The Lucid Dreamer (Dystopian Child Prodigy SciFi) (The Unmaker Series Book 1)

by Casey Herzog

  “Miss Lockhart, I just want to tell you how much you have meant to me and my family. I sometimes wonder what I would be doing without magic eyes. I know I’m still young, but I have improved greatly over the last few months. I’ve even managed to make a snowball appear out of nowhere. I’m still having problems levitating and anything to do with fire. I’m just a little bit afraid of burning myself.” Tabitha was only five years old, but her desire to learn more was only measured by her acceptance in the community.

  “There’s no reason to fear the unknown. Learning comes with a grading curve, and not everybody progresses the same way. You have nothing to prove to me or anyone else. We are undertaking a tremendous process. There are going to be some stumbles along the way, but we will manage to weather them together.”

  "Penelope teases me mercilessly and I don’t know what to do. She’s older, and I know I have a lot to learn, but there’s no reason to put me down at every chance she gets.” She had flaxen white hair, platinum blonde which was her distinctive feature. It made her different than most. Tabitha was a handful of many who had come to learn at the feet of a woman who had already gone through some of the same trials and tribulations.

  “Penelope is a rare case who no one should emulate. She’s learning too quickly and taking the information in like a sponge, which is a little dangerous in my opinion.

  “Don’t worry, I will have a talk with her and maybe we can come to an arrangement about leaving you alone. I’ll be happy to take a vested interest in your continued learning. Don’t forget I’m not the only one working for you to make a stand.” I heard a commotion and I went to the window to see Penelope playing a dangerous game with the older generation.

  She was stronger than all the rest, and that made her a danger to herself and others. I looked towards where the asylum was. Only a crater was left where I had obliterated it into nothing more than a memory. I didn’t recognize the girl I had become, and I was glad they were able to reach me before I became a monster.

  “I know I shouldn’t, but I really would like to put her in her place. I can’t do that alone, which means I need to avoid her as much as possible. She sees me as weak and wants me to suffer, but only because she feels like she is superior in every way.”

  Making them dance with lightning strikes from the air was a good way to create some animosity. The magic community was still building slowly, but I was very happy with how things were going up to this point. I didn’t need her to undermine our work.

  “She does need to learn restraint; that has always been the hardest thing for her to learn. I would’ve thought she would be with others looking to do the same, but she has become a lone voice. She doesn’t want any kind of group.” I looked at the elation in her face and the feeling of complete joy she got from making people dance to her own tune.

  Penelope was someone to keep a watchful eye on, and my father had expressed interest in her being another member of the rehabilitation crowd. She was rapidly closing in on becoming a subject of debate.

  I stepped out into the courtyard and conjured a spell of my own made with very few words. The lightning dissipated. Penelope looked perplexed, and then she turned and put her arms across her chest in defiance. Her flaming red hair was not her natural color, and what she had done to make it that color was anybody’s guess.

  “You’re always trying to take away my fun, and I’m getting a little sick and tired of it. I’m not hurting anyone. They may feel slightly vexed, but that’s not my fault. I have gravitated towards magic like a moth to a flame and they’re just jealous. They can barely make coins disappear from between their fingertips.” She was tall and quite intimidating with an endowment that gave her a lot of attention at the ripe age of 14. She liked to tease and please the boys with promises of more than just an ardent touch.

  “You’re making problems where there shouldn’t be any. In the past, women were recognized as the power base of magic within the community. Unfortunately, someone went too far and no one is ready to talk about it. I’ve tried to sweet talk information out of them regarding the perpetrator, but they have sheltered themselves with closed off silence. By abusing your power, you enforce their beliefs.”

  I was only a little older than she was, but I felt like I had matured greatly because of my father’s absence. She was wearing a tight black sweater and a short purple skirt which showed some unnecessary naked thigh when she moved a certain way. The dress code was a little more relaxed with magic back.

  “It’s not my fault they feel ill-equipped. Why should I have to take this abuse? They could do something if they wanted to unite, but nobody has the guts. I feel I need a challenge and this school keeps me down. I want something more, and I’m not going to settle for second best. I was glad you took an interest, but you’ve been part of the problem all along.”

  She was partial to red, purple, and black, which had become something of a subject of discussion during recent committee meetings. My father was instrumental in holding a chair on the committee, which kept me aware of the political climate. There was still a lot of work to do, and building the committee took some careful planning and consideration. There was an age requirement, which prevented William and me from occupying one of those chairs.

  The older community was appalled when magic was done openly. They were even more outraged at the prospect of magic being held in women’s hands. My father had to be very careful about his choices or they might come back to bite him.

  “You need to take into consideration other people’s feelings. We’ll get there eventually, but we need to take things one step at a time. To do anything other than that will lead to the same thing happening to you as happened to Jasper. There are still many quite unhappy at the way I handled the Elders. I live with the burden of having killed them every day; I know the combination of magic and the dark arts brought about a certain aspect of my darker half.” Penelope seemed unimpressed and walked away without causing any more trouble…for now.

