Reality Dreamers Read online

“What? No. Mom, I didn’t run away. We really did go to visit a friend.”

  “In Mourett?” She sounded incredulous and weary. “Jonas, that’s so dangerous. I just don’t understand why you would skip school. You’ve never been that kind of boy. What were you thinking? Where did you even get the idea?”

  I wanted to tell her the truth, but I didn’t want to get Leah into any more trouble with my mom.

  Instead, I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I wasn’t thinking. I just . . . needed to do something other than go to school today. I couldn’t handle it.”

  Mom pursed her lips and frowned deeply. “And you had to go all the way to Mourett? How do you even know someone in Mourett?”

  I cringed inwardly. I couldn’t tell her about Rogue or what had happened last night in the Reality Dreams. She already thought I was crazy. Honestly, I hoped she would forgot all about the Reality Dreams, and the last thing I wanted to do was bring it up now.

  I tried to look calm and honest and met her gray eyes. “His name’s Kert. I met him when my class went to Mourett.”

  “That was last year, Jonas.”

  Apparently I wasn’t as good at lying as I’d hoped.

  “We’ve kept in touch a little since then.”

  “That’s still a long way to go just to see an acquaintance.”

  She had a point. I thought quickly.

  “Well, Leah knows him too.”

  Mom frowned. “So Leah put you up to it?”

  “What? No! I mean . . . We just started talking and realized we both knew Kert. She hadn’t seen him since she moved here, and one thing led to another . . .” I sighed. “I guess we were pretty stupid, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  I looked up in surprise.

  Mom smiled a little. “But at least you’re safe.”

  I smiled too. I was glad she wasn’t mad anymore. I didn’t like fighting with my mom.

  Her smile faded though, and she shifted her weight almost anxiously. “But Jonas, you can’t just run off like this and not expect to have consequences.”

  I felt the dread well up inside of me again. “Consequences?”

  She nodded grimly. “Instructor Hynes told me that the school is willing to let you come back.”

  I hadn’t even thought of the repercussions I would face at school for our little fieldtrip. I was relieved they weren’t going to suspend me from school. I don’t know what I would do if they had.

  Mom continued before the relief could fully set in. “But, you’ll have to see a counselor.”

  I sat back, stunned. “What?”

  Counselors were for troubled children who needed guidance and discipline.

  Wait a minute . . .

  Mom turned stern again. “Don’t you start complaining, mister. You know the rules. It’s a miracle they’ll let you come back to school so soon after an exploit like this. Besides, maybe a counselor can help.” She said it like I needed help.

  “But, Mom—”

  She shook her head and cut through my protest. “You’ve got an appointment tomorrow morning. If the counselor gives permission, you can go back to school the next day. But until then, you’re not allowed on the premises.”

  I couldn’t believe this!

  I wanted to argue more, but I knew it was no use, and I also noticed that Mom looked fragile, on the verge of tears. I didn’t want to make her cry again, so I kept my mouth closed, though inside I was raging at the injustice of my punishment.

  I wasn’t a troubled child!

  But a small voice in the back of my head argued that maybe I was. After all, I’d cut school today without any hesitation, gone to another city without permission or supervision.

  Maybe this was just the beginning.

  I think Mom must’ve been thinking along those lines too, because her eyes were filling up with tears again. She hurried to blink them away and stood up.

  “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.” Her voice quivered with emotion. “We’ll talk to your father then.”

  She left, closing the door silently behind her, and suddenly I was alone with my frustration and a renewed fear of Dad’s impending return.

  I’d had a long day, but I was pretty sure the worst was still coming. And if I lived through Dad’s wrath, it wouldn’t get much better.

  We had a lot to talk about in the Reality Dreams tonight.

  Chapter 22

  Someone is shaking me. The cave is dark and it takes me a second to recognize the person beside me.

  I moan, and push her hands away.

  Leah’s grin flashes in the darkness. “About time, Sleeping Beauty.”

  I hear a chuckle and realize Rick’s awake, too.

