Wakers: Sayonara Sleep

by Michaela Hoffman

  I managed to free the Wakers with this controlled burn technique. My last cell was Quanita’s, and my blackout powers were starting to wane. Thankfully, I could see Aza’s legs beneath me. So I had a little time left. Quanita’s eyes grew when I came in, and she quickly moved closer. “Blackout,” she whispered, placing her hands on my face. “You’re alive.” Before I had a chance to speak, she kissed me. I pushed Quanita away when her hands moved to a few intimate places.

  “Quanita it’s me,” I said, my true form taking over from the feet up. She smiled at me sheepishly. Okay. So that was her relationship with Aza…

  “Letz move,” Queen Piria prodded, flying around us. Beyond our metal enclosure, Jeba had beaten at least a dozen guards. Her final throwdown was a noisy one, and we ran over to her. She was circling the jar of red solution, eyeing it skeptically.

  “Squit blood transfer.” We turned to see Jasper emerging from the stairwell. “It accelerates the transformation process,” he said, opening his arms. “Welcome to the nest.” Before I could light up, Quanita jerked towards the wall, convulsing and dropping to her knees. She pushed me away from her.

  “Leave me,” she said, breathing heavily. “I’m changing too.” Unmoved, Jeba swatted Quanita with the stick and helped her up. As Jasper advanced on us, I lit up like a million fireworks.The rocks quaked around us and Jeba’s underground plant network launched upwards. I held onto a bough, but someone grabbed my leg and yanked me down. It was Jasper, now half in Squit form. He left me grounded to fly after my comrades. I took out my slingshot and aimed near the new hole in the ceiling. Bullseye— the whole dungeon ignited before Jasper could make it out.

  Infuriated, he flew back and pinned me to the rock floor, which was now cracking and breaking open from the plant growth. While Jasper grew a second head, his glasses fell off. I froze. The two pairs of stitched silver eyes bore into me like they did during the KuKave raid. The Squit that killed Bast was him!

  “Hard to forget your first bite,” Jasper said, quadrupling in size. That’s right. He was also the bug that bit me and tossed me into the ocean. Incensed, I raised a bright hand against him, but a zap on my back halted my movements; my light extinguished in a beat. Oh no. Jasper was an ally to the throne. I had set off the Czar’s Intent Monitor…

  Jasper tightened his grip around my throat, inching my body towards a jagged rock ledge. He leaned in closer to my face. “I tried to warn you,” he said. “It’s time to carry out your death sentence.” There was no use in fighting back. I was a sitting duck until Renezen reactivated my powers.

  Or a miracle happened.

  ***

  Chapter 22

  I removed a cold wash cloth from my face. Uncle Hugo was beside my bed, concerned and stroking my hair. “Sweet peach,” he said. “You were having a bad dream.” I pulled back the sheets, which were soaked with sweat. So that’s what a near-death experience felt like. Even if it was just Waker death, like Tash described, it was still harrowing. Uncle Hugo wrapped me in a hug until I stopped shaking. “Just breathe. That’s it, nice and slow.” How could I go back to Nightworld now, knowing what I knew? Could I really make things better? Or would I lose trying to protect the people I cared about?

  Waker Life Day 25

  There is contention rising in Nightworld. It seems Wakers are being sent to capture the Waker Child. Such persuasion, I believe, comes from my colleague, who has made herself a powerful facet of this dimension. She and I have had many disagreements regarding the boy, and neither of us will yield on the matter. Though his mother and I have taken drastic measures to protect him, this still seems insufficient. I’m afraid I am now unable to protect the people I’ve come to care for. But nevertheless, I will fight for them until my end.

  When Clover had her back turned in the library, I snuck into one of the study rooms. With the door locked, lights shut off, and a jacket over my head, I succumbed to a pulsing wrist tattoo. Dad, this may be my end too. Please help me fight for them.

  ***

  I drew back the blankets with a sigh of relief. Safe return. Time to activate inner mission mode. To my surprise, the Czar was sitting at the foot of my bed. I quickly covered up with a sheet. Many emotions bubbled inside me. It was a stew of anger, betrayal, sadness, guilt, and love. As if detecting my edginess, he kept his head lowered. “Where are my friends?”

