Dream (The Waking Sleep Book 2)

by Lucy Adler

  “I was just remembering something Dr. Reston said to me the night we rescued Brix.”

  She shook her head, then leaned back again on the couch and looked up at the ceiling as she repeated his words for them.

  “‘We’re connected now, Ms. Grayson. You and I.’”

  “What does that mean?” Livy asked.

  Daria didn’t answer right away.

  “Connected?” Aury repeated. “How?”

  “You said it,” Daria finally replied. “The gift gives our brains a purple glow.”

  Aury’s eyes were wider than wide now.

  “You think he --”

  “Yup,” Daria cut her off. “I think that’s exactly what he did.”

  “But how could he have done that without you knowing it?”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” Max cut in. “Can we just be clear here for a second? Are you saying you think the doctor took some of the purple glow from your brain?”

  Daria nodded.

  “But how? What about the point Livy made?”

  “I know, I know,” Daria said emphatically, “but we already know there’s something physical to it as well. How else could Sendrax and Direx shut down our powers?”

  “Well, of course. But that doesn’t mean the gift itself is just a chemical.”

  “I agree. But maybe whatever it is that makes our brains purple is what allows us to, you know, connect with it. Like, it makes us sensitive to it, or something.”

  “So you think the doctor has made himself sensitive to the gift?” Livy asked.

  “Maybe?” Daria replied with an unsure look.

  “I think there’s one thing you’re forgetting. We don’t control the gift. We only work with it. We can’t take the powers it gives us and do whatever we like with them. The gift either has to lead us or agree with us. Which means, if the doctor is accessing the dream-state, then the gift wanted him to burn down part of our settlement, hurt Jake, and control Brix.”

  Everyone paused for a moment.

  “Spot on,” Max finally said, giving Livy a nod.

  “Yeah, I hadn’t thought about it like that,” Daria replied.

  “The gift wouldn’t do that, right?” Aury asked.

  “Not a chance,” Phillip added. “Even I know that!”

  “But,” Livy continued, “that doesn’t mean that Daria’s wrong. He may very well have extracted something from her brain.”

  “So then,” Daria replied, “I guess the question is, if he’s developed some kind of ‘imitation gift’, where’s the power part coming from?”

  Just then, the front door opened and Helena came inside, stomping her snow-covered boots on the mat and unzipping her jacket.

  “Oh, am I interrupting?” she asked with a smile as she spotted their little group gathered around the fire.

  “No, not at all!” Daria said, smiling back at her. “In fact, you could probably help us figure something out.”

  “Oh really? And what’s that?” Helena said. She had removed her boots and was now coming over to join them.

  “Well, we have a theory!” Aury said excitedly. Then she stopped herself and looked at Daria. “I guess you should probably tell it!”

  Daria caught Helena up on their conversation, tracing their various thoughts right up to the idea that Dr. Reston may have taken the purple liquid from Daria’s brain.

  “I even remembered something creepy he said to me at the Institute, about the two of us being ‘connected’ now. Anyway, so what do you think? And where do you think his power is coming from?”

  She looked at Helena with anticipation. They all did, hoping for some words of wisdom, or at least another idea to help their theory along.

  But instead, her expression went flat.

  She turned and looked into the fire as she left them hanging for what felt like an eternity.

  Finally, she turned back and smiled again. Only, it wasn’t quite as warm or as lighthearted as when she arrived.

  “May I speak with Daria alone, please?”

  Each of them looked at one another, then at Daria.

  “Of course,” Aury replied, answering for the group.

  “But they’re just as much a part of all of this as I am,” Daria objected. “Can’t they stay?”

  “Don’t worry,” Helena replied, looking at the group, “we won’t keep anything from you guys. I just think it might be easier if we have some space first.”

  “You don’t have to explain it,” Max said, waving his hand. “We all know this kid’s special,” he continued, pointing at Daria and giving her a wink. “Even if she doesn’t always like to admit it!”

  ____________________________

  “So, what did you think of our idea?” Daria asked after the rest of the group had left them alone by the fire.

  “We’ll get to that,” the older woman replied. “I’d like to talk with you about something else first.”

  “Ok...? Am I in trouble?”

  “No,” Helena laughed. “I just thought we should discuss the humming.”

  Daria took a deep breath and let it out. She hadn’t heard the humming for several days now, and she was quite happy about that.

  “You’ve heard it too, haven’t you?” she asked.

  Helena nodded.

  “So what is it, then?”

  “Do you remember our day out on the lake?”

  “Of course!” Daria replied happily. “Listening deeply. And those crazy sounds below the ice. That was pretty awesome.”

  “Do you remember what you said as we walked back up to the road?”

  Daria thought about it for a moment.

  “I’m not sure...?”

  “You said that someone would never expect those sounds if they were just standing there on the edge,” Helena reminded her.

  “Oh yeah, right. I remember now.”

  “In fact, you didn’t even hear them when you were on the lake. It wasn’t until you were still enough that the sounds became apparent.”

  “True.”

