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Ray McRae could fly.  At least he thought he could.  He had been too scared since the dream from which he never woke up.  Flight was one of the top three wishes, usually the first one.  If you could fly or turn invisible, what would you choose?  First was flight, then invisibility, and the third would often be to have all the money in the world.  Invisibility sounded a little sketchy.  Why would you want that power unless it was to do something criminal or downright villainous?  All three of the top wishes seemed greedy to Ray, especially at a time when half the city was fasting, praying, and preaching repentance—fasting as in not eating as much, not fasting as in running super fast.

He suspected his newfound ability went further than mere physical flying.  When he started to barely levitate in order to test it, he would feel as if a path of anti-gravity were opening in front of him, like his inner spirit was becoming weightless and empowered, not just his body alone.  He felt tempted throughout the day to take off, but that only strengthened his resolve to stay grounded and safe from God’s wrath.

Linda and Casey were holding up alright while Ethan was in the hospital.  Casey’s morning cartoons were beginning to come alive.  The television screen would expand to include him and his mother in the action of the story.  He couldn’t interact with the characters but he was still a part of the adventure, following the story wherever it went and joining in the excitement.

Linda missed her husband.  They hadn’t been apart more than a day for years.  He called her every other day and she’d tell him what was going on with Casey, but after they hung up she would start to feel lonely.  She hadn’t realized how much she loved her husband until the court forced him to go to the mental hospital.

Life in Weatherview wasn’t all fun and games.  Along with the dreams and marvelous chaos there came the obligatory efforts to stay organized and keep the city running smoothly.  The Dropout Movement was only part of a growing problem.  People were quitting their jobs in record numbers, especially the working class, and this was severely impeding the economy.  Fortunately store functions were becoming increasingly mechanized in recent years, which served to offset the shortage of workers.  Mayor Harker had been working with the CEOs of several tech companies to expedite the process of making Weatherview more automated.

Elliot and his band practiced hard for the party on Friday.  There would be carnival rides, great food, and thousands of angry parents ready to make him pay for turning their children into anarchist rebels.  I’ll apologize again, sincerely,” he told his parents when they asked about his plan for dealing with the angry mob.  “I’ll apologize one hundred times, no more, no less.”

“Do you think this is funny?” his dad bristled.

His mom brought a finger to her lips and shook her head no.

“You’re sixteen,” said his dad.  “Legally you’re still a child.  In two years you can do anything you want.  Start saving up for a van, you can go on tour.  Until then you’d better be careful.”

He didn’t want to go on tour, although it sounded fun, packing up and hitting the road, playing to sold out bars and restaurants every night.  But no, he wanted something more.  He wanted to use his gift to accomplish something worthy of all the signs and wonders around Weatherview in past years.  He wanted to record a great album.  His dad had a point though.  How many sixteen year-olds turn into rock stars overnight.  You have to pay your dues, try out for talent shows, play open mic’s, post on the internet.  He’d done a little of this here and there but mostly he just practiced and busked once in a while.  He knew he had what it took to make it as a professional musician.  He just had to keep pushing and learn how to improvise.

Stephen played live shows once in a while, a local restaurant, fundraiser, a wedding or party of someone he knew.  He played guitar and keyboards pretty well and had friends who played other instruments.  The work he did at the hospital fulfilled him.  Working with people who needed help, for whom music could work wonders of healing and restoration, was a dream come true for someone who would rather help out than make millions of dollars.  Olivia was happy, they paid the bills, why reach for something more when the status quo was enough?”

“Oh, no,” Stephen thought.  “I’m turning into someone boring.  My life isn’t boring, is it?  Maybe I should try something new.”

After thinking for a while he came to the conclusion that the surreal dreams were making him more content than he should be with how things are going in his professional and family life.  He had been boring.  He and Olivia talk a lot and play-fight about serious issues, but they never do anything to change the status quo.  Stephen had heard on the news about the concert the kid who’d started the Dropout Movement was playing at his school.  He should do something like that, he thought, something big, something meaningful.  When he got home that night Olivia knew he was hiding something.  He had a terrible poker face.

“Well, hi, Steve.  What’s new?”

“Hi, Livs.  Nothing much.”

“You sure?  You seem a little… sneaky.”

“Me?  Sneaky?  Surely you are mistaken.”

“You’re going to tell me eventually, you might as well tell me now.”

“What do you think,” he started, then paused until Olivia got mad.

“Say it.”

“What do you think about me organizing a festival for St. Perpetua’s Hospital research and outreach.  We can have it downtown in the oval-shaped town square.  I already talked to someone at City Hall, they said it was basically a done deal once I get the paperwork filled out.  Well?”

“I love the idea,” she smiled.  “How can I help?”