Traveler

***

Shannon and Dawn got nothing resolved on Wednesday night. Shannon's jaw hurt too much to talk and Dawn was too upset to listen anyway. They were both crying when they went to bed that night.

Shannon knew she had screwed up badly. Her intentions were good, at least that's what she told herself but she never thought about the consequences of being caught. With all the years they'd known each other, seldom did they ever disagree. But this was serious. She could lose her best friend over this.

She had an early class on Thursday. Dawn was still sleeping on the couch when she left so she wrote a quick note and put it next to the coffee pot where she knew Dawn would see it.

Dawn, I'm so sorry. I'll confess to both you and Al this evening. I honestly thought I was doing you a favor but I see now my intentions were misguided. I'll see both of you this afternoon, after school.

Shannon

Dawn was so emotionally drained she didn't wake up until after nine. She had a ten o'clock class so she had to get going. By the time she got out of the shower there was no time for breakfast. She left the apartment without seeing the note.

As she approached the college she noticed two squad cars in the park. She glanced around and saw four officers combing the grounds. She thought back to the Spanish woman saying she found Al's phone in the park and put two and two together. She looked at her cell phone for the time. She only had seven minutes before class started. Screw it, she told herself. Talking to the cops was more important than her class.

She approached the nearest cop. "E...Excuse me, are you looking for Allen McCain?"

"Yes, ma'am," he answered, looking up. "Do you have any information on his whereabouts?"

"No, I...I'm his girlfriend. I'm the one who called. I'm so worried about him. Have you found out anything yet?"

"I'm afraid not. Can you tell me anymore? Did you have a fight or anything like that?"

The officer from the previous night hadn't asked a lot of questions; only enough to fill the missing person's report out. She was so ashamed for accusing Al of something he didn't do, she really hated to answer the officer's question but she wasn't going to hold anything back.

"I'm afraid it was more than a fight. My best friend accused him of raping her. Just last night she admitted she lied about the whole thing."

Sergeant Rawlings stood there staring at her for a few seconds. "That's a hell of a thing to falsely accuse someone of. Of course you believed the girlfriend," he said, reproachfully.

The accusatory tone in his voice did nothing to relieve her guilt. She slowly nodded her head without any attempt of an excuse.

"When was this?"

"Saturday afternoon, about four o'clock," she told him. "He...he left my apartment and went back to his dorm room to get his bike. No one's seen him since. I called his mom..."

"Yeah, we talked to them. They don't seem to be as worried about him as you are; not the father anyway."

"Yeah, Al never talked about his dad too much. I don't think they got along very well."

"Well, to be honest, it sounds like he just took off. I doubt if any foul play was involved in his disappearance. To be falsely accused of something like that, especially by somebody you care about, I'm sure was distressing for him. He'll most likely take a week or so to cool off then come back."

"God, I hope you're right. I've got to tell him how sorry I am," she said while starting to tear up again. "Even if he never forgives me, I at least have to tell him."

As she left the park, heading into the campus, a young officer approached his superior, Sergeant Rawlings. "Wow, Sarge, who was that? Damn, what a cutie."

"The missing guy's girlfriend," he answered. "And you can get those thoughts right out of your head," he admonished. "You know better than to even think about starting a relationship with someone involved in a case. If we find any evidence of foul play she could very well become a suspect. Besides, I don't really think she's in the market for a new boyfriend right now. She's shouldering a lot of guilt concerning the one that's missing."

Dawn looked at the time again. She was already fifteen minutes late. Screw it, she told herself. She was planning a trip to the administration offices after the class so she decided to blow-off the period altogether and go over there instead.

She had three more classes that day so she ate in the cafeteria and spent the rest of the day on campus. On her way home she looked over to the park but the cops were gone.

When she had to use her key she knew Shannon wasn't home yet but she wouldn't be far behind. She walked from the door directly into the bedroom. About twenty minutes later she heard the front door open and close.

"Dawn?"

"In here," she answered.

Shannon started talking even before reaching the bedroom. "Dawn, I'm so sor..." She stopped dead in her tracks as she rounded the corner. "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like, I'm packing."

