Escapism (The Escapism Series)

by Maria Dee

  “Honestly, what’s your deal, scumbag?” I howled, vindictively.

  “I wanted to see you in action—that’s all.”

  Kiran clearly enjoyed watching us quarrel.

  “Kiran, remember what we talked about the other day?” I whispered.

  “Yes, of course. I think he might be able to help.”

  “I don’t need his help.”

  “Like I would anyway,” Orion responded, childishly.

  “All right, then. I guess we’re on our own,” Kiran sighed in annoyance. “Later, dude.”

  Orion bid us farewell, scathingly, “Kiran. Debutante.”

  I snarled at Orion as he left.

  Shortly after, Kiran and I got down to business.

  “You’ll be pleased to know that I located her Offline last night. You look a lot alike,” he said, candidly.

  “Really?” I exclaimed. “Can I see her?”

  “I’ll lure her to Styx and you can talk to her there on somewhat middle turf,” he explained, sensibly.

  Kiran began to transition as his eyes smoldered, and I followed along his side. In an instant, we arrived in Styx. My skin tingled from head to toe. I already felt anxious about meeting my birth mother—being in Styx further intensified the anxiety.

  While I waited in the euphoric middle world, Kiran travelled Offline in pursuit. Impressively, It didn’t take him long to return.

  “Here she is,” he said, showcasing her like a trophy.

  I was taken aback. She was tall, lean with dark brown hair—I had her eyes, nose and lips.

  “Are you my…my mother?” My whole body trembled.

  “I am not,” she growled.

  “I saw your past—you can’t deny it,” Kiran shouted, agitated. “Xenia is your daughter. I can prove it,” he said, moving toward me.

  The woman shook her head in disbelief. “Stop! What have you done?” she hissed, recoiling. Her hazel eyes turned into a fierce, whitish swirl.

  I was stunned beyond belief. Kiran saw her past? That definitely required further clarification, however I was hanging on by a thread, engrossed by her very presence.

  “You left me with a human family?” I asked, searching for answers.

  Kiran prompted for her reply, “Now would be as good a time as any.”

  “You don’t understand. My family and I lived like fugitives, afraid to travel with the ESOM hunting us down. I left one day, travelling Online, and there I met someone—your father,” she explained, uneasily. “We decided that a human family would shield you. With the ESOM’s advances and rogue Diplo spies, we had no other choice. It wasn’t—and still isn’t—safe for us. I’m so sorry, Xenia.”

  In that moment, I wondered who my biological father was, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I could only handle one life altering event at a time.

  Kiran released his hold on her, and she stood with her arms crossed. She was afraid to approach me—I could see the struggle in her eyes. I wished for her to hug me.

  “Can I see you again?” I asked, holding back tears.

  She took two steps toward me. “I didn’t want this life for you,” she cried. “I prayed for you, Xenia.” These were her last words before swiftly leaping into the River. I ran after her, diving into the warm, majestic water. But once I reached the other side, I was propelled back as though I had bounced off a wall of rubber.

  “Ouch. My head,” I gasped, reappearing by Kiran. I rubbed my throbbing temples.

  “You’re still blocked from the Offline world. This is where Orion could be of use. He’s older and immortal. He can find out why you were blocked in the first place. He can’t be harmed in the process so he’s the perfect candidate.”

  “But you heard it yourself. Orion said he wouldn’t help me anyhow.” I was disappointed by my lack of options.

  “That’s why I took it upon myself to speak with Nicholas. He’s stronger than me.”

  “You asked Nicholas? It’s dangerous, and I only just restored his fragment!” I was beyond furious. I couldn’t live with myself if Kiran or Nicholas were harmed, while trying to help me. I wouldn’t allow them to risk losing one of their living fragments.

  “I have to find Nicholas. I can’t believe you told him about this. I confided in you, Kiran,” I said, flustered.

  “I was only trying to help,” he replied, sincerely. “Besides, I mentioned I’d ask Orion instead.”

  “I need to find him now,” I demanded, pacing in a frenzy.