  I sit up and look around the cave. It’s still cramped and dirty, but at least we’re not in the dark city anymore. I shiver at the memory of it, and then I remember Rogue.

  “Is Stewart here yet?” I glance around, but he’s still curled on his side, breathing deeply.

  Leah blows out her breath exaggeratedly and leans back on her hands. “Nope.”

  I glance at Rick, but speak to Leah. “Have you told him anything?”

  Her grin is gone in an instant, and she shakes her head.

  Rick frowns. “What’re you two talking about?”

  I nervously rub the line on my palm. The pain is gone, but now it’s starting to itch. “I think we should wait until we’re all conscious.” I don’t want to tell this story twice.

  “Or unconscious,” Leah jokes quietly.

  “Whatever.”

  Is everything a joke to her?

  Rick is still watching us suspiciously, but he doesn’t press us for more just now.

  A minute passes in silence, but Stewart still doesn’t wake up. The silence is heavy, and I can feel Rick’s eyes on us, wondering, speculating. To distract myself, and to break the thick silence, I look at Leah.

  “So, how’d your dad react when you got home?”

  She shrugs. “He recited a chorus about my grand adventures of the day.”

  I can’t tell if she’s joking or not, but she grins, so I don’t worry too much.

  “Yeah, my mom calmed down once we got home.” I pull my knees to my chest and rest my folded arms on them. I don’t mention Dad’s reaction—if you could call it a reaction. When he heard the news, he left the table and went outside. I didn’t see him again after that.

  I shake the thoughts away. “But I have to see a counselor before they’ll let me go back to school.”

  I’m still irritated by the punishment, but Mom was right—I’ve always known there were steep punishments for any kind of misbehavior. I just hadn’t ever worried about them before.

  Leah laughs. “I guess they know a rebel when they see one.”

  “What? Don’t you have to see a counselor, too?”

  She shakes her head proudly. “I guess they figure it won’t do me any good, so why waste the time?”

  I can’t believe they’re letting Leah off the hook, but not me. The injustice of it makes me mad all over again.

  Rick grins, amused and intrigued. “Whoa, what did you guys do? They’re sending you to the counselors?” He almost sounds envious.

  “We just cut school.” My tone is sharp with annoyance, but not necessarily at Rick.

  He gives a low whistle. “Like, the whole day?”

  “Yeah.” I frown. “What, you’ve never done that?”

  “No way!” He chokes on a short laugh. “I wouldn’t dare!”

  I look at Leah in outrage. “You said everyone cuts school!”

  I don’t know who’s laughing louder, Leah or Rick, but for several long seconds, neither of them can speak.

  “Oh,” Rick says between laughs. “Leah dragged you into it, didn’t she?”

  I toss Leah a look of accusation, but she’s laughing too hard to see my expression, and I doubt she would’ve been repentant, anyway.

  Rick leans back against the cave wall, still grinning, though his laughter has calmed. �
�So, how did you spend your free day?”

  I glance at Leah and hesitate. “We went to visit a friend.”

  Rick frowns. “You had to cut school for that?”

  Before I can answer, (or even begin to form a reply,) Stewart rolls over and wakes up.

  “Hey, buddy.” I smile at him when he sits up. “How was your day?” I know I’m avoiding the conversation we need to have, but I don’t want to talk about Rogue.

  He answers with a toothy grin. “Great! I passed my Practical Literature test!”

  I smile, trying not to think about Practical Literature and Instructor Grey. “Way to go!”

  Rick interrupts a little impatiently. “So, now that we’re all here, what is it you two have to tell us?”

  Stew looks surprised and excited, and I feel terrible. How can I tell him what we found, what we saw?

  Luckily for me, Leah takes the lead and we all sit and listen as she explains.

  “Jonas and I were thinking about Rogue.”

  I see Rick stiffen.

  Leah must notice too, because she huffs impatiently. “Just listen, Rick. We wanted to talk to him, find out why he left. Mourett’s only a few hours from Capernia, so we decided to cut school and go on a little walk.”

