by Jasmine Walt
“Again with your tower,” his father grumbled, swiping a hand across his chin.
“Well, hold on now,” Uncle Rick chimed in, his voice placating. “Jeremy’s right, we can see a storm coming from a good way off out here. And he is hardly a child anymore.”
“Yeah, I’m not a kid,” Jeremy agreed. But even he thought his voice sounded petulant. He puffed up his chest a bit under his father’s scrutiny.
“All right,” his father said finally.
Jeremy stared at him, his mouth slightly agape. “All right?”
“Yes,” Nathaniel said. He shared a glance with Uncle Rick. “You can come with us.”
“What?!” Annabelle sounded livid. She stormed into the living room and stood toe-to-toe with Nathaniel. The air around her felt charged with anger.
Jeremy took a small step back from the meltdown about to happen.
“When did it become acceptable to make choices like this without me?” Her voice dripped with malice. “This is our son we’re talking about! The last time he went off unsupervised, he nearly died!”
“He won’t be unsupervised,” his father challenged. “He’ll be with me the whole time.”
“He is standing right here,” Jeremy piped in. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Uncle Rick shake his head. Jeremy’s eyes found the floor, chagrined, and he stayed out of the argument.
Annabelle scoffed. “Oh, yeah, big man in the office. Always the man with the plan. Tell me, what do you know about surviving in the wild? What happens if a mountain lion attacks, or if you get stuck in quicksand, or if anything happens?”
“Surviving in the wild? What do you think this is, a Robinson Crusoe survival story? We’re basically camping in our own back yard, not wrestling crocodiles in the Amazon. We will be gone for a day, two days at the most.”
“And I will be with them the entire time,” Uncle Rick said, his deep voice sounding calm and reasonable.
His mother’s glare danced between Nathaniel and Uncle Rick. “If anything happens to my son—”
“Everything will be fine,” Uncle Rick assured her, his eyes staying locked with hers.
The expression on Annabelle’s face softened with those words, and she looked gratefully at him. “Keep them safe, won’t you?”
Uncle Rick nodded. “I promise. You can count on me.”
Placated, his mother hugged Uncle Rick briefly and turned to head to her room. She stopped at the threshold, though, and looked back at his father.
“This isn’t over. And when you get back, we need to talk.”
Nathaniel stood there, unmoving. “When we get back,” he said. Annabelle nodded and entered her room, closing the door behind her. Jeremy looked at his father’s back as their conversation echoed in his head.
Divorce.
He knew it the instant the thought came to mind. He had both sets of memories, and he knew the most recent years had been rough on their relationship. His mother had felt neglected as his father spent more and more time at work, away from her and the children. She had suspicions of secret lovers, or a mistress secretary, but Jeremy knew they were unfounded ideas.
His father, on the other hand, felt a constant compulsion to provide for his family. That meant long hours in the office, deals that kept him working even on holidays, and family vacations cut short at the ring of the phone. It wasn’t that Nathaniel was unaware of his wife’s growing discontent. He had simply never been able to change.
Jeremy’s thoughts leaped in an entirely different direction, and his mouth was moving before he could stop it. “I don’t think mountain lions even live around here,” he blurted out.
Uncle Rick smirked in amusement. “What train of thought took you there?”
“It just kind of jumps around sometimes,” Jeremy said, feeling a burning sensation in his cheeks. “Do you think we could actually run into them? Mountain lions?”
“They’re territorial and less likely to migrate than most, but those territories are huge, and they like to roam.”
“When in Rome,” Jeremy said. Uncle Rick cocked his head, and Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. “Well, because you have a big territory,” he explained to his father. “And because we’re about to…roam. When in roam.”
Uncle Rick erupted with laughter, a deep bass rumbling that filled the room. Nathaniel cracked a smile. Even a light chuckle could be heard coming from his mother’s bedroom.
“That”—Uncle Rick wiped a tear from one eye—“was terrible.”