"Why?"

"Why? You got to be kidding," she said with anger building up again. "You purposely lied to break us up. I love him, Shannon. We were planning to get married. Now..."

"You still can," cried Shannon is a panicky voice. "I lied, I admit it. Is...is he here? I said I'd apologize to both of you. Did you see the note I left? Please, call him. Ask him to come over. I'll tell you why I li..."

"He's GONE, Shannon. He walked out of here last Saturday and nobody's seen him since; not his parents, not Steve at the bar, nobody! I'm praying he hasn't done something stupid."

This was news to Shannon. Now she was getting scared. "What do you mean something stu..."

"KILLED HIMSELF," she screamed as tears flooded her eyes. "Get it now?" she shrieked, looking her former friend in the face. "Because of your lies he may have killed himself." As worried as she'd been, she never verbalized her fears until that moment. Hearing the words spoken out loud had her stomach doing flip-flops. She stopped packing and sat on the bed. She took in a series of gasps without letting them out again until she exhaled with a hideous scream that immediately mutated into bottomless sobs.

It was the second time in twelve hours that Shannon had been shocked into bemused silence. Dawn's words rolled around in her head like a ball bearing in a pinball machine. Her eyes were frozen open and stared straight ahead as she unconsciously sat on the bed next to Dawn. Without even realizing it, tears consumed her empty glare and trickled down her face.

"You...you don't know that for sure, right? I...I mean...they haven't found any evidence or anything, have they?"

Dawn sat, trying to get some control over her emotions. For a minute she couldn't speak, couldn't hardly breathe. She wiped the fresh tears from her face with the palm of her hand. "No, nothing yet," she finally chocked out. "I don't understand how you could do that to me."

"I thought I was doing you a favor. Te..."

"A favor!"

"Yeah, it was Terry's idea. He offered me two thousand dollars if I could break you and Al up. In case you haven't notice, the guy's head over heels in love with you. He said he's been in love with you since you guys met. He tried to tell you a couple of times but you were so ga, ga over Al you never paid any attention to him."

"Terry? He got you to lie? That son of a bitch. Shannon, I never paid any attention to him because I don't like him. I've told you that."

"Yeah, I know but I thought if you gave him a chance you might learn to like him. He said he could give you way more than Al could even think of. He told me how he wanted to shower you with gifts, jewelry, a new car; he said he would be taking over his dad's company after graduation and you'd live in a mansion with servants.

"I just wanted what was best for you, Dawn, honest."

Dawn just shook her head in disbelief. "Shannon, if money is that important to you then YOU marry the asshole. I don't care what your motivations were; you ended our friendship. Al was a sweet, sensitive man who never hurt anyone and you may have gotten him killed with your lies."

"Dawn, please—I'm so sorry. Don't move out. Where are you going to go? I'll help you look for Al. I...I can't believe he'd really hurt himself. He's got to be around somewhere. He's too level headed to do something like that."

"You didn't see the look on his face when he left here," she snapped. It was a look she'd never forget. Every time she closed her eyes she could see the disappointment and hurt in his face.

"I stopped in at administration building today and asked about dorm rooms. They had a couple left so I took one," she said, answering Shannon's question. Now she just wanted to finish packing and get out as soon as possible.

The sound of Dawn closing the door behind her that night, was probably the most lonesome sound Shannon every heard.

***

If nothing else, Al was developing a renewed appreciation for the country. Some of the scenery he'd seen was downright inspiring. Someday, he thought, after I settle down somewhere, I'm going to have to write a book about riding a bike across the Midwest.

He had to think but deduced it was Friday. He'd been on the road for almost a week and was somewhere in Pennsylvania. The night before, he grabbed a bite to eat then decided to keep going instead of spending another night in a motel. It was after one in the morning when he happened on a pretty little spot next to a small river. The ground was flat, the grass was soft, and there wasn't a soul around so he used his tent for the first time and drifted off to the sound of the babbling water.

