by C J Benjamin
“Well, I hope it’s not too important because there aren’t going to be 140 of us to stand against Greeley. More like five,” I added under my breath.
We spent the next few hours going back over the script on the wall, making note of where the number 140 kept cropping up. There were passages about the strength of 140, the speed of 140, the fury of 140, and so on.
“It seems like it’s part of the future rather than the past,” I said.
“I agree. I only see it at the end of the legend in the prophecy.”
“But that makes no sense. Who are these 140 people we’re supposed to get to help us?”
“I don’t know, Tippy, but I know we’re right about Greeley.”
“What about Greeley?” came Remi’s voice, temporarily startling us.
“Remi!” I said, rushing over to help him.
He returned with a stack of supplies. He had blankets and food and notebooks. It was so good to see him again. We spread out the blankets and sat down to enjoy the fruit and bread he smuggled down to us. I didn’t realize how famished I was. I tore the bread into hunks and stuffed them into my mouth and then washed them down with big gulps of water. Then I bit into a mango and let the juice run down my chin in delight. I was enjoying the meal so much I closed my eyes to savor it and laughed at myself, realizing how much I was behaving like Journey, gorging myself on the food before me.
“Sorry,” I said sheepishly wiping my face with the back of my hand. “I must have been hungry.”
“I’ll say,” Remi said with a laugh. “Just make sure you save a little for Niv.”
“Niv!” I squealed with delight. “You brought him?”
“Yeah, Sparrow insisted. She said he’d been acting sad and she thought he might perk up if I brought him to see you.”
Remi opened his shoulder bag and undid the invisibility charm as a sleepy Niv waddled out. He stretched and blinked, twitching his nose all the while. Once he got his bearings and caught sight of me he perked up and trotted over. He climbed into my lap and stood on his hind legs to shower me with kisses.
“Niv! Oh Niv, I missed you, too!”
I whispered a thank you to Remi. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed. Between Niv, the food and my two friends, I was actually able to forget I was stuck in the locker and spent an enjoyable evening chatting with Remi and Nova about what we’d learned from the walls. Remi agreed about Greeley after examining the wall for himself. He seemed to be deep in thought about what the number 140 could mean because he didn’t say too much, until he excused himself for the night.
“Well, I hate to leave you down here, but I’m going to go back up our room. I want to fill Sparrow and Journey in on what you’ve learned. Maybe they’ll have some helpful input.” He stood to leave, but then turned back. “Will you be okay down here?” he asked us both, but I knew from his eyes he was really talking to me.
“We’ll be fine,” Nova answered, and graciously thanked him for the food and blankets.
I gave Remi a final reassuring nod and watched him vanish into the darkness.
“You know, you don’t have to stay down here,” Nova said after a while.
“I know, but I want to,” I said with a shrug and I meant it.
I always cherished the time I got to spend with Nova and the locker offered us nothing but unending time. We settled in for the night, wrapping ourselves in the blankets Remi brought us. Niv burrowed his way down to my belly and snuggled up against me, making his little cooing noises that always soothed me. Nova nestled up against me and let me rest my head on his arm. Even though we were in the most dreadful place in the Troian Center, I have to say I had never been happier. I felt so calm and safe in Nova’s arms. I let him play with my hair, smoothing it away from my face, lulling me to sleep.
41
When I awoke I didn’t have any idea how much time had passed. Was it morning already? Afternoon? Or perhaps I only just shut my eyes moments ago? Not being able to see the sunlight was really starting to get to me. The peaceful complacency of the previous night had worn off. I anxiously untangled my stiff limbs from my blanket and stood, rubbing my arms to try to get some warmth back in them. Even Niv looked grumpy, with his rumpled beard and heavy eyes barely open, letting me know he was not ready to wake up yet.
“Fine, you stay there then,” I grumbled as I started to pace around the room.
