Sleeper (The Waking Sleep Book 1)

by Lucy Adler

  “Actually, Daria wanted to be back to her old self more than anything. If that place was supposed to help her, I can’t imagine why she would leave it.”

  “We’re meeting with some men from the Institute later this evening,” Daria’s mother said. “Would you be willing to come over to our house, maybe around 6:30? They’d like to talk to you, too.”

  “Uh, ok. But I really don’t have anything more to tell them.”

  “That’s fine, dear. Just tell them what you told us. Anything is helpful.”

  “Ok, sure. I’ll be there.”

  _______________________

  Brix walked up to the Grayson home at exactly 6:27 that evening. There were two large vehicles parked out on the street, both with ‘Caxton-Meyers Institute’ written in a blocky font on the side.

  “Ah, hello, dear,” Mrs. Grayson said as she answered the doorbell. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Of course. Anything to help Daria.”

  They made their way into the living area where six men and one woman were spread out across the two couches and two arm chairs. Most of them looked like clones of a single ‘henchman’ somewhere - nondescript men in grey suits with no facial expressions and rigid body language. They made sitting on a couch look like a chore.

  One man, however, stood out from the group. He was clearly the leader - maybe in his late fifties, with grey hair that was still surprisingly full. He wore a black suit with a silver tie and was seated, legs crossed, in one of the chairs on the far side of the room.

  Beside him, on the end of one of the couches, was the youngest member of the group. He was seated next to the only woman. Brix thought she looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, and he looked about eighteen or nineteen - maybe twenty at the most. As their arms brushed against one another, she noticed both of their faces redden slightly.

  “Ms. Saxon, is it?” the leader of the group asked her.

  “That’s right.”

  “Mind if I call you Brianna?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Well, we’re sorry to drag you over here like this but we were wondering what you might be able to tell us about Daria?”

  Brix sat down on the floor, since they hadn’t saved her a seat.

  “Like I told the Graysons, I haven’t been in touch with Daria since she went to stay with you. I tried messaging her but I never heard back.”

  “I see,” the man said, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward. “I’m sorry you lost touch with your friend. That must have been a bit disappointing.”

  “I guess. Whatever.”

  “You have to understand, Brianna, that the regimen at the Institute is very rigorous. Daria probably just didn’t have time for messaging.”

  Brix frowned but tried to be understanding.

  “We try to encourage our students to maintain healthy relationships. But some find that they get on better if they leave their old life behind, so to speak.”

  The man’s face was a bizarre mix of empathy and gloating, so that Brix wasn’t sure if he was consoling her or rubbing it in. She tried her best, though, to remember that the only thing that mattered was finding Daria and making sure she was safe. But that didn’t stop her from being a little feisty.

  “So what happened over there?” she asked. “How’d you lose her?” She gave him a taste of mixed signals this time, widening her eyes in concerned curiosity while at the same time smirking the way you might if you watched a cocky kid attempt a stunt and fall flat on his face.

  The man leaned back and crossed his legs again, giving her a knowing smile and a piercing look in return. Brix was ready to hold his gaze as long as he wanted, but the woman in the group decided to interject and cut short their staring match.

  “Dr. Reston can be rather abrasive sometimes, Brianna,” she said with a much warmer smile and friendlier tone. “It’s only because he’s very dedicated to his work. You understand, I’m sure. But that being said, we really would appreciate anything else you can think of that might help us locate your friend.”

  Brix relaxed, feeling that she had won their little contest since the doctor’s colleague had to step in and play referee. She looked at the woman now, softening her gaze and also adopting a friendlier tone.

  “Honestly, Miss...?”

  “Croft.”

  “Miss Croft. I genuinely have no clue where Daria could be.”

  “What about other friends? Is there anyone she might go to for help, do you think?”

  Brix hesitated. A name had popped into her mind immediately but she wasn’t sure she should say it. She didn’t actually know if she could trust these people, especially that Dr. Reston guy. And besides, the person she was thinking of hadn’t shown up at school for over a week. She didn’t even know where to find him.

  “I - I don’t think so. Probably just me. Yeah, I can’t think of anyone else.” She shook her head, trying to prove that she had no idea.

  “What about that Jake fellow?” Daria’s mom chimed in.

  “Uh, who?”

  “Jake Livingston. You must know who I mean. Daria talked about him all the time.”

  “Oh, right, yeah, Jake. Of course!”

  Dr. Reston gave her another sharp look as she glanced in his direction. The younger man on the couch suddenly looked irritated for some reason.

  “Well, as it happens,” she continued, “Jake hasn’t really been around much either. In fact, I haven’t seen him at school in probably a week or more. And this all just happened last night, right? So unless you think he went over there to rescue her like some damsel in distress, then he’s probably not involved!” Brix laughed innocently and nervously. Very nervously.

  “Why would you suggest that?” Miss Croft asked.

  “Suggest... oh, you mean Jake rescuing Daria? No reason, really.” Brix looked across the various faces in the room. “Seriously, I was just being silly. I thought it sounded ridiculous, that’s all.”

