by Lucy Adler
“How’s that?”
“Much better,” the patient said with a smile. “Now get back out there!”
The kneeling man gave him a thumbs up, then leapt to his feet and ran back outside.
“Where’s he going?” Daria asked.
“There’s been a fire,” Helena replied. “But they’re taking care of it.”
“A fire?”
Daria wanted to be shocked and concerned. Somewhere deep inside her, she knew how she ought to feel. But her mind and body were taxed and she didn’t have the energy for feelings.
“Jake?” she asked. Helena moved aside and Daria spotted him lying on the floor.
“Jake!” she repeated, reaching out with her weak, shaking hand.
“I know it’s difficult, Daria, but you need to let yourself be still. We’ll take care of him. You need to give your body a chance to come down.”
Daria’s eyes glistened with tears as the rest of her couldn’t even find the strength to get up from the couch and go to him.
“What about...” she trailed off as she tried to form the sentence. “What about... healer?”
“There are only four sleepers in the settlement who have that ability. Two of them lived in the area that caught fire. Then there’s the guy you just saw a few minutes ago. And the other is Julia.”
“Julia,” Daria repeated in a whisper.
“Besides, I’m not even sure that what happened to Jake requires physical healing. I’ll reach out to him, the same way I did with you. Like I said, we’ll take care of him. Don’t worry.”
Daria’s eyelids were beginning to droop as Helena spoke with her.
“Come on,” she said, standing up and taking Daria by the arm, “let’s get you upstairs and into bed.”
Daria didn’t even notice her other friend’s unconscious body as she made the slow journey across the living area, up each step, then down the hall and into the bedroom. Helena kept her steady the whole way, even tucking her in once they got to the bed.
Daria’s tired eyes were closed, and she was already drifting off to sleep as Helena bent over and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this,” she said quietly, a tear slipping down her cheek.
Then she turned off the lights and gently shut the door.
15
Month: 4 | Day: 12 | Year: 60
PEACE
The sun peeked in around the edges of her curtains.
She watched one of the rays illuminate a strip of wall, painting a streak of light across the darker wood. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head.
Daria had been awake for at least half an hour. But she wasn’t ready to get out of bed right away. She hadn’t dreamt at all that night. And instead of feeling disappointed, she was actually relieved.
Of course, she was keenly aware that the last time she had seen Jake, he was lying unconscious on the floor.
And she had no idea where Brix was. Had she been anywhere near the fire?
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about either of her friends, or the rest of the settlement.
It was more that a strange, indescribable peace had settled over her.
She knew that the moment she went downstairs and reentered ‘normal’ life, challenges awaited her. Stress. Anxiety. Obstacles to be overcome.
But in this moment, there was peace.
In this moment, she had a clear, unwavering sense that all would be well.
And so she lingered in the moment, watching the light dance on her wall in the stillness of the morning.
And she wondered how long she would be able to carry the peace with her once the day began.
____________________________
A savoury smell wafted across the living area as Daria came to the bottom of the stairs.
Mmm. That’s nice.
She followed it across the room. She could hear a small group already gathered at the dining table.
“Well, well, well, if it ain’t our favourite Bo Peeper! How’s it goin’, skin?”
“Max?!”
Daria surprised herself by how quickly she moved. She ran to her friend who was, as usual, cooking breakfast at the stovetop.
“Max! I’m so happy you’re here!” She threw her arms around him and started to hug him.
“Whoa, easy!” he said. “I’m hobbling on a couple of sore legs here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Daria said, backing off a bit. But she was too excited. She squeezed him from the side this time, trying not to lean too heavily on him.
Then her eyes darted around the group at the table. If Max was here, then surely...
“Aury!!”
“Hey, Dashy!”
The two girls hugged like it had been years since they had seen each other.
“I can’t believe you’re here! I’m so happy you’re both safe!” Daria said, pulling her in again for another embrace. “I don’t want to let go of you!” she laughed.
They sat down next to each other just as a plate of waffles, and another of sausages, showed up in the middle of the table.
“Oh, Max, I missed you!” Daria laughed again.
“Me, or the food?” he teased her.
“Yup!” she replied with a wink and a cheeky smile.
“So, how long have you been here?” Aury asked as they helped themselves to breakfast. “We weren’t sure what happened to you guys.”
“We’ve been here three days.”
“Four, actually!” Livy corrected her. She had been sitting at the far end of the table, enjoying their reunion.
“Wait, what...?”
“You slept through yesterday.”
“Of course I did,” Daria replied, shaking her head. “This is becoming a theme! Someone’s going to have to keep a diary for me: ‘Daria’s Lost Days’!”
Then she glanced around the room.
“Where’s Jake?”
Everyone hesitated for a second as they looked for someone else to answer.
“Is he alright?” she asked.
