by Lucy Adler
“So what’s normal?”
Max answered this one. He was somewhere between Corey and Jake for height, maybe about five foot ten or eleven, with amber eyes and light blonde hair that looked like it needed a trim. He was probably about eighteen or nineteen years old and seemed like a sturdy guy, not just because of his husky frame but in his personality, too. Like the kind of guy that might complain about a job but you could still be sure he’d finish it, and do it well.
“Most dustbins don’t make it three hours the first night.”
Daria looked totally confused.
“I don’t think she’s awake enough yet,” Aury said, giving him an elbow in the side. She was the youngest in the group at fourteen. Daria was quickly catching on that Max was like a big brother to her, and she wondered if there was more to their story.
“Dustbins?” Daria repeated.
“Max here grew up in London.”
“At the feet of St. Mary-le-Bow,” he added proudly.
“Yeah, well,” Aury continued, “he only lived there until he was six, then his parents moved to Progress. He still thinks he’s Cockney though, hence the rhyming slang.”
“The what?”
“Dustbins,” Max said, “as in dustbin lids. Kids.”
“So it rhymes but you don’t actually say the part that rhymes? Yeah, maybe I’m not awake enough!”
“No one is!” Aury laughed.
“It’s ok,” Max replied, giving Daria a wink, “don’t worry, skin, I’ll teach you and then we can rabbit like civilised people.”
“Uh, excuse me?”
“Skin blister. Sister. Rabbit and pork. Talk.”
“That one only rhymes with an accent,” Julia clarified, “which Max barely has!”
They all laughed as Max revelled in the attention. Then Jake pulled the conversation back to Daria’s sleep.
“So, how was it?”
“How was... oh, right, sleep,” she replied. “Actually, it was pretty terrifying.”
“Why? How do you mean?”
“Well, it was all dark. Nothing but darkness. And it was crushing me. But not really crushing me. Like, it was wrapping around me but never actually touching me. That probably sounds really stupid.”
“Wow,” Jake replied, his eyes a little wider now. He looked at Julia who raised an eyebrow in reply.
“What?” Daria asked, “did I do it wrong or something?”
“No, not at all,” Jake said. “Can you tell us anything else?”
“Um, well, it was moving, constantly moving. It felt like it was alive, actually. And I felt like I knew that it knew me, if that makes sense? Like I could feel its mind.”
Everyone looked at Jake now but he kept staring at Daria.
“Anything else?” he asked quietly.
She was feeling a little uneasy as she wondered what everyone was thinking. But she just focused on Jake’s eyes and shared the last thing she remembered.
“The strange part was that I didn’t see the light this time.”
“This time?”
“Oh, yeah... um, well, I kinda dreamed once before. Only for like a minute, though!”
“When?”
“In the car that brought me to the Institute. I fell asleep for a little while and saw the darkness then, too. Only that time, there was this little pinhole of light shining through it.”
“But that pinhole wasn’t there this time?”
“No,” Daria said, feeling concerned now. “Is that bad?”
“I don’t think so,” Jake replied. “To be perfectly honest, we’ve never had anyone sleep so long or dream something that intense their first night.”
Oh great. I can’t even be a normal weirdo.
“So what does that mean?” Daria asked, looking across each of their faces.
“I think it means that you’re exactly what we hoped you were,” Corey said, speaking for the first time. He was the oldest in the group, somewhere in his late twenties, but his goofy sense of humour and the way he didn’t take himself too seriously helped him fit in well with the rest of them. He was the tallest, at just about six feet, with dark blonde hair, hazel eyes that were a little lighter than Julia’s, and a fairly thin, wiry appearance. His presence brought a feeling of direction to the group, not like a father but more like a guide or a scout. When Corey was there, you felt like you knew where you were going, even if you were just sitting at a table and eating eggs.
“And what is that?” Daria asked.
Corey looked at Jake for an answer. Even though Jake wasn’t the oldest, the tallest, or the strongest, they all seemed to defer to him as their leader. Corey was a guide, Max got things done, Julia held them all together, and Aury breathed life and joy into whatever they did. But it was like Jake understood it all on a different level. Jake kept them anchored to the why. To their purpose.
“I think you’re right,” he said to Corey. Then he looked at Daria.
“So what am I?” she asked.
14
Month: 5 | Day: 15-16 | Year: 58
DECLINE
Daria was ready for her 45. She was cozy and comfortable under her covers, her tablet by her side. She had brought it to bed with her, just to see if maybe Jake had sent her a message. Not that she expected him to. When she didn’t see any notifications, she leaned over to set it on her nightstand.
Just then, the screen lit up.
It was Jake.
Hey Dasha. I had a lot of fun today. And the rest of my homework went a lot faster after you helped! Maybe we should do it again?
