the wife he hadn’t seen, who he’d
thought he had lost, or his beautiful child, who he actually had?
Isabel supplied the answer. “Look, Max, I’ll get Anna Lisa. She can’t be
too far.”
“Thanks…”
“Find her.”
With a quick nod, Max took off.
*****
Audra had somehow been thrown into the hubbub of a departing crowd. The mob
around her seemed endless -- she couldn’t find a path out. More and more
anxiety brewed in her stomach -- now, more than ever, she needed to see the
man.
As ridiculous as it sounded, she felt as if she had fallen in love for the
first time. They hadn’t even spoke. They didn’t even know each other. So
why was she so enamored with him? Why was he making her feel like she had
been asleep her whole life?
She needed to find him.
As Audra quickly spun around, she crashed into a tall body.
“Whoa!” a male voice said.
“Sorry, I -- ”
“Audra?”
Audra looked up. It was Ben. Ben Thomas, from the plane. Audra sighed.
Not him again. “Hi.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, um, nothing…”
Neither of them said anything right away, but Ben spoke up quickly.
“I don’t want to sound too forward, but do you want to get some breakfast?
I’m famished.”
Audra opened her mouth to decline, but was cut off by Ben.
“I’ll pay. I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.” And before she could even
reply, she was whisked away to the food court.
*****
“Liz!” Max seemed to be calling for her endlessly. He couldn’t believe
that she was right in front of him, and he had lost her again. He hated
himself for losing her. Why was he so blind? Why couldn’t he do anything
right?
Simply looking at her, Max fell in love with her all over again. She hadn’t
changed. She was still so beautiful… and still so dazzling on the inside.
She was wearing a pair of doctor’s scrubs, a gray tee, and carried with her
a backpack. It was like the Liz he had loved in high school; the Liz he had
loved in college.
What amazed him was how Anna Lisa found her. Anna wasn’t very good with
strangers -- something he had been grateful for, actually. She never wanted
to be with anyone but him -- but that was partly because she had no one
else, really. But, it was almost as if Anna had actually found Liz for him.
And to top everything off, he didn’t even know where Anna and Isabel were.
His mind was so befuddled, he couldn’t even think straight. Knowing his
luck, the woman wasn’t Liz at all, and just some stranger who looked like
her. He had just lost his daughter and sister for some stranger.
Still, a glimmer of faith and love in Max’s heart told him not to give up
just yet.
But how long would he have to wait?
*****
Audra could barely sit still as she ate with Ben. She kept moving her head
around, hoping for at least one glance at the man who had so quickly stolen
her heart. She just needed to see him, speak with him. She could no longer
rationalize what she was feeling. But she didn’t care. The effect he had
on her was mesmerizing. It was the most exhilarating feeling in her life.
And somehow, she knew he felt it too.
But what about the woman who had been standing with him? Had that been his
wife? The soulful emotions he emitted to her heart seemed only for her, and
no one else.
She knew everything sounded ridiculous. Nothing was making sense.
Her brain told her every action she had taken since she woke up early that
morning was wrong.
But her heart overpowered her brain in telling her she was right.
*****
Max knew he was getting lost. He had only been to the airport a few times,
and didn’t know it well enough to know where everything was. He had seen a
blonde man take away Liz. Something didn’t feel right about that. Max had
convinced himself that the woman was Liz. So why was she going off with
other men?
And why didn’t she make any reaction when she saw him?
*****
Audra and Ben ate in a little food court which was quite far from the
terminal that Audra and Ben had landed at. She didn’t understand why they
had to eat so far away -- there were plenty of places to eat all over the
airport. But Ben had insisted they go to the far end of the airport. Not
only was he boring, he was pushy. Whenever she mentioned she needed to
leave soon, he wouldn’t let her go.
Audra was beyond confused.
Audra looked back at Ben to see him staring at something behind her. Audra
whipped her head around. There was nothing there.
“What are you looking at?” she asked suspiciously.
“Nothing,” Ben said. “I’m just… tired.”
Checking his watch, he stood up. “Well, it was nice to see you.”
“Likewise,” Audra said carefully.
“Keep in touch, okay?”
“Alright…”
“Talk to you later, Liz.”
Audra froze.
