by Adara Quick
Lastly there was the possibility of being chosen for Dream Drone - to give up her free will and serve at the pleasure of the state. Luckily, being part of a Maker family gave her an edge for the dream of Selection over most of the other students; novices to the Academy tended to be selected out of Maker families. And Deirdre would take even the Academy over Dream Drone. Pondering those options was depressing, and her glo ball drooped a little with her thoughts.
Most people slogged through their workday, counting the minutes on their internal timepieces until they could go home, suck down a Nutripak, and enter the dream world. But Deirdre didn’t want to be like the rest of the city. She didn’t care how many Matchers she could become in the dream world. I want to feel more than the plain grey of Skellig City. I want to be bowled over by life. Somehow.
The teacher cleared his throat and Deirdre realized that her daydreaming had been noticed. She quickly bent back to her glo ball and found that by using the slightest wiggle of her palm, she could keep her ball almost absolutely still, hovering like a tiny blue sun.
Mr. MacAleese got up from his chair and said, “I’m going to pair up a few of you to try something harder. Deirdre and Flynn will be together. Also, Iona with Daley, and Braden with Miren. Your task will be to toss your ball to your partner while catching the ball they toss to you.”
Shauna raised her hand while Fianna sat in her chair and pouted. They were both having trouble with the exercise. Shauna said, “Mr. MacAleese. I’m going to win Dream Match. I don’t understand why I have to learn this stupid stuff. It’s not like I’m going to need it. Maybe the others do, but not me, surely.”
The teacher cleared his throat. In a tone of sarcasm that was lost on Shauna, he said, “Well, Shauna. I always need advanced students who can be a model for the others. Now, can you do that for all of us?”
“Oh, all right,” replied Shauna. “I’ll be the silly model for the class. All eyes on me, everyone. How do you toss the ball?”
Mr. MacAleese gave the instructions. But Shauna’s ball dropped onto the floor and just sat there. No amount of hand waving could get it going again. Deirdre and Flynn shared amused looks and went to work on their assignment, easily tossing their ball of light back and forth.
As the hour went by, the room was filled with a luminescence that brought an uncommon beauty to the halls of Skellig City. By the end of the class, most of the Matchers were still unable to catch a holo. Deirdre felt pleased about that, and then a little guilty. Well, if they wanted my pity, they shouldn’t have picked on Flynn.
Then the door opened and the room fell silent. Deirdre’s glo ball developed a small red blotch; in her world it was the color of fear. She whirled around and saw them at the front of the class: two red-dressed Drones and the Medical Director in his white lab coat. It was the moment Deirdre had feared ever since Flynn was exposed at Maeve’s ritual.
Someone next to her whispered, “It’s the Drones. I heard they’re always half in dream, receiving orders wirelessly through the cloud.”
Another said, “Yeah. But not those two. They’re on full alert. See the eyes? All red.”
Leading the pair of Drones, Odran spoke in a voice that hit the room with an icy frost. “Flynn Brennan. Please walk slowly to the front of the room. Do as you’re told and there won’t be any trouble for anyone else.”
Flynn glanced sidelong at Deirdre and then stood up. A red flush came up into Deirdre’s cheeks and she hissed, “No, Flynn! Don’t go up there!”
But Flynn reached out from under his cloak and waved her off. His eyes met with Odran’s and he started walking toward them. Deirdre jumped to her feet and climbed up on the seat of her chair. With one foot planted forward, she pointed at the Medical Director and shouted, “What has he done wrong? We deserve to know!”
If the class had felt a chill from the Medical Director a few moments ago, now they were feeling frostbite on their toes. Odran said, “I don’t have to tell you anything, Miss Callaghan. But I will make a public safety announcement for all. Flynn Brennan is being put under medical quarantine for the welfare of the city.” Then the two Drones marched forward and grabbed Flynn’s arms, pinning them behind his back. Flynn struggled, but he had no chance against both Drones together.
Alarmed questions broke out from the Matchers at the front. One asked, “Is he sick?”
Another stood up from her desk and asked, “Can I catch it?”