  “You see, Daria,” Helena continued, “all is not well in Progress. Of course, you know a little bit about that already! You know that Sendrax was suppressing your gift. You know that sleepers have been - and still are - treated poorly. You got a little taste for the deception at the Institute. But there’s more... beneath the surface.”

  “The Dark?” Daria replied in a half-whisper.

  “All you’ll ever hear is how prosperous we are now. How healthy, how productive, how happy and peaceful everyone is. It’s the same line in all the Advanced Cities, and in every place where Sendrax is the norm. Everyone you meet will agree that life is good and getting even better everyday. And to a certain extent, it’s true - on the surface. But it’s only because they’re all moving too fast to listen - to really listen. It’s like...” Helena thought about it for a moment before she continued. “It’s like everything we know, from work to school, from the food we eat to the very people we are, is being hollowed out. It all looks normal, even good, on the outside. But inside...”

  Hollowed out.

  “I’ve seen that before,” Daria said, her eyes widening. Then she told Helena about her first dream with the ink-like cloud and the field of flowers. “I wasn’t sure what I was seeing but I figured it had to do with the Dark.”

  “Those kinds of passive dreams that come to us while we sleep are always important. The gift is showing you something for a reason.”

  “So is this ‘infection’ causing the humming sound, then?” Daria asked.

  “Exactly. You’re sensing its presence in a very real way. A way that, so far, most other sleepers haven’t.

  “Well, after that mind-numbing noise that left me unconscious on the couch the other night, I can’t say I’m super happy to be this sensitive to the Dark. But if, like you said, the gift is showing me something for a reason, then I don’t want to ignore it.”

  Helena smiled and placed her hand on Daria’s knee.

  “And even if your
friends don’t hear it,” she said, “that doesn’t mean they can’t help you face it.”

  “This is more of that ‘battle’ stuff that Brett was mentioning,” Daria laughed nervously. “Do you really think there’s like some kind of fight happening, or something?”

  “All we know is that this conflict has been going on for a long time. Sendrax and sleepers are just the latest form.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Other sleepers have had dreams...” Helena said, trailing off as she leaned back and stared into the fireplace. “And now it seems like you’re one of them.”

  “But I don’t really know anything,” Daria said, shrugging her shoulders. “Just a couple of dreams about some black cloud and flowers. That’s it.”

  “Couple?” Helena asked. “You only told me about one.”

  “Oh, well,” Daria hesitated, picking up a pillow and hugging it close to her. “I was visiting Jake and I sort of dozed off for I don’t know how long, just kneeling and leaning on the side of his bed. Anyway, I saw the field again, and the wispy ink cloud. And the stained flowers. I held my hand out but didn’t touch anything this time. Then I heard the voice tell me...”

  “Tell you what?”

  “It’s kind of strange,” Daria said with a cringe. “It said, ‘Release them’.”

  Helena’s eyes widened a little but her face remained unchanged.

  “Then what?” she asked.

  “Well, then I closed my eyes and just focused on that idea. I don’t think anything happened, though. I mean, my eyes were closed, so I wasn’t looking. But I didn’t feel anything. Then a door slammed in the hall and woke me up. That’s it.”

  Helena smiled and stared into the fireplace again, shaking her head ever so slightly.

  There was a brief period of silence before Daria continued, changing the subject.

  “So, what did you think of our idea about Dr. Reston and the purple liquid?” she asked eagerly. “Is there a chance we’re right?”

  “Absolutely,” Helena replied without even pausing to think.

  “Really?”

  “Definitely.”

  “But how can you be sure?”

  “Because he did the same thing to me.”

  19

  Year: 50

  (10 years ago)

  CHOICES

  (PART I)

  “How was your day?”

  “Great! We’re making excellent progress on the latest version of the cure.”

  “You know, you’re going to have to come up with a name for it at some point.”

  “You’re right! I suppose Sendrax 2.0 would be kind of dumb, eh?”

  “Yeah, just a little,” Lena laughed as she gave Charlie a kiss to welcome him home.

  “And you know what this means?” he replied. “If we’re successful this time, you might not have to hide anymore,” he said, placing his hand on the side of her face. “Everything will be back to normal.”

  She smiled and pressed her cheek into his hand.

  “Won’t that be great?”

  “Yes, it certainly will,” she replied.

  “Besides, it’s been a little while now since you’ve had one of those intense dreams, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  “And nothing else strange, right?”

  “Right.”

  “So who knows, maybe you won’t even need the cure by the time it’s finished!” he laughed.

  “Maybe. You’ve definitely had some breakthroughs recently, haven’t you? Seems like all the years of hard work are paying off.”

  “I think so,” he said as he leaned over and picked up the two bags he had been carrying when he came into the house. “Let me just put these away and we can have dinner.”

  While Lena took care of setting the table and bringing out the food, Charlie disappeared into his home office for a few minutes. He set the bags down on the right side of his massive, L-shaped desk, and unzipped one of them.

  He pulled out a white case, about the size of a toaster. He set it down on the desk and popped the latch that held it closed.

