Dream (The Waking Sleep Book 2)

by Lucy Adler

  Despite her enjoyment of the presentation, Angela couldn’t help thinking that the man on the stage was basking in the glory just a bit more than was warranted. After all, it was her boss that had overseen the development of the treatment. This guy was just a PR man. Just a cog in the machine.

  Then she checked herself. She was probably a little jealous. And that certainly wasn’t a trait she wanted anyone to catch a glimpse of.

  “This year’s calibrations,” the man continued as the crowd remained on their feet, “won’t just optimise the population’s Sendrax levels. No. This year’s calibration will bring the final solution to the problem of sleep. This year will bring...”

  He paused for dramatic effect.

  “The cure!”

  Another standing ovation followed.

  And who could blame them? There was no question that this was an historic moment.

  “Ladies and gentlemen...” the man declared, “I give you the New Humanity!”

  A slideshow began to play on the screen while a musical interlude followed. Images of adults hard at work, children sitting attentively in classrooms, families smiling and hugging one another. The elderly, carefree and laughing. The sick, rising from their hospital beds.

  “With the introduction of Direx following this year’s Calibration Season, we will witness the beginning of the end. And what do I mean by that?”

  He clicked the button in his hand.

  “The end of disease.” An image of a child in a hospital gown flashed behind him.

  “The end of poverty and inequality.” An image of a child in ragged clothing appeared next, his face downcast.

  “And...” he continued, the screen now turning black as he paused once again to heighten the suspense...

  “...soon...”

  The room itself now went dark. A quiet gasp could be heard amongst the crowd. A gasp of excited anticipation...

  “...we will witness...”

  Then the screen came to life again. Only, this time, there was no image.

  Just a bright white screen, casting its light across the faces of the audience.

  “...the end of the End itself!”

  Instead of an immediate, rousing applause, there was another gasp. A gasp of awe and wonder.

  “If Sendrax was the lamppost, that light in the darkness that showed us the way towards a better future, then Direx is the gateway to the promised land! And once we pass through, there will be nothing left to hold us back. Nothing left to hinder Humanity from reaching its fullest potential. Nothing... not even death itself will be able to hold us. Once we have cast off the last shackles of sleep, it will only be a matter of time before we shatter that most final of all restraints and embrace the existence we have earned. The existence we deserve!”

  Then came the applause. Another standing ovation.

  Amidst the echoes of celebration that now filled the hall, the man on the stage bowed in pride and gratitude. And as the moment eventually passed and the crowd returned to their seats, he concluded his presentation on a rather ominous note.

  “Of course, this new existence will come at a price. It will require work, hard work. It will require diligence and vigilance. But this is a price we must gladly pay if we care anything at all about the common good. The good of our families, our children, and their children after them.”

  The crowd nodded in agreement.

  “There will be no place for selfishness in the coming months and years. No place for those who seek to steal that future from us and our descendants.”

  More vigorous nodding followed, including a “Hear, hear!” from one part of the audience.

  “No place for anyone unwilling to embrace the values of our society. A society that has and will flourish through a zealous pursuit of our Guidelines - including, first and foremost, the Fundamental Guideline itself: ‘Work will make us all safe, happy, and free’.”

  The man paced back and forth along the stage in silence for a moment, then he continued.

  “Think well upon our motto. Ex nihilo nihil fit. That is precisely what Sendrax sought to liberate us from. The weakness, the emptiness, the vanity of idleness. And that is the vision that Direx will fulfil. For everyone. Including those who would seek to undermine our values, those things we hold most dear. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that they, too, are liberated. That they, too, are elevated out of darkness...” he waved his hand toward the bright white screen, “and into the light! Thank you!”

  He concluded with a nod of his own and a brief wave, then exited the stage in the direction he had entered while the audience gave a final round of applause.

  Angela stood with them, clapping her hands and smiling.

  She was filled with a sense of pride. A sense of purpose and of place.

  And she did her best to ignore the vague feeling of nausea that had begun to settle in the pit of her stomach.

  ____________________________

  “Oh, hello, Croft. You’re looking well tonight.”

  “Thank you, Terrence. So are you.”

  “One does one’s best!” the man replied. He was in his early fifties, with black hair that was now more grey than black. He had a kind, almost jovial way about him, which was one of the reasons Angela sought him out that evening. She had met him at a few previous functions the doctor had taken her to, and he had always been warm and welcoming.

  “Is Kate with you?” she asked.

  “No, I’m afraid she’s unwell this evening. Poor thing.”

  “That’s a shame. Give her my best.”

  “And where’s Charles tonight?” the man replied, looking around as if her boss were hiding somewhere. “I know he’s not a fan of Guild meetings generally speaking, but I’m surprised he’d miss this one.”

  “Oh, you know Charles Reston. He’s devoted to the work!” Angela laughed. “He puts us all to shame!”

  “Speaking of the work,” Terrence replied, raising his eyebrows with a look of excitement, “I was wondering, Croft... how would you like to manage your own calibration centre this season?”