Two other girls rushed to each other to inspect for symptoms, stretching eyes open and sticking out tongues. One exclaimed, “Do I look pale?”
The other said, “What if I’ve already got it?” They pinched each other’s faces and looked terror-stricken.
Students all over the classroom jumped out of their seats, gestured wildly, and vied for the attention of the Medical Director. But one clear voice broke through the chaos. From her perch on her chair, Deirdre said, “There’s nothing wrong with him. Everyone stop. He’s fine.” But the three men ignored her and started marching Flynn out of the room. The Director led and the Drones followed with Flynn thrashing in their grasp.
Deirdre hopped off her chair and ran straight after them into the hallway. They can’t do this. She sped around the Drones and grabbed the white-sleeved arm of the Director. In a voice that carried more authority than her years she shouted, “You can’t take him if there’s nothing wrong with him.”
One of the Drones turned its red gaze on Deirdre, registering her hold on the Director. He let go of Flynn, raised his arm, and struck her square across the collarbone. Deirdre was knocked away from Odran and fell to the floor, her head making a loud smack on the concrete.
“No!” shouted Flynn, and he went crazy on the Drone that was still holding him. He threw an elbow left and a kick right, but the Drone just clamped down on him harder. He twisted around with all of his strength, all the while bellowing, “Dee! Dee! Are you hurt?”
Flynn had almost writhed out of the soldier’s grasp, but then the Drone who’d hit Deirdre turned back to Flynn and grabbed him by the back of the neck. With two on him again, he was locked down by four inhumanly strong arms. They lifted him up so they could look eyeball to eyeball. The Drone who’d hit Deirdre said, “Ok, lad. Now you’ve caught my attention.”
With spite in his voice, the other Drone said, “Well, we have a situation here. Normally, I would sentence you both to a ‘Mare. Attacking the Medical Director? Resisting quarantine? Flynn Brennan and Deirdre Callaghan, your violations will be recorded on your permanent Dream Justice profile.”
Flynn yelled, “Just leave her alone!”
The Drone smirked and said, “But since you’ve been so pleasant to be around, Flynn, I’m going to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Either I sentence you both to Dream Justice, or Flynn, you get a double the fine and the Callaghan girl goes free. So, what’s it going to be?”
A group of students were peering around the doorway of the classroom, trying to see without being noticed by the Drones. Deirdre rubbed her head and got up off the floor. But before she could say anything, the Drone grabbed her and pulled her over to where Flynn was being restrained.
Flynn said, “I’m the one that attacked you. So I’m the one that should be punished. Not her.”
“No,” cried Deirdre, looking at Flynn with pleading eyes.
But he wouldn’t look back into hers. “You know what my choice is,” Flynn said. “So get on with it. Dee, tell my mother where I am.”
The Drone’s smile widened. “Flynn Brennan, you are sentenced to 20 minutes of ‘Mare 672084, six hours of lived dream experience. Be sure to enjoy yourself.”
The Drone reached into his belt and pulled out a small device about an inch long. It got its name from a ravenous insect that swarmed upon any plant life, eating everything down to bare earth. It was used to send ‘Mare content to anyone too young to have a weaver. Gasps went up from the other students watching them from the classroom.
One said, “The locust…”
Fianna rai
sed her hand up to her mouth and whispered, “Not even Flynn deserves that.”
The Drone held it tight in his fist while the other one set the chosen ‘Mare to deliver. Flynn shook his head and tried to pull away but it was no use. Showing his crooked teeth through a half smile, the Drone flung the locust toward Flynn. Through the air it flew, its legs and wings expanding with every inch it came closer to its prey. It was a horrible sight, the ugly thing preparing to deliver its transmission. Everyone felt like it was happening in slow motion.
The locust landed on Flynn’s forehead and its front legs pricked the skin above his eyes. They sunk into his flesh and the device began to do its work. The lights on the device burned a hotter red and Flynn’s eyes rolled back into unconsciousness. The Drone dropped him and Flynn collapsed to the floor. The students looking on from the classroom drew back; no one wanted to watch.
