"Internet Alien" by Christina Alisa Estrem

"Uh-oh! Uhh-oh! Uh-oh!" The messages were going crazy! Jason could hardly stand the sound of them anymore. He did the only thing that he could think of, he turned off the speakers. At least that took care of the sound so he wouldn’t have to listen to it anymore.

He was only waiting for a message from one specific person: Poison Dragon Rose. That was her online name. As for her real name, he wasn’t quite sure. Alisa, maybe . . . Alice . . . Alexia . . . nope! It didn’t even start with an A. Oh well, that didn’t matter now. She was incredible! At least by what she had told him of herself. Reddish-brown hair, blue-green eyes, five foot something, and about a hundred some pounds. But that wasn’t what he was interested in, it was her personality . . . or at least her onine one.

Another message from her. ("Do you wish to meet me?")

What kind of question was that? Of course, I do!

("Where?")

Before he had even replied to her last question she had already asked, "Where?" Was she psychic, or what?

("Home?")

Now he wasn’t sure if he really knew her at all. Before, she seemed so nice and patient, now she seemed almost pushy and the exact opposite of before. He decided to answer her this time.

("Where’s home?")

Why wasn’t he responding? Alexia wondered. I know that he wants to meet me, I can feel it his heart. Finally. "Where’s ’Home’?" she said aloud. "What kind of responce was that?" Now she was growing impatient. She knew that he was the only one that would be able to help her and her family, but he had been so clueless lately and kept asking questions that he knew the answers to already.

("Hello? Where’s ’Home?’")

Now it was he who was sounding impatient.

("’Home’ is beyond the stars.")

Beyond the stars? What is she talking about?

("Goodbye.") was his last message he sent for the night.

He knows the truth! She kept telling herself. He is just too stuborn. He’s spent many more years than required on Earth, and he doesn’t even want to return home. How will I bear to return to our people unless it is with him? I will have to try again tomorrow.

I thought that I had his trust, but I guess that last answer was too much for him. And too soon. If only there were an easier way.

The last few hours before sleep fell upon him, he spent thinking about Poison Dragon Rose. Beyond the stars . . . Why couldn’t he just understand what that ment? Somehow he thought he knew the answer, otherwise she wouldn’t have told him what she did. But why did it trouble him so much?

That night, while asleep, he deampt of another planet. It had exactly the same things as he saw on Earth. But then he wondered why "she" wasn’t there. But "she" who? She . . . she is . . . That’s it! He jumped out of bed and raced over to his computer.

Again, he was online. Finally, she thought. I hate having to enter one’s thoughts.

("Who are you?") he asked.

("You know.")

("I don’t. I thought I did, but now I’m not so sure.")

("I am . . . There’s no easy way to say.")

("Just tell me! You enter my thoughts while I sleep. I must know.")

("You must meet me.")

("Not until you tell me!")

("Meet me first.")

("Tell me.")

("Meet me.")

("Not unless you tell me.")

("You will not believe unless I am there with you.")

("Tell me!")

("I can’t!") With that she had to leave. She wished that there was something more she could do, that she could say . . . but there wasn’t.

Again, he found sleep. Only this time he did not see her. He saw her neither in his sleeping nor in his waking hours. After three months he was finally able to talk to her again, this time not bringing up their last conversation. He promised himself never to talk about it again, unless it was she who first brought it up.

("Why have you ignored me?")

She really did have a way with words! That was what he admired most about her.

("I haven’t ignored you,") he defended.

("You have too. You have thought none of me these past months.")

("How could I?")

("How could you before? I wasn’t the one entering your thoughts . . . you were inviting me in. That is one thing that I can’t stand most is when someone invites me in to their thoughts and then ignores me for months. At first, I thought it was I who had entered on my own, but if that were the case, you would have thought about me over these past months.")

Ouch! All that in one message. She knew exactly how to hurt someone. And that was exactly what she was doing.

("Why wouldn’t you tell me?")

("I told you, I couldn’t")

("Why though?")

("You will not believe me unless I am there with you.")

("How can I be so certain?")

("I have seen you before.")

("But how? Tell me!")

("I can’t.")

("What if I agree to meet you?")

("You already have.")

("How?") Besides being confused, he was angry at her answers that didn’t seem to make any sence.

("In your sleep.")

("But that’s my sleep.")

("Yes, but you agreed.")

("Where?")

("I already told you. Home.")

("Beyond the stars.")

("You already told me that.")

("I know, but that’s the only answer I can give you.")

("There are so many though.")

("Find the stars and there shall I be waiting. I must leave now.")

("Waite! You can’t go!")

("I must.")

("Why?")

("I must.")

("When will I see you again?")

("Whenever you want.")

Alexia knew that if she hadn’t left then, she would have told him all she knew. Already, she had told him too much. She would just have to make sure that they met. If only he knew- or remembered- where the stars were. That was one thing she was forebidden to tell him. If she did, it would mean her death on the ’count of cheating.

She hated it when she had to leave him so suddenly, but she knew it was the only way.

I wish she were here right now, Jason thought. But that was one thought that wasn’t too ready to come true. All I need to do is to go "beyond the stars." But what does that mean? And how will I be able to see her "whenever I want?"

"Beyond the stars . . ." Why does that seem so familiar? If only I knew- or remembered . . .

(You do . . .)

What was that? Now I am hearing things. I wish I knew what this all meant.

(You do . . . You do know . . .)

I am going crazy because of her.

(You know . . . Listen with your heart . . .)

"My heart?" he spoke, not recognizing his own voice.

(Yes . . .)

Now I am talking to this thing. Just great! "What do you want?"

(Follow me . . .)

(Don’t . . .)

It was her, but which one? "Who are you? Where are you?"

(Don’tworry . . .)

It was her again.

(Follow me . . . Jason . . .)

(Stay . . .)

(Follow . . .)

(Stay . . .)

"Follow who where?" He couldn’t stand the voices anymore! Besides, they were giving him a headache.

(I won’t let you leave me . . . Jason . . .)

(Follow me . . .) A woman-like being appeared before him. "Don’t be afraid," she said. "You wish to go ’beyond the stars,’ don’t you?" Jason was powerless. <p> "I won’t let you!" shouted another woman as she appeared next to him. She had reddish-brown hair and blue-green eyes. <p> Seeing her broke the trance the other woman had held over him. "Poison?" <p> "Yes." <p> "But . . ." He was speechless. <p> "That doesn’t matter now. Besides, rules were meant to be broken." <p> Gently, Alexia embrassed him. "It will be over soon," she whispered softly to him. <p> After helping him to his bed so that he could sleep once again, she left. <p> <center> * * * </center> <p> ("I had the most incredible dream!") he told her. <p> ("About what?") It wasn’t necessary. She knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from him. <p> ("You.") <p> ("Me?") <p> ("Yeah. And some other woman.") <p> <center> * * * </center> <p> Was it in real life that that happened? Or was it only in one of his dreams? <p> As for the other woman, she wasn’t important. <p> All that was important now was that it was over. Jason had made his decision- whatever it may be. All that she- Poison or Alexia- knew was that which she had just won. She would be able to go home- back beyond the stars. </fontsize="+2">