  “You’ll have to wait. He said he’d be gone a few days.”

  “You don’t think he went alone, do you?”

  “He’s not that stupid—I hope,” he pressed his lips into a hard line.

  “I can’t bring myself to ask Orion. Could you do it for me?” I begged.

  “I think he’d prefer it if you’d ask—actually, he told me he would. He likes a good grovel,” he said, wryly.

  “Just great,” I sighed in annoyance. “I’ll go find him.”

  My resources were limited and the stakes were high—I had no other choice, I reminded myself meticulously.

  “Call me if anything,” he said, taking off.

  Meanwhile, I searched for Orion all over campus. Just as I called it quits, I saw him through a set of glass doors. I walked toward him, wound up and unprepared.

  “I know I haven’t exactly been kind to you, and I don’t even know if I can trust you but—”

  “Yes,” he said, abruptly.

  “Huh?”

  “I’ll help you. I know where the ESOM has you blocked Offline,” he offered, unequivocally.

  Orion walked, and I followed. “You already searched for me?” I asked, surprised.

  “Yeah…something like that,” he said, loosely. “I’ll search for you again.”

  We walked toward Stong pond, a picturesque area just south from Stong residency. Humongous geese perused the area, drinking from the pond. We sat on a bench and I observed Orion—his eyes smeared into an indistinct green-grey color, while he traveled Offline.

  I didn’t interfere with his idle self, leaving him highly concentrated with the task at hand. I yawned several times, slowly nodding off. Next thing I knew, I awoke with my head against Orion’s shoulder, and his arm wrapped around me.

  I looked up to face him, awkwardly shifting away. “Did you find anything?”

  Orion slowly stood up, disoriented.

  “You should see this for yourself,” he said, alarmed. He placed his hand on my shoulder. Instantly, I saw flashes of his travels, through his eyes as though they were my own. He started in a big, white dome with many different rooms. The room he entered had a row of beds along a wall. Some beds were empty, while others were occupied with individuals hooked up to a series of wires and tubes attached to screens. I saw myself deep asleep, but the screen above my bed was blurred. I looked over at the vacant bed beside me—number ten.

  In another flash, I saw Daisy—number eleven. She was comatose in bed, while her screen flickered erratically. I zoomed in on the flashing images—they were of me sitting on a bench with Orion.

  “She’s here…watching us,” I gasped, with my eyes still shut.

  “Who is?” Orion asked.

  “Daisy. The lost fragment that keeps haunting me.”

  “Ignore her for now,” he instructed.

  I held on to Orion’s incoming visions, eagerly. Seeing myself through his eyes, all helpless and unconscious like that, was agonizing.

  “Who would do this to me?” I cried, worriedly.

  “The ESOM,” he said, bluntly. “They’ve blocked powerful Diplozoe’s in the Dome for over two centuries, testing and monitoring us like lab rats.”

  “Me? Powerful?” I asked, dumbfounded.

  “Xenia, your mother gave you up soon after she had you. The brief time she held you in her arms was all it took for you to track her. As a child, you traveled Offline in search of your birth mother. Most Diplozoes cannot travel until they’re in their early teens,” he explained. His
bright eyes sparkled enticed. “You were captured by the ESOM and kept in the Dome from the age of six.”

  “How do you know all this?” I asked, mystified.

  “I rested my hand on yours in the Dome. You granted me access to your memories—not that I needed it,” he said, smugly.

  “So the ESOM has me blocked in the dome, and I’m unconscious?”

  I could feel Orion strain to recall.

  “Hmm. Yes, but you purposely shielded yourself, preventing them from gaining access to your travels, Online,” he uttered, equally surprised. “You were held captive physically against your will, yet mentally, you blocked yourself as a protective mechanism—impressive.” Orion was completely fascinated, mumbling something quietly to himself.

