woke. | II

hady

"What's the plan?" I ask.

"Plan?" He questioned, as though surprised at the idea, "Cameron may stay here as long as he needs to, I have no intention of disengaging him from the machines. It is one of the many perks of having a company focused on improving and innovating technologies."

Alex and I stared at him blankly.

"It's uh, free of charge, as you will... For me to house him here. The machines are a costless loan from Dynatech."

"Those are sick benefits!" Alex exclaimed.

"Beg your pardon?"

"She means to say, that is incredibly generous of Dynatech." I worded carefully. "You own it, don't you? Dynatech?"

"A company that expansive is rarely owned by one person, but it was founded by my family." He said, equally cautious.

"Anyway, when I asked about the plan... I thought maybe you had some kind of idea how we could save them. Dana, Cam. But I can't thank you enough for saving my brother."

"You're most welcome, but I did not do it purely out of philanthropist ideals. I hope you understand that I am hoping to benefit from our arrangement." He let that sink in for a moment, "I, too, would like to learn more about eversleep and you children are my only prospect. I am merely taking this opportunity while doing whatever is in my power to assist you as not to take advantage of your services to me."

The very adult manner of how he treats us is a far cry from what either of us are used to and we both stammer, "Yes, we understand."

"Now, could you both tell me about what happened last night? Daniel was visibly shaken when he woke and told me you were attacked?"

We filled him in as best we can. He told us Daniel managed to evade the everlings and Dana had pleaded with him again to unhook her. She is a ghost, intangible to both worlds and she wants to join them in their fight. I could see it in his eyes the tenderness he has for his daughter. The way the corners of his lips tug downwards at her request. The heaviness in his words.

Daniel came home shortly thereafter and stood in silence beside his father while listening to us finish our conversation. Once we were done, Jason excused himself as he needed to go back to work but he said he would be in touch with us digitally, whatever that means.

"I'm sorry about Cam," Danny said to me, "I should have followed him instead of..."

"But of course you couldn't leave Dana." I said, "It's not your fault, it's not anyone's fault," I shoot a meaningful look at Alex because I knew she was still blaming herself for considering the cure.

"It's good news that you've found a cure though," Daniel said, "We can go back to the everlings tonight and ask them for it, rescue Cam and Dana. Be done with the whole thing."

"You're making it sound way too simple." Alex said, "How are we going to find the two?"

"We'll keep trying." Daniel said, "But this is great. This is better than we could have hoped for! An actual cure. This is their way back home, and ours from ever being a part of that nightmare."

If only it were that simple. Later that night, after getting an earful from my mom, I crawled into Cam's bed. Mom said that the hospital confirmed that Cam was a case of sudden death syndrome and that he was to be cremated and scattered in the ocean. It would be what he wanted, mom had said through sobs.

No, mom. He would have wanted to be alive.

I didn't say it to her, of course. Let her think whatever she wanted. I'll get Cam to convince her himself.

I let myself slide into sleep and prayed fervently that I would see him. Oh please, please. Let me see him tonight.

The first thing I was aware of was Alex's fingers on my shoulders. Immediately I gasped Cam's name.

"We'll find him." Alex said, strong and steady. And I felt Danny's assuring squeeze on my shoulder.

"Last night, they told us not to go back to the clearing. The others would be waiting for us. They called them Kai-something. But the ones we were with are the Penhara." Alex told Danny and I, while leading us to another location.

"Kai? Kai..." I searched my brain, surely after so many experiences in this godforsaken realm, I was able to remember one single word!

It came to me all at once, "Kyhait."

"What?"

"Kyhait, that's the other... The name of the other faction. It means that they are the best or purists. And the Penhara, they are part of the natural order?"

"Oh, yeah! Yeah, that's right. Penhara versus Kyhait, any takers?" Alex joked.

We got to the place the Penhara told us to meet them and frankly, it didn't look any different from the rest of the woods. What I've noticed is how humid it's gotten and the amount of bugs there were.

"Anyone remember it being so infested?" I asked.

"No, I remember the woods to be immaculate. Do you?" Daniel asked Alex.

"Yeah, that time when Hady couldn't make it. We had a nice sleep with zero bugs." She complained.

"What's all this, then?" I asked, gesturing around.

"Maybe the more aware we are here, the more real it becomes?" Daniel supplied.

"Ah, maybe." We digest it for awhile before I asked impatiently, "Where are they?"

No sooner after the words left my mouth, we saw a bunch of them approaching us. Their eerie look was not easy to get used to. Their clothes seemed like an extra layer of skin, shrouding their figures but unable to hide their excessively long limbs.

"Peace." The one in front said, "It is I, Muraedin."

"It's the one that talked to us last night!" Alex said.

"You may address me as 'her'," She said, stepping forward alongside the rest. "We are gendered, as you are."

I half expected Alex to laugh but to my surprise, she didn't. Instead, "How do you tell?"

The everling's eyes narrowed in what I think as offense and she said in a low voice, "As do you."

"What, you mean like guys have dongs and girls have doughnuts?"

"Alex!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, exactly like so." Muraedin said.

"Where are your, ta-tas?" Alex asked, fascinated.

"We did not come to explain our biology," She replied in an aloof manner, "have you decided whether you will fight with us or go home?"

"We... My brother was taken. I want him back, and we wish to be cured."

"Not without Dana!" Danny piped up, "She is my sister. My twin."

There was a hush that fell over them and they started whispering in a foreign tongue. Soon after, another one stepped forward. This one had lighter skin but darker hands.

"Do you speak of one that remains tethered to earth?"

"Yes, yes, that's her. Have you seen her? Is she with you?" Danny asked, urgency in the lines of his body.

"She remains a projection, unable to take form here... And unable to return with our cure."

"What do you mean? Why can't we cure her? I can take the antidote back with me, we've tried it. We can take things from this world to the next-"

The creature waved its hand in dismissal and said, "Our antidote will not work on her. You'll need the one from your world."