by K M Frost
I sank cautiously back onto the sofa and studied the counselor in front of me.
Counselor Gerrit was probably in his late thirties, and his thick dark hair had not a single strand of gray. He had thick eyebrows and a strong face, but his smile was honest as he sat calmly on his chair. His brown eyes were warm and laughed at my discomfort, though not in a cruel way.
Despite everything, I felt myself relaxing slowly in his friendly presence.
“Now, from what I hear, you had a bit of an adventure yesterday.” His tone was light, and an amused smile lit his face.
I tensed. Did they have a file on me? Did he already know everything about me and my family? Did he know about the Reality Dreams? Where had they gotten their information?
Before I could get too worked up about it, he spoke again, and I listened.
“The Second-Head from your school, an Instructor Hynes, told me that you and another student decided to skip school.” He crossed his ankles leisurely and rested his arms on his stomach. “Now, Instructor Hynes told me you’re an excellent student, but they’re worried about you. That’s the reason you’re here. Not because they think you’re a problem, but because they want to be sure you’re alright.”
I stared at him in surprise, but he seemed to be telling the truth. I licked my lips quickly and nodded. “Don’t worry—I’m fine.” I stood and took a step toward the door. “Thanks for your time—”
Counselor Gerrit caught my arm in a fast and surprisingly strong grip. He tugged me back onto the couch with a little too much force, but his voice was still calm, friendly. “Now, I’m sure you are. But why don’t we talk for a while? You’re here anyway, we might as well talk.”
I watched him warily, surprised and unnerved by his agile and secure grip, but I decided his smile was still genuine. I don’t think he meant to scare me—just keep me here a little longer.
I told myself he would eventually let me leave, and tried to just relax and focus on his questions.
“How are things at home, Jonas?”
I hesitated, then shrugged. “Good.”
“I’m glad to hear that. How are you getting along with your parents? I know your father works quite a lot. Does that make it hard to connect with him?”
I frowned at the question. I’d never thought about it. For as long as I could remember, Dad worked all day, then came home in time for dinner. I couldn’t imagine it being different.
I shook my head. “No, things are fine.”
Counselor Gerrit nodded again. “Good, good. And I believe you have a little sister. How are you handling that?”
Handling that? Handling what? Having a little sister, or just handling Ellie, period?
I found myself shrugging again. “She’s a little sister. Sometimes we get along, sometimes we don’t. But that’s the way everyone is.”
Wasn’t it?
I looked up at him nervously. Would he tell me no, that’s not how everyone was? Would he tell me that most brothers got along with their sisters all the time? Was he going to tell me I was odd, troubled, weird?
But then he smiled. “Oh, yes.” He laughed a little. “You should have seen me with my sisters. There were times when we’d go for days without speaking to each other. And then sometimes, we were the best of friends.”
I felt a rush of relief and found myself smiling, too. Maybe I wasn’t messed up after all.
We talked like that for a while—just about school and family and life.
He never asked me if I had weird dreams, and I never mentioned them. When he asked me about my friends, I smiled a little and told him about Rick, Leah, and Stewart. Luckily, he didn’t ask me how we’d met—I don’t know if I could’ve invented a convincing lie.
Though Counselor Gerrit was friendly, and I liked talking to him, I felt that—deeper down—there was a side of him that wasn’t so easygoing. I didn’t dare lie to him, afraid he’d see right through it.
Eventually, he glanced at the clock on the wall and I was shocked to see that almost a full hour had passed since we’d sat down. It felt more like fifteen minutes. I was surprised time had passed so quickly in this little room.
Counselor Gerrit turned back to me with an apologetic grimace. “I’m afraid that’s all the time we have for today, Jonas.”
“That’s alright.” I stood up and brushed my hands against my pants. “I had fun talking. Thanks.”
He nodded, though he was frowning.
I was relieved when we got back to the main room. Mom was sitting on one of the sofas with a book, but when we came through the door she hurried to stand up.