  I could not take the pain any longer. My mind felt as though it would combust from the overwhelming flow of images, even after Orion retracted his hand. The hazy images trembled erratically with static, as did the blank screen above my bed. I was trapped, helpless and alone—I hated feeling powerless. The rage that boiled deep inside me slowly erupted, sending sparks of electricity throughout my idle self, extending to the earth which violently shook from beneath us. Online, I firmly pressed both hands over my aching temples, gasping for air. Oddly, I could feel the warmth against my eyelids in the Offline world, before slowly opening my eyes, immersing them to the callous light. I was finally freed from my dark, reclusive safe haven of a mind.

  Xenia (Offline):

  I gasped, quickly sitting up—I was soaked with sweat. I pulled the little suction tubes attached to my forehead, liberating my head in its entirety to the surrounding cool air. My body ached as I moved to the edge of the bed, placing my bare feet against the cool marble floor. I walked down the aisle, observing each and every person with his or her respective screen, returning to a particular bed of interest.

  “Daisy,” I whispered, frantically. On her screen, she played alone surrounded by butterflies and green grass.

  A door creaked as someone entered the premises. I hid under a bed.

  “Betsy, we have a problem. One of the Diplozoes has gone missing again,” she bellowed.

  “Oh, dear. I’ll look for her, Maggie.”

  The haggard sounding nurse exited, while the soft spoken one searched the room.

  I hid behind tables, curtains, and beds until I was only a few inches from the exit. I waited until the coast was clear to make a run for it. As I approached the exit, someone caught a hold of me.

  “Wait!” she sharply whispered.

  I tried to run, but I was propelled back. She caught hold of my white robe. “Wait a second. I can help you escape.”

  “Why should I believe you?” I paused, examining her.

  “You have no other choice,” she said. Her eyes strained with worry. As I contemplated the lack of feasible options, my body relaxed and I listened to her plea.

  “Xenia, if you want to escape, you have to do as I say. Maggie will return soon with guards, so we must act fast.”

  Her floral perfume was familiar and comforting. Rapid images ensued of my life in the Dome causing me to groan in pain, nearly fainting. Betsy steadied me, leading me through an otherwise inaccessible hallway, stopping to grab a black bag.

  “Here, put these on,” she ordered. She handed me a janitorial uniform, an ID card, and a bag. I changed as fast as I could, while she looked out for guards and the other nurse.

  Betsy handed me an envelope and a set of keys. “You must abandon this car at some point before taking a cab to this inn. You’ll be safe there.”

  “Why are you helping me?” I whimpered, confused.

  “It isn’t right—what they’ve done to you, and the rest. You were only children,” she smiled genuinely. “Xenia, darling, go now while you still can—go do great things,” she said, patting my back.

  I hugged her tightly before fleeing.

  In disguise, I left through an employee exit after thirteen years of imprisonment. My body tingled with excitement, officially freed in the Offline world. Betsy was well prepared for this day—a human being with a good soul.

  An alarming amount of guards poured out of a van and rushed into the Dome as I approached the vehicle, quickly getting in.

  I followed her instructions to the letter, reaching my final destination after six hours of commuting. The instructions were quite clear. I was to abandon the car in the next town three hours away, and then take a cab to an inn where I was to recuperate before traveling to Styx for safekeeping.

  I continued to read her instructions, unsure whether the next steps were absolutely necessary.

  Spring Formal

  Online.

  It was hard to explain—even to myself. Thinking back, I was puzzled as to how the majestic light from within me appeared, restoring Nicholas’ lost fragment. The few weeks after he was restored, he was at his most vulnerable. Kiran had shared our mission with him, and it was then, when he disappeared. First, for only a few weeks, then it turned into many months. Before I knew it, Spring semester began and I was miserable once I realized I would never see him again. I tried tracking him Online, in Styx, and Offline, but it was as if he had vanished for good.

  I wished Kiran had kept his mouth shut.

  Nicholas was missing and it was my fault. I prayed the ESOM was not involved, although it was highly likely.

  My phone rang and I searched for it amongst the clutter in my room, hoping it was Nicholas. Disappointed, I sobbed upon answering his call.

  “Xenia? Stop crying…please,” he begged, uneasily.