She smiled, then sat up in bed and typed a response.
I’m glad it helped! That would be cool, if you still think you need it.
It only took him a minute to reply but Daria felt like it was an eternity.
I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt. And we can have some more coffee and ‘cold tea’ ;)
She cringed and laughed at herself at the same time.
Deal :)
I should probably sleep now. I hope you sleep well and get over this tired thing soon. Goodnight, Dash.
Thanks, Jake. Goodnight!
_______________________
A shadow passed over the wall and across the floor.
Where is that coming from?
It rose up before her and had just started to obscure her vision...
“Daria! Get up! What are you doing?”
Daria’s eyes snapped open with a start. She saw her mom standing in the doorway of her room. She blinked a few times to make sure she was actually seeing what she was seeing.
“How long have you been sleeping?” her mom asked with a frown.
“I, uh, I don’t know.”
“Well, get up!”
Her mom stomped off and Daria could hear her heavy footsteps clumping down the stairs. It was her perturbed walk.
She rolled over and looked at her tablet to check the time.
61 minutes! What the heck?!
She checked her alarm.
Maybe it never rang?
But it had worked as scheduled. Apparently, Daria had turned it off in her sleep.
Is that even possible? Why would I do that?
She leapt out of bed and got ready as quickly as she could. As she brushed her hair and tied it back in a pony tail, she thought about the last seconds before her mom had scared her awake.
What was that?
It had to be my mom’s shadow. I was starting to wake up and my brain just confused things, right?
Of course.
It was only like three seconds. What else could it be?
_______________________
The last announcement of the day scrolled across the top of Daria’s tablet. She heard the notification in the locker room after school, as she was taking off one pair of grey shoes and putting on another. She only had the third best times on the track that afternoon, and she wasn’t happy with herself. Her coach said maybe it was just an off day and didn’t come down too hard on her. She was his star ru
nner, after all.
She checked the announcement.
Medical examination results have been forwarded to your parents as of today.
“Whatever,” Daria muttered quietly to herself, then she tossed the tablet into her bag and headed out to catch the bus.
On her way down the block to the bus stop, she spotted Jake. He spotted her, too, and waved from across the street.
“Dash! Hey!”
She waved back and then stopped walking while he crossed the road to meet her.
“Hey, what’s up?” he said.
“Not much. Just heading home. What are you up to?”
“Same. We can ride together?”
“Ok,” Daria said with a smile.
They got on the bus and sat in the second row near the front.
“Why were you around school so late?” he asked her.
“I’m on the track team.”
“Nice!”
“What about you?”
“I was just helping a friend with something. You helped me so much the other day, I was able to tutor her now! How cool is that?”
Her?
“Oh, great!” Daria said with another smile. Then she turned and looked out the window.
Relax, Dashy. It’s not like you’re boyfriend and girlfriend.
Yet.
“She’s just, you know, a friend. My mom knows her mom, so I sort of had to help her out.”
“Oh yeah, totally. That was nice of you.”
“So were you feeling better today?” he asked.
“Definitely. Super energetic. I was barely trying during practice. Too easy.”
“Nice. Glad to hear it.”
_______________________
“Here, Daria, these are yours.”
“That’s a bigger bottle than usual.”
“Because you’re going up a dose! Isn’t that exciting?” Her mom’s eyes widened like Daria was three years old and she was giving her a new toy.
“Why?”
“The notes from the examination said that you show, and I quote, ‘Stellar academic potential and superb athletic ability.’ You know that’s the point of these exams, to make sure everyone is regulated to the proper dose and performing their best. I guess they think you’re ready to go further! Isn’t that great?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“They didn’t give me my second increase until I was sixteen! You’re an overachiever, Daria. We’re so proud of you!”
_______________________
Daria got ready for bed that night and popped open her new pill bottle.
Ugh.
They not only increased the dose but also the size of the pills. She already hated swallowing them. They always kind of gagged her, even though they supposedly had a special coating so they went down easier. And so you didn’t need water to take them.
She placed it on her tongue, slid it back a bit in her mouth, then gulped it.
Well, at least I should be back to normal tomorrow. What kind of world would it be if Justine were always finishing her laps before me?
She smiled and laughed to herself. Then she checked her tablet for any messages before she went to sleep. There was one from Jake.
Library, day after tomorrow? You and me and some cold tea? ;)
Daria typed a reply before she turned off her screen for the night.
You know it!
A few minutes later, as she lay in bed, just on the edge of drifting off, she had one last thought.
It had to be my mom’s shadow, right?
_______________________
Month: 5 | Day: 21 | Year: 59
“Your teacher messaged me.”