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “They’ve escaped from here.”

  Thank God. I had to go make sure Quanita was okay. And pronto. “Do you mind stepping outside?” I snapped.

  “You’ll leave if I do.”

  Fine, if he was that bent on staying. I whipped back the sheets and got dressed in front of my closet. It bothered me slightly that he didn’t sneak one peek. “Are you here to kill me off yourself?” I asked, tying up my hair. “After all, your giant sea monster and vampire half-breed worked so hard for nothing.” He clasped his hands over his knees.

  “I have two things for you.” Renezen spoke so softly, I barely heard him. He removed a seaglass hair clip from his pocket, then rose and approached me uncertainly. I let him pin the clip beside my ear. “Your trinket from me,” he explained. “And also… the truth about your family. Come with me.”

  We returned to the Cave of Remembrance together. Before the cascade portals, he set his pocket watch around my neck and looked away. Silver etchings curled along its frame. And there were four hands, each tick firm yet soft. “You’ll find what you’re looking for in my memories.” Wait, his memories? Without warning, Renezen took out his intent monitoring device and threw it on the ground. With a stomp of his foot, a thread of electricity fizzled out in my back. The device was a broken heap among the rocks. “You are no longer a prisoner here,” he said, unwrapping my Rooter. “Take what you need from this place and go where you please.”

  I wanted to hate him. Truly I did. He left me powerless in a dungeon. He had me confront an opponent I couldn’t win against. And he imprisoned countless people, maybe even my family members. After all I’d seen, why didn’t I?

  As his glove penetrated the falls to leave, I latched onto him at the waist. A revelation was beginning to come full circle. His rigidity loosened with a sigh and he placed his hands over mine, waiting. “Please take off your mask,” I said quietly. “I think I know who you are now.”

  He squeezed my hands, voice pained. “I am against you,” he said. “Tomorrow we are Binding everyone in this Waker generation.” The falling water filled the silence. I drew back but he kept my hands, fixing me in place. “Earn your Seal and don’t hold back when fighting me.” When he let go, it felt like the final release. As if, when he left me, we would never be together like this again. While he stepped through the falls, I jumped on his back. And guess what? He caught me. No stumbling or toppling over this time. I guess I no longer surprised him.

  On the rock ledge overlooking Seawall, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Why do you do awful things if it breaks your heart?” When he didn’t answer me, my fingers slowly found the base of his mask. He placed his hand over mine with a deep breath. After setting me down on a nearby rock, Renezen knelt before me. His shadow-like appearance was brightened by the moon overhead. He threaded his hand through mine timidly, then brought my fingers again to the hem of his mask.

  “Go ahead,” he urged softly. The man in front of me was different from the one I first met in Seawall. What happened to the ruthless ruler who said he’d never trust me?

  White hair was pinned into a bun. When I unfastened it, his hair spilled out and fell to shoulder level. I tucked a strand behind his ear, and there was a solid gold eye beside the blue one. My hands found the base of his shirt and he held his arms overhead for me. Once I untied wrappings, the Fluta was right there, fixed to his chest like a baby heart. I touched it, my other hand mapping the blue-green art on his arm. He was Nez all along.

  “You’re the Waker who never wakes up,” I breathed, really wanting to kiss him. He placed a loose strand of hair behind my ear, lookin
g up with two earnest eyes. They were lamplike in the dark.

  “A dream,” he said. “That’s all I am.” After a pause, he looked out towards the colorful falls. “And dreams stand no chance against Reality.” With a heavy heart, I touched his cheek.

  “That’s not true,” I said. “Dreams become real if you want them badly enough.” Did I, too, need to hear this? “Nez, who’s telling you these things?” Without a word, he stood up. In some ways, Nez seemed close to me, and in other ways, out of reach. He had said this was a distance he wanted to keep. But now, I had my doubts. Who truly wanted to be this alone? I rose beside him, using Dad’s notes to piece things together from here. “My father’s coworkers wanted you,” I said.

