by Liv Curtis
“There’s more. He goes on to predict the Frame, the Sickening, the Wilderness, and…Sage read that last section I have marked.” Jefferson pointed to the last bent corner in the back of the book. Sage opened to the page and went cold as she read aloud.
“’There will be another, another like me who will bring great change to the world as I have. My time here has come to a close but worry not, this is not the ending but rather the beginning. The swords are the key, for they will awaken the Oculus within.’ This wasn’t a folktale, this was a biography.” Sage looked around the room and noticed everyone stared at her.
“Why are you all staring at me like that?” She felt her cheeks burning and desperately wanted to disappear.
“How did you read that?” River said as he picked up the book and examined it closer.
“Very funny, River, but I actually can read.” Sage rolled her eyes.
“I know you can read, but how did you read this.” He turned the book back towards Sage and the passage she had just read changed to different symbols.
“It wasn’t like that a second ago. It was normal.” Sage felt her stomach drop as she stared at the strange symbols.
“Actually, it has always been that way. When my mother gave me this book she told me about the myths and legends that it bore. She used to tell me that all myths were based off some truth and that, one-day, I would believe. When she died she told me to hide it and to keep it safe until the right time. I never understood what she meant until my father gave me those daggers. When I saw the name engraved in them I knew that the story was real. Then, when I met you I just knew that you were the one who should have them. I think you somehow activated them last night when you defended yourself.” Jefferson reached for Sage’s hand and gently rubbed his thumb on the back of her knuckles. His hands were rough but there was something about him that reminded Sage of a grandfather.
“So, you’re telling me that I’m some sort of dreaming prophesier who can read symbolic languages and wield magical daggers. You do realize how crazy this sounds right.” Sage couldn’t feel her legs, but she knew if should could, she would have run.
“I don’t know if you are, but the evidence is slightly stacked. You were able to use those daggers like a trained assassin without any previous experience, you have had the night visions, and you could read a language that doesn’t remotely represent anything that exists in the Frame.”
Jefferson grimaced as he pointed out all the facts. Sage’s dad was flipping through the book, trying to better understand what was happening while her mom stared at Sage as if she had finally understood everything. Her warm hazel eyes were soft and gentle with tears threatening to break free.
“I always knew you were special. I would have never guessed it was all this, but I knew there was something about you that was different.” She smiled and wiped the tears that had managed to escape, from her cheeks.
“So, what does all this mean?” Sage was so numb that she barely felt her lips move as she spoke.
“At the moment I’m not sure, but I know that something important is going to happen, and I think you three might be the key. There is another prediction in here about three…May I?” Jefferson had retrieved the book from Sage’s dad and was filing through the pages when Sage cut him off.
“Enough! That is too much life altering information for a lifetime, let alone one day!” She grabbed the daggers and marched off into the basement. She slipped into her shoes and set herself up to train. She heard someone coming down the stairs, but she didn’t stop. She was blindly slamming her fists into the punching bag hanging from the ceiling when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. River stood behind her with empathetic eyes.
“Are you okay?” he said as Sage steadied the bag that was swinging violently.
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just found out I’m some sort of mythical creature but I’m fine.” Sage panted heavily as she reeled and slammed her hand into the bag.
“Listen, you’re not alone. You will always have us, all of us. You are still you no matter what you become.” River grabbed the other set of gloves and strapped them on.
“This isn’t a joke, River. What if it’s true? What if I am the next octopus or whatever the book said?” Sage readied her stance as River tightened his other glove.
“I think it said Oculus, not octopus, that’s a sea creature.” River laughed and let his guard down long enough for Sage to take advantage of it. She quickly moved towards him and kicked high enough to strike River in the shoulder. He went down with a wince as he was clearly caught off guard by Sage’s attack.
“Now’s really not the time to correct me.” Sage laughed and took a step forward to help River up. She reached out a hand and River quickly kicked out knocking Sage off her feet.
She landed flat on her back, pressing all the air out of her lungs. There was an icy chill that went down her spine as she got back to her feet and was face to face with River. She swung out with her left arm, and River blocked it, leaving his side open on the right.
Sage quickly jabbed her fist into his ribs and connected with a thud. River reflexively moved back and punched Sage directly in the stomach. She stumbled back and kicked out attempting to connect with River’s chest but he had caught her leg and twisted it, sending Sage to the floor.
She gained her balance on one foot and, staying squat to the floor, kicked out her left leg and connected with Rivers ankles, throwing him to the ground. Sage pounced and pinned River to the mat. She had grabbed the dagger from her back and held it several inches from his throat.
“I win.” She laughed and slipped the dagger back into its holster on her back. Just then River brought his knees up, flipping Sage over his head and flat on her back so that they were head to head.
“No, you hesitated. I win.” They both laughed as they lied on the mat and stared up at the ceiling lights.
“We’ll figure all of this out Sage I promise. But first, we have to get Eliza and Andrea and get out of the Frame.” River was panting as he sat up.