Not much had changed. We retracted my orbs and the glowing letters from the wall so we could sleep last night, so I was only using my night vision to get around, not wanting to wake Nova with my other sources of light. I had just reached the far wall, when I heard footsteps above. I turned to see Nova still contently asleep in his blanket. I strained my ears and then heard a heavy latch being lifted and suddenly a bright light beamed down into the room, temporarily blinding me.
“Nova!” I telepathed to him as I stumbled backward, but he was already up and by my side by the time I fully regained my vision. Someone was thumping loudly down the stairs. “Niv!” I silently shrieked to Nova. “He’s still in my blanket!”
“Go, I’ll buy you some time if you need it. Get rid of it all, Tippy.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I ran to where I left Niv and sighed with relief when he lifted his fuzzy little head to snuff at me when I reached the blankets. I picked him up and made him invisible right before stuffing him into my shirt. Then I piled up the blankets and things that Remi brought us and made them disappear, too. I wasn’t sure who or why someone was coming down to check on us, but we couldn’t let them know that we possessed all these supplies or they’d know something was up.
I was panting as I skidded to a stop near Nova on the far wall. We watched a shadowy figure reach the bottom step and bang something metal against the bars that held us captive.
“Come on then, rise and shine, it’s you’re lucky day, dearies,” came Jest’s raspy, wicked voice. “It’s time to go back to work, for those of you who can,” he said, laughing until he sputtered into a coughing fit.
“Why is he coming down here for us already?” I asked.
“Not sure, but I’m about ready to get out, so let’s get out of here while we can.”
“Okay, but you have to act injured remember?”
Nova winked at me and then slumped over, draping his arm heavily across my shoulders. I instinctively put my arms around his waist to steady him. I knew this was all part of the act to keep up the charade that Nova was still severely injured, but I wished he wasn’t laying it on so thick. I was struggling to keep myself upright with his weight anchoring me down. Not to mention he must have accidentally squished the invisible marmouse in my shirt because now Niv was awake and angrily circling my torso, looking for a way out. I tried not to squirm at Niv’s tickling as I worked tirelessly to guide an “injured” Nova out of the open section of bars, past Jest.
Once we stepped out into the hallway, we were bathed in the warm sunlight beaming down from above. It’s comforting glow on my cold skin was short lived though, because as I turned to look at Nova, so did Jest and it was more than apparent that he was no longer injured. I had healed him too well. His shirt was still tattered and blood stained and even his hair was still matted with soil and blood, but his face was flawless. Where there had been gashes of flapping skin across his cheek only two days earlier, there was now perfectly formed skin without even a trace of blood left over. Jest seemed to notice at the same time I did. Thankfully, his brain moved at a much slower pace, as he tried to work out what he was seeing.
“Hey… wait a minute…” was all he got out before I swiped the heavy key ring from his hand and shoved him backward into the locker. I rapidly turned the skeleton key with my trembling fingers and grabbed Nova’s hand before he could protest and dragged him up the stairs.
“Tippy!” he shouted at me the whole way. “What did you just do? That wasn’t part of the plan!”
I stopped and turned to him when we reached the little room above the locker.
> “He figured it out, Nova! He saw right through it. We were so stupid. I did too good of a job healing you to ever convince anyone that you were still injured. You can’t see it but your face is perfect and you were a mess! A bloody, near-dead mess when they sent you down here. I’m pretty sure they sent you down here to die and now look at you! I had to think fast or Jest wasn’t going to let us out of there, and he’d surely tell Greeley something was up. Then they’d know. We can’t let them on to us, not now when we’re so close!” I said trying to drag him toward the door.
“Well, what do you think is going to happen now? Don’t you think Greeley’s going to notice Jest is missing? Listen to that ruckus he’s making down there.”
Sure enough Jest was making quite a racket. He was banging something against the metal bars and shouting at the top of his lungs. Even when I shut the trap door to the stairway it only slightly muffled the sound. I could still hear him. I was trembling as my rush of adrenaline started to waver.
“We’ll just have to act fast,” I said as panic started to set in. I turned to the door and rushed out.