  Chapter Two

  I stood outside his room for several minutes, not knowing what I was going to say. Getting through to him was like hitting a brick wall. I was conscious of the fact I was responsible for his condition, and something was preventing Damien from waking up. He was there, but not there at the same time. It was kind of eerie to look into his eyes and see nothing looking back at me. He hadn’t moved, but at least he was breathing, which indicated there was some life in there. The only thing we had for his continued survival was hope.

  Some were certain that messing with the natural order of things had made him a sacrificial lamb. I didn’t want to believe I was the cause of his misfortune, but there was very little indicating otherwise. He had fallen into this catatonic state a few days after magic eyes were given to the populace.

  “I know I keep asking you to come back over and over again, but there is a method to my madness. You’ve become a staple in his life, and hearing from you might break whatever spell he is under. You’re my daughter and I know if anybody can get through to him it will be you. Don’t feel disheartened. It’s going to be your strength of conviction that brings him around.” My father was giving me another of his pep talks.

  The depths of my dismay from losing my father was insurmountable, but having him back gave me a second chance to tell him everything I wanted to say and more. At first, he was quite shocked, but he let me vent until we were able to make some headway back to a semblance a relationship.

  “I’ll go in when I feel I’m ready. In the meantime, we should discuss bringing Penelope here. She might learn actions have consequences; she has almost reached the necessity of a harder approach. I’m rapidly losing my patience with the girl. There are a lot of people looking for my undivided attention who deserve it, including a young ingénue ready to stretch her wings if given the chance,” I said.

  “Why do you feel she is a good candidate?”

  “Penelope has been bullying other students, and there has to be some reason for her attitu
de. I’m at a loss to think of what it could be. If you have any ideas, I would really like to hear them.” I counted on my father, but I was still getting used to him paying attention to me. He had his own hands full, but he always made time at the end of the day to discuss things at dinner. This was so different than our lives before his disappearance.

  “You are the apple of my eye, Gillian. You’ll figure things out with your students.

  “I want you to know I approve of the union of you and William, but I’m just not sure if you should be rushing into marriage without considering the implications. There’s still a lot for the both of you to learn about one another before you marry. I’m glad to see the youth are not easily manipulated into showing their feelings physically.”

  It made me blush knowing he had a good idea I was still as pure as the driven snow.

  “I’m not sure my love life is any of your business. I know we talk about everything, but this is a subject I would rather keep to myself. I hope you don’t take it the wrong way.

  “I’ve let Damien wait for too long; I’ve been stalling coming here. I was hoping he was going to come out of this on his own. I’ve been here five times in the past five months, and it doesn’t seem to matter what I say.” I could only take my cue from the others caring for him, including my father and Professor Bethesda. They were dedicated and took the time to be with him.

  “Since the last time, he has blinked, but it could’ve been just a muscular reaction. We don’t know for sure, but it has given us hope without having to resort to other more extreme measures. Julian has mentioned in passing a rare ancient treatment that has been known to bring people back from the brink of death. It’s dangerous in the wrong hands, and I would prefer not to take that kind of action unless it becomes necessary.”

  I sighed deeply, my father standing right behind me with his hand on my shoulder.

  “I would like to know the particulars of the treatment; maybe I should talk to Julian. He is after all one of my dearest friends. I’ll invite him over to dinner tonight, and we can both speak to him candidly. I know I need to go in there, but I hate seeing him like that.” I put my head on my father’s hand and drew from the strength of the magic inside him. It strengthened my resolve and gave me the courage to step into a room more sterile than personal.

  The walls were completely devoid of color, plain gray with distinctive melancholy in the air. I saw him sitting on the bed looking at the wall. He was only skin and bones; there was a definite malnourishment issue to be addressed.

  He was wearing a plain white shirt and pants to match. His hair was nicely combed back, not by his hand. I kneeled on the floor looking up into his face and seeing absolutely nothing looking back at me.

  “They say hearing me speak helps you in some way. To be honest, I’m not sure if that’s true, but I would love for you to make some kind of sign. Wiggle your finger or raise a cocked eyebrow like you have in the past. We’ve always been in this together, but it hurts me more than you can ever know coming here and witnessing you decline like this.” I tried to keep my spirits up, but I was worried for his safety. I had no idea what was going on inside his head.

  Damien was my friend. He might’ve been young, but he certainly didn’t act like it. Damien had a unique mind and a curiosity to see things from a different perspective. He was a better person than I was; I had a lot to learn from him. Nobody shed a tear for the Elders, which made my crime pretty much forgotten.

  “Everybody has been worried about you. William has been wondering what has happened to his little brother. Your parents mourned your loss, despite my father’s encouragement to keep you alive in their hearts. They moved to one of the outlying areas, but I’m sure they would love to see you when you’re back on your feet.” I wanted him to say something, and the look of his sallow skin really did concern me.