“I know, I just don’t think I can handle much more.” Sage panted heavily and pushed herself up against River’s back.
Just then there was a loud crash upstairs as Emery and Audrey had come running into the basement. Sage was on her feet in seconds with her daggers in her hands. Sage’s parents and Harlow were right behind them as they shut the door to the basement.
“Turn off the lights! Now!” Sage’s dad commanded as he grabbed the nearest gun from the weapons wall and sat down the book that he had apparently grabbed in the rush.
“Adalynn get everyone in the closet and get down.” Her dad nodded towards the gear closet in the back of the room.
“What? No! If we’re fighting, we are all fighting, Finn,” Sage’s mom protested and grabbed a gun. It looked like a foreign object in her hands as she fumbled to load the magazine.
They were all standing at the bottom of the stairs with their guns ready when they heard a gunshot upstairs. They had all gone silent as they waited to see who would open the door. Sage had slipped to the front of the group and was starting to go up the stairs when her mom reached out and pulled her back.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed at Sage, clearly scared by what was happening.
“Someone has to check to see what’s going on,” Sage whispered back.
“Well, it won’t be you! Finn, go check.” She pushed her husband’s shoulder, nudging him towards the stairs.
“Wait! I have an idea!” Sage ran towards the gear closet and grabbed seven of the night vision masks.
“Here, put these on and press the button on the side.” Sage slipped her mask on and flipped it into night vision mode. There was clearly five people walking upstairs in their rooms and there was a sixth person sitting on the floor right in front of the basement door. Underneath him was what looked like a pool of fire in the thermal vision, but Sage knew what it was.
It was Jefferson, and he was in a pool of his own
blood. Slowly everyone came to the same conclusion of what Sage had just realized and Audrey let out a shriek as she ripped off her mask.
Suddenly, Jefferson started to move and with a breath of relief Sage realized that he was still alive. Before she could even think Sage bolted up the stairs and went to reach for the door when she realized the other figures, probably CA Agents, had come back down and were headed towards Jefferson.
She slowly went back down the stairs and joined her family. They all watched as Jefferson was lifted up and taken out the door leaving behind only the puddle of fire where he was siting.
Chapter 8
After what felt like forever, Sage’s dad made his way up the stairs. He opened the door and a rush of warm metallic air filled the basement. The front door had been left open and the heat of the day allowed the smell of blood to permeate the air. There was a soft click as Sage’s dad shut the front door, then peered into the basement.
“It’s clear, but watch your step.” He flicked the stairwell light on as they all made their way slowly back upstairs. The last step was covered in a slick of red blood that had spilled under the closet door and the steel door to the basement. Sage went around the puddle and made her way into the hallway. The blinds had been pulled open and the harsh light made Sage’s eyes ache. She squinted as she went to stand with her dad. He stood in front of the windows to see if there was anyone outside, his hand tightly gripped on the pistol at his hip.
“Go upstairs and get your things. We will be staying in the basement from this point out until we can figure something out,” Harlow told everyone as she made her way through the kitchen to check the garage. Sage, Emery, River and Audrey went upstairs, River leading the way with a gun. When they got to their room their clothes had been thrown out of their bags, their beds were flipped and it was clear that the people who took Jefferson were aware of their presence there.
Sage knelt down next to her bed and found a photo of her and Eliza from her birthday that year, ripped in half. She wanted to cry but instead she crammed the two halves into her pocket and grabbed what she could.
“I can’t believe people can do this to other people. I know we are Awake, but we’re all human, regardless,“ Emery muttered as she filled her bag with clothes.
“This isn’t a group of people doing this, it’s one person. It’s Chancellor Kelly,” River said under his breath.
“You’re right, and it is time somebody do something about that.” Harlow had appeared in the door way with Audrey by her side, both of them holding their bags.
“No one person should have this much control and it’s time for her reign to end. Jefferson and Henry knew that a revolution was coming and that is exactly what will happen when this goes public. I know for a fact that there are others who are Awake and when they see us take a stand and fight, they will join, one way or another,” Harlow spoke with sureness and confidence as she mindlessly stroked Audrey’s caramel toned curls.
Her blue-green eyes were the same icy blue that River’s sometimes turned when he was mad and her warm skin was flushed on her cheeks.
“For now, we will take shelter in the basement until we can figure out what to do next.” Harlow turned with Audrey and they went down the stairs. Sage, River, and Emery followed closely behind, each carrying what was left of their lives before.
“Sage, would you help me grab some blankets and pillows?” Sage’s mom had laid the training mats out along the far wall of the basement. Sage grabbed a couple of blankets and pillows and helped her mom transform the mats into a makeshift bed for seven.
“I can’t believe they took Jefferson.” Sage was dazed from the morning’s events as the day was slowly turning to dusk.
“I can’t believe any of this! It all just seems so outrageous and crazy. Like a nightmare I can’t seem to wake up from.” Sage’s mom tossed the last pillow on the mat and put her arm around Sage.