And then Ben realized his mistake.
LOST
Part 8
*****
Max was near giving up. Maybe he was so delirious he was imagining
everything. Maybe it was just some other woman. There were more than 6
billion people on earth -- someone was bound to look like her.
Max wanted to sit down. More than anything, he felt like plunging into
despair. It was like he had lost her all over again.
Sighing, Max looked to the end of the last terminal, and started to trudge
back. He may as well find Isabel and Anna Lisa. He hoped to god that
Isabel had had better luck.
On his way back, he decided to get a coffee. His eyes were tired -- he
could feel them bloodshot and wary -- and some caffeine would help him.
He didn’t even notice her, all of ten feet away from him.
*****
“What did you call me?”
Ben panicked. “Audra. I said Audra.”
“No you didn’t. You called me Liz. Who’s Liz?”
“I didn’t say ‘Liz.’ ”
“Yes, you did. You said, ‘Talk to you later, Liz.’ ”
Ben was at a loss for words.
“What’s going on?”
“I need to go, Audra.” Quickly turning on his heel, Ben took off.
Audra was too stunned to even more. Who on earth was Liz? And why did it
click in her brain? When Ben had called her ‘Liz,’ she had been ready to
respond. Audra hadn’t even known a Liz in her entire life. What was going
on?
Looking out into the terminal, she couldn’t see Ben. He had just
disappeared. Audra wasn’t sure whether or not she should take after him.
Maybe it was just a mistake. Maybe she had just imagined the whole thing…
‘I need to sleep,’ Audra thought to herself.
Gathering her things, she decided to find a taxi, get to a hotel and sleep.
She would have to figure out some way to find out who the man was. He was
wearing a Stanford jacket. Maybe she could call the school and find out...
But now, she needed to sleep.
Audra headed to the nearest elevator, a few hundred feet from the food
court.
*****
Max threw away his coffee. He couldn’t drink. He was worried about Anna
Lisa now. He was so confused. He berated himself for deserting Anna Lisa.
What if something happened to her? He would never forgive himself.
But what if there was a chance the woman had been Liz? He didn’t know what
to do.
But apparently, the woman wasn’t Liz. Liz would have come after him. He
knew Liz. She felt the same way about him as he did about her. They would
drop everything for each other.
Max couldn’t help but feel rejected.
Sighing, he turned.
And saw her. In an elevator.
And the door was closing.
LOST
Part 9
*****
Audra was finally glad to leave. Her mind was so full of things she
couldn’t even begin to understand, sleep was sounding better and better.
Turning to hit the ‘Ground Floor’ button, she looked up one last time.
And saw him.
The door had begun to close.
Audra frantically reached for the ‘Door Open’ button. It wasn’t working.
The man had started running towards her.
“Liz!” he called.
Who was Liz? And why did everyone keep calling her that?
“Keep the door open!” Audra could hear him say.
‘I can’t do it,’ she told herself.
She pushed all the buttons, to do anything to stop it. She needed to talk
to this man. What was possessing him to find her? And what was possessing
her to want to be found by him?
*****
Max slammed his fists on the closed elevator door.
“No,” he said out loud. “No. This cannot be happening.”
Not wanting to waste any time, he pushed the button for other elevators.
Nothing was showing up. Quickly scanning the area, he found a stairwell.
He didn’t know where Liz was going -- but he figured she was going down.
‘Hurry, Max, hurry,’ he told himself. ‘You aren’t losing her this time.’
*****
As soon as the elevator hit the Ground Floor, Audra pushed the up button.
Hopefully, he was still waiting there for her. Nervous, scared, and most of
all, anxious of what this man would be, Audra waited patiently for the
elevator to reach the floor she had been on.
But when the doors opened, she was nowhere to be found. Stepping out, Audra
decided to look for him on foot.
Never once did she see the staircase next to the elevators.
*****
She wasn’t there. Max couldn’t believe it. Was this actually the third
time he had managed to lose track of her?
Max ran around the entire first floor. She was nowhere to be found. Just
as he was about to head up to the second floor, he heard a frantic cry.
“Max!” Max turned around to see Isabel, with Anna Lisa in tow.
Max breathed a sigh of relief. As Isabel approached, he scooped up Anna in
his arms and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Anna, where have you been?”
