Wakers: Sayonara Sleep

by Michaela Hoffman

  Nez suddenly staggered backwards, grimacing, and his water barrier collapsed. Wakers dropped clumsily to the bark. The protective net was now rife with huge holes. When the Squits shook themselves free of water, the mission commenced. Whether from KuKave, Lathermia, or Skyplume, Wakers were running from, or fighting the oversized beasts. Hakim and Jeba were leading the offense.

  A harpoon headblade had pierced Nez’s shoulder, a bloom of blood expanding around it. Jasper stepped forward with his weapon. “I had a feeling you’d do this,” he said with a grin. “So I feasted inside the tree for a while. Your water tricks didn’t reach me there.” Wait, he was inside of the tree before? Oh no. So was Bru. Before I could burn Jasper alive, a gush of water blasted me and Nez with typhoon force.

  “So much disobedience since she came,” Bensimhon seethed. Water was dripping all around us. Jasper appeared behind Nez, reeling in the harpoon. Yeah, not on my watch. I blazed up like an inferno and singed the rope attached to the blade. Jasper quickly became my Kibo opponent. With one kick, his harpoon shaft went sailing over the treetops. I had Jasper teetering on a branch ledge when Bensimhon called over to me. She had Nez pinned down using her water limbs.

  I ran over to them. “Nez,” I yelled. “Fight back!” That was his element. His forte. Why was he letting her subdue him? When I was a foot away, the water body launched at me. Under its weight, I couldn’t move. My squirming didn’t seem to be doing any good. Bensimhon’s face appeared in the water with a smile. She gripped my throat but there was no squeezing involved. Instead I felt like she was unweighting me. My fingers were flickering out of existence. Almost like I was… dissolving. Quanita had said it before— that the water dissolved people. Or was it just the Sea Mistress? Was this how she took Tash and my father?

  Her arms became gold-veined. Bensimhon screamed as she was peeled off of me and flung into the tree trunk. When my fingers regained their shape and form, I took Nez’s hand and got up. His gold eye was scalding, with the facial expression to match. Bensimhon started laughing.

  “You? Raising a hand to me?” The other Wakers suddenly stopped their sparring. They watched as a magnetic force was drawing every body of water to the Skyplume tree. Water streams flew across the sky and combined together, building up an immense wall of water. It was the tsunami wave I had seen in Nez’s memories. The one he couldn’t fight against.

  As Nez gazed up at it, I held his hand. “It’s time,” I said. “To make peace with our pasts.” That would give us the ultimate strength, right Dad? Thick gold braids weaved quickly throughout the wave. The Wakers and Squits alike regarded the tsunami with doom, and remained frozen in place. All the while, trees continued to fall, and mountains continued to crumble.

  Bensimhon’s wave lurched forward but Nez pushed it back with an outstretched hand. It was like he had trapped it with a golden dam. With a shriek she pounded against Nez’s boundary. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he kept her restrained. Blood dripped from his shoulder, streaking his forearm. Soon the hand I was holding became tinged with red.

  Wait, what was I doing? Wasn’t I here so that he wouldn’t fight alone? I pressed my other hand to his chest and lit up. If I could also make peace with my past, and transfer my power to him, wouldn’t that give us two ultra-strong forces to take her down? It was worth a shot. Combined with my light power, Nez’s gold thread had changed to rainbow. It also transformed into a wide sheet that covered the expanse of the water. She continued to resist, but so did we. Every power Nez and I had was unleashed to its maximum potential. We had surpassed our perceived thresholds. And capabilities. The strength flowing out of me was almost intoxicating. Finally, I felt the power of a demi-god.

  Then everything around us vanished. Literally, it did. When the light waned, Nez and I found ourselves breathing heavily in a dimly lit place with low-riding fog. There was one entrance. Light spilled out of it. Curiously, we passed the threshold together, Nez clutching his shoulder wound.

