Every Waking Dream

by Lauren Eason

  “What? Who was there with you?”

  “We were in Principal Norman’s office. They knew you skipped school with Melissa. Where were you?” Her voice was forceful with renewed anger.

  “I was checking on Raven at the rehab center. I think she’s in trouble,” I admitted, turning onto our street.

  “Why?”

  “She left a voicemail for Melissa, but she was cut off. When I went, I ran into another Lockhart.” I pulled off to the side of the street in front of our house as I saw a car in our driveway. “Why is Susan here?”

  Jess turned in her seat to glance at the vehicle. “That’s odd. Shouldn’t she be at her shop?”

  Shaking my head, I got out of my car and walked around the front to Jess. “I can’t explain right now, but stay away from Detective Highwater. Some things about him aren’t adding up.”

  Jess nodded, foregoing the burning questions I knew she had so we could see why our neighbor was visiting our home instead of running her shop. We opened the front door to the foyer and heard laughter from the kitchen around the corner. Heading towards the voices, we saw our parents seated with Susan and none other than Hunter Mathis.

  “Hey, you two,” my mother greeted us as she stood from her chair at the counter and headed over. She gave us each a hug before guiding us over to the others. “This is your father’s new employer. Mr. Mathis does a lot of construction around the town and has contracted your father locally so he can stay home more. Isn’t that great?”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you,” Mr. Mathis said. I studied his face full of fine lines around his eyes and mouth. His eyes were a brilliant green that seemed to glow in the light of the waning sun outside the windows.

  “It’s nice to meet you as well,” Jess replied as I blinked, coming back to reality. Jess didn’t exactly know how dangerous this man was, but I wasn’t fooled.

  “It’s awful what happened to the Ocean Blue Lounge,” my father commented. “Are you planning to rebuild?”

  “Yes, but that’s not the project I’m pursuing at the moment. I’m planning on building a sister institution to the rehabilitation center,” he revealed. “There are so many people who need help in this community, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to give back.”

  “Oh, but you’ve given so much already.” My mother poured another cup of coffee for Mr. Mathis.

  “My work will never be done,” he smiled, taking the cup from her.

  “Mr. Mathis is so humble,” Susan chimed in, placing a hand on his arm.

  “We have homework to get to.” Jess took my hand and steered me away from the kitchen as the others looked on. She pulled me upstairs and into my room before shutting the door quietly behind her.

  “What was that about? Does Susan come over here a lot?” I flopped down at my computer desk and pulled the flash drive out of my back pocket.

  Jess walked over and stood over my shoulder. “I see her here from time to time, but not recently. I didn’t know her and Mathis were friends.”

  “I’m pretty sure these people are connected in all sorts of ways.” I clicked on the drive on my laptop and opened the files. The first one was a map of our county with red dots. “Are these the disappearances?”

  Jess took a closer look. “It definitely seems that way. Those two at the school newspaper put this together?”

  “And this,” I said as I pulled the thick file out of my backpack and handed it to her. “They’ve been doing their research as well.”

  “Are we teaming up?” Jess asked as she flipped through the files. “They seem to already know what we do.”

  “Except one thing,” I muttered as I clicked on the next file. It seemed to be a video.

  It started out shaky until Abby zoomed in to see Susan and Denise having lunch outside of a local café. They were talking to each other, but there was no sound. Jess and I shared a glance as we heard the doorbell ring downstairs.

  “It’s Melissa,” I said, shutting my laptop and rushing out of my room. I cut off my mother as she headed for the door, opening it before her.

  “Hey.” Melissa stood on the front porch awkwardly as I pulled her inside and up the stairs.

  “Do you girls want some snacks?” my mother called after us. Ignoring her, we rushed into my room, where I sat back down at my desk and opened my computer.

  “We’re going to need your help,” I said. Jess pulled up a chair for Melissa and settled between us.

  “Looks that way. So our suspects know each other, but how did these two get so close?” Melissa asked, waving her hand in between Denise and Susan in the video.