  With a dry laugh, Nez rubbed his arm. “They have me,” he said. “And there’s nowhere to run.”

  His words stung me on a visceral level. I couldn’t believe that. I wouldn’t because… no one could have him but me. “But you are—”

  “Not real,” he finished for me. And that was the end of it. Jax had said the same thing, right? Regardless, the echo of his words lingered in my ears, almost too painful to bear. Tears began to puddle in my eyes. Nez’s expression softened as he stroked my hair. “You are real,” he whispered. “And now you have the strength to protect what you love.” Something in me knew right then. At a turning point, he started preparing me to fight in his place.

  “Nez,” I said after the silence. Gliding a hand over his cheek, I kissed him on tiptoe. Inches away, I smiled up at him sadly. “You’re very real to me.” That was all I could say. I turned away and left him where he stood. The waterfalls divided us as I went back to the Cave of Remembrance. Gripping the pocket watch, I began to have second thoughts. Maybe my belief in Nez came from blinded love. If I was charged with protecting everyone now, how much could I trust this gut feeling? Was Nez truly good?

  I swiped the watch over a sheet of water. The vast display of memories sputtered away, revealing just a handful of liquid tiles, assorted delicately in front of my face. Renezen was in a few of the images, small, and tangled in the arms of a woman. From her smile and features, she must have been Kiki. His mother was in about six of a dozen memories, along with my father. The other ones were completely different. Instead, there was the same young woman smiling, frowning, laughing, or lighting up. My breath left me and my knees buckled a bit. Half of his most treasured memories were of me. Curiously, I reached out towards one with his mother.

  In a splash, I was there— watching Kiki ankle deep in the ocean, holding up Renezen, and leaning him closer to a small sea creature. When a breeze moved the white hair from his face, I could see wonder in the small boy’s bicolored eyes.

  “Meet Ploos,” Kiki cooed. The sea slug bowed and flapped her feathery appendages. Nez held out his hand to her, and she nuzzled it, green spots aglow. When Nez embraced his mother, she tenderly rocked him while swaying in the water. Ploos’ purring melded with the sound of moontide.

  The memory dissolved around me. I then stood with Kiki and Nez in the gazebo. He looked a few years older, though according to Dad’s journal, it had just been days. The smile that Kiki carried now looked less genuine, almost forced. Another man stood silently beside them, dressed in black and watching the waterfalls. A guard came over and bowed to them.

  “Czar Luca. Snow Sovereign Hakim is here to see you.” The man turned around without a glance towards his family. Nez reached out for his cloak, but then withdrew his hand. Czar Luca primly walked back towards the castle, his rippling cloak the only goodbye. Kiki patted Nez’s head and drew his attention away from his father. “My sweet Nez,” she said, pressing a silver watch into his palm. “This will tell time for you.” His eyes widened as he inspected it.

  “Only Carri-Sects can tell time,” he said. “And Jeba with her weird hourglasses.”

  Kiki knelt down beside him and wound the watch. “Teacher made it,” she explained. “It has both Real and Nightworld times.” She pointed to the small hands, four in total behind the glassy watch face. “Mama will come back to you when that big hand is on this number.”

  Nez frowned and handed it back to her. “Just take me with you,” he said. “I can be real too.”

  Though these words visibly unhinged her, Kiki took Nez into her arms. She held back tears and whispered into his ear. “I’ll always take you with me.”

  When this memory too misted away, I was in Ceph’s temple. Nez was on a table, his small chest rising and falling with effort, swollen and bloodied. A golden stone glimmered between his collarbones. My father sat by his side while Ceph cleaned a few silver instruments. The boy was sweating, shaking, and squeezing the small pocket watch around his neck.

  “Nez, let me teach you a song,” my father said, stroking his forehead. “Sing it and your parents will be with you. For certain. Even if you can’t see them there.” And he taught the young Czar our Falconbridge family song. Nez drowsily repeated my father’s words, closing his eyes:

  “If we part for any reason, carry our hearts with you…”

  Nez and Dad appeared in another time frame. The young Czar was high in a banyan tree, overlooking the Seawall territory. My father climbed up beside him, ashen-colored, and fighting the urge to look down. He sat cautiously on the adjacent bough.