  We were in Ganji Lab in its prime. Back when it was my father’s cherished work-nest. Beakers were full of solutions and machinery hummed. To my disbelief, my father was cleaning pipettes at the sink. The slanted smile, the explosive hair, the wrinkled lab coat. This was the man I remembered. The man before Nightworld.

  “Dad?” I thought you were dead. Chains on his wrists chinked as he dried off his hands. He timidly approached us. Without thinking, I ran to hug him and passed right through. His body glitched like a hologram before returning to stable form.

  My father shrugged sadly. “I am only consciousness,” he said. “Though I would love to embrace you both, it’s no longer possible.”

  “Teacher,” Nez said, eyeing the surroundings. “Where did you take us?” My father walked to the center of the room and looked up at the domed ceiling. As if by silent command, the ceiling lowered to him and began spinning. A night sky slowly spread out over the walls, and then covered the floor. Gravity gave way, and we were all midair, overlooking an apocalyptic world. Tree behemoths were falling, glaciers were melting, and the earth itself was swollen with cracks. Nightworld.

  “You two have torn the fabric of Nightworld,” Dad said. “You brought yourselves here, to God’s Realm.” While Nez and I took in the bird’s-eye view of our crumbling home, Dad continued calmly. “Lava, if they capture both your Real and Waker forms, they will trap you in this Realm. To take over my role, or to share it with your sister.”

  “Your role,” I said, heat in my words. “What exactly are you Dad?”

  My father opened his arms to the Nightworld before us. “I am everywhere,” he breathed. “In every thing, thought, and movement… such sensations, are too difficult to explain. But my mind can never ‘turn off,’ as I am eternally connected.” He raised his noisy chains. “Or you could say, imprisoned.” I started to notice his limbs were fading into translucence. “But soon, I will finally be free.”

  So this was his perch, all along. Watching over all of us. Saving my life several times. Why couldn’t I feel him there? Why did I never sense it? Even now, I was so close, yet still unable to reach out and touch my father.

  “What next?” Nez pressed. With Dad’s nod, the scene disappeared and we returned to his serene lab once again. He mosied over to his white board, and began writing a formula.

  “Both of you must go to Reality,” he said. “To protect her Real form.”

  Nez’s mouth fell open. “Both of us?” He laughed. “I’ll just disappear when Nightworld tanks.”

  “I believed that too,” Dad continued with a nod. “Until today. Nez, right now, your physical form is straddling both worlds. It even appears more intact than mine at this very moment.” He paused pensively. “Therefore, you should be able to survive another ‘jump’ to Reality.” Dad stepped back from his writing, a nonsensical string of numbers and symbols. I could see through his body to read them. “According to my calculations, it’s possible you might be able to even exist there.” The words seemed to echo off the domed ceiling, heavy with resonance.

  Dad set the marker down noisily and adjusted his crooked glasses. “Once this place is destroyed, all other Wakers will return to life on the Other Side, unharmed. Whether they were mutated by Squits, or reincarnated as them, has no influence.” Dad turned towards us, an outline of a person at this point. “This world will merely be barred off from them.” Though this was important too, my mind was still caught in his prior explanation.

  “Nez existing in Reality?” I looked at Nez in hopeful disbelief. But he didn’t seem so easily convinced.

  “I’m hearing a lot of should and might,” he said, arms crossed. “And what happens if I fade away like you?” My father’s voice became more expansive, resonating within the giant ceiling dome. He was no longer visible to us, but still very present. I remembered being with my sister years ago in LoveLand. How desperately I clung to her on every ride. Seeing my father dissipate into Nightworld, I realized that this feat was never possible. Loved ones leave us always.
They can never stay indefinitely, no matter how much we pull them near. Even Nez had to face this reality in his unreality.