  She wasn’t sure if Miss Croft - or any of them - believed her. But it was the truth.

  She breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm herself down and keep from making any more stupid suggestions.

  _______________________

  “Ms. Saxon! Wait up, please.”

  Dr. Reston came out of the house and caught up with Brix on the gravel lawn just outside the front door.

  “Are you walking home?”

  “Yes.”

  “May I accompany you for a block or two?”

  “Uumm... sure.” She was a little confused but she felt safe enough under the bright street lights. Besides, there were cars driving by every half a minute at least, so she didn’t feel completely alone.

  The two of them started down the sidewalk.

  “How long have you known Daria?” the doctor asked.

  “Forever. I think our parents introduced us before we even knew what a ‘friend’ was!”

  “That’s very sweet.”

  They were quiet for a little while, then he continued.

  “Have you ever felt that she was keeping secrets from you?”

  Brix frowned.

  “No. But even if she were, I would trust that there was a good reason for it. And either way, it would be none of your business.”

  The doctor nodded several times and smiled.

  “You’re spirited, Brianna. I appreciate that. You’ll make a strong leader some day. The only question is, of whom?”

  “I’m not sure I get what you mean.”

  Dr. Reston stopped walking. Brix carried on a few more steps before she stopped and faced him. They stood at the corner of an intersection but oddly enough, there wasn’t a car in sight. The traffic signals blinked and changed but there was only silence filling the streets.

  As they once again stared each other down, the doctor’s eyes suddenly began to glow. One was deep red, the other a deep blue. The colours obscured his pupils and washed back and forth across each eye, like waves breaking and then drifting back out to sea.

 
Then, as he spoke, the street lamps dimmed.

  “A flame can give life, and it can take it away. We have to make sure that spark inside you doesn’t start the wrong kind of fire.”

  17

  Month: 4 | Day: 3 | Year: 60

  VISIONS

  Daria woke in a sweat, her hands shaking. She threw off the blankets. As she got to her feet, she felt a wave of dizziness and sat back down on the edge of the bed. She waited until it passed, then got up again and rushed out into the hall.

  As she came down the stairs, she noticed backpacks and a few duffel bags lying near the front door. There was food on the table but it was mostly cereal, milk, and some fruit. Max obviously hadn’t been cooking that morning.

  “Oh, hey Daria! Good sleep?”

  It was Corey and he was carrying another backpack to add to the pile.

  “Uh, yeah. Well, actually, not really.” Daria rubbed her eyes and tried to sort out the two trains of thought in her mind. “What’s going on here? Why all the bags?”

  “We’re moving on today. We only use this place as a stopover after an extraction from Progress.”

  She wanted to ask more questions but the image from her dream was more pressing in her mind.

  “Where’s Jake?”

  “I think he’s up on the hill. Making a call.”

  Daria walked quickly out the front door and around the back of the house. She couldn’t see him but she started up the hill in the same direction he had taken her the day before. Soon, she heard his voice off to the left.

  “...meet you around 2 a.m. on the third day.”

  “Yup, at the usual place.”

  “No, she’s good. Don’t worry.”

  “Ok, sounds good. Stay safe.”

  She waited until it sounded like he was finished, then she went over to him.

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “Oh, hey Dash! I was just checking in with the group that’s going to meet us on our way to the Gates. What are you doing up here?”

  “I asked Corey where you were. I need to talk to you about something.”

  Jake started walking and gestured for her to follow him. “Let’s talk as we head back down.”

  “Uh, no, actually. Can we just have a few minutes here?”

  “Sure, ok. What is it?”

  Now that she had his full attention, Daria wasn’t sure how to communicate what she had seen.

  “I had another encounter with that crushing thing last night.”

  Jake stepped closer and put his hand on her back.

  “Are you alright?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. But it showed me something this time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “As it wrapped itself around me, a picture appeared in the darkness. Like a scene from an old-fashioned movie.”

  Jake waited for her to explain it.

  Daria’s face looked scared.

  “It was... Brix.”

  “Brix?”

  “And she was in trouble.”

  “How? What kind of trouble?”

  “I’m not sure. I just saw her sitting on a couch. She was perfectly still. But her eyes... they were grey. It was her but not her, you know?”

  “Is that all?”

  “Not really.” Daria hesitated. She didn’t want the next part to be true, but she was afraid it was. “Dr. Reston was with her.”

  Jake’s eyes widened and he let his hand drop from her shoulder to his side.

  “What do you think it means?” Daria asked, trying not to sound too desperate.

  “I’m not sure. Most sleepers take at least a few months to see some of the things you’ve seen in the last two days. Under normal circumstances, I’d say it was just your mind worrying. But some sleepers eventually develop the ability to receive impressions. Visions of things happening somewhere else.”

  “And what do they do with them?”