  Now Angela’s eyebrows went up. And her mouth fell open.

  “Are you serious?” she replied.

  “Absolutely!”

  “Is Charles ok with it?”

  “Leave that to me,” Terrence winked. “He knows just as well as I do how much potential you have. You’re the future, Croft! Might as well start getting you some more experience outside the lab.”

  “You’re too kind, Terrence. I... I really appreciate this. You have no idea.”

  “Nonsense,” he replied, stepping closer and giving her a side hug. “You’ve earned it! You deserve everything you get, Croft. I’m proud of you!”

  She didn’t know what else to say. So she just smiled, sipped her champagne, and enjoyed the moment.

  “Oh, and I’ll make sure to have Kate forward you the briefing materials for site managers. There are some new protocols this year, what with the introduction of Direx and all that. You’ll want to make sure you’ve familiarised yourself with all of it before the season begins. Sound good?”

  “Sounds excellent!”

  ____________________________

  Angela arrived back at her apartment that night. She tossed her things on the couch and ate a late dinner from whatever leftovers she had in the fridge. When she was finished, she took a shower and changed into her pajamas. Then she grabbed a small black bag from her bedroom closet.

  She carried it with her down the narrow hallway and into the next room beside hers.

  There was a bed pushed up against the wall, with a nightstand to one side. She walked over to it and switched on the lamp.

  Angela stared down at her sister lying peacefully on the bed.

  Then she unzipped the black bag and pulled out a syringe and a vial of Direx. She inserted the needle in the top and drew out the liquid until it was full, giving it a little squirt at the end, along with a few taps of her finger to remove the air bubbles.

/>   She stared at it in the light of the lamp. She thought the Direx actually had a rather attractive appearance. It had a certain elegance to it, despite its rusty colouring. A certain depth that made it feel substantial somehow.

  Angela leaned over and lowered the syringe toward her sister’s neck.

  She tilted Julia’s head a little to the side as she lined up the injection site.

  Then she hesitated.

  She stood up straight and looked at the syringe in the light of the lamp once again. She grabbed the vial in her other hand as she slowly pressed down on the plunger, sending a fine stream of the drug back into its original container. When she raised the syringe again, it was only half full.

  Angela lowered it a second time to her sister’s neck.

  When the injection was complete, she zipped up her black bag, switched off the lamp, and shut the door behind her as she left the room.

  ____________________________

  “Breakfast!”

  “Angela? What the hell is going on?”

  Julia was still groggy and trying to orient herself as she tugged at the handcuffs that secured one of her wrists to the metal bed frame.

  “Breakfast,” her sister repeated calmly. “What, you’ve never heard of it?” She placed a tray on the nightstand. It had a protein bar and a banana on it.

  “I’m not kidding, Angie. What is this? Where am I?”

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “Really? You’re worried about nicknames when you’ve got me handcuffed to a bed? Are you insane?”

  “Enjoy!” her sister replied with a smile as she exited the room and closed the door.

  ____________________________

  “Lunch!”

  Julia didn’t say anything this time.

  She had been trying to ‘say’ something for the last few hours. Calling, yelling, waiting for her sister to respond. But there had been no reply.

  Angela set another tray down on the nightstand. This time, it had a sandwich on it, along with a side of rather dry looking crackers.

  “Look, Jules --”

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “Oh, so now you’re worried about nicknames?”

  Angela shook her head and left the room.

  ____________________________

  “Dinner!”

  As Angela set another tray of food down beside her sister, their eyes met.

  “Just tell me why.”

  “Because I can’t trust you. Yet.”

  “What does that even mean?” Julia replied in frustrated confusion.

  “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

  “No, let’s talk about it now.”

  “Tomorrow,” Angela replied, patting her sister on the knee. “It’ll make sense in the morning.”

  ____________________________

  “Breakf--”

  “I know!” Julia interrupted her with a sigh.

  “Soooo, how was your night?” Angela asked with a chipper voice.

  “What have you done, Angie?”

  “So it worked, eh?”

  “What did you do?”

  “I’m giving you a taste.”

  “A taste of what?”

  “Freedom, Jules.”

  Julia stared at her sister in a mix of anger and disbelief.

  “Did you even need your 45?” Angela asked.

  “No,” she whispered.

  “Excellent! Well, then, I guess we can take those off now.”

  She tossed the key for the handcuffs to Julia.

  “But do bear in mind that I still have that taser. Don’t give me an excuse to use it. I’d really rather not.”

  “So you did this just until the drugs took effect?” she asked, rubbing the bruise where the metal had pressed against her skin.

  “Pretty much.”

  “What, you were afraid I was going to heal my way out of here?” Julia laughed.

  “Never hurts to take precautions. I don’t know what you people get up to these days.”

  “You people!” she laughed again. “As if you and I are different.”

  “More different than you know, Jules.”