  “Nez,” Dad said. “Let’s go down to see your mother.” The boy looked about ten years old, maybe a little younger. His hair was tied back in a ponytail. Nez latched onto a higher branch and swung his body back and forth. Those blue and gold eyes were taunting. “Nez,” Dad reached for him but lost his balance forward. In a swift movement, Nez landed and righted Dad back on the branch. My father clutched his heart, breathing shallowly.

  “I want to go out like I used to,” Nez whined, gesturing beyond the gates. “If I’m stolen, I’ll use my water powers and get away.”

  Dad’s composure was slowly returning to him. “You need more practice using those powers,” he finally said. “Let’s do that now. On the ground.” Nez eyed him skeptically, well aware that my father hated this altitude. He sat down, feet dangling in the air beneath him.

  “I’ll only practice by the Aril River,” he said, nodding towards the marketplace. It was just a little distance beyond it. My dad looked away as Nez bounced on the skinny tree branch. After about ten seconds, Dad acquiesced.

  “Okay, okay fine,” he said. “Just climb down now. Oh I’m going to be sick.” And my father retched into a leaf bundle. Nez laughed at him as he easily lowered back towards the ground.

  Before departing for the river, my dad placed an eyepatch over Nez’s blue eye. When the boy peered at him curiously, Dad crouched down beside him. “I just talked with your mother,” he said. “And we’ve decided that you can leave the palace again—”

  “Yes!” Nez punched the air and ran in circles around my father. Dad was dizzying himself chasing after the boy, but finally managed to catch him. It looked like Nez had let him.

  “But with conditions,” Dad said sternly. “First, I have to always be with you. And second, you have to use secret identities now.”

  Nez’s interest piqued. “Like you and Mama?” He asked. “Being one person in Reality, and a different one in Unreality?”

  My father appeared offended by his language. “Who told you this was unreality?”

  Nez shrugged and readjusted his eyepatch. “Teacher, if you made up this place, it’s not real.” When my father didn’t answer, Nez shook his shoulder. “I’ll wear the eyepatch outside, but what should I wear inside the castle?” He asked with eagerness. Dad glanced up to see Kiki, wearing a scaley black dress. Blonde curls fell to her chest. With Nez in tow, my father approached her. He wrapped the boy in the bottommost flare of her dress.

  “Here, you will be Prince Renezen,” Dad said dramatically. “Covered head to toe in black. But,” he pulled back the dress-wrap to expose one of Nez’s eyes. “You will always show the blue eye.”

  Nez grinned and squeezed Kiki’s waist. “Because my blue one i
s like Mama’s eyes,” he said, burying his face in the fabric. Kiki shook her head at them and freed her clothing. With a guarded expression she lifted Nez onto her stomach.

  “Just be good,” she said. “Whoever you decide to be.”

  When the scene shifted, I stood beside a tree, watching Nez and Dad by the Aril River. They were weaving around each other on the embankment. My father was hashing out some pretty incredible Kibo, and the young Nez just couldn’t defend himself. Nevertheless, the boy got back on his feet whenever he fell to the ground or into the river.

  It was so strange to watch. Though this was really my father, adult Nez manifested in every spin and strike. After all these years, he had perfected my father’s style. The similarities were almost uncanny. But clearly, Nez didn’t start out that way.

  “Why can’t I use my powers?” Nez said, wiping blood from his chin.

  Dad offered him a hand. “Because they’re not strong enough,” he said. “But if you’d like to try, go ahead.” Sparked with fervor, Nez wadded into the water and dragged his hands along the surface. Gold eye blazing, the ribbons emanating from his Fluta flared across the water. With a lift of his hand, a globby chunk of water rose from the river, and then clumsily launched in my father’s direction. A few feet away, the water rocket lost steam and dribbled into a puddle. Kind of like a failed water balloon.