Rather than letting me go to Mom, the counselor grabbed my shoulder and herded me over to the front desk where the too-happy receptionist still sat.
Mom frowned, but she didn’t intervene.
Counselor Gerrit leaned an arm on the desk in front of him; he still held my shoulder, like he thought I was going to bolt. “Gloria. When is my next free period this week?”
The too-happy receptionist, Gloria, pulled open a thick book and began flipping pages with a practiced hand.
After a few seconds of silent page-turning, she laid the book out in front of her and looked up at Counselor Gerrit. “It looks like you have a free hour on Thursday.”
He frowned, like he wasn’t very happy about that, but he nodded. “Very well. Would you put young Jonas here down for his next appointment, then?”
“Certainly.” Gloria pulled out a sleek pen and began writing in the book.
I blinked. “Wait. What?”
Counselor Gerrit finally released me and turned to me in concern. “Will you be busy this Thursday?”
“No. But I thought this was it. I mean, can’t I go back to school now?”
He considered my question, then waved Mom over. She hurried to join us and stood beside me anxiously.
Counselor Gerrit spoke directly to Mom. “I believe a probationary trial would be alright.”
“Probationary?” I clenched my fists with a surge of outrage.
He nodded. “As long as there are no more incidents, you’ll be back in good graces within the next month.”
“Month?!”
I couldn’t believe this! What had happened to the whole, one meeting and I’d be able to go back to school thing?
Mom seemed bothered, too. She settled her hands on my shoulders, though I don’t know if it was to comfort me or to keep me from hitting the counselor. “Was there a problem? Did something happen?”
Counselor Gerrit shook his head. “No, not at all. It’s just that these things take time to straighten out.”
It’s a good thing Mom was holing me back.
“What things?” My voice rang out in the stillness of the reception area.
The counselor raised an eyebrow at me, then looked at my mom meaningfully.
I flushed.
How stupid could I be? I’d just proved his point for him!
Though I wanted to argue and complain about this punishment, that I knew at this point I would only bury myself deeper. So I just bit my tongue.
Mom squeezed my shoulders and spoke slowly, anxiously. “But . . . He’ll be able to go back to school?”
Counselor Gerrit nodded. “As long as nothing else happens, I think he should be able to continue his schooling. He’ll be required to meet with me twice every week, though.”
I bit my tongue so hard I felt a zing of pain, and a coppery taste filled my mouth. I glared at the counselor, even as my tongue bled.
Mom was nodding. “Yes, I understand.”
I sure didn’t understand, but before I knew it, the agreement had been made and my next appointment was set.
Chapter 25
Leaves rustle nearby. The sound is so different from what I’m used to, it startles me upright.
I look around quickly, my heart pounding. Then I remember the shallow crevice in the mountain where we’d decided to stay last night. Without cave walls to muffle the sounds of the trees all around, the fores
t noises are unhindered and much louder than I’m used to.
After a quick glance around, I decide I’m the first one awake. While I wait for the others to wake up, (and to distract myself from the sounds in the dark forest,) I turn my thoughts to my day.
Mom and I had walked home in a relatively comfortable silence, and then I’d helped her with housework. Eventually, we’d made dinner together. It almost felt like old times, except for the fact that I was home with Mom instead of at school.
The fragile illusion shattered when Dad got home.
The carefree conversation Mom and I had enjoyed for most of the day dissolved, and we ate dinner in a tense silence. I don’t think even Ellie was oblivious to it.
As soon as it was polite for me to leave the table, I did, retreating gratefully to my room.
I thought back on my conversation with Counselor Gerrit. He’d asked if I got along with my dad, and I’d answered honestly and confidently. Though there have certainly been times when he’s scolded me in the past, we’ve always been able to get over it quickly.
I’m not so sure we’ll be able to get through this as easily, or even at all.
Rick stirs and I push the thoughts away.