  “That’s where you come in,” Jess answered. “We know you have the computer skills to find out.”

  Melissa sighed and cracked her fingers, poising them over the keyboard. “You two owe me.”

  Her fingers flew over the keys as she accessed the library and hospital archives, pulling documents from the sites and storing them away on my laptop to go over later. When she was finished, she went back into the system and pulled up what she had found.

  “Wait.” I pointed at the document she had on the screen. “I thought Denise Lockhart was a cousin of Samuel’s. Why does she have two birth certificates?”

  “That’s odd. One of them is the original, and the other was amended. I didn’t find this one when I was helping Raven last time,” Melissa mentioned.

  “That lists Nathan Lockhart and Susan Weathers as the parents—Susan Ridgway?” I asked. Melissa searched the name to find that Susan’s maiden name matched the one on the birth certificate.

  “There’s your answer,” she said. “Susan is Denise’s biological mother. Looks like she and Nathan kept the child a secret since he was married at the time with two other children.”

  “Did Elias find out?” I asked, leaning in closer.

  The keyboard clicked under Melissa’s fingers. “Elias and Susan didn’t marry till later after being introduced to him by Nathan. What a tangled web we weave.”

  “Wait, you said Nathan had two children. We know about Samuel. Who’s the other one?” Jess asked from behind us.

  “It looks like her name was Joanna—”

  “Nurse Jo,” I muttered, shaking my head. Leaning back in my chair, I rubbed my hands over my face as I realized how dangerous this whole situation had gotten. I knew we were too deep now to turn back.

  “Raven’s there,” Melissa whispered, turning to face me. “What if—”

  A knock landed on my bedroom door. I lifted myself from my seat and cautiously opened it to see Susan standing on the other side. My heart pounded in my chest as I wondered how long she had been standing there. I leaned out of the doorway to see if my parents were around, but it was only her.

  “Aislin, I wanted to come to tell you that I wouldn’t need your assistance in the shop this week. I’ll be on vacation with some relatives over the next few days,” Susan said with a sweet smile.

  “Uh, sure. No problem,” I gulped as her smile disappeared. She peered over my shoulder and nodded her head in acknowledgment to Jess and Melissa behind me. I watched as Susan strode off in the direction of the staircase.

  Susan turned around as if she had forgotten something. “Oh, and I’m sorry about your friend. She seemed really nice.”

  Her choice of wording disturbed me. “Raven? What do you mean?”

  Susan merely smiled before walking down the stairs. I ran down the hallway and stared after her as she strode out the front door from the banister above. I heard Jess and Melissa’s footsteps behind me as they fell over the rugs in the hallway.

  “What just happened?” Jess asked as I kept my gaze over the front door.

  Turning to both of them, I knew they saw the worry written on my face. Melissa covered her mouth with her hand as I saw tears sting her eyes. I didn’t have to say anything for both of them to know precisely what Susan meant.

  Melissa moved past me into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as I heard the sounds of v
iolent vomiting within. She was so upset; her body was working against her. My own body decided to remain frozen in place instead. It was the only thing I could do to keep the world from spinning out of control.

  “How does she know?” Jess asked after some time. Her face went pale with the revelation as she choked out her words.

  I thought for a moment before heading back to my room, Jess racing after me. “Tell Melissa after she composes herself that she’s spending the night. I’m going to find Raven.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “You can find Raven—and you plan on doing that by entering her dreams? Um, okay...” Melissa stated as she listened to my story. Jess stood up from her chair and sat on my bed beside me.

  “She’s telling the truth, Melissa. How do you think she found out where Emily went before she disappeared or about Mr. Mathis and his connections with Steven. Or how about Steven’s illness—”

  “Okay, I get it,” Melissa interrupted. “It’s...a little much to take in. Who all knows about this?”

  “Me and Raven,” Jess answered.

  “...and Jason,” I added as Jess snapped her attention to me.

  “Really? You told him?”