“I found my mommy!” she exclaimed happily.
Max looked up at Isabel.
“I don’t know how she knows, Max. But she just does. It’s the only thing
she’s been saying for the past hour.”
Max was silent, and just looked at his daughter. She was so intelligent, it
was scaring him.
“Did you find her?” Isabel asked, a shard of hope surfacing in her voice.
Max shook his head.
“Oh…” Isabel’s voice trailed off.
“It’s probably not her,” Max said finally, surprised at his tone. “If it
really was Liz, she would be with me right now. She wouldn’t just, leave --
she would recognize me. That woman didn’t even know who I was.”
“I’m sorry Max.”
Max sighed. “It was too good to be true.”
“Do you want to keep looking?”
Max looked up at the staircase. He wanted to. But he had just lost her.
Maybe if he waited long enough, she would call his name over the
loudspeaker.
“I want to. But it isn’t working. Let’s call her name over the
loudspeaker.”
“Okay,” said Isabel.
Max hurried to the information booth, with Isabel carrying Anna behind.
“Hello sir. How can I help you?” the receptionist asked.
“I need to find my wife. Can I put in an announcement?”
“Sure. What’s the name?”
“Liz. Liz Evans.”
“Alright, sir. Just hold on a few minutes. Would you like the message to
tell her to meet you at this location?”
“Yes. Anything. Please do it quickly.”
“Yes, sir.”
Max took a deep breath, and fell into a nearby chair. Isabel sat down
quietly next to him.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Max didn’t reply right away. Holding his head in his hands, he slowly
turned his face to her. “I don’t know, Isabel. Something isn’t right. She
didn’t even recognize me. Why? Why would that happen? She couldn’t just
forget.”
“Maybe…” Isabel trailed away.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“What? Isabel, what?”
“Well, maybe it wasn’t her, Max. Maybe it was just someone who looks a lot
like her.”
“How do you explain Anna Lisa?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Anna was looking a picture of Liz, or something.
Maybe she recognized the face. I don’t know.”
Max sighed.
“Will Liz Evans please come to the information desk located in Terminal E on
the first floor? Liz Evans, to the information desk on Level One. Thank
you.”
Max stared at the loudspeaker. It would only be a matter of time before he
found out. But could he wait?
*****
Audra was tired. She had searched the entire airport for what seemed like
days. She hadn’t seen the man since.
She felt like knocking some sense into her brain. She didn’t even know the
man’s name, and she was going off in desperate search of him.
Sighing, she finally sat down. All she could see in her mind were his eyes.
His gorgeous, soulful, infinite eyes. He had looked at her in such shock.
Why? It was like he knew her, and he knew everything about her. But he
had never even seen her before…right?
“Will Liz Evans please come to the information desk located in Terminal E on
the first floor?”
Audra suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Why?
“Liz Evans, to the information desk on Level One. Thank you.”
Audra shook her head. What was wrong with her? Something was going on.
She was in a place she had never been before, yet everything seemed
familiar. She had been ready to respond to Ben’s seemingly ridiculous
mistake. And now, she couldn’t stop thinking about the father of the
beautiful girl. The feeling he gave her was indescribable. It was almost…
explosive.
Thinking about his eyes made Audra think back to what she felt when she
first saw him. She had lost herself in him. But the strangest thing was,
it hadn’t felt strange, at least, in the sense that she had experienced it
before. But as Audra thought about her life, she had never actually
experienced it -- it was just a feeling like she had.
Audra was more confused than ever.
And now, more tired than ever. Placing her backpack on the armrest, Audra
carefully put her head on her makeshift pillow. She had money, but didn’t
know where to go. She needed time to clear her head before she could find a
taxi, a hotel, a job, a place to stay… Coming to San Francisco was the
wrong thing to do. But Audra didn’t care anymore. The only thing she
wanted right now was to find out why she had been so captivated by the man
and his daughter.
Audra cautiously thought about something that had happened a few years back.
She had never been able to figure it out, but she had always assumed it to
be right… until now.
She had woken up in terrible pain, especially through the lower half of her
body. That was when she first saw James leaning over her, concern in his
eyes. Or was it? The strangest thing was, she didn’t even know who he was.