  The door opened and Professor Bethesda was waiting to discuss his long-term care. “I don’t know what’s happening to him, but I fear the worst. The scans we have taken of his magic are showing depletion in force. The magic eyes are still there, but it’s very scarce, a trace of what his power should be. I wish I could tell you he was going to make it out of this one, but I’m not sure I can."

  I was listening to what the professor had to say, but I was also looking for any inkling of life in Damien’s eyes. Damien was the strongest of them all and for him to waste away was like he had cut a piece of my heart out.

  “My father spoke of some kind of treatment, but I’m reluctant to sign off on anything too risky. Can you tell me anything more about what Julian found? Does it make sense to use it or should we wait to see if he comes out of it on his own? Since his father and mother decided to give me the right to determine his care, I have found myself struggling to remain impartial.”

  “I’ve talked to Julian, and he doesn’t even know if he can procure the right ingredients for the treatment. There’s a rare flower involved, and the petals need to be crushed into a powder before being ingested. The only way to get it is to go into the mountains. It’s a treacherous journey, and one that I would not want to make on an empty stomach,” the professor said with his hand on Damien’s pulse.

  “What can you tell me about the mountains?” I knew nothing and only rumors persisted about the possible dangers.

  “This kind of journey should not be undertaken unless you have the stamina. The air is very thin up where the flower can be located. It might be of no use anyway, but it’s the only thing anybody has come up with that might make any kind of a difference.” The flower was a rare Lotus: purple with a white center. I’d heard of its existence, but only one person had been able to bring back a sample. I’ve been told it was my mother.

  “Are you suggesting I should take on this dangerous stunt? I know my mother was the first to bring it to the masses, but nobody has been able to make the journey since. It could be an effort in futility, but it’s very likely I could die making the trip. They say it’s not the fall that kills you, but the landing from a height that stretches into the clouds.” Only two others had convinced themselves they could do it and never returned. How would I make it?

  “I’m not suggesting anything, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say you and your mother share genes in common. I haven’t mentioned this to your father, but it’s something you might want to bring up during dinner. Don’t you think Damien deserves more than what we have been giving him? I know I’m at my wit’s end to know what to do next.”

  I couldn’t think of anything more disturbing than putting my life in peril, but I would do practically anything to bring Damien back from whatever purgatory he found himself in.

  “I’ll have to give this some serious consideration before I make any sort of decision. I’ll run this by my father, but I doubt he’ll be very appreciative of me taking a risk for somebody I hardly know. However, it’s not like he can stop me. I consider Damien a friend, and I would think he would do the same thing for me if the situation were reversed.” I could only imagine what he was going through. He was desperately clinging to whatever shred of life he had left.

  “You should have all the facts before going forward. There are a multitude of references in the library, which I would stress looking into. You need to know everything before you even attempt such a feat. Legend states that only one person is allowed to make the journey,” the professor said running his hands through his white hair.

  Professor Bethesda looked like he had aged many years since I had seen him last.

  The children here were incorrigible and a firm hand was needed to keep them from losing themselves to the magic. It must’ve been very taxing, and I could only imagine what kind of fortitude it took to face those children each and every day. Even my father was showing some age around the eyes and a few new gray hairs.

  “I would like to have a few words in private with Damien. I like to confide in him what keeps me up at night. I know it’s not fair to tell him so much when he can’t even respond, but it’s just
nice to talk to somebody without them wanting to fix every little thing.” Professor Bethesda gave me a nod of recognition and left me in the comfort of what was considered a shell of what Damien once was.

  He was stuck in there, away from the prying eyes of others. Maybe he didn’t want to come back for a reason. I didn’t have all the answers, but I was willing to find them with the express purpose of bringing back my friend.

  “The flowers are blooming. Touch them…feel them…don’t touch them.” The words were coming from Damien, but they made no sense. There had to be a reason. I couldn’t ignore it thinking it was only gibberish. It didn’t seem prudent to tell anybody; these words were meant for only me.

  “I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me. Can you be any clearer? This has to be something concerning the flower to help you. Are you trying to tell me this isn’t the right course of action? I need some guidance, but your words only leave more questions than answers.” I waited, but there was only silence. It didn’t even seem like he had said anything at all. I had heard it for myself, but there was nothing to indicate this had anything to do with the flower.

  I touched his shoulder, his cheek and even the back of his neck, but there was no light looking back. The true essence of Damien was lost, but maybe there was a way to find it. Could it mean risking life and limb? Did I have the strength of character? I was the only one to answer those questions. Damien needed me and I was damned if I was going to let him suffer in silence.

  Chapter Three

  I watched him pace back and forth looking at me incredulously and not quite knowing what to say. I had laid a bombshell in his lap by telling him what happened with Damien. It was not my intention to get him involved, but he was right there when I needed him the most. Finding him in the library researching the flower was like fate had lent a hand to bring us back together again.