“He’s resting,” Livy said. “Don’t worry, Daria. Helena’s been looking after him. You can catch up with them after breakfast.”
She did her best to continue holding on to the peace she had felt earlier that morning.
I’ll see him soon enough.
Just enjoy the moment.
She drowned her waffles in syrup as she took her own advice.
“Ok, so,” Aury began, “tell us about how you got here. I mean, were you able to rescue Brix? And then what happened? Did you go to the cabin, or come straight here? And did --”
“Maybe just let her tell it,” Max interrupted.
“I am letting her tell it,” Aury replied. “I’m just giving her a running start!”
Daria recounted the whole story for them - from the ventilation ducts, to the lab, to her standoff with Dr. Reston, the miraculous ‘jump’ to the cabin, and their journey to the settlement. The translocation part left Aury’s mouth hanging open.
“Holy crap, Dashy,” she replied, setting her fork down on her plate with a bite of waffle still attached to it.
“Yeah, that kinda sums it up!” Daria said with a laugh.
“Have you done it again?”
“No, not yet. I’ve been learning some other things so far,” she said, nodding at Livy. “But I’m hoping Jake will be able to teach me more about that at some point.”
“Ah, visions, eh?” Aury said, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
“And reaching out to other sleepers,” Livy added.
“Oh, that’s a cool one!”
“I also just started learning some stuff from Brett,” Daria said. “He told me that you were... oh, what was the word he used? A ‘prodigy’, that’s it!”
Aury blushed. She wasn’t a prideful person, but she didn’t always shy away from attention either.
“I suppoooose...” she said with a smile.
“But first, tell us your story from t
he Institute and the last few days. Wait, the last week! That’s crazy. I can’t believe it’s been a week already!”
Aury and Max took turns relating their experiences - from Max breaking the door down, to the two of them attempting to fend off the guards, to their imprisonment and eventual escape with the help of their new friend, Phillip.
“A wolf? And a bear?” were Daria’s only replies as it was now her turn to be amazed by her friends.
“But Phillip was the real hero,” Aury said. “We’d be all doped up on Direx right now if it weren’t for him!”
“Yeah, good ol’ Lucky Philly!” Max added.
“So where is he now?” Daria asked.
“Right here!” Aury laughed, pointing at the guy who had been sitting quietly across from them the entire time, eating his waffles and trying to get his head around the incredible things he was hearing.
“Oh, hey!” Daria said, reaching out to shake his hand.
“Hi,” Phillip replied, with a smile that made Aury sigh with delight. Then another question occurred to her.
“Have you guys heard from Julia?”
“No. Haven’t heard from Corey, either.”
Aury shifted in her chair and exchanged a brief look with Max and Phillip. But she wasn’t subtle enough.
“What?” Daria asked, her tone suspicious.
“Umm...” Aury started, trailing off.
“Max?” Daria prodded, now looking to him for an answer.
“Why don’t we clean up in here,” he replied, “and then we’ll talk in the living room?”
____________________________
Livy didn’t stick around after breakfast. She had found out the previous day, as had the rest of the settlement for that matter. Helena made sure that everyone knew as soon as possible, so that no one heard by accident.
But of course, Daria had been asleep.
The four of them, Phillip included, now sat around the fireplace with cups of tea in their hands.
“Let’s just get to it,” Daria started. “If you know something about Corey, just tell me.”
Aury steeled herself to deliver the news.
“He’s... they... they killed him.”
Daria’s eyes widened and her mouth opened as if it were forming words, though it didn’t make a sound.
“I’m sorry,” Aury said, her brow knit in apology and sorrow.
“But how do you know? I mean, you said that both of you were taken prisoner. How did you find out about Corey?”
“I told them,” Phillip said, attempting to take some of the burden off of Aury. “I saw them removing his body from the facility. They told all the staff that he had a heart attack. They were obviously covering up what really happened that night.”
Daria stared into the fireplace, the flames lapping against the new pieces of wood Max had thrown on it before they sat down.
She stared into the bed of coals glowing beneath them.
Sadness. Pain. Sorrow.
Her mind was a traffic jam of emotions, while her chest was a jumbled knot with no loose end to tug at.
Regret. Frustration. Anger.
“Who are you, anyway?” she snapped at Phillip. “Were you the one dosing my food with Direx for all those weeks?”
“Whoa, Daria, relax,” Aury said, placing her hand on her friend’s leg.
“No, it’s ok, Aurora,” Phillip replied. “I was a part of that whole thing down there. I was. I’ll take responsibility for it. I don’t know who I might have helped to hurt. And for that, I’m truly sorry.”
“Sorry? What good is your ‘sorry’? You’re all a bunch of liars anyway,” Daria said, placing her mug down on the coffee table with more force than was necessary. “Why don’t you do us a favour and leave. Just start walking.”