He kept telling her that he was her boyfriend, James. She had kept saying
that she didn’t have a boyfriend, but there was someone else already. But
who? Audra thought hard, until her brain seemed like it would explode.
What was the name? She had kept repeating it over and over. So why
couldn’t she remember it? It was like it had been erased from her memory.
She had just believed James. And the strangest thing was that she couldn’t
remember anything from before. It was like James had supplied the
information for her. He had told her she had hit her head very hard, and
that she had a slight case of amnesia. So, she went along with it.
Trusting James. Believing him. But after the darkness she felt around
James, she didn’t think he was so trustworthy anymore.
As she slowly fell into a pseudo-sleep, more jarring images rushed through
her head. She could only see -- it was as if the sound had been turned off.
She could see the man, and his eyes. He was smiling. He had an amazing
smile. And then, she saw a baby. For some reason, it made Audra feel like
she was on top of the world. Seeing the baby gave her such a good
feeling... And then everything went black. The next image she saw was
James, leaning over her… just like he had years before…
“Are you okay?” A kind voice awoke Audra.
“I’m sorry… what?” Audra stammered.
“Are you okay?” An elderly woman smiled at her, her kind green eyes showing
her true concern.
“I’m fine,” Audra replied, puzzled. “Why do you ask?”
“You looked like you were crying.”
Audra shook her head, and smiled, still puzzled. “No. But thank you,
anyway.”
The woman looked at her carefully, and then slowly smiled. “Alright, dear.
Get some sleep.”
“I will,” Audra replied.
The woman gave her one last look, and continued down the terminal.
Audra pulled out her pocket mirror. She gasped when she saw her face. Her
eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks were puffy and red. And warm tears were
cascading down her face.
LOST
Part 10
*****
Liz hadn’t come down.
Max was about ready to give up. Clearly, it wasn’t her. His Liz would have
been down in a heartbeat.
There were no words in any language that could describe his pain. He
couldn’t deny the fact that his hopes had been lifted. He had actually felt
that everything would go back to normal -- or at least, as normal as
possible. He wanted Liz to be with him so badly.
It had been a terrible day.
He was silent the entire trip home. Max knew Isabel was concerned, but he
didn’t feel like saying anything. He didn’t know what to think. His heart
so clearly told him that the woman he saw was her. But his mind, rational
as ever, told him that she was dead. That it was impossible for her to be
alive, well, and as amazingly beautiful as she had looked.
Max thought to when he saw Anna Lisa talking to her. The world around both
of them had frozen. Liz, or the woman -- whoever she really was, had bent
down on her knees, so she was eye level with Anna Lisa. And Anna looked so
happy. It was like she knew something that he didn’t…
Max swallowed hard, and tried not to think about it. But he couldn’t help
it. All he could do was think about Liz. He hadn’t even begun to deal with
the pain of not having her -- but today was almost too much.
Now, he couldn’t hear, speak, or even see. He was just going through the
motions. He didn’t care anymore. He just wanted to know, once and for all,
what had happened to Liz that day. And he made a vow to find out.
*****
Audra was afraid of what was going on. She didn’t want to sleep anymore.
Bad things kept happening to her when she slept. She had ended up here,
lost in San Francisco, hadn’t she?
Finally, she made the decision to leave. It was hard. She wanted to
believe he was still in the airport, searching for her. But she didn’t even
know his name. It wasn’t as if she could call him over the loudspeaker, or
anything.
Hailing a cab, Audra had managed to find a decent motel. Once there, she
grabbed the phone book.
She was calling Stanford. It was the only clue she had to who he was. And
she needed to know.
The phone rang a few times, and someone on the other end finally picked up.
“Hello. Stanford Directory Office. How can I help you?”
“Hi. I need information about one of your students.”
“What kind of information?”
“I need a name.”
“A name?”
“Well, uh, yes. I know what this person looks like, but I don’t know their
name.”
“Um, I’m sorry miss, but that is impossible to do. We have nearly 7,000
students enrolled here.”
“Can’t I describe him to you? Please? This is so important.”
The woman sighed. “Do you know anything about this person? Anything at
all? Such as possible majors, activities they might be involved with?”
“I don’t know those things.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can help you.”