  My sobs were interlaced with giggles, amused by the discomfort in Orion’s tone.

  “Are you laughing now?” he asked, mystified.

  “I’m not exactly feeling like myself, lately.”

  “What if I take you to Spring formal? Would that make you feel more like your old self again?”

  I hadn’t even considered going because the only person I’d have liked to go with, disappeared.

  “I don’t know,” I muttered, rolling onto my side. I was in bed with no intent on leaving.

  “I can answer any questions you have about Nicholas,” he said, enticingly. Orion shrewdly resorted to using Nicholas as bait.

  It was working. I had many unanswered questions, not just about Nicholas. For one, Daisy was not visiting as often as she once did when Lucas was around. When I did see her, I could not connect with her long enough to travel to Styx.

  The idea of going to Spring formal filled me with mixed feelings— namely guilt. While Marla and Calliope had formal fever, I spent most of my time aimlessly searching for lost fragments. I patrolled in the late hours through back roads, even the abandoned mansion where Nicholas and I had our first date, eerily enough.

  After restoring three dozen souls, my energy level rocketed sky high, temporarily masking the empty feeling in my stomach. No food, no drink and apparently no less than two souls restored per day could come close to filling that void.

  This year, Winters College was hosting the formal; there were many events to choose from within the college system at York U, with Spring formal being the climactic event of the year. I felt guilty about going to formal without the one person with whom I had envisioned going with.

  “I don’t have anything to wear,” I responded, indifferently.

  “We could have our own formal, if you’d like. Clothing, of course, would be optional—I bet you are a treat,” he whispered, slyly.

  “Don’t be a creep, Orion. Please,” I snarled, uncomfortably.

  “Relax. It was only a compliment and the image is mostly gone,” he chuckled, continuing, “Why not check with one of your girlfriends? I’m sure they have something you can borrow.”

  “I doubt Marla or Calliope have a spare formal dress that would agree with me.”

  “Well, well. Aren’t we picky? Check out the mall—it doesn’t close for another three hours. I can even drive you there personally.”

  Orion’s persistence was distracting. Di
stractions were good for me.

  “I could lend a hand in the dressing room—deciding on a gown can be very difficult,” he offered. His tone was devilishly excited.

  “I doubt you’d be much help,” I snapped.

  “If only you’d let me try,” he challenged, wildly amused.

  “No, thank you,” I snarled. In his own perverse way, I knew he was trying to lift my mood.

  “No. Thank you,” he said, playfully.

  “For what?”

  “For the visual, silly,” he sighed, delighted.

  I grumbled, hanging up the phone without saying good-bye. Immediately after, I texted Marla for an emergency dress hunt. After I mentioned Orion and Spring formal, she was at my doorstep demanding to drive to the mall at once. She sped like a madwoman, maximizing our time, accordingly.

  The mall was dying down with only a few window shoppers lingering about. To my amazement, I found a gorgeous black strapless number with crystal sequins speckled over the bustier. After the dress was taken care of, we drove back to my place for hair and makeup application. Marla was ready—aside from wearing her dress. She gladly assisted with my hair, curling the ends, twisting strands up, and securing them with pins.

  “Maybe this is a mistake,” I grumbled.

  Marla rolled up another strand in the curling iron, commenting, “I think it’s a wonderful mistake. You need to get out of the house and be with someone—preferably a male companion.”

  I wanted to tell her Orion was not your typical male companion—he was actually double-dead. He died in the Offline and Online worlds and was immortalized. “He’s a companion all right, but do I want to be in his presence? He’s so—”

  “Sexy? Gorgeous? Annoyingly perfect?” She scowled, releasing a curly strand, “I hate you, Xenia Sanders.”

  I cocked my head in the mirror and Marla stuck her tongue out, playfully.

  “Yes, aesthetically speaking, he’s a total babe, but there’s something eerie about him,” I explained, vaguely.

  “He’s mysterious—big whoop. I’d like Landon to be a little less forthcoming—if you know what I mean.”