Lucid Dreaming by Lisa Morton Read Free Book Online

dreams. Me…the supermarket…our time together in the mansion…the drive east… waking up…
    Oh Christ. I’d had nothing, and he’d had everything. We were really not an ideal match.
    Teddy looked pretty glum. “I’m glad you found me, but I… this really isn’t…”
    â€œIt’s okay,” I told him, trying not to cry. “I’m glad you told me. And I want you to know that whatever you decide, I’m okay. If you want to split, I’ll understand…”
    He looked up at me sharply, then took my hands. “Oh God no, that’s the last thing I want. You’re my strength now.”
    I choked back a little happy sob. “You could paint again, you know. We could find an art store, get whatever you need…”
    Teddy shook his head. “No. What’s the point? What I loved about painting was being able to share my dreams with everyone. There’s no one left but you now, and you don’t need any more dreams to contend with. No, that’s gone. My life is gone.”
    â€œBut…there’s still me…”
    He did smile then, but sadly. “Yes. And that’s why…I’ve got something to ask that’ll sound crazy, and I know it’s not fair to you, but…”
    â€œWhat, Teddy? Anything…”
    â€œI don’t want to take any more Prolixin . I want to go back to dreaming all the time.”
    I should have been shocked, or argued with him. But truth be told, I liked him better when he was dreaming, too. He might not be very useful, but he’d been happy, and I’d never had to worry about arguing with him, or if he’d run off with some other girl, or want me to do crystal meth with him.
    He’d been the perfect boyfriend.
    Teddy must have mistaken my silence for shock, when really I was thrilled. “I’m sorry. It’s really selfish of me to ask—”
    â€œNo, it’s not,” I answered quickly, cutting him off. “And it’s okay. If that’s what you want, then it’s what I want, too. No more Prolixin .”
    He smiled, and it wasn’t sad this time, it was real and pleased, and I was happy to see it.
    He kissed me, and then moved his lips up to my ear and told me he wanted to make love as long as he could. We did, then, by the light of the candles in that house, and at one point I blurted out that I loved him, and I think he was even still awake when he told me that he loved me, too.
    It was probably the best night of my life.
    When I woke up in the morning, Teddy was sitting up, watching the sand blowing outside, and murmuring about all the people at the party.
    The Prolixin had worn off, and he was dreaming again.
    And we were both happy.
    Â 
    We hit the road again the next day.
    I’d restocked our supplies of food, water, gas and candles, and thrown in a propane cook stove. I’d even found some stores of Prolixin in a pharmacy, and added them to what I already had.
    We headed east on the 40 again, blasting the AC during the day and singing along with whatever was in the CD player—She Wants Revenge, or Garbage, or some oldies like Siouxsie and the Banshees.
    We crossed the state line and found ourselves in New Mexico first, then a day later Texas, heading for Amarillo. Desert gave way to flat plain with little splatters of green, and the interstate became easier to drive on, less covered in sand. I stopped the CDs long enough to scan the radio stations, just in case, but came up with zero. Texas seemed as asleep as every place else.
    We hit Amarillo, and decided to do some scavenging for supplies. It was strange—there was plenty of gas to be had, but the stores here were stripped pretty clean. Even the pharmacy shelves were barren, nothing but a few bottles of rubbing alcohol and aspirin left.
    God, was I stupid. That should’ve tipped me off, that Amarillo was stripped so clean. If I’d been thinking, I