Reality Dreamers Page 8

  “I usually take an hour or so and catch up on what’s been happening while I’ve been away, but for the most part I just take my powder and get back to life.”

  “Back to the Reality Dreams, you mean.”

  He laughs. “Kid, the Dream is my life.”

  I frown at that. Doesn’t he get tired of doing this all the time? Doesn’t he miss reality and his family? Then I wonder: Does he have a family?

  I’m not brave enough to ask him any of those questions, so I keep them to myself and try to figure out why a person would want to live all alone in a dark, desolate world filled with shadowy phantoms that want to kill you.

  Then, I start to wonder what I’m doing here.

  After walking through the dark forest for too long, Rogue makes a triumphant sound.

  At first, all I can see is a towering wall of dark rock, but after a second I notice a lean-to built against the dark cliff face. It’s made up of leaves and branches, but it looks surprisingly sturdy and comfortable, in spite of the crude materials. I wonder if Rogue found it, or if he made it.

  The Entity hunter steps aside and nods toward the lean-to. “You can stay here.”

  Rick frowns at the shelter in dismay. “But we’re right out in the open.”

  “You’ll be just fine. No one comes around here.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “The Entities don’t like this place for some reason.” Rogue scans our surroundings with a thoughtful frown. “Can’t figure out why, but I’ve never seen one in this area, and they never follow me here, either.”

  Stewart takes an unsteady step toward the shelter. He looks like he’s already half asleep. “We’ll be okay, Rick.”

  Rick protests briefly, but Stewart is already slipping under the leafy canopy.

  Rick and Leah hesitate, but I don’t really care. We won’t be able to find anything better before morning, and this beats falling asleep in the middle of the forest.

  I follow Stew’s example and crawl into the shelter. A few seconds later Rick and Leah follow, and soon the four of us are curled up inside the shelter. It’s less roomy than our cave was, but I feel better with the other Reality Dreamers so close. I feel less alone.

  “Sleep tight.” Rogue’s voice is mocking. His footsteps gradually fade away until they disappear entirely.

  Leah growls lowly. “I swear, the next time I come up against that lousy—”

  Rick cuts her off wearily. “Save it for later, Leah.”

  She glares and leans against the rock face behind the shelter. “We’d better not get eaten by something.”

  Stewart’s already asleep and Rick is almost there. I don’t say anything to Leah as my head starts to feel light and spin a little. I know I’m waking up in reality, so I lay down and wait for it to happen.

  But just before I leave the Reality Dreams, I start to wonder why the Entities are afraid of this place.

  Maybe we should be afraid, too.

  Chapter 11

  Ellie’s voice rang out from the hallway, dragging me from the Dream. I jolted upright and looked around my dim bedroom. Mom’s soft voice answered Ellie a second later, though I couldn’t make out the words. They were just talking, nothing more.

  I fell against my pillow in relief. For once, I was very glad to be in my boring room and far away from the exciting Reality Dreams.

  I’d never expected to be chased by creatures in the Reality Dreams, but I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised. After all, I’d had dreams in the past where I’d felt like something was watching me in the dark, following me. I’d just thought—foolishly, it would seem now—that being with the Reality Dreamers would somehow keep me safe.

  Trying hard not to think about the terrifying events of last night, I climbed out of bed and pulled on some clothes. I didn’t even look at my hair today. I left my room and headed to the kitchen.

  Ellie was sitting at the table and jabbering away like always, and Mom was packing our lunches while she listened attentively.

  Mom smiled brightly when she saw me. “Good morning, Jonas.”

  I dropped into my chair and pulled the steaming dish of eggs toward me.

  “Are you feeling alright today?” she asked.

  I nodded and began eating. Physically, I felt fine. It was more psychological, really.

  Mom frowned and left her work to kneel beside me. “Are you sure?” She pressed a cool hand to my forehead, checking for a fever. “You don’t look alright.”

  “I’m fine.” I shrugged her hand away and pushed away from the table, then walked back to my room without another word.

  I sat down on my bed and tried desperately not to think about last night, but I had nothing to distract me, and I just kept on reliving each terrifying moment over and over again.

  I almost wished there was something physically wrong with me. At least then I’d have an excuse to stay home from school and hopefully avoid talking to anyone about anything.

  “Jonas?” Mom’s voice pulled me from my troubled thoughts.

  I stared toward the open door in surprise. Usually she left me alone when I was in this kind of mood.

  “I’m fine, Mom.” I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “I just didn’t sleep very well.”

  Rather than accepting that, she stepped into my room and sat next to me on the bed, her brow scrunched with worry. “Did you have a nightmare again?”

  I thought about lying and telling her it was nothing, but then I decided maybe she’d be able to tell me what to do.

  So I told her everything.

  I told her all about my nightmares and how real they seemed. Then I told her about meeting the Reality Dreamers, and I admitted that it was how I knew Leah. Finally, I told her about last night, and the Entities, and Rogue.

  When I was done I watched her face closely, anxious to hear what she thought.

  After a minute she shifted her weight beside me, her blue eyes guarded. “Jonas, those are certainly some very terrible nightmares. But I don’t think you need to worry about them. They are just dreams, after all.”

