4 weeks
“Adrian?”
He stood on the precipice of the forest. Unwavering. Horizontal.
She pushed her cheek off the wet grass, muscles aching like she’d just finished a race. Sweet exhaustive fatigue licked at her joints.
“There’s someone there.” Adrian’s voice echoed from somewhere that was not his body. “Something.”
Pulling her knees underneath her hurt, but it was done. Morning dew covered her sleeves, and she wiped at it curiously. Around them, a thick dark fog. “Adrian? What’s wrong?”
“I told you.” His small voice held surprising contempt. “There's someone there. But you can’t see them, can you?” The condescension was thick in his words.
She cast her gaze from the back of his head to the forest beyond. Other than the first line of trees, nothing was visible. Silhouettes of tree trunks wavered in the background of them, but watching a definite shape was impossible. “No, I can’t. What are you seeing?”
Adrian started walking into the forest.
“Hey. Hey, wait.” She stood, a sudden burst of energy from his departure. “What do you see?”
The shadows of the forest ate away at him quickly, and he was no longer visible. Then slowly, the furthest trees started to take definite form. And with that form, color. Or lack of it. The roots of the trees started to turn white, and the air stilled around her.
A smothering feeling of familiarity washed over her, and the forest began to smell of ozone.
“It’s...Taken. It’s the Taken. Adrian!” She started running towards the line of trees, but nothing brought her closer to them. “ADRIAN?!”
With increasing speed, the roots of the trees near her turned a terrible glowing white.
“NO!” Instinctively, she tried to summon Light, but this realm did not love her enough to pretend. “ADRIAN! ASHA?”
Suddenly, an owl, tainted with the same faded white, flew out of the trees and straight for her eyes.
Her head shot up off her arms, throwing her loose hair back. “ASHA!?”
Asha materialized in a panic. “Nalim? Nalim! Hey, hey, nightmare?”
“Where’s Adrian?” Her breathing was heavy, winded. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know, hey, look at me.” Nalim did not. “What did you see?”
She shook her head vehemently. “I’m going to check on him. I have to. Scan the forest.”
“Nalim. You have to calm down before you freak out anybody. It’s the middle of the night.”
“Scan the FOREST, Asha.”
“For WHAT?”
Nalim was already at the entrance of the barn door, digging her hand into wood. “ANYTHING.”
“For the love of-Nalim!”
A firm hand caught her forearm before she crossed the threshold.
“Shaxx, let go. This does not concern you.”
“No.” His voice mirrored the tone she used on him, and it made her stop. He was mad. She couldn’t think of a time he’d ever been mad at her. “You’re not jeopardizing this place because you refuse help.”
She stopped struggling in his grip. There was no way she’d break it either way. “Shaxx…”
“Do you really think I’d let you go wake up civilians, who look up to you as one of the last hopeful things they have left, and needlessly terrify them because you had a bad dream?”
“I’m sorry.” Her pride sharpened her tone, but she no longer looked at his face.
“Sit down, Nalim.” He lowered his helmet at her as a warning. His grip loosened.
She glared, ripping her arm out of his hand, but still made her way back to her chair. She refused to meet his eyes.
He folded his arms and leaned against his station. “Would you like to explain yourself?”
“No.”
“Let me try again.” Shaxx’s tone dropped to a place she disliked greatly. “Explain yourself.”
She pinched her nose. “I had a nightmare. You know that already.”
“Of?”
“Adrian.”
Shaxx didn’t budge. His judgmental glare paid no regard to her armor.
“I had a dream he got taken in a forest.”
“As in kidnapped? Or Taken?”
“As in capital T Taken.”
“Nalim, there are no Taken in the forest.”
“You’re most likely right, but-” She dug her nails into her palms. “There could be something hostile in the forest.”
“There definitely is. But it isn’t here, and it isn’t attacking us. Adrian and Theodora, along with all of the other refugees, are asleep. And alive. They’re okay. Bursting into their room filled with your own fear will only scare them when they are all already terrified. I know you know that.”
She begrudgingly nodded. “I do. I would’ve calmed down by the time I got to them.”
“I won’t take that risk. And the Nalim I know wouldn’t either.”
She glared at him. “Then maybe you just don’t know me.”
He sighed, voice laced with irritation. “Nalim. How long have you been having nightmares?”
“Why do you ask.” She deadpanned.
“Because if that’s why you’re only asleep by accident then it needs to be taken care of. You’re not immortal. You HAVE to take care of yourself. Other peoples’ lives depend on you, Nalim. It is no longer just you.”
“Shaxx, it hasn’t been just me for years.”
“Then ACT LIKE IT.”
She quieted.
“Sleep in here. I don’t care where. Somewhere comfortable.” He turned away from her, and back to his station. “I will be here.”
“You’re just going to play sentry while I sleep?”
“No, Nalim. I’m going to finish my work. With you in the room. And if my presence helps you, then so be it.”
She felt her pride shrivel. “Fine.”
.
.
.
“Sleep somewhere I can reach you.”
“Why?”
“Just do it, Nalim.”
“Fine, I’m within reach.” She frowned, the pull of sleep already fading her thoughts. “Don’t kill me.”
“Quite the opposite. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Shaxx.”
.
.
.
“Are you upset with me?”
Shaxx paused. “Go to sleep.”
“I am sorry.”
“Forgiven. Go to sleep.”
--
The first one was River. She fell from the ship, and every step Nalim took pushed her further and further away. She woke with a sharp intake of breath.
“Nalim?” Shaxx was so quiet near her. He hadn’t been loud for a while. Unnerving.
She breathed out. The barn solidified in front of her, and the helmet peering at her from behind a wall. Things fell back into place. “Nightmare.”
“It’s not real. You are safe.”
She didn’t say anything.
“Go back to sleep.”
The second was Callisto. Cal’s apartment in the Tower stood in front of her. Sounds of explosions rumbled on the other side, but nothing would budge the door. No amount of force, no Light, no screaming would let her inside. The doorknob burned her palms.
She sat up like a bullet this time, staring incredulously at her hands.
“There’s nothing.” Asha hummed comfortingly. “You’re not hurt.”
She shook her head, unable to bring out the words.
“The night is almost over, Nalim. Go back to sleep.” Shaxx’s voice was already fading as she followed his instruction. The memory of the dream was forcibly tossed aside.