Pg 3

Saturday night brought more dreams. He again heard Imogene’s voice, but she seemed to be singing this time, although there was an edge of desperation in her tone.

‘…Without a soul… My spirit sleeping somewhere cold…Until you find it there and lead it back home…Wake me up inside, wake me up inside…call my name and save me from the dark…’

‘Imogene, I'm back,’ he called, and he got an image of a pretty black-haired girl turning to look at him with wide blue eyes.

‘Hello,’ she said dully, and began to sing again. ‘…Bid my blood to run, before I come undone...Save me from the nothing I've become…Bring me to life…Bring me to life…’

‘Imogene, I'm coming to bring you to life,’ Matt interrupted. ‘I'm going to be in Perth in about 24 hours, probably less,’ he told her, and she gasped.

‘Oh! Really? You're coming just for me?’

‘Yes. But my parents, and your mum, think I'm coming just to see my dad. I probably won't spend much time with him, though,’ he assured her. Then he realised he knew what she had been singing. ‘You like Evanescence?’ he asked, a little surprised.

‘You recognised it, then,’ Imogene said warmly. ‘It's one of my favourites… I just didn’t realise what they were describing until now.’

‘I'm coming for you, Imogene,’ Matt promised. ‘I'll save you, like I promised.’

*

‘So Imogene, can you see in this place or what?’ Matt asked after a while of discussing music they liked.

‘I guess if I focused I could…’ she replied slowly. Then she grew more enthusiastic. ‘Imagine yourself in a garden how you normally look and we'll see if it works,’ she suggested. Matt did as she said, and the nothingness disappeared, replaced by a beautifully lush garden. He sensed someone behind him and turned to see a small black-haired girl turning to look up at him with deep blue eyes and a delicate smile.

“Nice to finally see you, Matt,” she said, and held out her hand. Matt enclosed it in his with a smile.

“Nice to see you too,” he grinned. “Imogene.”

*

Evan woke to the sound of his alarm going off. With bleary eyes he rolled over and turned it off, wondering why he had set it for seven a.m. Then he remembered, and jumped out of bed. His flight left at midday…he had to pack and be at the airport in two hours, tops! Before he forgot, however, he checked his email.

 

Hey kiddo, (his dad had written)

I got a call from a lady last night telling me you know her daughter, and that she would pick you up from the airport. She said her name is Debbie, or something like that. So you don’t need to worry about catching a taxi. Seeya when you get here, Matt.

Dad.

 

Matt grinned slightly. That made everything a lot easier. Replying quickly to let his father know he had got the message, he closed down his computer and started to pack for his two-week trip.