I ran blindly down the hallway back toward room 13. I could hear Nova’s footsteps following not far behind. From the warm, golden light that was brightening the gray hallways I could tell it was afternoon. Everyone would be at Flood work, which was perfect. With less people around it would be easier to break into Greeley’s office and grab the Book of Secrets. I smiled, letting myself be hopeful for the first time, that I was actually going to get to the bottom of this and find out the truth about my parents and myself. I wanted to take advantage of our unplanned escape and go for the book now while the coast was clear. All I needed was my shoulder bag from my room so I’d have something to conceal it in. It was finally in sight. Only a few more strides… I reached for the door and collided with Miss Sprigg.
“There you are!” she shrieked. “You’re a mess! Go get changed immediately, we’re leaving for the Gala right now!”
I watched in shock and confusion as Miss Sprigg scurried away, giving me full view to the crowdedness of our room. Everyone milled about excitedly as Miss Sprigg continued fussing about how we are already behind schedule. I turned to see if Nova was still behind me, but he had disappeared. He must have heard Miss Sprigg when we got close enough and hid. Some warning would have been nice, I huffed to myself. At least I could still count on him to go after the Book of Secrets. He had to know this was our best opportunity. I sighed, but I still had hope that it would end tonight.
Sparrow rushed to my side and was busy whispering in my ear, but I wasn’t paying any attention. My mind was preoccupied with questions. How could it be time for the Gala already? How long had we been down there? I thought it was only two nights, had it been longer? It must have been.
I was still busy trying to do the math when Sparrow’s tugging interrupted me. “Come on!” she whispered louder towing me behind her. “We have to get you dressed.”
Before I knew it she had me in the Jane’s room. I looked at her for the first time and it took my breath away. She looked like an angel, dressed in her white tunic with a beautiful gold sash tied around her slender waist. Her mousy brown hair didn’t look mousy at all. It was in a shiny braid and seemed to almost match the liquid amber color of her eyes. All I could do was smile at her.
“What’s wrong with you?” she hissed as she unfolded my white tunic. “Wash yourself off quickly so we can get you into this dress.”
“Here,” I said, handing her Niv who I let become visible as I pulled him from my shirt.
“Hi, sweet boy,” she crooned as she took him from me and I slipped away to make myself presentable.
“How is it time for the Gala already?” I called from over the stall door.
“Tippy, you’ve been down there for four days. We were all worried sick. It was the longest four days of my life!”
“Yeah, but Remi…” I trailed off as I stuffed my head through the tunic.
“Thank goodness Remi was able to check on you each night,” she finished for me.
Something wasn’t right. Remi had only checked on us once. But he told Sparrow he had been there every night? Where was he really when he said he was checking on us? I didn’t have much time to think on it because I heard someone else walk into the Jane’s room and the atmosphere suddenly changed. I could feel the panic and tension coming from Sparrow who moments earlier had seemed excited and happy. I felt the joy return to the air, but it was a sickeningly sharp happiness, laced heavily with bitter satisfaction and I knew even before I creaked the door of my stall slightly open who had walked in.
“Well, hello ladies,” Jemma said with her eyes locked on Niv, making my heart drop. “Miss Sprigg sent me in here to hurry you along. We’re lining up in the courtyard right now and I wouldn’t want you to get left behind,” she added with extra insincerity.
I stood silently trying to calm my nerves and control the urge to stuff Jemma into a stall and lock her there forever. I was waiting in painful anticipation for her to say something about Niv, but she didn’t. She was ignoring his presence completely. Instead she went to the mirror to check her perfect appearance, smoothing her raven-black mane and smiling back at herself vainly. As if she sensed me leering at her, she turned on her heel and gave me a once over, letting a wicked smile slowly spread across her perfect red lips.
Well, you look… nice,” she said softly, stifling a nasally laugh. I felt embarrassed that I let her comment automatically force me to look down, but my gown fit well and didn’t have any stains or tears; but then I felt my face burn red as I followed her stare to my head where I’m sure my unruly hair was still a matted mess from the locker. Finally she turned to walk out of the room calling over her shoulder, “Don’t be too long, Janes.”