“I’m sorry that this is happening to us but maybe it’s for the better. I can’t shake this feeling that we are right where we should be. I don’t know maybe it’s just wishful thinking.” Sage shrugged and headed towards the stairs.
“I sure hope you’re right. This world is in need of a change,” Sage’s mom said as they made their way up stairs and into the kitchen and joined everyone else.
“Should we make something to eat?” Harlow asked Sage’s mom when they entered the room.
“Sure, let’s see what Jefferson has in here.” She opened the fridge and started to grab the ingredients to make dinner. As the sun started to go down Sage’s dad lined the front door with a trip sensor that would alarm in the basement if anyone opened the door. He also set one at the garage door and in the hallway that led to the basement.
“Need any help?” Sage asked as she stepped over the mark on the floor where her dad had cleaned Jefferson’s blood. The hallway no longer smelled like metal but instead it was dripping in the smell of chlorine. Despite his best efforts the wooden floors would always serve as a reminder to the truth.
“Sure, could you pass me that drill?” He nodded his head towards a drill siting on the table. He screwed down the sensor and tested it by waving his hand in front of it.
“Could you go down and check to see if it’s working?” Sage nodded and turned towards the basement.
When she got down there, a red light flashed on the control panel that controlled the holographic table that was under the floor. When Sage pressed the red light the floor opened and the island rose into place. A hologram of the house appeared in the air, showing the front door as open and blinking red.
“I think it’s working!” Sage yelled to her dad, and he came down the stairs to join her.
“Wow, I didn’t realize this was connected to this system. Make’s sense though, Jefferson would have never left himself blind if someone broke in, and he was down here.” He was examining the map when the sensor turned red for the garage door. Before Sage could say anything, her dad was halfway up the stairs, and she was following close behind. When they made it into the kitchen Sage’s mom, Harlow, and Audrey were all ducked behind the counter hiding from whom ever opened the door.
Sage drew her daggers and her dad loaded the shotgun he had grabbed on his way up. He nodded to Sage to take the left side of the hall while he checked the garage.
“There’s nobody in here,” Sage whispered as she cleared the small office that was adjacent to the garage.
“The garage is clear. It looks like it just wasn’t shut all the way.” Sage’s dad sounded confused as he shut the door and turned to head back into the kitchen.
“The CA Agents probably left it ajar when they ransacked the place.” Sage had joined back with her dad and they went into the kitchen to let the others know that it was a false alarm. She realized how terrified everyone was and felt a burning rage in the pit of her stomach.
“Well, at least it wasn’t someone coming back to finish what they started,” Harlow said as she took a seat at the table.
“Sage, can you go get Emery and River, it’s time to eat.” Sage’s mom pointed towards the stairs with her spoon that she was stirring the food with. Sage turned and went upstairs to get River and Emery and found them gathering the last of their clothes that were still intact.
“Sage, look at this! One of those stupid CA Agents ripped the bottom half of my shirt off! This was one of my favorites.” Emery huffed as she shoved it back into her bag and turned out of the room.
River followed silently behind the two of them as they joined the others for dinner, only speaking to assure his mom that he was fine. They ate dinner and once the sun was completely set, they all filed into the basement and got ready to sleep.
Sage’s dad looked at the hologram system while all the others took turns showering in the small basement bathroom. Suddenly, the wall behind the weapons split open and revealed a large screen that displayed the outside of the house from seven different angles.
“How did you do that?” Sage said as she stepped
next to her dad to get a closer look at the screens.
“I thought I noticed a small camera on the outside of the garage door when we first came here, but I wasn’t sure. Guess I was right.” Sage’s dad laughed as he scrolled though the cameras.
“That must be how he saw us in his backyard that first day, how he instantly knew we were Awake and that he could trust us. He watched us when we thought nobody was.” River had joined Sage at the screen and was drying his hair with a towel.
“These are high quality motion censored cameras used only by CA Agents. How did he get these?” Sage’s dad looked confused by cameras, but Sage knew Jefferson had probably stolen them when he worked in the Core.
“Should we take shifts tonight? Watching the cameras and making sure no CA Agents come back looking for us,” River suggested to Sage’s dad, and Sage took that as her cue to get her shower.
She made her way to the bathroom and grabbed a fresh towel. When she looked in the mirror, she noticed that her back had a large bruise all the way down her spine. She vaguely recalled raking her back on the window when she jumped out of it at her house the night before and turned on the shower.
When the water touched her hair, she could smell the lingering scent of blood that was in the air that morning and it made her stomach flip. When she closed her eyes she could see the image of Jefferson’s body on the floor and it made her shiver, despite the hot water.
Sage quickly washed up and got out of the shower. She was finding it increasingly difficult to be alone with her own thoughts so she slipped on some pajamas and joined the others. She didn’t want to fall asleep that night so when her dad proposed the idea of watch shifts she was the first to volunteer.
“I can watch with you. If you want someone to talk to,” Emery offered as she dried off her mop of curls that hung damply around her face.