by Shayn Bloom
Hazel eyes found mine before glancing down. I followed them, my gaze falling to his closed fist. Suddenly, it opened. A vial sat on his palm.
My mouth gaped as my heart gasped. Somehow, I knew without reading. Regardless, I lifted the small vial to my eyes. The name there was stenciled in the smallest of possible print: Annie.
16. The Utopian
“Insane,” I breathed. “This is insane.”
“This is you,” Ash said, handing me the vial. “And I promise I never used it.”
“I believe you,” I said. “But what would happen if I drank it?”
“You would live your subconscious,” Ash replied.
I stared at him. “I want to see it.”
His expression was uneasy. “What, now?”
I nodded. “I want to go now.”
Ash shook his head. “I can’t say what you’ll find. It could be a nightmare.”
“It could be fantastic,” I countered.
“Maybe,” he allowed.
“I want to go,” I demanded.
“Right now?” Ash asked. “Are you sure?”
I nodded silently.
Ash gestured to the vial hopelessly. “Take it before I stop you.”
Heeding him, I opened the vial and lifted it to my lips.
“There you guys are!”
Nearly spilling the vial, I quickly lowered it. Hurriedly, I hid it behind my back. Wayfara had arrived atop the spiral staircase. Feeling the small tube in my hand, I snapped the top closed.
“Everyone’s wondering where you went,” Wayfara said.
“We’re here,” Ash answered.
“That’s cool,” Wayfara replied. “But the Arrowhearts left and the rest of us want cake! Are you still giving Annie her present, Ash?”
“I get a present?” I asked.
“Like I have a choice now,” Ash muttered.
“I helped make it, Annie!” Wayfara said happily. “I did the artwork.”
“It’s not another dreamcatcher is it?” I asked, the closed vial remaining unforgotten in my hand.
“Yes and no,” Ash said. “Want to see it?”
“Yes!” I exclaimed.
“It’s cake time!” Wayfara celebrated. “Coraline was right. Mentioning the gift did have an impact.”
Slipping the vial into my pocket, I followed the boys down a level where Wayfara and I waited for Ash. He had gone to retrieve something from his room. Ash returned carrying a small object hidden in decorative wrap. Wayfara winked at me. Smiling, I followed them down the winding staircase.
“There they are!” Cassie was in the dining room gathering the remaining repast from dinner. “Excellent,” she added, her eyes traveling over Ash’s and my held hands. “I’m glad you two made up! The others are in the kitchen. Help me clear up so we can get some sugar on the table!”
Releasing my hand, Ash placed my gift on the table before carrying the salmon dish from the room. Grabbing a few seasonings and the iced tea, I followed him. The kitchen was hopping. Cassie and Julian were sharing the sink, Coraline was filling the coffeemaker with water, and Lin Divion and Jon Boliers were admiring the dreamcatcher cake.
Divion delighted upon seeing me. “Annie! How are you?”
“Good, Dr. Divion,” I replied.
“It’s good to see you, Annie,” Boliers piped.
Cassie turned from the sink. “Alright people,” she announced. “It’s time for dessert! Annie, Ash, please grab the spoons and the ice cream. Julian, Wayfara, get the cake!”
“And I’ll bring coffee soon,” Coraline added.
We wound our way back to the dining room. The table was clear now and ready for a fresh spread. Looking splendid, the cake was gently lowered to its surface. Ice cream, bowls, plates, and coffee mugs soon joined it. Everyone waited until Coraline had resumed her seat before sitting themselves.
Julian waved a scoop. “Who wants ice cream?”
“Sign me up!” Wayfara called.
“Yes, please!” I seconded.
“Two scoops is plenty,” Boliers added.
“I think everybody does, Julian,” Cassie commented.
Before long the whole table was lustily devouring ice cream and cake. The wonderful evening of earlier had been revived. I was surrounded by friends and the dessert was delicious in my mouth, the sweet sugar tickling my taste buds until they laughed.
“Open your gift, Annie,” Coraline coaxed. “I’m excited to know what it is!”
I smiled at Ash. “May I?”
“Of course!” Ash replied. “It’s yours!”
Skipping further anticipation, I pulled the object toward me and began tearing at the wrappings. “Whoa,” I breathed, staring at the newly exposed section. “It is a dreamcatcher!”
“Not exactly,” Ash said. In one pull he removed the remaining paper.
“A Dreambell!” Divion exclaimed. His voice sounded unusually high. “Where did you find that?”