“Hey, kid.”
“Hey.” I try to sound upbeat, but I guess I don’t do a very good job.
Rick frowns. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
He grunts. “Sure.” He’s quiet for a moment and then he speaks again, more gently now. “You met with a counselor today, didn’t you?”
I nod mutely.
“It . . . didn’t go well?”
I shake my head, but can’t think of anything to say.
After a moment, Rick sniffs and stretches out his legs in front of him. “Don’t worry about it, kid. Your parents sound like good people. They’ll look out for you.”
I’m surprised he’d say that, but I also feel a weight settle in my stomach. If Rick’s trying to comfort me, maybe I’m in more trouble than I thought.
I wonder just how much power Counselor Gerrit has over my fate. Does he have the authority to send me away? Will my parents even get a chance to intervene, or will they be just as powerless as I am?
Stewart snorts and wakes up, pulling me out of my worries for now, though they stay heavy in the back of my mind.
A few minutes later, Leah’s awake too, and Rick eagerly leads us out of our hiding place and on toward Rogue’s shelter—I hope.
We walk through the darkness for a long time, but we’re all too tense to talk. It’s amazing we haven’t had a run-in with an Entity yet, and I can tell the others are as anxious as I am.
To distract myself from the worries gnawing at me, and to break the thick silence, I strike up a conversation with Rick.
“So, how soon do you think we’ll be there?” My voice is higher than normal, anxiety seeping through.
Rick shrugs stiffly, his eyes focused ahead. “Maybe another hour or so. It’s kind of hard to tell.”
I nod, searching for something else to say, but I’m at a loss, and the silence floods back in.
Finally, though I know it sounds a little forced, I try again. “How’s Marianne?”
Rick grins, visibly relaxing beside me. “She was able to go home yesterday. The doctors released her and said she’s doing really well.”
I feel a genuine smile lift my face. “That’s great. So, she’s all better then?”
“Well, her parents are still keeping a close eye on her. But the doctors said she should be back to normal in a couple of weeks.” His smile dims as he sobers. “Hey, thanks for helping me get through that rough patch. It meant a lot to me, kid.”
I feel my face warm, and I hope it’s too dark for him to see. I shrug awkwardly. “Yeah. I’m glad I could help.”
Apparently, he’s as uncomfortable as I am, because he hurries to change the subject. “So, are they letting you go back to school?”
“Yeah. They said I’ll be on ‘probation’ for a while, but at least they’ll let me go back.”
“Oh good,” Leah suddenly calls up to us.
Rick and I look back at her in surprise and she grins. I hope she didn’t hear what Rick said about me helping him.
She shrugs. “School’s boring without someone to boss around.”
I roll my eyes. “Just because I let you.”
She laughs. “I’d like to see you try to stand up to me.”
Rick chuckles too, and just as I’m about to retort, I remember the way she beat up Ethan and the others without getting so much as a black eye, and I wonder if maybe she’s right.
Deciding to play it safe and not take my chances, I let the comment slide. Their laughter fades after a minute, but at least the mood stays light.
That is, until the Entities find us.
Out of nowhere, there’s that awful metallic screech, and the next moment I can hear and feel them behind us.
“Run!” Rick shouts, and we take off for our lives.
I can sense the Entities chasing us—and gaining with unnatural speed, though my legs are pumping as fast as they can.
Beside me, Stew’s gasping, both for air and in fear. Instinctively, I reach out a hand and pull him along, even as I try to push myself to move faster.
There’s another horrible scream, a lot closer this time, and then I can feel the ice cold fingers brushing the back of my neck, just like in my nightmare. It seems like an eternity ago that I ran from Entities and stumbled into the Reality Dreamers’ cave, but in that moment I remember the dream with terrible clarity.
And then the fingers disappear.
I don’t know what happens—one second I can feel the Entities right there, and then I step into a clearing in the trees and they’re just gone.