  I was shocked. Mom had always believed me about everything. She knew I wouldn’t lie to her, and yet she didn’t believe me about the Reality Dreams.

  She rubbed my back soothingly, oblivious to her betrayal. “If these dreams are keeping you from getting a good night’s rest, we could always talk to an analyst. I don’t want these nightmares to distract you from your studies.”

  “But, Mom—”

  She laid a hand on my knee, cutting me off. “We don’t have to see an analyst if you don’t want to, Jonas. But if it helps to talk about your nightmares, I’ll be here to listen.”

  I opened my mouth again, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. If my own mom didn’t believe me, who would?

  She suddenly stood and pulled me up, too. “Now, you need to hurry if you’re going to get to school on time. Ellie already left. I’ll go grab your lunch bag. You gather your books, and then you’d better skedaddle, mister.” She smiled and left the room.

  I watched her go, still shocked. I stood there for a minute, unable to move. But when she called my name, I scrambled to toss my things into my book bag.

  Mom handed me my lunch when I reached the front door, and then she sent me on my way with a brief kiss.

  I hurried toward the schoolhouse, almost jogging. I knew I was already late, but somehow telling Mom about the Reality Dreams seemed more important than school. If I had known she wouldn’t even believe me, I never would’ve taken the time to tell her.

  Looking back, I realized I might have been better off keeping it all a secret. Now she would ask me about my dreams, and she’d probably tell Dad, too. And if they weren’t convinced I wasn’t having nightmares anymore, they would most definitely take me to an analyst.

  I’d never been to an analyst before, but I’d known people who had. All I knew was that they used all kinds of methods and techniques to get you to talk about what was bothering you. The
y’d take notes, and eventually tell you if you were crazy or not.

  Basically, the thought of talking to an analyst about the Reality Dreams terrified me. If my own mom didn’t believe me, there was no way an analyst would. I’d be labeled crazy for sure.

  When I got to the schoolhouse the yard was empty, as I’d expected.

  I raced up the stairs and inside. The hallway was quiet, but I could hear the voices of instructors drifting through closed doors.

  I went quietly down the hall to my first class, which was already more than half over. I took a deep breath, already feeling the heat of embarrassment on my face, and eased the door open.

  Instructor Price stood in front of the class as usual, and he glanced toward the door as it opened, though his lecture never faltered. He gave me a dark look and I scurried to my seat in the back corner. The eyes of nearly everyone followed me as I went. But when I dropped into my seat without further incident, they turned away in boredom.

  I tried to pay attention to Instructor Price’s lecture on the Forming of the Colonies, but honestly, the actions and worries of people who’d been dead for a hundred years wasn’t really that interesting to me—especially in light of my own problems.

  When the chime released us to our next class, I went mechanically, feeling distant from everything around me. I didn’t even return Instructor Reams’s friendly ‘hello’. I just walked to my regular seat and sank into it almost reflexively.

  At the end of class, I couldn’t remember a word Instructor Reams had said, despite Concepts and Theories being one of my favorite Themes. I couldn’t even remember the topic of the day’s lecture.

  Instructor Reams didn’t stop me today, just let me flow out into the hallway with the other students. I arrived a few minutes early to Calculations and Statistics.

  It was a good thing, too.

  “Hey, Jonas!”

  I looked up in surprise and saw Leah sitting in the chair beside my regular one. I hurried to claim my traditional seat before she could steal it like yesterday. Then I looked over at her smiling face and I frowned.

  “Why are you so happy?”

  She frowned at my tone. “Why are you so peeved?”

  I looked away. “I’m not.” I winced at the painfully transparent lie.

  Leah snorted. “You still wound up from last night?” She actually sounded amused.

  “And you’re not?” My tone was biting, but I was genuinely curious.

  Her grin waned a little. “Well, it was a little terrifying, but hey—we’re fine, right?”

  I frowned and set my book down too forcefully. A couple people nearby glanced over in surprise, and then looked away when they saw it was just me.

  “How many times have you had to run for your life?” I kept my voice low, even though the conversations around us were loud enough to protect us from eaves-droppers.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. A few. But that’s not the point, Jonas.” Her grin was back. “Isn’t it amazing, having these adventures while everyone else is just sleeping? Isn’t it exciting?”

  I hesitated. “It is exciting, but . . . I don’t know how you all do it. How you keep going back for more, even though you know what’s waiting for you.”

  She laughed a little. “Jonas, it’s not like the Entities are going to hurt us. I mean, it’s just a dream. So why should we be afraid?”

  I turned to face her fully. “You’re not afraid of the Entities?” My voice was flat.

  She laughed again. “Of course I’m afraid of the Entities. Who wouldn’t be?” She shuddered. “But that doesn’t keep me from going back. Actually, last night was the closest call I’ve ever had with an Entity, but that just adds to the suspense.”

  I gave her a look I hoped conveyed just how crazy I thought she was.

  She just laughed.

  “Don’t worry, Jonas.” She leaned forward, her green eyes shining with laughter. “I won’t let those mean old Entities get you.”

  I glared, but I quietly filed away her promise for later use.