The Drone let go of Deirdre too, and she fell to her knees beside Flynn. His face started to glisten with sweat and his eyes rolled frantically behind closed lids. The length of his ‘Mare would feel like forever for him. She wanted to rip the locust off of his head, but she didn’t know what that might do to him. Deirdre watched him with streaming eyes, her mind imagining a thousand different terrors Flynn might be living through. All to protect me. One minute gone, nineteen left to go. This is all my fault. She lowered her head to the cool hallway floor and grabbed Flynn’s hand. Stay with me. It will all be over soon. Can you tell I’m here? I’m right beside you. Flynn! Why didn’t I tell you how I really feel about you?
The Dream Drones busied themselves with filing their reports on the cloud. Then the Medical Director gave the next order. Motioning to one of the Drones he said, “You - escort Miss Callaghan to school detention. She will wait there until a parent comes to collect her.” Then pointing at the other one he said, “You - pick up the boy. Follow me to the lockdown room in the medical unit. Also, prepare another dreamlock for him. I want him out until I decide how we will proceed.”
The Drones did as instructed, pulling Deirdre and Flynn apart. Deirdre screamed and grabbed Flynn’s cloak as she was hauled up and away. The other Drone threw Flynn’s body over his shoulder, and then they were gone.
The Drone in charge of Deirdre kept her moving by following behind and poking her in the back. She staggered through the passageways of the school section, unable to think straight. What are they going to do to him when he gets to the medical unit? Finally, they pushed through the double doors of the school administration area and Deirdre stumbled into the main desk. Like most things in the city, it was made of metal and she bumped her knees sharply on it.
The portly headmistress looked up from her access portal and gave Deirdre a sharp look. “I know I should be shocked whenever a student has to be escorted to my offices by a Dream Drone,” she said. “But with your behavior, I stopped being surprised a long time ago, Deirdre Callaghan. And just so we’re clear, that was not a compliment.”
Deirdre replied, “Sorry, Mrs. Shanahan,” as she fell into a plastic chair.
The Drone went to the desk to finalize Deirdre’s transfer to the school authorities. The headmistress quickly connected to the cloud and brought up her holographic interface. From the reflections that moved across her face, Deirdre could see that she was scanning the report the Drones had filed.
“Attacking the Medical Director! With Flynn Brennan,” she shrieked. “And a ‘Mare sentencing of 20 minutes!” She turned to the Dream Drones. “That seems like a very severe punishment for a boy with no major priors.”
The Drone that Flynn had kicked leaned toward the headmistress. Voice filled with suspicion, he asked, “Is there some complaint you would like to lodge with Dream Justice, Headmistress?”
Mrs. Shanahan tried to lick her mouth, but her lips stuck together like her saliva had just dried up. “No, Dream Drone. The Ministry provides. I will be sure to inform her parents of this violation when they arrive to collect her.” Her eyes went back to the records in front of her.
The Drone pulled back and left the office. Deirdre forced herself to take a breath. Then she heard Mrs. Shanahan sending a ticker to her father, and her hands felt cold again. As if getting Flynn sentenced to a ‘Mare wasn’t bad enough. Now Father is going to know all about it. I hate giving him something over me. She sat quietly on the hard plastic chair and tried to calm her dread. This is going to be worse than having a Drone after me.
Deirdre sat on the chair while the minutes ticked by. Then Sean Callaghan swept into the room in his formal Maker robes. His face looked like it was frozen in stone. Without even glancing at Deirdre sitting against the wall, he walked right up to Mrs. Shanahan. “Hello, Headmistress. I received your ticker. Tell me what happened.”
Sean listened closely as Mrs. Shanahan relayed all of the details of the last hour. Finishing her report, Mrs. Shanahan said, “Really, Dream Maker. We expect more from a daughter of yours.”
Sean pressed his lips together in anger, making a thin flat line of them. As a Dream Maker, he wasn’t used to being scolded; now Deirdre had two black marks against her. Silently motioning for Deirdre to follow, he left the office in long strides. Deirdre gave Mrs. Shanahan one long, unhappy look, then hurriedly caught up with him.