“Wait! Wait, he has a daughter. You must know something about students
with children.”
“I do, but miss, this is personal information. I can’t give it out to you.”
“Please. This is so important.”
The woman sighed again, clearly a sign of her annoyance. “Alright, fine.
Hold on a minute.”
Audra waited patiently as the woman made her list.
“Okay, miss, there are a good number of people listed here. I need some
more information from you.”
“Well, like I said, I don’t know anything about him.”
“Him? It’s a male? Hold on,” the woman said. “Okay. I have one listed.”
Audra breathed a sigh of relief. “What’s his name?”
“Max Evans.”
Audra stood, paralyzed. That was the name. That was the name she had
remembered saying to James. Her breaths were coming in short, haggard
gasps.
“I need a phone number, or address. Anything,” Audra said frantically.
“Miss, I’ve already told you more than I should have.”
“Please. Please. This is so important. I don’t know what to do -- ”
Audra could feel tears streaming down her cheeks. Her voice was shaky, her
mind numb.
“Miss, I -- ”
“Please. Please!”
The woman paused. “Alright. But you need to know that you can never do
this again. And if anyone asks, I don’t do this.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The woman quickly relayed the information, as Audra scribbled it onto a
sheet of paper, her arm shaking uncontrollably.
“Thank you SO much,” Audra whispered into the phone.
The woman’s voice softened. “Your welcome. I hope everything’s alright.”
“I hope so too,” Audra replied, and hung up.
*****
Max debated calling the police. He didn’t want them to get involved, as
they had proved to be so useless before. But he didn’t know anything about
this woman anyway. He didn’t know where she had come from. And it was
quite obvious that he had no leads of his own concerning Liz.
Isabel, tired from the trip and the events of the day, had decided to get
some ‘beauty sleep.’ Likewise, Anna Lisa had been tired, and she too, was
taking her nap.
So Max was all alone. As usual.
*****
Audra stared at the phone. She didn’t know if she should call. The name
had clicked. She didn’t know why. But she knew she had known the name
before. And it had been important to her -- she could just feel it.
But she was so afraid to call. She wanted to hear his voice so badly -- she
needed more clues, to tell her why she was so drawn to him.
She wanted to hear his voice. Already, she had elevated him to a godly
position. Her stomach did flips just thinking about him and the way he made
her feel…
She needed to know.
Slowly, she picked up the phone and began to dial.
LOST
Part 11
*****
Max mulled in his troubling thoughts when the phone rang. It’s probably
some annoying courtesy call, he thought to himself. He was going to let it
go to the answering machine when the phone stopped ringing.
*****
Audra slammed the receiver down. She was so scared. She didn’t even know
what she would say. How ridiculous would, “Hi, my name is Audra
Cristiensen. You don’t know me, but I’m in love with you,” sound? Audra
shook her head.
But she wanted to hear him speak. She wanted to know that she had tracked
down the right name.
She wanted answers.
Audra picked up the phone again.
*****
The phone rang again. Max narrowed his eyes. Moving over to the phone, he
picked it up.
“Hello?”
*****
Audra’s stomach did flips again. That voice. She knew she had heard it
before, somewhere, a long time ago. It was so deep, soothing, consoling…
And he had only said one word.
But she still didn’t know what to say.
*****
Max could hear short breaths coming from the other side.
“Hello?”
Was this some sort of prank call?
*****
Audra didn’t want Max to hang up. But her vocal cords seemed as if they had
been dislodged. She couldn’t think of one coherent thing to say.
Slowly, she laid down the receiver.
*****
Max heard a click on the other line. He stared at the receiver and hung up.
Casually checking his caller ID, he saw it was from a local motel, not far
from his apartment.
‘It must have been a wrong number,’ he told himself. ‘I hate phone calls.’
RING! RING!
*Hello?*
*Can I speak to Max Evans?*
*This is he.*
*Mr. Evans, it’s Sergeant Conway speaking.*
*Sergeant Conway?*
*Yes. Conway. I’m leading the team on the investigation concerning your
wife, Mr. Evans.*
*Thank god. Have you found her?!*
* I’m sorry, sir. The force hasn’t been able to find your wife anywhere.*
Silence.