Sparrow seemed to take a breath for the first time since Jemma entered the room and I took two long strides before I was to her and Niv when I heard the click, click, clicking of Jemma’s footsteps pause and my heart began to ice over as they came clicking back toward us, and she called, “Oh and girls, I would leave your little pet some place safe. It would be a shame if Greeley found it.” Then she disappeared down the hallway, apparently satisfied that she had rattled us enough for now.
“Tippy!” Sparrow hissed in a frightened whisper that somehow echoed the exact amount of panic I was feeling at the moment. I took hold of Niv and hugged the oblivious little fool tight and then it was as if I had been struck by lightning. A blinding vision just sliced into my brain, paralyzing me momentarily and leaving me gasping for breath. It left as swiftly as it came.
“Tippy! What happened? Are you okay?” Sparrow whimpered looking desperately helpless.
“I don’t know. I… I think I just had a vision.”
“Of what?”
“I’m not really sure, but it was about Greely and Niv, she’s going to find out about him.”
“Oh no! Do you think Jemma will tell her about him?”
“She has to. We’ve got to go stop her.”
“Wait, what do we do with him now?”
“We’ve got to keep him with us. Keep him safe,” I said as I started for the door.
“Wait! Maybe that’s what Jemma wants us to do. She did say leave your pet in a safe place. She wants Greeley to catch us with him. We should leave him here. I think he’ll be safer. Just make him invisible again. She’ll never find him that way.”
I stopped, thinking about it for a moment and Sparrow was right. Jemma did say leave and my immediate reaction was to take Niv with me. She was always so good at pushing my buttons and manipulating me that maybe this was part of her plan. I didn’t know what to do but we needed to make a decision fast. I could hear all the other orphans filing down the hallway toward the courtyard. The excitement in the air was growing and clouding my thoughts.
“Okay,” was all I said as I hugged Niv once more and let him kiss my chin and neck before I turned him into empty space. I pushed out into the crowded hall and then into our
now deserted room where I plunked Niv delicately on my bed and pleaded with him to stay out of trouble. I could see the indentations of each of his feet turn into one large dent on my cot bed and I sighed, slightly relieved that he seemed happy to sleep the rest of day away. I turned back to Sparrow and nodded to her that I was ready.
“One more thing,” she said coming toward me and laying her hands on the crown of my head. “There, that’s much better,” she beamed.
“Thanks,” I smiled back at her knowing she’d used her favorite magic trick to tame my hair.
We headed for the hallway. I paused to take one more look back at the empty space that was my sweet sleeping little marmouse and I gave an involuntary shiver. I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending dread.
42
We breathlessly reached the courtyard and joined the rest of our year. Journey raised his eyebrows when he caught sight of us and Remi gave me a goofy smile, but I chose to ignore them. I actually even allowed a tiny bit of the Gala excitement to catch hold of me. This was always our favorite day of the year at the Troian Center. We got to skip lessons and work to dress up and go to Lux. Minus the singing, it was actually something I looked forward to. Although I gave up the hopefulness of being adopted, I still enjoyed the beautiful sights and sounds of Lux. It was decorated so elegantly, with thousands upon thousands of candles illuminating the pristine city, lighting our path to the heart of the celebration. The sun-kissed citizens pulled out all their best jewels and most elaborate linens for the New Year Gala, celebrating the rebirth of their flourishing city into another year. My favorite part was the fireworks that lit up the inky night sky after we finished singing, signaling the start of the New Year. It seemed to be the beginning of the night for the citizens, but it’s when we headed home, back to the Troian Center, back to being orphans for another year; another year of Flood work, another year of wondering where we truly belonged. I guess it’s kind of a bittersweet day, but for that short little bit of time, I got to feel like we were more than just orphans, like we were part of something and I cherished each and every moment. I relished the sights, sounds, and smells of Lux, because even though I have no recollection of my family or my past, I felt most at home during our short yearly visits inside the exquisite gates of Lux.
