Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Memories

Chapter 5: The Dream

"It's not safe to talk here. Do you have somewhere we can go?" he asked abruptly.

"I do," I began. "First, however, you need to explain what's wrong."

"I don't need to tell you anything," he snapped. I jumped a bit at the increase in volume. "Let's get out of here before something finds us."

Without adding anything else to his outburst, Treecko climbed up my leg and my back, unzipped my bag, and set himself inside next to our books. I stared ahead blankly for a moment before forcing myself forward. I shook my head, obeying the directions Treecko had given me earlier. I feared that if I pestered the creature too much more, he might leave me to wander aimlessly until I got picked off by a rogue Pokémon.

I tried not to think too much as I walked home. Instead, I kept all of my senses focused on my surroundings. Every creaking sound I heard or imagined made me jump, sending me into a whirl as I surveyed my surroundings. After what felt like an eternity, I emerged at the bottom of a steep hill next to the school. The building was dark, save for the room at the end where the tamed Litwick rested. Their normally soothing purple light gave off an eerie feel without other humans around.

The main stretch of the town was a graveyard. The inanimate candles were extinguished, and the Chandelure were surprisingly immobile despite still giving off their characteristic light; their eyes were closed, either ignoring the rest of the world or resting. Nothing else stirred or provided any evidence of life. I knew that the town's guards were hiding in the maze of buildings, but I didn't dare wait around to find their torch-lit patrol.

I continued to hurry through the silent town. Its catatonic state gave it a sense of peace that was not normally found in the last bastion of humanity. Even if time no longer dictated when we slept, our human instincts still told us that rest was needed.

My house was as dark as the rest of the town; its windows and blinds were shut like eyes in a deep slumber. I disturbed the illusion as I quietly opened the door. I shut it quickly yet gently, careful not to cause any commotion. Like a thief, I moved through the house and up the stairs in a way that did not disturb the owners. The only difference was that the owners of this particular house were related to me.

As I opened the door to my room, I heard the worst sound I could imagine: father's heavy footsteps in the room across from mine. Quickly, I opened and closed my door while still making as little noise as I could. My parent's door creaked open behind me, and I could hear my mother trying to coax my father back into bed. He humphed, muttered a few unintelligible things, and closed the door again. I released my held breath and slumped down onto my bed. As soon as I did, Treecko slithered out from the books.

His eyes were aflame, and his face was contorted in a deep scowl. It made me wonder if he had any other emotions besides anger and sarcasm. I signaled for him to wait a few moments longer before speaking. He did so while thumping his tail against my bed in a rhythmic manner, but I didn't mind making him wait. I grabbed an armful of pillows and tucked them into a pile to conceal the crack in the door. My room darkened immensely after shutting the windows and blinds. They were still open from when I escaped to school earlier.

Now soundproof and light-proof, my room provided the perfect atmosphere for discussing the deep secrets of the twice hidden library. I fumbled around with the box of matches tucked in my bedside table. I struck the head against the rough surface on the side of the box, and the light immediately cast shadows against my wall; my figure extended up one side while Treecko's juxtaposed itself on the opposite corner. The light grew softer and more diverse as I lit the candles that rested on my bedside table.

With lighting perfect for reading or sleeping, my body fought over what to do with me. My mind pulled for knowledge, but my aching body screamed for sleep. I ignored the desperate pleas of my ragged bones as I cracked open a book full of maps. I felt like our discovery of the hidden room was a new breakthrough that couldn't wait until after sleep. If I could interpret the maps correctly, and if Treecko could read footprint runes like he promised, then we had something going for us.