*Mr. Evans?*
*Okay, so what exactly are you saying?*
*Well, it’s been a few years, Mr. Evans.*
*What are you saying? Are you giving up?!*
*No, no, we’re not. But we can’t have so many men working on this case
anymore. There are too many cases and not enough time or money -- *
*What?! My wife is out there somewhere, and you aren’t going to look for
her because you can’t afford it?!*
*Mr. Evans, we fear the worst.*
Silence.
*We think she’s dead.*
Slam.
“Hey Max.” Max whipped around to see Isabel walk into the tiny kitchen,
Anna Lisa in tote.
“Hi,” he said unsteadily.
“Look, I know that all this…” Isabel searched for a word. “…All this stuff
has been crazy, but I just want you to know -- if you need something, ask
me.”
“Thanks, Isabel.”
“No. I mean it. I don’t have much to do up in Seattle. I have people who
can take care of things for me for awhile. Max, if you need me, ask.”
Max nodded his head.
Isabel sighed. She knew Max. He rarely asked for help. His calling her
had been the only time he really had asked. He was too independent to ask
anymore. “Well, anyway, I think I’m going to go take a walk. Do you want
to come?”
“Not really.”
“I understand. Where should I go?”
“Um, I don’t really get out much. But I think there’s a park somewhere down
this street.”
“Okay…”
“Can you do me a favor? Take Anna Lisa with you. She’ll have fun.
Besides, she needs to get out of here. I’m not going to be the best company
right now, anyway.”
Isabel nodded, and walked out the door with Anna Lisa in one arm, and her
stylish purse adorning the other. Giving one last look, an attempt at what
seemed to be compassion, Isabel closed the apartment door behind her.
Max knew that Isabel wasn’t very good with emotions. None of them were,
really. He hoped, at least, that she could get along with Anna Lisa. But,
Anna could bring a smile to anyone’s face, even Isabel.
Max walked into the living room and walked up to the small bookcase. He
hadn’t changed a thing since Liz had been missing. It was filled with her
medical textbooks, along with all kinds of scientific books she had read.
Everything was covered in dust now.
Max’s eyes wandered over to the one place on the bookshelf that wasn’t caked
with dust -- a tiny drawer of pictures and video tapes of Liz. He looked at
both pictures and videos at least once a day, so dust never had the chance
to settle. He needed to see them. He needed to remember. He knew he would
never forget. But looking at pictures of her, and seeing her, full of life
on video made it easier to cope. He knew they would never be a substitute
for her, but he couldn’t survive if he didn’t have them.
He put in one of his favorites -- one of Liz when she was eight months
pregnant. The healthy glow had already become norm to her face. She lit up
every room she walked into. The camera didn’t do her aura justice. She was
so beautiful, it almost hurt to watch.
*Say something.*
*Max! I don’t know what to say!*
*How do you feel?*
*I feel fine, Max. You know that!*
*You don’t feel tired or anything?
*Not really. I must look terrible.*
*What are you talking about?*
*Max, it’s seven in the morning. I haven’t even had a shower yet. I can’t
believe I’m letting you even tape this.*
*I wanted to tape you because I want to remember what it’s like being
married to the most wonderful, intelligent, caring and beautiful woman in
the universe.*
As he watched her smile, laugh and blush, everything around him disappeared.
How could he have ever let her get away?
But try as he might, the video didn’t make up for what he saw today.
Actually seeing her body was much different than seeing a two year old image
of her.
He wanted to just sit here, and watch her forever. He didn’t want to go to
school anymore. What was the point? He had missed his classes today -- he
didn’t even care. It was already nearing the evening. How had the day gone
on for so long?
More than just sitting there, he wanted to find Liz, and tell her how much
he needed her to live through each day. For years, how only the thought of
her allowed for his survival.
He wanted her to know.
*****
Audra lay on her bed. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted desperately
to see Max. But again, she wouldn’t know what to say. What if he told her
to get lost? What is he was nothing like she had imagined? What if, in
fact, she had just imagined the whole thing?
Audra sighed.
The phone rang. Figuring it was room service, or the motel office, she
picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Audra?” Audra panicked. No one knew where she was. Or did they?
“Yes?” she asked hesitantly.
“Hi, honey.”
Audra froze.
“It’s James.”