The rumble of the Aero's engine beneath Gale's body told him that the motorcycle wanted to leap forward and chew up the backroad that stretched before him.  He considered it for a second and almost revved the engine, but then decided to hold back..<br/><br/>Instinctually, he knew this place.  There was a tingling feeling in the air, in the fingertips beneath his gloves.  But, it had been so long since he had been here.<br/><br/><em>To Grandmother's house we go.</em>he thought as he passed over a bridge and into a thick collection of trees.<br/><br/>The sunlight kept the road in front of Gale illuminated, the early light bright as it filtered through the trees.  He moved his foot, shifting down as a sharp turn veered him one way, then another.  He found himself chuckling.  That "s" turn always woke him up, as he recalled.<br/><br/><em>Hmm.  Over a decade.  </em><br/><br/>The heat of summer was rising with the sun, so Gale decided to indulge his cycle's yearning to be unleashed.  And to be honest with himself, he also wanted to lean into the wind some.  He turned the handle, his speed increasing as the engine rumbled louder and louder.<br/><br/>Soon enough, the thicket of trees gave way to rolling hills.  He shifted forward slightly, his body leaning forward from the normal relaxed position he had been in for the past few days as he drove here from Denver.<br/><br/>He crested a hill and immediately glanced to his right.  There it was.<br/><br/>The house sat on a slight rise, giving it the appearance of someone standing watch on the hill.  The sun glinted off the water just beyond the house.  For a moment, Gale was not the twenty-three year old man he was.  Instead, he was back to being a 10 year old boy.<br/><br/><em>"Now, listen Gale, you behave at your grandma's house.  I don't want to hear any more stories about you showing up or tormenting Em and Raine."<br/><br/>"Yes, mom," he said in a semi-annoyed tone.<br/><br/>"I mean it Gale Wyndham, you behave.  No more jumping from the second, or God forbid the third, floor window.  I will drive back here and yank you back home for the rest of the summer!"</em><br/><br/>Gale frowned slightly as the memory played out in his head.<em>Typical mom, overreacting to...hang on, second floor window?</em><br/><br/>The hill suddenly dropped, as hills do when you go up one side to the crest.  Gale's stomach dropped out from under him as he suddenly found himself going too fast.  For just a moment, he was airborne.<br/><br/>There was a strange moment in Gale's mind as he suddenly felt himself lift from the cycle's seat.  He didn't feel any fear.  He knew it was going to be okay.<br/><br/>Then, the cycle hit the ground hard, and he was jostled in the seat.  He kept the cycle under control, and slowed down, pulling over to the side of the road.  He blinked for a few seconds, before he yanked his helmet off and tore off his gloves, killing the engine and settling onto his feet, stabilizing the cycle himself.  The rumble of the engine died with a cough and left only silence.<br/><br/>"Stupid, stupid, stupid move, Gale.  Just kill yourself right before you get there, why don't you?  That would be a great idea," he muttered to himself.<br/><br/>He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the wind blow over him.  It seemed to strengthen, soothing his worry and lifting a few strands of his long brown hair up.  He took a deep breath.  He held it and then slowly let it out.<br/><br/>"God damn it, Grandma." he said to the wind.  His annoyance with himself echoed in his words, the brief surge of grief also tinting his tone.<br/><br/>Of course, there was no answer in the wind.  There wouldn't be.  Not anymore.<br/><br/>He took another breath and started the engine back up.  Screw it, he'd finish the last few minutes of the trip with the wind in his hair.  The engine growled as he pulled back onto the road and continued on.  He turned onto the side road leading to the house, then onto the single car wide driveway that wound up toward the house.  His eyes followed the driveway up and then widened slightly.<br/><br/>There was a car parked in the circle drive next to the front door.<br/><br/>He frowned as he pulled up behind the car and idled it for a second.  He turned off the engine.<br/><br/>He looked around.  He didn't see anyone who could be the driver.<br/><br/>"Hello?" he called out.<br/><br/>Nothing.<br/><br/>He was about to get off the cycle's seat when the silence was shattered right at his side.<br/><br/>"Mr. Wyndham?"<br/><br/>Gale nearly fell off the seat as he spun toward the voice.<br/><br/>"Holy sh-" he cried out as he tried to focus on the figure.<br/><br/>It was an older man, probably late sixties, or early seventies if Gale had to guess.  Hang on, no...something about the man seemed older.  He frowned as he blinked, taking in the dark clothing and the hat settled on the man's head.  The man leaned forward, his eyes examining Gale from behind a pair of rectangular spectacles.  His white beard was at odds with the large, black eyebrows that swept up from the dark eyes.<br/><br/>"Who...how...wh-" Gale stammered.<br/><br/>"Are you Mr. Wyndham?"<br/><br/>Gale's brain caught up with the words.<br/><br/>"Yes," he said automatically.<br/><br/>The man nodded and leaned back.  The black leather coat the man wore seemed to be at odds with the rising heat, but Gale couldn't really say anything.  His own was of course on, since he had been driving.<br/><br/>"And where are the rest of you?"<br/><br/>Gale blinked again.  And a few more times for good measure.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry...the rest of me?  What are you talking about?"<br/><br/>The man suddenly looked past Gale and focused his attention beyond the confused rider.<br/><br/>"Oh, good.  Right on time," the man said.<br/><br/>"Huh?" Gale said as he turned to follow the man's gaze.<br/><br/>Gale blinked rapidly a few more times.  Again.  This was becoming a habit.<br/><br/>"You have<em>got</em>to be kidding me," he whispered to himself.<br/>