The thing was a dreamcatcher. However, the usual beads that occupied the center webbing were replaced by three small bells. The contraption was suspended below a silver archway. Both the dreamcatcher and the archway holding it were elaborately designed and covered in handsome, looping markings. The Dreambell stood independently.
“What is it?” I breathed.
“A warning,” Julian explained. “An alarm bell. It comes alive when a Dreamtrapper is near.”
“Thank you!” I turned to Ash. “It’s beau –” But I was interrupted.
The Dreambell had started moving. Twirling into life, the dreamcatcher at its center was going haywire, nearly dancing from its suspended embrace. I had seen the dreamcatcher on Ash’s chest behave similarly in the subconscious mind. However, his dreamcatcher didn’t have bells. Eerie and echoing, the clanging of their ring filled the room.
“That’s strange,” Ash said. He was staring at the Dreambell. “It wasn’t doing that when I wrapped it earlier today.”
“Maybe it’s broken,” Divion suggested.
“Impossible,” Coraline breathed.
“Who was here when you wrapped it?” Cassie asked.
Ash tensed. “Everyone, except…”
“Everyone,” Cassie resumed. “Except Todd, Adia, Lin and Jon. But the Arrowhearts left and Jon is a, well –”
“Awaker!” Wayfara exclaimed unabashedly.
Divion’s expression, always carefully carefree, had grown gaunt.
“So –” Coraline began.
“So burn in hell!” Divion roared. Grabbing the Dreambell, he threw it across the room. It smashed against the wall, the remains falling to the floor in a final, ringing death knell. Divion ran from the room.
Wayfara jumped to his feet. “After him!”
“No!” Coraline yelled, forestalling her brother. “He is exposed! A Dreamtrapper is automatically banished from the Holurn. Let him leave. The shame is enough!” Thunder erupted above our heads. Divion was running upstairs. Feet thudded the floor and a door slammed.
Cassie shook her head. “What is he doing?”
Shaken, I attempted to sip my iced tea. The glass never made it to my lips. Instead, it smashed to the floor. My consciousness was bleeding, I could already feel it. People were stretching on my periphery, their figures lengthening.
“Are you ok?” Ash asked.
“He’s attacking her subconscious!” Coraline cried, her voice writhing in panic. “If her subconscious persona is murdered she will go insane! We have to stop him!” Motion erupted around my blurring vision.
“Let’s get him!” Wayfara roared, springing forward. Julian and Cassie were right behind him.
“Take Annie outside, Jon!” Coraline ordered. “Get her away. Ash and I need to help them! We’ll meet you there!”
Grasping my hand, Ash squeezed tightly. “Hold on, Annie,” he said. “I will protect you!” He dashed away after Coraline. Swinging me into his arms, Dr. Boliers carried me from the room.
“Can you still understand me, Annie?” Boliers asked.
“I’m glad,” Boliers said. “Because there’s something I’ve been meaning to say. I’m sorry, Annie, that I helped Lin murder your brother. I’m sorry that I made you inject him with the poison. Lin came to me because he knew I had been turned away from the Holurn for being an Awaker. And so in a moment of weakness I had my revenge. You see, Lin and Adia were married once. She ended the marriage but it was too late. She had already shared the identity of the Newcomer. And so Lin decided to murder your brother so that her prophecy would fail. I regret everything so much, Annie. I am so sorry.”
“That’s fine,” I breathed, delirious. “You’re only a doctor…”
Shapes were passing on all sides now, their distorted figures pulsing. We were outside on the dark lawn. Boliers laid me down on the soft, still grass. Suddenly, we were surrounded. The others were back. I heard snatches of panicked sentences even while floating high above the world.
“Divion locked himself in the Holan’s study!” Wayfara cried. “And we can’t get in!”
“Julian entered her subconscious but he couldn’t find Divion,” Coraline told Ash. “We have to stop him from above ground!”
Others were circling me, their faces growing wild out of the darkness. Mom demanded I remain in college. Dad nodded silently, his response to everything throughout my life. Josephine destroyed flowers while Eli swigged from his bottle and Caleb rubbed fevered eyes. Ash told me he loved me.
“I love you,” Ash whispered. “Stay with me, Annie. Stay with me!”
“Utopians!” Julian shouted. “Let’s smash the windows!”
“Hurry!” Ash yelled desperately. “I can’t! I don’t have wings!”
On the periphery of my vision I saw Wayfara and Julian spreading their massive wings. They launched themselves into the sky. Atop the tower, Julian manifested a hammer.