  “More similar than you’re willing to admit, Angie.”

  “Well, as stimulating as this conversation is,” Angela replied with a deep breath, “I really do have some work to do. I’m trusting you to behave yourself and stay here while I’m out, ok?”

  “And why would I do that? Where is ‘here’ anyway?”

  The conversation had now moved down the hall and into the living room.

  “My apartment! I thought you might like to see it. You know, since you never visit or anything.”

  Julia gave her a cold stare.

  “And as for why you’ll stay put while I’m out. Hmm, what are their names?” her sister replied, looking up at the ceiling as if she were having trouble remembering. “Oh, that’s right! Max and Aurora.”

  “What about them?”

  “They’re enjoying their stay with us at the Institute. And if you want to make sure they continue enjoying their stay, then you’ll behave yourself. Deal?”

  She smiled and maintained eye contact with her sister as she lied about the recently-escaped prisoners.

  Julia squinted and lowered her brow. She wasn’t sure which she felt more, anger or anxiety.

  “What about the others?” she asked quietly. “What happened last night?”

  “That was four nights ago. The night of the 4th, early morning on the 5th. Today’s the 8th. You were kinda... out of it, for a couple of days. I woke you here and there for some water or a snack, but sedatives tend to have that effect.”

  “Sedatives?”

  “I was taking my time deciding what I was going to do with you.”

  “You really have lost it, haven’t you? Like, you’re actually out of your mind.”

  “Well, maybe when the Direx wears off, you can heal it for me?” she laughed sarcastically. “Or maybe by then, you’ll come to see things differently and we can enjoy a bright future together!”

  Angela collected her things and walked to the front door.

  “And Jules,” she said, getting her sister’s attention one last time. “I’m watching.” She pointed vaguely around the room, then at her tablet tucked beneath her arm. “Be a good girl. For Max and Aurora.”

  ____________________________

  Julia sat on the couch, arms folded. She glanced around the room but she wasn’t really paying attention to anything in it. She sighed as she thought of Max and Aury, stuck in some kind of prison at that horrible place.

  And what about Jake? Corey? Daria?

  She closed her eyes and leaned forward, elbows on her knees, head in her hands.

  “Hold it together, Julia...” she whispered to herself. “Just think...”

  Angela hadn’t mentioned the rest of them. She had only corrected her on how many nights it had been since their rescue attempt.

  “That’s gotta be a good thing, right? Or is it...?”

  She let the alternatives swirl around in her mind for a few minutes before she finally came to a conclusion. The only conclusion she could handle at that moment.

  “They must have made it out. They had to.”

  But then the other half of her current situation washed over her mind. And it gave her a chill.

  “Direx...”

  She sat up straight and looked down at her hands, turning them palm up, then down again.

  She closed her eyes and tried to focus.

  But it was fruitless.

  Like static on an old-fashioned radio, there was nothing coming through to her, nothing to focus on. No sense of anything beyond the living room and her own thoughts.

  She tried for a long time but it ultimately ended in frustration.

  Julia gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists, then she relaxed them again and looked around the room.

  “Just hold it together, Jules... and find a way out of this.”

  __
__________________________

  Angela got in her car and slammed the door shut a little harder than was necessary.

  She tossed her things on the seat next to her, then leaned forward on the steering wheel, her head in her hand.

  “What am I doing...”

  Her face felt flushed as she squeezed her eyelids tightly. Memories flooded her mind.

  She gritted her teeth in frustration.

  Then one line came crashing through her thoughts. One line from the presentation the previous night.

  “No place for anyone unwilling to embrace the values of our society...”

  She sat up straight and looked at the seat next to her. Her Institute ID lay on top of her bag. She picked it up and stared at herself for a moment.

  Angela tossed the card on the seat again and took a deep breath. She folded down the visor in front of her and used the mirror as she pulled her hair back, smoothing it out and tying it off in a bun at the back of her head.

  Then she started the car and left for work.

  ____________________________

  “You’re still alive. That’s good, right?”

  Eric rolled his eyes.

  “How’d it go?” Angela asked.

  “He wasn’t happy, that’s for sure. But he didn’t get nearly as angry as I expected. Honestly, he seemed kind of distracted. And his eyes were a little... funny.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t know how to describe it. Maybe a little distant? Or hazy?”

  “Hmm, strange,” Angela replied in a tone that didn’t seem too concerned by Eric’s observations. She hadn’t yet told him about the ‘powers’ she had seen the doctor demonstrate on more than one occasion.

  “So where were you yesterday?” he asked.

  “I was working from home.”

  “Big night at The Guild, eh? Couldn’t make it to work the next day?” he teased her.

  “Something like that,” she smiled.

  “Well, I better get to it,” Eric said, giving her a quick kiss on the head. “We’re processing out the last of the students that were brought in for Daria’s ‘conditioning’ period. I guess the doctor doesn’t think we’ll be bringing her back anytime soon, so there’s no reason to keep up the show!”