  “It’s your only chance for a future,” Dad reasoned gently. A soft glow surfaced over Nez’s shoulder. When the light dimmed, his wound and harpoon blade were completely gone. Talk about a gift from God. Nez peered over at me and his features softened. My father’s voice continued. “The portal you both came from will take you back to Nightworld. But if you pass through this second portal, you will be in Ganji Lab of the present day. What was once a lab of my own design has turned into a death cage. Your sister will be rescued by my colleague, Dr. Miru, and taken to her clinic. So you two must focus on retrieving Lava’s Real form at all costs.” He paused for a moment. “Lava, only you have the strength to resurrect Nightworld at this point. And that cannot happen.” In the corner of the room, more chains chinked. But there was a different body locked into them. It was curled into a ball, writhing, and digging her nails into her flesh.

  Oh no. Aza. I went to her, but like with Dad, I couldn’t touch her. “The weight of Godship is too much for her,” Dad said. “She too will be freed when Nightworld falls.” I couldn’t believe it. The thunderous eyes from my memories were now glazed over and bloodshot. How could they have done this to her?

  “Dad,” I called, reaching out to nothingness because that’s all he left me.

  “Save yourself,” he went on. “The you speaking with me now is Waker consciousness. In order to live, this consciousness must fuse with your physical form on the Other Side. You only have a few hours. Make sure Bensimhon does not interfere. She can still deify you at this point.”

  Everything he was telling me was reasonable given the circumstances. We had little time to act. I should have immediately leapt into the new portal opening up to us. Nez might’ve had trepeditation, but I held back because, though parts of me accepted it, other parts were tired of letting go.

  “Stop leaving me,” I whispered. A powerful gust uprooted me from where I stood, seeming to weave through my extremities like a playful embrace. My father’s affection. Intangible, but very much there.

  “I’ve never left you,” he said. “That cavern of memories is not housed in a waterfall, but rather within your heart. Carry them with you. Remember us, so that we may go on living.” The tears funneling down my cheeks were gently blown from my face. “I love you.”

  I felt lighter, and a bit stronger than before. Yes, even if my father passed on, he was still accessible to me. We exist outside of our bodies, right Aza? I am everywhere. There will be times when Dad’s presence won’t feel this strong. But don’t I resurrect him every time I think of a memory?

  After he set me down on the floor, I approached Nez and hugged him. A spiral of light began to swirl in front of us, slowly at first, and then it spun faster. It was my turn, wasn’t it? To be brave, and to give strength to others. Nez took my hand. “Let’s go,” he said, pulling me towards the new portal. Together, we stepped inside, certain that we could hold it together in the uncertainty.

  ***

  Chapter 27

  Back in the throes of Falconbridge chaos, I was now a ghostly spirit. Visible only to Nez, apparently, who fit in at Ganji Lab the same way a drag queen fits in at church. Appearance-wise, I mean. Of course he took out the neuroscientists that tried to restrain him using full force Kibo. Nez even hung from wall fixtures at times to evade strikes with blunt objects. The police officers didn’t quite know how to react to him. They were a little busy gathering up bodies from the burst tank, the floor now goopy with fluid mixtures. Everyone was slipping on it.

  While Nez was in combat mode, I searched for my physical body, which had been moved. There was a puddle of blood where it once was, but that was it. Then I heard faint crying. It was definitely Jax. In the corner of the labspace, and behind a curtain, I found them: my physical body, Jax, and Detective Zatorre. Everyone was tied up and the detective looked passed out. I tried to fuse myself with my physical form. By falling into it, talking to it, anything. Jax was a basketcase beside me, completely unaware of my spiritual efforts. But his concern was reasonable. My physical body had been reconnected to my IV. I was unconscious and being pumped with a chemical cocktail to prepare me for Godship. No stress here.

  “Nez,” I yelled, floating next to him. “I can’t do it. Oh! Oh— behind you!” He barely turned in time to avoid a flying dart pipette. It shattered into glittery pieces on the adjacent wall. Nez returned his attention to me with a nod of thanks.