There wasn’t much time for talk after that as the men were swept up in a flurry of action. Nathaniel had purchased hiking supplies years ago, and the boots that Jeremy had received at that time were long since outgrown. He put on an old pair of his father’s boots—which were a hair too large for his feet to fit in them comfortably—and shrugged into an oversized jacket. The sleeves hung down almost to his knuckles.
They set off later in the afternoon than Uncle Rick would have liked—he loudly voiced his opinion on the matter—and kept the rapidly falling sun to their right. In addition to their other supplies, Uncle Rick brought along a hunting knife, and Nathaniel now carried a deluxe, family-sized tent. “Now it’s really like a camping trip,” he had joked while packing. By the time they reached the one-mile point, Nathaniel was breathing heavily and straining from the weight on his back.
Likewise, blisters quickly emerged on Jeremy’s feet. He was used to walking, both in the valley and around Odols, but the ill-fitting shoes meant that they chafed uncomfortably at the heels and sides of his feet. Still, he was thankful for them; they kept out the damp that seeped up from the ground with each soggy step.
The earth was completely saturated from the storm. What had before been rolling hills were now slippery mounds of mud which easily gave way underfoot, and the flat grasslands had been transformed into half-inch-deep marshes. The air never quite warmed up to the temperature it had been the day before, and now the sunlight was beginning to wane on them. If they didn’t get dry soon, even the summer night air could settle a chill in them.
“I see it,” Uncle Rick called finally. The sun was touching the slopes of the western mountains, and the trio had fallen into unequal paces during the hike. His uncle was at the top of a rocky outcropping, one which Jeremy knew had a good view of the Tower. Jeremy quickly joined him, jumping agilely from rock to rock until he reached the top. His pack was light, carrying only a few bottles of water, dried fruit, and the map. His father was less fortunate. The tent weighed heavily on him, and the five miles they covered before nightfall wore him down considerably. As formidable as he was in business meetings, he simply wasn’t a man of great physical strength.
Up ahead was the old fort and the Tower at its center. The walls still looked as imposing to Jeremy as they had several days ago. It took another fifteen minutes or so for them to walk the distance between the rocky outcropping and the square entrance of the fort.
“My god, would you look at that?” Uncle Rick marveled, eyeing the stonework and the rusted portcullis still nestled in its recessed alcove above.
Nathaniel walked toward one of the outlying buildings and pushed hard against one of its wooden beams.
“Careful with that,” Jeremy warned. “Some of these buildings are pretty rickety.”
“And just how would you know that?”
“Um…they look old?” Jeremy felt his father’s stare intensify. “And one sort of, kind of fell on me.”
Nathaniel grunted. “So, naturally, your first impulse after that was to go further into the dangerous ruins.”
Thankfully, Uncle Rick stepped between them with raised hands. “Enough of this.” He placed one palm flat against the building and leaned. “I’m willing to bet this’ll hold up. But we’ve got the tent anyway, and it doesn’t look like rain tonight. Let’s not chance it.”
They eventually chose a spot in a corner of the fort; Uncle Rick reasoned that nothing would fall on them, but they’d still have walls on two sides to help the tent kee
p out the wind. The three of them worked in unison to assemble the tent, and Jeremy was astonished at the size of the thing. It could have easily housed a group twice their size—with room to spare—and the material was insulated without making the inside sticky and cloying. It was top-of-the-line and had never been used. They put the last piece in place just as the shadows were reaching their full length, and Jeremy knew the entire valley would soon be dark.
“Let’s see the map,” Nathaniel said. Jeremy retrieved it from his backpack and Uncle Rick laid it out in front of them. It was a large, rectangular sheet of heavy paper, and it was completely blank.
“Nate, I thought you brought a—”
“You have to turn it on,” he sighed. He placed a thumb against one corner and swiped downward. The paper burst into life as light and shadow danced across its surface. Small beads embedded in the paper shifted and molded themselves, and in an instant there was a topographical map of Odols and its surrounding areas. Nathaniel double-tapped the valley, and the beads rearranged themselves. The edge of the paper lined itself with miniature ink-black mountains in an almost-complete circle, and the rises and dips of the valley came into relief.