  Before she could tease me more, Instructor Vorez called the class to order, and I turned my attention to the lecture.

  I assumed it would be the first lecture I’d actually pay attention to today, but immediately after Instructor Vorez introduced the topic for today, Leah began doodling on her note tablet and I found myself trying to figure out what the pictures were. Some I recognized: Stewart, a shadowy Entity, the lean-to we’d fallen asleep in. But there were a lot I didn’t: A woman sleeping beneath a tree, an exotic looking flower, an odd image of a circle inside a square.

  I watched Leah, too, while she drew. Sometimes she was smiling, like when she drew Stewart and the flower, but sometimes her face was hard and guarded, like when she drew the sleeping woman and the circle and square shape.

  Though I’d been determined to listen to this lecture and actually learn something from one of my classes today, I heard nothing Instructor Vorez said.

  At one point, Leah glanced up and caught me watching her. Rather than scowling in anger or irritation, she just grinned and returned her attention to her doodles. I wondered what they meant, and why she was drawing them. I also wondered why I was interested in the absent-minded drawings of a girl I barely knew.

  The chime at the end of class pulled me out of my thoughts.

  Feeling a little guilty for totally ignoring Instructor Vorez today, I put my unused note tablet and unopened book in the bag at my feet and then stood.

  Leah had already put her things away and was waiting for me. I was surprised when I turned and saw her there. I’d never had anyone wait for me. Then again, I’d never had anyone choose to sit by me or talk to me, either.

  Smiling a little, I followed Leah out of the room and then out to the schoolyard for lunch.

  Rather than retreating to my sanctuary in the forest, I sat with Leah in the shade of a towering tree on the outskirts of the yard, far enough away from the playing and screaming to talk, but not so far that we’d have to hurry when the chime rang.

  We ate in silence, but it wasn’t awkward.

  After several minutes, Leah tossed me a sideways glance. “Did you understand what Vorez was saying about measuring dimensions?”

  I looked away in embarrassment. “I don’t know . . .”

  I hoped she would say something more to jog my memory. Maybe I’d learned about it before . . .

  But she just shrugged. “I just thought it was a lame way to explain things.” She stretched out her legs in the grass in front of her and leaned back comfortably on her hands. “My C&S teacher back in Thyrid did a much better job.”

  “Thyrid?” I leaned forward, curious. “Is that where you moved from?”

  Her eyes tightened, and I got the feeling she hadn’t meant to say so much.

  She shrugged. “Yeah, what about it?”

  “Nothing.” I nearly choked on the word in my rush to get it out. She always seemed to get so defensive about her hometown. I wondered why.

  I hesitated, then asked, “What was it like there?”

  She tossed the remains of her apple into the trees and shrugged again. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Nothing special. But you’re avoiding my question.”

  I frowned. What question?

  She grinned. “You didn’t hear anything Vorez said, did you?”

  I tried to protest, though it was pointless. “I just don’t have an opinion about . . . measuring dimensions.”

  Leah’s loud laugh made me jump. “That’s ‘cause we haven’t covered it yet. I was just curious if you’d paid attention to anything other than my drawings today.”

  I felt embarrassment creeping up my neck and I opened my mouth, but didn’t know what to say. Eventually I muttered, “You weren’t listening either.”

  She shook her head. “I heard every word that man said. Besides, I don’t need to listen—I already know this stuff.”

  “How can you already know?”

  “My dad’s really into calculations
and stuff.” She pursed her lips to one side and squinted up at the cloudless sky. “That, and I’ve taken this class before.”

  I frowned more deeply. “Then, why are you taking it again?”

  “I failed the Approval Test.”

  I raised my eyebrows at her unaffected tone. I had never failed an Approval Test for a class. In fact, I only knew of a few people who had, and they weren’t very good students. I considered Leah’s relaxed posture and wondered if she took school seriously. Probably not.

  But I didn’t let that bother me. I just sat back and enjoyed having a friend for the first time in my life.

  I could get used to this.

  Chapter 12

  After a humiliating hour of Practical Literature at the mercy (or lack thereof) of Instructor Grey, the final chime released us for the day.

  I gathered up my things, characteristically red in the face with embarrassment. I tried to ignore the kids who were still laughing at my most recent shame.

  Beside me, Leah scowled at Instructor Grey. “He’s really a jerk.”

  Luckily, the instructor was on the other side of the room with a mass of students between us, but I still sent her a look of warning.

  “You’d better be careful.” I kept my voice low, but deadly serious.

  Instructor Grey didn’t like students, and he certainly had no qualms about showing it.

  Leah didn’t seem to care, though, and didn’t even try to keep her voice down. “What kind of stupid question was that? I mean, what person knows the year the second edition of the Fourth Anthology of the Works of Larry what’s-his-bucket was printed in?”

  “Harry Wormlett,” I corrected, sliding my books into my leather bag.

  “That’s just sad.”

  “What?”

  “See?” Leah waved a hand in my direction. “You shouldn’t even know that there’s such a person as Harry Worming.”

  My lips twitched with unexpected humor. “Harry Wormlett.”

  “Whoever. Let alone that he had an anthology. Not to mention four of them.”