  Inside, protected by layers of dense black foam, was a white cylinder.

  He picked it up and pressed a button on one end. A row of blue lights came to life along the top edge, while a very fine needle slowly protruded from the opposite end.

  He stared blankly at it for a while, taking a few slow breaths.

  “Charlie? Are you coming?”

  “Be right there!”

  He quickly pressed the button again and the device shut down.

  Before he left the room, he reached into his bag again and pulled out a bottle of wine and a small pill bottle. Then he headed down the hall for dinner.

  ____________________________

  “That was lovely, as usual.”

  “Thanks. It’s nothing special.”

  “I disagree,” Charlie said with a smile. “Oh, but that reminds me. I brought home some wine. Let me get us a couple of glasses.”

  In the early days of the development of Sendrax, it was discovered that if patients consumed alcohol while on the drug, it could cause some very undesirable cognitive side effects. But once the incredible benefits of Sendrax became clear, it wasn’t too difficult to convince the public that giving up alcohol was a small price to pay to be liberated from the burden of sleep. Wine, beer, champagne, and other drinks of the sort still existed but only in their nonalcoholic forms.

  “What made you pick that up?” Lena asked as he went into the kitchen.

  “Oh, a few colleagues at work spoke quite highly of this particular vineyard. I thought we might enjoy it.”

  He popped the cork and fetched two glasses from the cabinet.

  Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the pill bottle. He tapped it gently and quietly until two capsules fell out into his hand. He broke them open and dumped their contents into the bottom of one of the glasses.

  Charlie picked up the wine bottle, then paused.

  His heart was beating faster, and heavier.

  He leaned against the counter and closed his eyes for a second, gritting his teeth as he did.

  Then he steeled himself and continued, pouring the deep red beverage over the small pile of powder in the bottom of the first glass. He grabbed it by the stem and swirled the wine, making sure it masked the substance without leaving a visible residue.

  “Here you are!” he said, placing Lena’s in front of her as he returned to the table.

  “Lovely!” she said, admiring the rich colour and fragrant bouquet.

  Then she held up her glass before she drank.

  “To us, my love!”

  Charlie hesitated for a second, then smiled.

  “To us, my dear!” he replied, raising his glass and tapping it against hers.

  ____________________________

  “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Lena said as she walked slowly down the hall to the living room. “I don’t know what came over me.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Charlie said, meeting her halfway and helping her to the couch.

  “Thanks,” she replied as she took hold of his arm. “I’m just a little wobbly. That was such a deep sleep! How long was I out?”

  “Only an hour or so.”

  “Really? Wow. It felt like two days!”

  Charlie laughed as they sat down together on the sofa. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. She let her head rest on his shoulder.

  “Thanks for understanding, Charlie. It really means a lot.”

  “Of course. Waking or sleeping, you’re still my wonderful wife!”

  Lena smiled and pulled her feet up beside her, leaning more fully into him. They stayed that way for about half an hour, until she started scratching the back of her head.

  “Are you alright?” Charlie asked.

  “Oh, just an itch,” she replied, scratching it a few more times. Then she sat up with a frown, looking at her finger. There was a tiny blood stain
on it. “Will you have a look? It feels like there’s a bump back there.”

  Lena flipped her long, silvery hair over her head and pointed to the spot.

  “Right around here, maybe?”

  Charlie separated the various strands to get a look at the skin beneath them.

  “I don’t see anything,” he said. “You’re right, there’s a tiny bump, but it’s nothing. Maybe you just scratched it too hard. I wouldn’t be too worried.”

  She let her hair fall down her back again.

  “I get this from time to time. It lasts about a day or two. Makes me feel like I need another shower!” she cringed. “Oh well, whatever. So, do you have some work to do tonight?”

  Charlie rolled his eyes and nodded.

  “Sorry,” he replied with an apologetic face. “I’ve actually got to run back to the Institute. Just for a couple hours, I hope. But I shouldn’t have to work as late for the next week or so, which will be nice.”

  Lena leaned in and gave him a kiss.

  “You’re saving the world, Charles!” she teased him. “How could I say no?”

  “Charles, eh?” he smiled. “Well, thank you for that, my dear Helena!”

  ____________________________

  “Perfect timing! I thought we were going to have to find something else to work on.”

  “This’ll be the last portion for a while. Use it wisely.”

  The man in the lab coat held up the two vials and raised his eyebrows.

  “You can’t expect us to finish with just this much. We have a long way to go still. We’re going to need a steady suppl--”

  “Well you’re not getting it, Mike,” Charlie interrupted him. “At least, not for the time being. So make it last and get the job done, ok?”

  “You can say ‘get the job done’ all you like, Charles. But if we don’t have the resources, it’s impossible.”

  Charlie stepped closer to him. Mike was seated on a high stool facing one of the benches in the lab. Charlie placed his right arm around his shoulders and leaned on the bench with his left.

  “As I recall, you’ll be applying for Guild membership soon, won’t you?”

  Mike looked up at him, squinting his eyes and furrowing his brow.