“Cool,” Jeremy said, his fingers grazing along the ridges of the mountains.
Uncle Rick huffed. “A simple map of ink and paper would have sufficed.”
“When you’re a millionaire, then we can discuss how you spend your wealth.” Nathaniel pointed at a spot on the map. “We walked a good distance today, so we can probably survey as far as here tomorr—”
“I disagree,” Uncle Rick interrupted. “Today, we were walking in a straight line, and it still took hours to walk five miles. Turn that into a circle, even with three people, we probably can’t check out much further than this in one day.” He moved Nathaniel’s finger a few inches to the side, nearly halving the radius of their surveying circle. Just then, the map disappeared, its power flickering out.
“Right,” Nathaniel coughed. “Umm, I never really opened the map after buying it. I assumed the charge would hold.”
Uncle Rick sighed. “Never fail with paper and ink,” he muttered.
“So what are we looking for?” Jeremy asked.
“Before we can start building anything, we need to know what to build and where to build it,” Uncle Rick said. “This valley is breathtaking, so I’m thinking maybe a resort for all seasons. Sledding in the winter, camping in the summer, with a beautiful landscape all year ‘round.”
“Okay,” Jeremy said. “So we’re looking for somewhere with a nice view, basically?”
“Precisely,” Nathaniel said, clasping Jeremy’s shoulder.
Uncle Rick rubbed at his chin. “Before we left the outcropping, I saw what looked like a large lake glimmering a few miles to the west. We could reach it by midday if we set out early tomorrow, and then we won’t be squandering our efforts on a small circle around this fort.”
Nathaniel groaned. “My back is killing me,” he said. “And these boots really cut into your feet.”
“We could leave the tent here,” Jeremy suggested. “Keep it set up for tomorrow night. That way we don’t have to break it down in the morning, and we have a place ready for us after we go see the lake.”
“And I won’t have to carry the damned thing on my back,” his father added.
Uncle Rick frowned at the two of them, clearly uncomfortable with the idea, but he agreed. “Get some sleep,” he told them. “It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”
Jeremy knew instantly that he wasn’t dreaming, nor was he drawing on any of his stolen memories.
Once again, he was standing in the Jardin des Anges. It was a strange night, though; there was a chill in the air, and the temperature dropped even more in the minutes that followed. Plants withered before his eyes, their leaves crumpling inward in a desperate attempt to escape the oncoming freeze.
“Hello, Jeremy,” said an old, kind, and familiar voice. It was Benjamin. The man made himself visible as he stepped out from behind a hardy shrub with prickly leaves. “It is good to see you again.”
“I’m supposed to be sleeping…is it still considered rest if we’re doing, well, this?” Jeremy asked. He glanced around the garden, but it seemed that they were alone. “What am I doing here?”
“I brought you here.”
“You can do that?”
Old Ben smiled. “There are many things of which you are not yet aware. This is but one skill you will learn…in time. For today, we will start small.”
“Today?”
The plants fell away into the ground, suddenly being replaced by solid brick walls and a large plot of sand, dotted here and there by wide rocks. Old Ben took a few steps forward and looked at the room appraisingly, apparently unhindered by his lack of sight. “A Zen garden…hmm. Not what I would have expected.”
“Wh-what is this place?” Jeremy asked.
“You do not recognize your own mind? This is most unfortunate.” Benjamin sat directly on the sand with his legs crossed under him. “No time like the present, as they say. Jeremy, tell me everything you know about Sleepers.”
“I don’t understand…”
“I do have all night, but I would rather that we moved along quickly,” the old man said somewhat shortly. “Tell me what you already know about Sleepers.”
Jeremy sat as well and scratched his nose as he thought. “You…enter people’s dreams and make them go crazy?”
Old Ben gave no reaction. “Go on.”
