After pressing the mark, I was instantly reverted back to my regular self. “What a relief,” I muttered. I had a sudden thought. “Elysian, do you think Starry Knight has a regular side, too?”
“You mean like you? It’s possible,” Elysian admitted. “But there is no doubt she is more familiar with the Immortal Realm.”
“What?” I asked.
“There is no doubt she knows more than we do,” Elysian repeated. “When she showed up to fight, she knew who Maia was, and who Shezape was, and what they were doing. Only a Starlight warrior would know such things on her own.”
I caught sight of Gwen. Before Elysian could explain further about stuff I didn’t really get, I shook my head. “Never mind. I’ll let you tell me later.”
Elysian’s head fell into his claws as I happily scampered over to my would-be girlfriend. “Augh!” he cried out softly, but still loud enough I could hear. “Two steps forward, seven steps back! That’s all it is with that kid!”
I smirked. Elysian was never going to be the boss of me.
20
Acceptance
“Gwen!”
She turned at the sound of her name. “Hammy!”
I slowed in my running, realizing I need a good story to tell Gwen. I didn’t really want to say anything about anything.
Elysian hopped up on my sleeve and changed from his tiny dragon self into a chameleon. “Kid,” he whispered, “I wouldn’t say anything about what happened if I were you.”
“I’m not going to,” I mumbled back. Did Elysian really think I was that stupid? “Now, shut up, or she’ll realize you can talk.”
I made my way over to Gwen’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, I guess,” Gwen replied, sadly. “I don’t know about Tim. He got hurt trying to save me!”
I rolled my eyes as I saw the mushy expression in Gwen’s eyes. It looked like I had a bumpy road ahead of me if I was going to win over Gwen’s heart.
“Did you find Adam?”
“Huh?” Gwen’s question cut through my inner turmoil like a knife through peanut butter.
“I asked you if you found your brother,” Gwen said again patiently. “I don’t think he was around here when I was attacked, thankfully.”
“Uh… no, I didn’t find him yet! Oh great! My parents are going to kill me!”
“Well, I’m glad neither of you were nearby when the fighting broke out,” Gwen replied. “That weird lady from before came back, and tried to hurt me. She had another one of those really ugly creatures with her. But guess what?” She gave me this big smile. “I saw her again! Starry Knight! She came back and protected me!”
I gave her back a forced smile and nodded as she gushed about her role model. I didn’t really pay any close attention to her – smiled and nodded, said “uh-huh” and smiled some more – until she started talking about her new superhero.
“He was really strong, and he was just so amazing,” Gwen said. Her eyes glittered with admiration. “I didn’t get his name, but I hope to see him again!”
I grinned to myself. Maybe I’ll like this hero business after all.
The ambulances arrived a short time later. A couple of medical personnel asked Gwen if they could check her to make sure she was fine. I only smiled as I thought about how Gwen had radiated affection for her rescuer – moi, of course.
“Careful,” Elysian warned me as he crept up near my ear. “You can’t keep thinking like that.”
“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
Probably too innocently, because Elysian sighed.
“This isn’t a joke, kid,” he reminds me. “The only way you’ll ever grow in power is if you learn more and practice. You can’t go back to your ignorant fairy-tale dream world where it’s all about you. Commitment is a major issue, Hamilton.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I waved him off. “I’ll worry about it later.” I looked back to see Gwen was back sitting on her bench; I guess she was waiting for the results of some test. Then I noticed there was a slight shadow hanging over her.
It took me a moment to realize the shadow was a person. A girl. She looked familiar, but I didn’t know why.
As I watched, the girl tugged her hand, and for the first time, I noticed there was a familiar-looking little boy holding onto her.
Adam.
I decided it was time to head over.
“Oh, Adam!” Gwen leaned over and picked him up. He was small enough to fit on her lap comfortably. She turned her attention back to the girl, and I was close enough to hear her remark, “Thank you so much. He’s the brother of one of my friends. We’ve have been looking for him. In fact, that’s what we were doing when –”
The girl nodded. “I’m glad you found him then. I’ve got to get home now, so will you please see he gets back to his brother?”
“Sure,” Gwen smiled. “See you later.”
“Bye,” the girl waved and disappeared down the block before I could make my entrance.
“She’s so nice,” Gwen smiled. She looked down at a smiling Adam. “Hammy’s going to be so happy you’ve been found!”
“I sure am,” I said, startling her as I came up beside them.
“Ham! Adam’s been found,” Gwen was so happy to give me the good news; I was endeared by her genuine concern for my brother.
Adam only cooed in response.
Later that night, I remember lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the day’s events.