I’m so surprised, I stumble a little in my run, but I do not stop. I keep running until I see that Rick and Leah have stopped ahead, and even then, it takes a great effort to stop my feet.
Leah’s face is flushed and she’s gasping for breath. “What happened?”
I’m breathing too hard to speak, so I just shrug. I hesitate for a moment, and then release Stewart, though my body stays coiled, prepared to bolt the moment the Entities return.
There’s a towering mountain in the center of the clearing, and it blocks out half the night sky. Something about it seems familiar—and threatening.
Rick suddenly points at the mountain and grins. “We made it.”
I frown at the huge cliff wall in front of us, but I don’t see anything special. But then I peer closer and I can see Rogue’s lean-to hiding in the thick shadows. We did make it.
Rogue had told us the Entities stay away from this place. I guess he was right.
Stewart’s breathing hard, his brown eyes wide with fear. “So . . . we’re safe here?”
None of us answer, because we’re not entirely sure. But no one wants to jinx the safety by being cocky, so we don’t agree, either.
Rick straightens after we’ve all caught our breath.
“Alright,” he says, with his ‘leader’ voice. “We’ve got at least a few hours of dreaming left. Let’s scout the area a little bit. If we’re gonna be living here (or dreaming here), we should know the area. Now, since there’s no telling just how close the Entities will come to the shelter, I think we should all stay together, just to be safe.”
We all nod, and I don’t think I’m the only one who’s relieved that we’ll be in a larger group.
“Okay.” Rick nods too. “Let’s head this way first.”
To be honest, I don’t really remember what the area looked like, even though we spent a lot of time walking around—I was too busy watching the woods for Entities to notice much else.
But when someone cries out in surprise, I pull my eyes from the tree line and look toward the sound.
It takes me a second to make sense of what I’m seeing. At first I think Stewart fell through a crack in the cliff wall. Then I see that the crack is widening, and I’m even more confused.
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I watch as the rock wall spreads open, like a huge sideways mouth, opening wide to swallow us. The movement is surprisingly quiet. I’ve never seen a mountain open, but I have a feeling it’s supposed to be deafening, like an avalanche and an earthquake all at once. But all I hear is a soft sound like a rock being pushed across a dull floor of dirt.
The shallow scraping sound dies when the wall stops moving, and I stare in shock and awe at the huge gaping hole in the cliff. It’s at least ten feet wide, and more than fifteen feet high, and it’s darker than anything I’ve ever seen.
I can’t see Stew anymore, but he sounds far away, his voice echoing through the air. “Hey guys! You’ve gotta come see this!”
I glance at Rick and Leah. They look as surprised and uneasy as I feel.
I look back at the huge opening and try not to think about how easily the wall had slid open. What if it closes on Stew?
Pushing aside my fears and nerves, I take the first step toward the hole.
Almost like we’ve come to an unspoken agreement, Rick and Leah fall in beside me, and together we walk right into the gaping darkness.
The moment the sky disappears, I feel the uneven ground change under my feet. It almost feels like stone, but it’s smoother than any stone I’ve felt before. For some reason, I’m reminded of the Entity city, and that does nothing to help me relax.
“Stew?” I hate how dark it is in here, and the way the eerie echoes surround us.
I hear a muffled response, but it’s far away. Maybe he’s in another room?
Despite the fear and apprehension building inside me, I force my feet to continue forward, inching farther into the darkness.
Stewart is in there.
I feel trembling fingers wrap around my hand, and I think Leah must be as scared as I am.
Just as I’m about to call out to Stew again, I find a closed door blocking my path. It’s plain and made of a smooth, dark material that reminds me of the Entity city again.
Steeling my nerves, I reach out and pull it open. The moment I do, light comes flooding out, and I blink in surprise and pain.
Though I still can’t see what’s in the room beyond, I eagerly step out of the darkness and into the light. I feel Rick and Leah follow.