“You’re kind of on the same level as Bigfoot and Nessie, in terms of actually existing. Now I know better, but a few days ago, I was in the same camp as everyone else. I didn’t think Sleepers were real.”
“Hmm.” He sounded disappointed. “And what do you suppose this place represents?”
“My…mind?”
“Yes and no. This is your Sleeperscape. Every Sleeper has a dwelling such as this somewhere in their minds. It is a place of retreat, of safety, and also the source of our legendary power.”
“I don’t understand.”
Old Ben gestured to a nearby rock. “This boulder represents the mind of someone in Odols, and particularly one whom you have met.” He glanced at the brick walls and grimaced. “But you have lived a sheltered life, one with barriers that prevent you from experiencing much of what this world has to offer. Thus, your Sleeperscape is small and secluded. You have few nodes through which to access others’ minds.”
All of this information was almost too much for Jeremy, but his brain raced to keep up. “What happens if I touch one of the rocks?” he asked hesitantly.
Benjamin’s lips spread in a crinkly smile. “Finally, a question worth asking, and deserving of an answer. Why not find out for yourself?”
Jeremy stared at the nearest rock. It was smaller than a lot of the others in the room, with smooth, rounded edges. He reached out to it across the sand, but his hand hesitated just above the surface. “It won’t hurt, will it?”
Benjamin solemnly shook his head.
And Jeremy touched the rock.
His brain was flooded with a swirling torrent of images before he found himself sitting in an almost familiar place. Soft dirt and sand molded between his fingers as he pressed his hand against the ground. Placid, black water filled a shallow pool surrounded by soaring black walnuts. Chirping laughter drew Jeremy’s attention to the side.
Ellie came running in from the forest. Two large, red-furred squirrels followed closely on her heels. She giggled as one of them leapt onto her pant leg and scurried its way up onto her shoulder, and they fell in a heap just a few yards away from Jeremy. She didn’t seem to have noticed him.
This must be what Ellie dreams about, Jeremy realized.
She stood and raised a hand high over her head, and the squirrels abruptly fell still and watched her with small, beady eyes.
Jeremy wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing. He’d witnessed Ellie interacting with the valley animals before, but never to such an intima
te extent. When had she had time to tame them to that extent? He knew this was only a dream, but it was so starkly reminiscent of her daytime behavior that he wondered how much of it was based in reality.
“Wow, that’s awesome,” Jeremy murmured.
Ellie whipped around and stared intensely at where he sat. Her eyes scrunched a bit at the corners. “Jeremy? Is that you?”
He waved, and her eyes lightened. “Hey, Ellie.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I just…” His voice trailed off. How would he explain his presence in her dream? “Uh, Mom sent me to bring you in for dinner.”
“Oh.” She looked down at the squirrels, but they’d scattered back into the trees. Her face fell when she saw the empty patch of grass. “I guess I’ll get headed back…” She turned back to Jeremy. “But how did you find—?”
A curtain of black fell over the landscape, and Jeremy was knocked back into his sand garden. Benjamin sat absolutely still, not having moved an inch.
“It all just went away!” Jeremy said. “How do I get back in?” He placed his hand against the rock, but it was cold and unyielding.
“They are awake, I imagine,” Old Ben said. “May I ask whose mind you entered?”
“It was my sister.”
“Intriguing. And what did you learn?”
Jeremy laughed. “That I’m not very good at being a Sleeper. She woke up almost immediately after I arrived.”
A bemused smirk crossed Old Ben’s lips. “Subtle immersion is a learned skill. Given time, your talents will improve. I once had a student who took years to become proficient in the art of seeing without being seen, being present without being noticeable. That you were able to enter the dream at all is a tremendous feat, though. Your future holds promise.”
Pride swelled in his chest, and Jeremy grinned like an idiot. “Thank you.”
Old Ben nodded. “Now, get some sleep.” Suddenly, the room was empty, but his voice lingered even as his body faded from view. “Until we meet again.”