  Stew’s eyes are wide. “You cut school?”

  “Don’t worry about that,” I say.

  He still looks awestruck, but he listens to Leah while she explains how we got to Mourett and found Rogue’s house. She also mentions that his real name was Kert, but other than a short snicker from Rick, there’s no reaction.

  Then she tells them about finding Rogue’s body. She chokes on her words, and I wonder if she’s remembering her breakdown.

  I pick up the story. “I think an Entity killed him.”

  They all look at me in surprise and shock, even Leah. I realize belatedly that I never actually shared my suspicions with her.

  After a moment of stunned silence, Rick finally speaks. “Kid, that’s not possible. This is a dream. Dreams can’t kill you.”

  But I shake my head. “I saw the body in the city, and I saw Rogue’s body—they were killed by the same thing.” Though it’s not possible, I know it’s true.

  Rick sputters for a moment. “Well then, you’ve got one vivid imagination, kid.”

  “I saw them both too, Rick.” Leah’s voice is steady again, but it’s quiet. “The bodies did look the same . . .”

  Rick shakes his head. “Leah, listen to what you’re saying. You’re saying that the Dreams can affect us in reality.”

  She looks at him bleakly. “No, Rick. I’m saying the Dreams can kill us in reality.”

  We’re quiet after that, considering the possibilities. It doesn’t make a bit of sense, but it’s also the only thing that makes sense.

  After a tense silence, I speak again. “Think about it. Rogue was surrounded by Entities. We know there were Entities in that city, and they most likely killed that man, too. Rogue never made it out of there because the Entities killed him.”

  Stewart whimpers and I swallow hard. I feel terrible talking about these things in front of him, but he has the right to know.

  “What if they were both just killed by an animal?” Rick asks, but there’s not a lot of conviction in his voice.

  “Wouldn’t that be a bit of a coincidence?” Leah’s usually mocking tone is mixed with fear and grief.

  Rick’s eyes tighten. “Even so, it makes more sense than thinking the Reality Dreams have a physical effect on us.”

  Suddenly, I remember the cut on my palm. I look down at it now. It’s healing, but it’s still red and looks pretty much how it did when I cut it on the horseless carriage back in the city.

  I frown. But if it’s a cut from the Reality Dreams, why was it still there in reality?

  “I cut my hand when we were in the city.” I hold it up to show everyone, though I don’t know if they can see the wound in the dark. “It was still there today. I remember looking at it. I didn’t think much about it then, but . . . I got it here, so why did I have it in reality?”

  No one answers for a long time. I can hear Rick sputtering in the corner again, but even he can’t think up an explanation. I really want someone to argue with me, to explain what’s going on and ease my mind, but no one speaks up.

  Then, from out of the stillness comes a muttered curse, sharp and stunned.

  I turn toward the sound and realize it was Rick.

  “What?” Stew’s voice is tight and scared.

  “I burned my arm today at the smithy.” I can hear Rick moving around almost frantically.

  “So?” Leah asks, but the mockery in her voice is drowned out by apprehension.

  Rick goes still, and I can see him watching us. “I almost burned my arm off today—but I just felt my arm, and there’s nothing there.”

  We’re all quiet for a minute, digesting this.

  Finally, Stewart speaks up, his voice small in the darkness. “So, things can transfer from the Dreams, but not into them?”

  No one has an answer.

  Leah moves after another uneasy silence. She slides onto her knees and looks around at us all. “You know, maybe . . . at least until we can figure out what’s going on . . . Maybe we should stay out of the Reality Dreams.”

  I think it’s a good idea, but Rick gives a harsh laugh.

  “Just stay out of the Dreams? I don’t know about you, but I sure can’t control when I come here. If you’ve got a nice little technique for escaping, please, share it.” His tone is sarcastic, but I think I hear a tinge of hope, too.

  Rather than a sharp comeback, Leah falls silent and I feel hopelessness settle into our little cave. I don’t know what we can do, but Leah’s right—it’s too dangerous to stay here.

