Escapism (The Escapism Series) (15 page)

  “I’m so happy for you, Marla. You deserve the best.”

  “I know—right?” she said, in breathless anticipation. “Landon and I have dinner plans tomorrow. I have no idea what to wear.”

 
Landon? My idle-self clearly hadn’t given me the entire scoop of the night’s events.

  “So Landon, huh?” I asked, staggered.

  He was just my first college friend and my basketball buddy—there was no need to be jealous.

  “He’s super cute and nice. How could I not be into him?”

  I nodded aptly. “Yeah. For sure.”

  Meanwhile, I felt the entire days’ worth of wear and tear on my body—I was definitely ready to leave. I absolutely had to speak with Kiran before taking off. “Have you seen Cal or Kiran?” I asked.

  “Last time I saw Cal, she was with a senior. Kiran was pretty scarce all night. I think I saw him once on the patio,” Marla muttered, inebriated—bitten by the love bug.

  On the lower level, the party was still in full effect.

  “Where were you guys? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Calliope shouted, squeezing between two people. “Let’s go. This guy I met was a total dirt bag. He kept calling me, Kelly.  And I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like I’m high,” she rambled, out of breath.

  “
Dude
—that’s how I feel. I’m not a fan of smoking the ganja, but this feels kind of like it, but way better. Maybe the drinks were laced?”

  “What is it?” Calliope asked, looking down in her nearly empty glass.

  In a panic, I swapped her drink with keys. “Take Marla with you.  Go sit in the car and wait for me—I’m driving,” I said, averting the direction of conversation. I desperately needed to talk with Kiran. I found him by the back patio, smoking with company.

  “Hey, Kiran. We’re just leaving. Can I talk to you for a second?”

  The girl didn’t look too thrilled, but Kiran didn’t seem to mind the least bit.

  “Now don’t you go anywhere. I’ll be back before you know it,” he said, lighting her cigarette.

  He followed me to the opposite end of the patio.

  “I need your help. You said you could find my birth mother, right?” I asked, impatiently. “When can we start?”

  “Soon,” he said, vaguely. He took another drag before tossing his cigarette.

  “Do you suppose I could track her?” I asked, on tenterhooks.

  He rolled his eyes, sighing irritably.

  “
Fine
,” he whined, continuing, “You’d think I’d deserve a night off after guiding lost fragments to their sources—or mortal souls to Styx where I leave their fate with the Gods, instead of leaving them to be sucked into hell—but
nooooo
, you have to be all cute and helpless. How can I say no to that?” he digressed, sourly.

  “Thanks.
Wait
, you’re a Charon too?” 

  “What? Did you think you were the only one carrying the torch?” he asked, entertained. “There are many of us—not enough, if you ask me.”

  “Huh. The things I’ve learned tonight. I feel like I’m taking a crash course—
Charon one-o-one: the essentials
.”

  Kiran chuckled, amused by my naïveté. “We can start right now if you’d like. I can track her down and we can go from there.”

  “Thanks, Kiran,” I hugged him appeased. “What about her?” I pointed to his female companion.

  “Oh, her? She’s already in Styx. That’s just her being idle. A word of advice—you never get your way with idle people,” he winked, playfully.

  “Ah. Good to know if I ever plan on taking advantage of someone,” I sneered, rolling my eyes.  

  “You’re not idle…” he suggested.

  “Bye, Kiran,” I snapped.  He was intoxicated by his very presence and I left before feeling the same way.

  After everyone was home, safe and sound, I crashed hard on my bed, exhausted. My first act as a Charon had been grueling, yet satisfying. Shuttling souls was no easy task. For that, I deserved a day off—at the very least.

***

  The following day, I had to face my parents, the two people I looked up to my entire life, who were there for me through thick and thin. They had never given me any reason to doubt them, but somehow I still felt so alone and betrayed. I was sad, but mostly angry. And with every step taken toward the kitchen, my hostility grew.

  “Morning, Xeni,” Chrysanthe said, in her usual chipper way.

  “Morning.” I poured a cup of coffee, glancing up periodically. “I’m running late, see ya.” I panicked.

  “Well, eat something if you’re going to drink that,” she said, disapprovingly.

  I grabbed a banana, and quickly left. I could not confront her—not yet, anyway.

  I drove to Calliope’s place after picking up Marla. She was quiet and I had an inkling as to why.

  “I hope you know that I’m happy for you and Landon,” I clarified.

  “So you weren’t interested in him?” she asked, warily.

  “No. Not at all. I mean, he’s a great guy, but I’m into someone else.”

  “
Right
. Nicholas. How’s he, by the way?”

  “He’s going through a...life altering event at the moment, and I feel like I should be with him, but he wants to be alone,” I explained, frankly.

  “He’d have to be a total fool to not see what a great person you are.”

  “You’re only saying that to make me feel better—it’s working,” I encouraged.

  Marla giggled, amused.

  We picked up Calliope and drove to York—except the only lecture I planned to attend was the intro to finding your bio parents presented by Kiran Aldridge. I hoped that he had a lead or something that would help. Oddly enough, I couldn’t get Orion off my mind even with important matters before me. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way.

  “There’s this other guy.  He’s really starting to freak me out, but I think I might be attracted to him,” I admitted, despairingly.

  “Ah. Orion, right? He’s some serious eye candy,” said Calliope.

  “I never said Orion,” I replied, defensively.

  “Well, excuse me,” she snapped. They snickered at my expense.

  “I have things to do, places to be. Get,” I said, forcefully dropping them off by the commons. It was the first year ever in my life that I couldn’t share something major with my best friends—it was unnerving. I could barely say the words aloud, let alone talk to anyone about it aside from Nicholas and Kiran.

  Conveniently, I found a parking spot by the west lot beside Kiran’s truck. He was with Orion and I approached them, hesitantly.