“Dashy!” Aury called out as Daria stood up quickly and headed for the stairs.
She didn’t respond.
“Just let her go,” Max said quietly.
Aury let her head fall into her hands.
“I’m really sorry,” Phillip said. “But maybe she’s right, you know? Maybe I should leave. I’m not... one of you.”
“Please don’t go,” Aury’s muffled voice whispered.
“Don’t do anything rash, Phil,” Max replied. “You’re welcome here. And I know you’ve seen some wild stuff recently but trust me, it’s nothing compared to what that girl’s been going through for the past week! Just give her some time, she’ll come around.”
Phillip nodded and the three of them tried their best to relax and let their friend have the space she needed.
____________________________
The door to Jake’s room was cracked open. Daria peered through the gap.
Helena was sitting on a chair beside the bed.
She tapped on the door a few times.
“Come in.”
As Daria pushed the door open a little further, she caught sight of Jake lying on the bed. His eyes were closed, his body perfectly still. And there was a line running from his arm up to a bag hanging from a hook on the wall.
She put her hand over her mouth as the scene took her by surprise.
“Don’t worry,” Helena comforted her. “It’s just some fluids to keep him hydrated. We have a few sleepers out here who used to be paramedics in the Advanced Cities. We try to keep some basic supplies on hand for emergencies.”
“Have you reached out to him like you did with me?”
“I’ve tried.”
“And?”
“It’s like he’s not answering me. Or not hearing me.”
Daria stared at him. He looked comfortable but so helpless. It reminded her of the corridor at the Institute, when he lay unconscious on the floor behind Dr. Reston.
I really need you right now, Jake.
I can’t lose you.
“Why don’t I leave you alone with him for a while?” Helena suggested, obviously sensing Daria’s heavy heart. She didn’t wait for a reply.
The door closed with a gentle click and Helena’s footsteps faded down the hall.
Daria didn’t sit on the chair. She slowly lowered herself to her knees beside the bed. Then she leaned forward, resting her head on Jake’s arm as she held his hand.
She tried not to think.
Even as the tears came, she tried not to sort out her thoughts or feelings.
She just let them be.
And she tried to get above them. Or behind them.
Wherever it was that the peace she had felt earlier that morning resided.
She wanted to go back there.
To that assurance that everything would be alright.
Everything.
____________________________
A field.
It stretched out beyond the horizon in every direction, so that Daria couldn’t see where it ended.
Just row after row, overflowing with flowers.
Yellow.
Red.
Blue.
Green.
Black.
Black?
And then she remembered.
She remembered how the cloud had stained them as it cut a path through the sky.
She knelt down to look at the tarnished flowers.
But she also remembered how they had crumbled, so she didn’t touch them this time.
“What happened to you?” she asked them.
“What is this... poison?”
“Will you recover?”
She reached down, moving her hand around one of them, as if she were stroking it without actually touching it.
RELEASE THEM.
“What?”
RELEASE THEM.
She didn’t understand what the voice meant but she closed her eyes and focused on its command.
“Release them... release...”
She didn’t see it as her hand began to change.
Only, it wasn’t fading into shadow the way it usually happened with other sleepers.
Instead, it grew brighter.
And brighter.
Shades of purple, like a dense galaxy swirling with energy at the beginning of time.
There was no trace of darkness.
Only light.
But her eyes were still closed.
“Release...”
The flower shuddered, ever so slightly. As if someone had breathed upon it.
Then the blackness began to recede.
Its movement was almost imperceptible.
But the inky poison along the surface of the petals began to coalesce into the tiniest of drops.
And the first of them had just begun to rise from the flower as Daria awoke from her dream.
____________________________
A door shutting in the hall startled her.
It hadn’t shut loudly but every sound was magnified by the silence in Jake’s room and the drowsiness that had washed over her.
Daria got up and peeked outside. No one was there.
But then she noticed the door to Brix’s room and decided to see if her friend was around. She was surprised she hadn’t seen her at breakfast that morning.
She’s probably wherever Brett is!
Daria tapped on the door a few times.
“Brix?”
She tapped again, a little louder.
“Hey, Brix?”
Then Daria opened the door.
Her friend was lying on the bed, the covers pulled up to her neck. Only her left arm was exposed, where the line of fluids was attached, just like she had seen with Jake.
What the...?
Not you, too.
Daria’s heart sank. She stepped closer to the bed and placed her hand on the covers.
I’m so sorry, Brix.
Instead of standing there in fear and worry, she decided to catch up with Helena and find out what had happened to her other friend.
But as she turned to leave, Daria noticed the top drawer of the dresser hanging open. She wasn’t sure what compelled her, but she decided to shut it before she left.
I feel like her mom now. ‘Clean your room, Brianna!’
As she started to push it closed, she noticed something glinting in the light.