  “Well, once we get where we’re going, you’ll be able to meet other visionaries. That’s how we refer to the sleepers with that particular gifting. Most of the ones I know stay at one of our primary encampments and spread word to groups like us when there’s something we need to be aware of. In fact, it was a visionary that saw you being taken away to the Institute.”

  Daria frowned and crossed her arms.

  “So who am I supposed to tell about Brix? What if she’s in real trouble?”

  Just then, someone called out from the cabin down below.

  “Hey! Jake! We gotta get going!” It was Corey.

  Jake sighed. “Yeah, I know! Be down in a sec!” he yelled back.

  “Who should I tell, Jake?” Daria asked again, more insistently this time.

  “Well, if this is a real vision, and if Brix is actually in trouble... then you would tell us.”

  “Then I’m telling you. Brix is in trouble. We have to do something.”

  Jake shook his head and looked back down the hill, just in time to hear Corey calling up to him again.

  “You comin’? Seriously, Jake. We gotta go.”

  “Yeah, yeah, on my way!”

  “Did you hesitate when this visionary person told you about me?” Daria asked him quietly.

  “Of course not!” he said defensively. “But that was different, Dash.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we knew you were a sleeper. But I’m certain that Brix isn’t.”

  “So, you only help people that are part of your little group?”

  “That’s not it.”

  “Then what’s the problem? Let’s find her.”

  “Look, Dash,” he said more sternly now, “I believe that you’ve had a vision. I really do. But I don’t understand it. And, quite frankly, you don’t understand it either. I don’t mean that rudely, you’re just new to this, so you don’t know what you’re seeing yet.”

  “I know my friend is in trouble. What else is there to understand?”

  Jake had been pacing a few steps either direction as they talked but now he turned and faced her, putting one hand on each of her shoulders.

  “Listen to me, Daria. You’re a part of something bigger now. You think there’s been a lot of information to digest the last few days?” he laughed. “Believe me, this has only been the beginning! As far as you’ve come in such an absurdly short time... it’s still barely the beginning for you. Dash, you don’t see the big picture yet. You’re going to have to trust me and let me decide what’s best for now.”

  Daria stared at him, his eyes more authoritative than she was used to seeing them. But they still felt safe. Maybe even safer because of it.

  “Ok, Jake. Ok,” she said, nodding. “But, what if something happens to her?”

  “I’ll tell you what. We’ve still got a man on the inside at the school. Remember Mr. Barrymore, the science teacher?”

  “What?! Him? Really?!” Daria remembered how he always seemed so bumbling and klutzy. She could never imagine him performing a precise science experiment, that’s for sure.

  “Yup. He’s a good guy. And reliable. How about I get a message to him and have him keep an eye out for her? Maybe text her parents? He could make something up about her schoolwork to try to find out if there’s anything wrong. Sound good?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Daria smiled.

  “Alright, then. Now, let’s get down there before Corey comes up here and tosses us off the hill!”

  _______________________

  They each had a pack to carry, while Corey, Max, and Jake also had a duffel in their hand. It was going to be another long walk.

  “So, how long, exactly?” Daria asked about ten minutes into the hike.

  “It’s about two hours to the road. Then we drive most of the way after that,” Corey replied.

  “It’s more like four hours to the road,” Aury whispered. “He just doesn’t want newbies to get discouraged.”

  Daria laughed. “Thanks for the heads up!”

  “So, you two haven’t had another little... you know... have you?” A
ury’s left eyebrow flicked up and she gave Daria a mischievous smile.

  “No, Aury, we haven’t.”

  “Aww, that’s a shame.”

  Daria shook her head with another laugh. “Don’t worry, you’ll be the first to know, ok?”

  “Yay!” she cheered quietly.

  About an hour passed before Corey called for a short rest. They found a grassy place under some trees where they could drop their bags and lounge for a while. The mountainside wasn’t as steep here. They had been traversing it instead of climbing straight up, and had reached a gentler slope, almost like a plateau, between two foothills.

  Daria dropped her pack, which contained her clothing, a couple of blankets, and some of the food that remained. Julia had packed her things while she was on the hill talking to Jake.

  “You doing alright?” he asked.

  “Yeah, fine. You messaged Mr. Barrymore, right?”

  “Yup. In fact, he said he would head over there in the next ten minutes. So he’s probably already come and gone by now.”

  “Did he say anything?”

  “No, but that’s not strange. The signal gets poor once we round that bend,” he said pointing back in the direction they had come.

  “Ok, thanks.”

  Jake went over to where he had dropped his bags and Daria tried to rest for a bit. As much as Sendrax hadn’t worked for her like it did for everyone else, it still gave her more energy than a person normally had. She was finding it a little difficult accepting the fact that her new found ‘power’ actually came with even more exhaustion.

  She laid down in the grass, using the backpack as a pillow - a big pillow. She rested her arm on it and then her head on her arm, trying to find a comfortable position. Much to her surprise, within a few minutes, she almost felt like she could fall asleep.

  And she did.

  It lasted barely two minutes.

  _______________________