“I know, I know. Look, I’m sorry. I have no idea what happened.”
“Well, I do. He told me!”
Daria rolled her eyes.
“Don’t roll your eyes,” her dad said. “You think this is a joke, Daria?”
“No.”
“Why would you doze off in class? What are you trying to do?”
“I didn’t really doze off. I just kinda blinked, and missed a few words.”
“Mr. Pennington said you missed his entire question and then tried to make up an answer.”
“I must have misheard him.”
Her dad huffed and then paced back and forth a few times in the living room while Daria endured the interrogation seated on the couch.
“Why, though? Why did you do it? Are you trying to prove something?”
“What would I be trying to prove? I’m not doing it on purpose. I wanted to get the right answers. And I definitely don’t want...”
She trailed off. Her dad stopped pacing and looked at her with a stern face.
“Don’t want what?”
“This,” she said quietly.
“Then get your act together,” her dad said sharply. “It’s been one year since you were privileged enough to get an increase. Do you know why they gave you that, Daria?”
“I know.”
“And yet, over the last six months, your scores have done nothing but decline. And this past week, you brought home...” Her dad stopped and shook his head, as if it were almost too horrible to utter the next words. “You brought home an 81 in physics. An 81! That’s not Grayson work, Daria. I expect more from you.”
“I know.”
“That might be fine for most students who are taking their proper dose. I’m sure your friend Brianna’s parents would be pleased. But you’re an overachiever because we want the best for you. You can do more. You will do more.”
Daria didn’t say anything, she just looked down and stared blankly at the coffee table.
“And I had better not have to step in and talk with your coach again, either. You know he wanted you to sit out at the next meet? You’re supposed to be his star, Daria. Start acting like it.”
As he finished speaking, he tossed a bottle on the couch beside her.
“What’s this?”
“You’ll need more. I spoke with the doctor and he said for you to increase again.”
“But it’s only been a year? I’m barely fifteen. Shouldn’t my next increase be when I’m like twenty-one?”
“I guess you’re special,” her dad said coldly, without looking at her. He had already turned away and was now leaving the room.
Daria picked up the bottle and stared at it.
She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly.
Why?
_______________________
Month: 3 | Day: 5 | Year: 60
“How can he go out with her?”
“What did you expect? You pushed him away.”
Daria flicked her food around her plate, then pushed and mashed it into a little dip for the grey gravy to pool inside.
“Because I’m a loser, Brix. I mean, I suck at pretty much everything.”
“You think he was hanging out with you because you were good at stuff?” her friend laughed.
“If he has the choice between me and Justine, why would he pick me? I don’t even want to hang out with me.”
“You made it a choice. He wasn’t looking around until you shut the door on him.”
“Well, it’s been two years now and nothing has changed. It’s only gotten worse.”
“It never mattered to him, Dashy. You know that.”
“I know what he said but it’s only because he’s such a nice guy. He wouldn’t want to hurt my feelings.”
Brix just shook her head and made a ‘tsk tsk’ sound with her mouth.
“Poor Dashy. Well, all I can say is, if you get another chance, I hope you don’t screw it up again.”
_______________________
“I’m very glad you called us, Mr. Grayson.”
“She needs help.”
“We know. We’ve been looking at some of her test results from this year. Mostly in the 70’s, with a few --”
“I know, I know,” Jack Grayson interrupted with a frustrated sigh. “So, can you fix her?”
“We
have an experimental new treatment that we think will be perfect for Daria.”
Dr. Reston leaned forward and folded his arms on the dining table.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get your daughter back to normal. And beyond.”
“How soon will you have a place for her?”
“We have one now, actually. If she’s ready to go, I can have a few of my staff come by here tomorrow or the next day to collect her.”
“Tomorrow,” Mr. Grayson said without hesitation. “The sooner, the better.”
“Excellent,” Dr. Reston said with a smile. “Then you can expect them shortly before Daria gets home from school. They’ll be waiting for her.”
He stood up and buttoned his jacket, straightening the collar and smoothing his tie.
“And don’t worry. We’ll take excellent care of your daughter.”
15
Month: 4 | Day: 2 | Year: 60
THE VEIL
The rest of the group cleaned up after breakfast while Daria followed Jake outside and up the hill behind the cabin.
“Thanks again,” she said as they wound their way between the rocks and trees.
“For what?”
“Extracting me. That’s the word, right?”
“Yup. And of course, Dash. Like I would leave you behind!” he laughed.
Daria smiled but Jake didn’t see it.
“So, you must have known about all of this stuff back in school, right? Did you know about me, too?”
Jake hesitated for a few seconds, then said, “Yeah, I kinda did. I’m sorry, Dash. I couldn’t tell you.”