It sure wasn’t the day I’d been expecting. I’d missed the football game, and I was going to hear it from Coach Shinal and my teammates the following Monday.
I’d almost lost my brother, a nice way of saying I’d almost lost my life.
I had almost, almost, seen Gwen and Tim completely break it off.
So much had happened I was dizzy just thinking about it all. I’d learned a lot. But it’d just been the beginning.
I still didn’t know if it would really change me, although I cringed at the very thought.
Three Months Later
I watched as Elysian breathed evenly, curled up at the foot of my bed. I envied Elysian, that he could sleep so soundly after what happened. The memory of this night would stay with me for a long time. I instinctively knew this; perhaps it would even stay forever.
It’d been three months since everything happened. Only three months since my world shrunk and was eaten viciously and voraciously by another. Three months since my comfort zone suddenly burst into a war zone for some interdimensional dispute.
It had taken me three months, but I knew for certain, at last.
I could see the chasm, the beginning of the bridge in my heart, by which I might get back – back to what, I could only guess. But there was no mistaking the murmur of certainty running along my thoughts as I curled up to sleep that night.
I was certain, after the battle with Daikan had at last been laid to rest, and the press had been averted, I would likely never be able to go back to my own world, where it was free of worry and battles and Elysian’s snoring and Starry Knight’s starry eyes and annoying smirk. It was a certainty born of knowledge and nurtured with acceptance despite reluctance.
I’d learned there was a higher purpose in my life than going to college and getting a degree; that some things in life could be miraculous (such as how someone who wanted to save the world could be so mean at the same time.)
That there was a world beyond me out there; one I can’t see or touch, but one I can know by the brief inklings of my heart and the small stirrings of my soul.
That there was someone out there who had marked me as his own for purposes I cannot fully grasp, for reasons I will likely never comprehend – but for something that was right, far more than feeling right.
Maybe that was the most important
truth of all. Or maybe it was the beginning of a journey that would lead me to it.
It feels strange, I thought, as I turned over on my stomach, to see things the way I see them now. I yawned, ready to go to sleep at last. Ironically, I felt like I’d only been asleep until now; now, I knew the illusions and ideas I had before were not really the truth, and the truth was not always clear. But it is there, slowly being revealed, like the world after a dream.
Author’s Note & Acknowledgements
There are many joys in life, but none is so pleasing as that of revenge. Too bad mine is tainted with sentimentality and a hint of longing. So yeah, this book was largely written in an underground type of way, mostly in lieu of Prozac.
I hated high school. I hated it. But I loved it, too. I really, truly loved it. There were stupid things that I experienced in it I will never find in other places. But there were amazing things I have only experienced there, too; things I know I will never find anywhere else.
And I am afraid of forgetting. Of forgetting, both at once, how horrible and wonderful high school was. How horrible and wonderful people can be. And how faithful and gracious God is, even when I don’t deserve it – such as how this book came together. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and a good story it is no different.
I’d like to thank some certain people for making a difference in my life and my book. The stories we read and the ones I write would be bereft of any life-like qualities with the characters I have in my own life without them. Among them is my mother, a true lady of inspiration, and Ryan, who has the true heart of a hero.
I’d also like to thank my editor, Chelsea, who has been faithfully counted among my best friends for many years. I cannot thank her enough for all her hard work and diligence in putting up with sorting through my word play and not-so-subtle inside jokes. And I’d also like to thank the people who made this book a reality at WestBow Press. I’m not an easy person to get to work, or to please, or even to put up with most days (temperamental artist mentality, you know.) But they managed (miraculously, no doubt), and I think we made a great partnership.
This story reflects on one main issue – belief – and two critical responses: spiritual battles and the ignorance with which the majority of us face it. The subtitle, Slumbering was no accident. Hamilton’s spirit, in the sense where he would desire good for all humanity and for the greatest good found only on the other side of time, is ‘sleeping.’ He is only concerned with himself and his own personal happiness, health, and affluence. And he doesn’t want to believe anything otherwise. Why do we believe what we believe? Usually, simply because we want to, and Ham is no exception to that matter. Don’t get me wrong – Hamilton is my favorite character, no question. I love him because he’s so…ironic. Hateable, but loveable, too. Infuriating and stubborn, cynically and egotistical, who wouldn’t love him and hate him? And love to hate him?
Slumbering is meant to show the desire for truth and love will bring us to the one who can bring us power. I found him a long time ago, but his fingerprints on my life and its work remains. And it’s all to him I owe everything. So this is dedicated first to him, and I will trust him to do what he thinks is good.
Until we meet again,
C. S. Johnson
Slumbering Page 20