  I don’t really have a plan, but I speak up anyway, desperate and determined at the same time.

  “Leah’s right. We can’t stay here.”

  Rick opens his mouth to argue, but I hurry to finish.

  “I don’t know how to stop coming to the Dreams. But we definitely can’t stay in this cave. We’re way too close to that city for my comfort, and I don’t like to think of Entities prowling around during the day. Especially now that we know what they can do . . .”

  And that’s about the end of my good ideas. I can tell the others agree with me, but they don’t know what to do about it, either.

  Then Stewart gives an excited gasp, and I jump.

  “That shelter!” Even in the dark I can make out his toothy grin. “The one Rogue built! He said Entities don’t go near there. Why don’t we stay there until we fix the Reality Dreams?”

  I don’t know about ‘fixing’ the Reality Dreams, but the shelter sounds like a good idea to me.

  “Yeah, that’d be great.” Rick’s tone is thick with sarcasm. “One problem: huge, creepy city between us and it.”

  Oh yeah . . .

  “Hey!” Leah says suddenly. “What if we go around the city? We don’t have to step one toe on those freaky roads. Once we’re past the city, we should be able to find the shelter.”

  I expect Rick to shoot down this latest idea, but he doesn’t say anything for a while. When he finally does speak, he still sounds uncertain, but the hope is back.

  “What if we run into an Entity?”

  “We’ll show’em who’s boss!” Leah growls.

  Rick smiles. “No. We’ll just run like crazy.”

  I smile a little, too, starting to hope. At least it’s a plan, right?

  “Come on.” Leah stands up. The cave is so small, even she has to crouch to not hit her head on the hard ceiling. “We’d better get going. We should be there in two nights.”

  I don’t want to dwell on the fact that we’ll have to spend another night in Entity territory, so I push the thought away and follow her out of the cave. I focus instead on the upcoming safety of Rogue’s lean-to.

  Rick takes the lead, and it almost feels like old times. But when I look around at the faces of my friends, I s
ee none of the excitement that had been so strong during my first week in the Reality Dreams. Now I see fear, weariness, and sorrow.

  I try not to think about Rogue and his fate. I hope our fate will be better.

  Mostly, I just keep walking and try not to think at all.

  But despite my intentions to be aware of my surroundings, I still shout in surprise and fear when a figure bursts through the trees beside us.

  Chapter 23

  Five dark figures surround us, and suddenly we have nowhere to go. A distant part of my brain registers that the people surrounding us aren’t Entities, but that doesn’t make them any less threatening.

  One of them speaks, her voice hard and hostile. “Who are you?”

  “I could ask you the same question,” Leah mutters, and I tense. These aren’t the kind of people you want to mess with.

  Following my line of thought, the girl who spoke takes an intimidating step forward. The moonlight skips across something in her hand: a knife. Now, it’s not a huge butcher’s knife or anything, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t super menacing. I’m fairly certain this girl could make a toothpick look lethal.

  She glares at Leah. “Yes. But I asked you first.”

  Leah raises her eyebrows in surprise, then tosses her head from side to side in thoughtful agreement. I can almost hear her thoughts: Touché.

  Rick takes a half step forward, his hands raised. He keeps a careful eye on the girl’s knife and her companions, who’re still all around us. “We’re Reality Dreamers. My name’s Rick. This is Jonas, Leah, and Stewart. We’re just passing through.”

  I get the feeling he’s done this kind of thing before. His lines are calm and practiced.

  I realize the people surrounding us must be Reality Dreamers. Wow, and to think that I’d once been excited at the prospect of running into other Dreamers.

  “Do you have any idea where you are?” the girl in front asks, her voice still hostile; she hasn’t lowered her knife.

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  We all turn to look at Leah in surprise; even the knife girl looks shocked.

  Leah folds her arms calmly. “Oh, come on. It’s only fair. We answered your question, now you answer ours.” Her tone is light, but I recognize something harder in her voice. It isn’t a request.