They rode the lift, then walked in silence all the way back to their living unit. Sean tucked his hands inside his orange robes and didn’t say a word. Her father’s stifling silence was almost worse to Deirdre than his yelling would have been. But she knew the yelling would follow once they arrived home. As soon as they crossed the doorstep, it began.
The door swung shut and he said, “How many times have I told you, Deirdre? You must obey the rules that the Ministry sets out for us. What were you thinking? Attacking the Medical Director? No. Don’t answer that. Clearly you weren’t thinking.”
Deirdre turned her back on him and started to walk away. Sean called after, “You turn around this instant. We’re done when I say we’re done.”
“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said.
“We are going to talk about it. Why would you risk everything this family stands for? And for what? Some boy who’s been lying his entire life?” Sean put both hands on his head, as if to keep it from exploding.
Deirdre explained, “Da, I told the truth and things got out of hand. But...”
Sean cut her off, saying, “Is that what you think you did wrong? That you got caught? Haven’t you heard anything that I’ve said over the last few years? You need to remain unnoticed. Why don’t you understand that? Bad things happen when you stand out.”
Deirdre said, “But Da...”
“Be quiet until I’m finished. What you did wrong was to disregard the regulations put forth by the Ministry. You know better, so I can only assume that you don’t care. Is this how you treat your friends? You want them sentenced to Dream Justice because you can’t keep your mouth shut?”
Her father had unintentionally struck Deirdre right where it hurt the most: her guilt that Flynn had taken the punishment for the both of them. The tension in the room was rising, and Deirdre lashed back at her father. “Actually, Da, I do care about my friends. But I know the real reason you’re so upset. It’s about your precious status as a Dream Maker. You’re freaking out because the Callaghan name is now linked to a Dream Justice report. How will it be for you at the Academy knowing that everyone is talking behind your back?”
At this, Sean slammed both hands down on the main table and yelled with the full strength of his lungs. “You need to stay away from that boy! He is a risk you can’t afford! He could jeopardize your chance of being selected for Maker. Go to your room, now. And don’t come out until you’ve thought about what you’ve done!”
She turned away from him. Fighting back tears, Deirdre walked slowly to the room she shared with Breck and shut the door. Finally alone, she started to shake from all of the terrible things that had happened in the last few days. I lost Maeve. Anything could happen to Flynn. And in a few days, I’m going t
o lose my mother too. She stood there, with her back against the door, until her trembling died down. How long that took, she didn’t even know. She was suddenly clear on one thing: that she didn’t want to think or feel anymore. She had never used the dream world to escape her life before. But now, she climbed into her top bunk, accessed the cloud, and threw herself into the world of Red Oak.
I am walking down a path in the oak forest, watching leaves swirl around me on the crisp fall breeze. I am following the warrior in the black cloak. Suddenly, I am aware of his name again: Roenin. He is light on his feet and focused on some goal ahead. We must be going somewhere important. As twilight falls, the trees around me lose their red color and turn less beautiful, more ominous. We reach the end of the dense, silent forest and begin walking along a flagstone path leading to a massive castle.
The stonework is half shrouded in thick ivy, which rustles in the evening air. The path is lined with oil lanterns, glowing as if each one has a trapped firefly inside it. The castle we approach is even more ablaze with larger lanterns in red glass hurricanes. I am reminded of the red uniforms of the Dream Drones and shudder inwardly. Roenin looks over his battle dress at me.
“Ballycarbery Castle. We are close, lady. Be ready.” We approach the massive front door of the fortress softly and silently. We both carry weapons, but I don’t remember how the knife blade got into my hand. A servant stumbles into our path, carrying water on his way back from the well. Soundlessly, Roenin covers his mouth, snaps his neck with an iron grip, and lays his body silently on the grass. He motions me onward. The water from the servant’s pail sloshes across the stone walkway. In this world, it seems natural to kill this way, hushed and quick.