Each night it seemed thoughts of Dawn occupied less and less of his time before falling asleep. Slowly but surely, the hurt and anger was getting pushed further back into his subconscious. What was still there; however, and just as ferocious, was the bitterness. He wasn't sure that would ever go away and it scared him. He could feel how it was changing him. He was already starting to look at the world with scorn and contempt. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled and that wasn't like him at all. He wondered if he'd ever be able to have fun again, laugh again, or simply enjoy life again.

Al was up early the following day. He had a troubled sleep and decided to push on as soon as the birds started singing at first light. He'd been on the road only a couple hours when he came upon a truck stop. The place was a home away from home for weary travelers. He grabbed a big breakfast and used the free shower in the men's room. With a full stomach and clean clothes, he noted his location by the red dot on the big map stretched across the wall.

A twinge of loneliness had him thinking about going back-but then what was the point, he asked himself. All his life he tried to do the right thing. He got in several fights while defending someone from being bullied, he never said anything behind someone's back he wouldn't say to their face, and he tried to treat others with respect unless they proved themselves unworthy...and what did it get him? He refilled his water bottle, checked the air in his tires then was off again, all the time pointed east.

***

Dawn woke up on Saturday morning like she had for the last several mornings—with a silent prayer that Al was alright. She worked the early shift on weekends, seven to three. If the girls got there early and came in through the back the manager would give them free breakfast so Dawn always set her alarm for five o'clock.

Even before taking a shower, she called the police department to see if there had been any new developments in the case. She could tell by the cop's voice they were getting tired of being pestered. He told her they had her number and would notify her if there was anything new. She hung up with a sigh of frustration.

On the way out she saw a flyer taped to the inside of the door. It was a missing person's poster with the picture of Al that she had sent the cops. It gave his description, the last time and place he was seen, and a contact number.

She was happy to see someone was actually doing something but it was also another reminder of what she had done to him. She hadn't cried in a few days but the poster made her tear up again.

After wiping her eyes, Dawn got an idea and wondered if whoever posted the flyer was still on the grounds. She went in search and found the young lady on the other side of the campus. She asked for a couple of posters for the restaurant where she worked. The manager gave her permission to tape one to main entrance and another one on the counter next to the register. It gave her a small sense of accomplishment. Even though seeing his face every time she rang up a customer's check would be hard, it was a small price to pay for the chance of someone seeing him.

Sunday, as Dawn rolled over to turn off the alarm she noticed with a pang of jealousy that her new roommate's bed was empty again. Carolyn was a party girl and had about five guys dangling from the string on her little finger so she seldom slept in her own bed. Immediately, she remembered not long ago when she'd wake up in Al's arms. It almost became a habit now; whenever he entered her thoughts she'd say a little prayer and try to send him a message telepathically, 'please be well, my love. I'm so sorry.' She knew it was silly but it was all she had.

Groggily, she rolled out of bed and was getting ready to take a shower when Carolyn came breezing in. "Hi, up already?"

"Yeah, I've got to get to work. I won't be back till about four." With the way she felt, Carolyn's flashy smile and bubbly personality was downright irritating. No one had the right to be so free of guilt.

"Something's going on in back of the campus," Carolyn commented. "There's a bunch of cops down by the lake."

Of course anything having to do with cops piqued Dawn's interest. There was a small lake behind the campus. It was nice. There was no swimming or fishing allowed but it was picturesque, lined with trees, and quiet. A lot of the students would stake out a shady spot and study to the dainty splashing sounds of the tiny waves hitting the shore. Many times she and Al would lay out on the grass and just talk.

"Cops?" What are they doing out there?"

"I don't know. I think they might be looking for somebody. I hope nobody drowned. There's a bunch of them standing around, another one in a boat, and I think I saw a couple of diver's in the water but to tell you the truth, I still had some sleep in my eyes so I'm not sure."

NO! Dawn's thought's immediately turned to Al again. He wouldn't—if he was going to kill himself he'd never do it that way. He loved the water too much. She hurriedly took her shower and got dressed. There was a small crowd of onlookers by the time she got there. She saw a cop who looked like he was in charge and anxiously rushed over to where he was standing.