  “Then let’s move your body to a different place and keep trying.” He ducked when another white coat came at him with a microscope. I tried to pick up flasks and swing at the scientists to no avail. I just couldn’t contact anything here. And no one in Reality was aware of my presence. My lack of usefulness was getting to me.

  “You’ll have to carry me to Silver Heights,” I said. “And take Jax with you.” Nez obediently made his way over to Jax. My body was slumped over an armrest. Wordlessly, and still fighting off lab workers, Nez pulled out the IV, untied the restraints, and threw me over his shoulder. Jax’s mouth fell open, watching. He recoiled from Nez while his ties were being undone, looking at the man like he was part of the Rapture.

  “I’m dead,” he said, eyes heavenward. “An angel of death has come for us…”

  “More like an angel of life,” Nez clarified, pulling Jax into standing. His balance was visibly impacted by the emotional distress, and Nez had to catch Jax when his legs gave way from under him.

  “Talk to him,” I urged over Nez’s shoulder. “You look like franken-alien here.” Nez kicked another brave scientist to the ground and then hauled Jax over the other shoulder.

  “Jax,” He hollered. “How do we get out of here?”

  “The g-grey doorframe!” Jax sputtered, eyes closed. After Nez flagged down a police officer to help Detective Zatorre, he took to running. In the hallway, Nez cleared his throat.

  “I know Lava,” he explained, hiking my body closer towards his neck. “She’s in trouble and needs our help. Tell me how to get to a place called Silver Heights.” Without any other banter, Jax gave him specific instructions to the exit.

  “W-we have a van waiting for us,” Jax said. His earpiece tuned in and I floated over to hear the others.

  “Negative Jax,” Mauricio said. “When Mom left to help you guys, our tires got slashed. We are currently being towed.”

  Jax sighed loudly and rubbed his eyes. “Turns out we have to run there by foot,” he said to Nez.

  “Hope the adrenaline rush is kicking in,” Mauricio added. “You have several secret passages near you in case unwanted company shows up.”

  “Who’s the pretty blue man carrying you two?” Clover’s voice came through very high-pitched and Jax winced. He looked over at Nez.

  “Who are you, anyway?”

  Nez took a left down the final hallway. The sprinklers were beginning to go off. “Renezen,” he said.

  Mauricio came in through the earpiece again. “Well this just got more interesting.”

  Bensimhon was standing in front of our exit, arms spread wide. Her hair was damp from water spray. She was still wearing the holographic glove. “Remember our deal Renezen,” she said. “You’ve done your part. The girl is now strong enough to handle Godship for me. All that’s left is follow-through on my end.” She stepped closer to us. “Once I strip her of consciousness, the physical vessel is yours. Just like I promised. Your Waker queen, a lifeless beauty. Every man’s dream.” Jax’s eyes grew and darted from Bensimhon to Nez.

  “I’m done with dreams,” Nez finally said. “This is Reality. And you’re not touching her.”

  Bensimhon lowered her voice. “But what about our Second Generation?” She whispered into his ear, “I could give you authority over all of the territories.” Nez’s expression softened for a moment. When Bensimhon looked up at him sweetly, he headbutted her and she reeled backwards. Her brow was bleeding.

  Enraged, Bensimho
n removed a pipe from her back pocket and swung at Nez. A little unfair to engage a man in combat when he was carrying two people. Jax pushed on a secret passage entrance and it opened up. Nez toppled into it sideways and we all fell to the floor. Bensimhon advanced on us with her pipe. If my spiritual body had any blood flowing through it, it was all drained at this point. “Hey— We’re running out of hope!” Jax yelled. Our trouble code word wasn’t doing much good was it?

  The pipe clattered to the floor as Bensimhon struggled to release herself from a headlock. Bru’s face appeared over the doctor’s shoulder. “Go now,” she said, kicking the pipe away. “I’ve got her.” Nez gathered us back on his shoulders and headed down the passage per Jax’s instructions. After we crossed the front yard, Nez kicked open the locked gate. With an eye roll, Jax rested his chin on his palm.