  I hesitated with my answer, casting my eyes down. “It...sort of came out.”

  “Ais.” Jess placed her hand over mine. “It’s okay. It’s your secret to tell, and you can share it with anyone you want. I understand that now.”

  “You have to keep this to yourself,” I told Melissa, pointing at her with a threatening finger.

  She placed her hands in the air. “I don’t have any friends anymore, so it’s not like there’s anyone I could tell. Besides, I’m not trying to lose Raven here. She means the world to me, and you mean the world to her. So, what do we need to do, boss?”

  Jess leaned over and picked up the tea we had brewed last time off my nightstand. “I followed the same recipe. I hope this works this time.”

  “Raven knows how to game the system. She also knows to avoid the medication they give her. If she’s been practicing lucid dreaming like she says, then hopefully, we’ll get some answers,” I said, taking the cup from her. Bringing the hot tea to my lips, I swallowed the contents before resting it back on the table.

  “I’ll take the first shift,” Jess said to Melissa as I laid back in bed, fluffing the pillows around me.

  “What should I do if she starts sleepwalking?” I heard Melissa ask Jess as she turned out the lights.

  “Wake me up,” Jess answered.

  Before long, the room quieted down as I heard Melissa’s steady breathing from beside me. Moments later, I felt myself falling through the bottom of my bed into that dark void I had come to know so well over the past couple of weeks. I floated down, landing on my feet in the darkness as I tried to focus on Raven.

  Lights flashed around me as I felt my ethereal body being pulled towards a new destination. I saw images streak past me as I searched through them, trying to find Raven’s. It was like seeing a train of movies passing by with the matter of choosing the correct one.

  Slowing down, I saw Raven sitting on a bench in a park as kids played on a playground nearby. Stepping out of the darkness and into the dream, I rushed over to her, kneeling in front of her. I tried to take her hand, but it passed straight through her as she continued to stare past me.

  “Raven...please...” I pleaded as I tried to get her attention. She stood up and walked through me towards the playground area before settling against a tree.

  I sat down on the grass as she stood, leaning against the thick trunk. Placing my head in my hands, I cried frustrated tears. “Tell me where you are, Raven. I can’t find you like this.”

  Hearing a soft gasp, I felt a hand land on my shoulder. Glancing up, Raven slid down the tree beside me as she turned, hugging me. I felt her warmth as a tangible form, crying into the crook of her neck as she leaned back to stare at my face.

  “I told you I had been practicing,” she said with a smile. “But I don’t have much time. They took me into the basement below the rehab center. There’s a corridor that’s been sealed off due to alleged water damage.”

  “They’ve been underneath us this whole time.” My voice was flat and hollow. How could we have been so blind? They were all so close.

  Raven nodded her head slowly. “You have to get us out, Ais. I can’t do this on my own.”

  I watched as the dream began to disintegrate around us. Ashes of the grass and trees floated into the air as they were destroyed. We didn’t have much time left before Raven awoke from her dream.

  “How can I get in, Raven? You have to hurry. Tell me.” I grabbed her arms, trying desperately to hold her down within her own dream as the screaming children around us vanished along with their playground.

  “I don’t know,” she cried. “I’m scared, Ais. There’s one person who could help. You need to tell De—”

  Before she could tell me, I felt her skin slough off as ash and float into the air as darkness descended on me once more.

  “Raven!” I screamed. “Raven!”

  My voice echoed as tears flowed down my cheeks. I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. My worst nightmares had been confirmed, and it was up to me to get to them before who knew what could happen.

  As my mind grew frantic, I clutched my head as a heavy pressure pounded within it. The dreams raced by me as I heard snippets of conversation and images flow past me. I crouched down, trying to shield myself from the assault on my senses as I willed myself to bite my tongue. If I screamed in my dreams, then I would surely be heard in the real world. Instead, a whimper escaped my lips as fresh tears of pain rolled down my face.