"Does this have anything to do with Allen McCain?" She felt tears again and wiped them away as the cop turned his head toward her to speak. She prayed he wasn't going to tell her they'd found his body.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Dawn Spencer," she explained. "I'm his girlfriend."

"Oh yeah," he remarked sarcastically while nodding his head. "You're the one who calls into the station ten times a day."

She didn't appreciate his demeanor. "I don't call ten times a day," she snidely answered back. "I'm worried about him. You guys were supposed to let me know if you heard anything. So much for that," she said, gesturing to what was going on. "It is him you're looking for, isn't it."

"Yeah," he said with a little nicer tone in his voice. "We got a call last night from someone who saw his picture on a flyer and thought they saw him standing and just staring at the lake like he was considering going for a swim."

"He'd never do that," she said. "Al loves the water too much. If he was goi..." she had to catch her breath. "If he was going to hurt himself he'd never pick water to do it. He was a champion swimmer in high school. He won state. He was also great on a diving board. No, I know him. He'd never do it this way."

Dawn didn't know if the cop knew the whole story but he sneered when she said she knew Al. She could almost hear him thinking, yeah, right; you knew him so well you falsely accused him of raping your girlfriend.

"Well, you don't mind if we look anyway, do you?" was the smart ass remark from the man in blue.

"Knock yourself out," she answered back in just as snotty a tone of voice. She glanced at her phone. If she was going to get her free breakfast she had to go. She wanted to flip off the cop as she left but decided it probably wasn't a smart thing to do, not if she wanted them to keep looking for Al.

On the way to work, Dawn thought about it more; was it possible Al would have purposely drowned himself? Maybe she should have stuck around to make sure they didn't find him...no, there was no way he'd do that. Of that, she was sure—of course she still called the police station during her break and confirmed no body was found.

Later that evening she was alone once again when her cell rang. She saw Mrs. McCain on the display and anxiously hit the connect button. "Hi, Mrs. McCain, have you heard from him?"

"Oh, Dawn," she replied with a small gasp. "No, we haven't heard a word. I was calling to see if you'd seen him. I'm getting worried."

Before Dawn had a chance to speak, she heard Al's dad in the background.

"For crying out loud, Darlene," she heard him yell. "Stop your worrying. The kid's got no money, no car-how far can he get? He'll show up as soon as he gets hungry."

She heard Mrs. McCain sniffling into the phone and wondered how she could live with a man like that.

"Dawn," she spoke quietly. "Will you call me if you see him, please?"

"I will, Mrs. McCain, and you too, okay? If you see him you'll let me know?"

"Absolutely," she replied.

With that the two worried women disconnected. Later that night, when she went to bed she remembered how worried his mother sounded over the phone and it kept her up most the night.

***

Amazing, thought Al, after almost two weeks he'd actually made it all the way to the east coast. An East wind rustled through the brightly colored elms and with it the scent of briny ocean waters. The sun, now at his back, undauntedly glowed from the sign announcing the town of Stonington, Connecticut... established 1662.

He'd been to Florida and New York a few times but he always wanted to see New England. As he got further into town the houses and shops were just as he imagined them; quaint, two story colonial wooden structures, mostly painted white. Of course there were some exceptions in the color range and a few were almost completely devoured by dark green ivy climbing to the second story windows, but as he stood, straddling his bike and taking it all in, he thought if he tried hard enough he may be able to see Paul Revere galloping his horse down the narrow streets, crying out a warning of red coated invaders. He smiled at the thought and could almost hear the pounding hoofs echoing up from the cobble stone.

With a small push off, he navigated the unfamiliar streets until he found one that took him down to the bay. It was packed with boats; big ones, little ones, pleasure boats, speed boats, sail boats, and commercial fishing boats. White seagulls almost blotted out the blue sky and their restless calls competed with the serenity of the ocean waves slapping at the pilings of the wooden pier.

His first thought was he wished Dawn was there to enjoy it with him. He closed his eyes and chastised himself with a sigh. He was determined to not let in anymore thoughts of her or anyone else back home. He wasn't going to let them spoil this for him.