  I felt hands slither around my wrists and ankles, thrusting me to the ground, pinning me. Squeezing my eyes closed, I tried to drown out the throbbing pain inside my head as a silent cry had me twisting in agony.

  “Keep her still,” the voice commanded.

  “I’m trying.”

  “Try harder. Wake up, Ais.”

  I buried my face in the plush comforter around me as my breath grew ragged. The voices grew stronger as I felt my bed underneath me. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I opened my eyes. Melissa held my wrists as Jess released my ankles, crawling up the bed's length to me. She lifted my torso to her and held me close as Melissa stepped away from us, giving us space.

  “Did you find her?” she asked. Her voice sounded far away as I rubbed my temples at the dull pain holed up behind my eyes.

  “Can—can you get me a glass of water and some ibuprofen?” I grunted, swinging my legs off the side of the bed. Running my hands through my hair as I held my head, I heard Jess coming back with my request. She held out the pills to me along with the water, which I gladly took, downing them in seconds.

  “Did you see her?” I heard Melissa whisper from the other side of the room as she sat in my desk chair. She waited patiently for me to answer.

  I nodded my head, the room spinning in and out of my vision. “Ugh...what time is it?”

  “Noon.” Jess sat down beside me and rubbed my back. “We covered for you with Mom and Dad.”

  “School is the least of my worries right now,” I croaked out, my throat dry. “We need to get to the rehab center. I know where they are.”

  “What? Where?”

  “They’re underneath it. Raven tried to tell me to tell someone else about it but the dream dissolved before she could finish.” I stood up from my bed, bracing myself with a hand against the wall. “I can get behind the walls to talk to Dr. Clayborn.”

  “What? No. No!” Jess exclaimed. “You can’t go in there alone.”

  “Jess—”

  “No!”

  “Jess!” I went to her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m the only one who knows the center. You can’t come with me on this, but both you and Melissa can help.”

  “I can’t lose you, Ais,” Jess replied, shaking. “What if we go to the police?”

  “No—not yet. Giv
e me some time once I’m in there to find the kids and then go there. If we tell them anything now, they’ll want proof before they go poking around. I can get to them on the inside and send you pictures from there,” I answered.

  “We’ll give you an hour.” Melissa stood from her seat. “That should be enough time to do what you need to do before we raise the alarm.”

  I picked up my phone from my bedside table. “Let me call Dr. Clayborn. I’ll be ready soon.”

  Jess and Melissa gave me some privacy as they left me alone in my room. I walked over to the window seat and sat down, my finger hovering over the call button. Taking a deep breath, I waited for the phone to ring until Dr. Clayborn answered.

  “Aislin? Nurse Joanna told me you had visited yesterday. Is everything okay?” she asked with concern in her voice.

  “No, it’s not. Is there any way I could meet with you at the rehab center?”

  Dr. Clayborn was silent for a moment. “I suppose that could be arranged. How about you come by my office, and we’ll have a chat? I’ll let the receptionist know you’re coming. Are you sure you don’t want to talk to me now?”

  “I’m sure. This is something I have to say in person. It’s...easier to talk about it that way,” I reiterated.

  “That’s fine. I’ll see you soon. Like I said before, my door is always open to you,” Dr. Clayborn replied before hanging up the phone.

  Melissa and Jess burst through my door. Melissa held her keys up, jingling them. “Get dressed. We’ve got a rehab center to break into.”

  I nodded and hurried to get ready as Melissa and Jess waited for me. When I finished, I raced downstairs and out the front door as we all jumped into Melissa’s convertible. As she drove down the streets towards our final destination, we remained silent, listening to the soft hum of music from the radio.

  As worried as Jess was, I was nervous enough for the both of us. Anything could happen, and I only hoped that I would get the evidence we needed to convince the police of our own investigation.

  Melissa pulled under the overhang of the center and stopped short of the front doors. She turned to me, taking her sunglasses off. I thought she wanted to say something but instead remained silent. Giving her a small smile, she reciprocated the gesture. Jess leaned forward from the backseat of the car between us.