  “Hey, Kiran.
Orion
. That was some party,” I sneered.

  Orion didn’t seem the least bit troubled. “It was, wasn’t it? Like a cotillion for a young budding Diplozoe. You showcased your special talent exquisitely,” he toyed with me.

  “Honestly, what’s your deal, scumbag?” I howled, vindictively.

  “I wanted to see you in action—that’s all.”

  Kiran clearly enjoyed watching us quarrel.

  “Kiran, remember what we talked about the other day?” I whispered.

  “Yes, of course. I think he might be able to help.”

  “I don’t need his help.”

  “Like I would anyway,” Orion responded, childishly.

  “All right, then. I guess we’re on our own,” Kiran sighed in annoyance. “Later, dude.”

  Orion bid us farewell, scathingly, “Kiran.
Debutante
.”

  I snarled at Orion as he left.

  Shortly after, Kiran and I got down to business.

  “You’ll be pleased to know that I located her Offline last night. You look a lot alike,” he said, candidly.

  “Really?” I exclaimed. “Can I see her?”

  “I’ll lure her to Styx and you can talk to her there on somewhat middle turf,” he explained, sensibly.

  Kiran began to transition as his eyes smoldered, and I followed along his side. In an instant, we arrived in Styx. My skin tingled from head to toe. I already felt anxious about meeting my birth mother—being in Styx further intensified the anxiety.

  While I waited in the euphoric middle world, Kiran travelled Offline in pursuit. Impressively, It didn’t take him long to return.

  “Here she is,” he said, showcasing her like a trophy.

  I was taken aback. She was tall, lean with dark brown hair—I had her eyes, nose and lips.

  “Are you my…my mother?” My whole body trembled.

  “I am not,” she growled.

  “I saw your past—you can’t deny it,” Kiran shouted, agitated. “Xenia is your daughter. I can prove it,” he said, moving toward me.

  The woman shook her head in disbelief. “Stop! What have you done?” she hissed, recoiling. Her hazel eyes turned into a fierce, whitish swirl.

  I was stunned beyond belief. Kiran saw her past? That definitely required further clarification, however I was hanging on by a thread, engrossed by her very presence.

  “You left me with a human family?” I asked, searching for answers.  

  Kiran prompted for her reply, “Now would be as good a time as any.”

  “You don’t understand. My family and I lived like fugitives, afraid to travel with the ESOM hunting us down. I left one day, travelling Online, and there I met someone—your father,” she explained, uneasily. “We decided that a human family would shield you. With the ESOM’s advances and rogue Diplo spies, we had no other choice. It wasn’t—and still isn’t—safe for us. I’m so sorry, Xenia.”

  In that moment, I wondered who my biological father was, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I could only handle one life altering event at a time.

  Kiran released his hold on her, and she stood with her arms crossed. She was afraid to approach me—I could see the struggle in her eyes. I wished for her to hug me.

  “Can I see you again?” I asked, holding back tears.

  She took two steps toward me. “I didn’t want this life for you,” she cried. “I prayed for you, Xenia.” These were her last words before swiftly leaping into the River. I ran after her, diving into the warm, majestic water. But once I reached the other side, I was propelled back as though I had bounced off a wall of rubber.

  “Ouch. My head,” I gasped, reappearing by Kiran. I rubbed my throbbing temples.

  “You’re still blocked from the Offline world. This is where Orion could be of use. He’s older and immortal. He can find out why you were blocked in the first place. He can’t be harmed in the process so he’s the perfect candidate.”

  “But you heard it yourself. Orion said he wouldn’t help me anyhow.” I was disappointed by my lack of options.

  “That’s why I took it upon myself to speak with Nicholas. He’s stronger than me.”

  “You asked Nicholas? It’s dangerous, and I only just restored his fragment!” I was beyond furious.  I couldn’t live with myself if Kiran or Nicholas were harmed, while trying to help me. I wouldn’t allow them to risk losing one of their living fragments.

  “I have to find Nicholas. I can’t believe you told him about this. I confided in you, Kiran,” I said, flustered.

  “I was only trying to help,” he replied, sincerely. “Besides, I mentioned I’d ask Orion instead.”

  “I need to find him
now
,” I demanded, pacing in a frenzy.

  “You’ll have to wait. He said he’d be gone a few days.”

  “You don’t think he went alone, do you?”

  “He’s not that stupid—
I hope
,” he pressed his lips into a hard line.

  “I can’t bring myself to ask Orion. Could you do it for me?” I begged.

  “I think he’d prefer it if you’d ask—actually, he told me he would. He likes a good grovel,” he said, wryly.

  “Just great,” I sighed in annoyance. “I’ll go find him.”

  My resources were limited and the stakes were high—I had no other choice, I reminded myself meticulously.

  “Call me if anything,” he said, taking off.

  Meanwhile, I searched for Orion all over campus. Just as I called it quits, I saw him through a set of glass doors. I walked toward him, wound up and unprepared.

  “I know I haven’t exactly been kind to you, and I don’t even know if I can trust you but—”

  “Yes,” he said, abruptly.

  “Huh?”

  “I’ll help you. I know where the ESOM has you blocked Offline,” he offered, unequivocally.

  Orion walked, and I followed. “You already searched for me?” I asked, surprised.

  “Yeah…something like that,” he said, loosely. “I’ll search for you again.”

  We walked toward Stong pond, a picturesque area just south from Stong residency. Humongous geese perused the area, drinking from the pond. We sat on a bench and I observed Orion—his eyes smeared into an indistinct green-grey color, while he traveled Offline.

  I didn’t interfere with his idle self, leaving him highly concentrated with the task at hand. I yawned several times, slowly nodding off. Next thing I knew, I awoke with my head against Orion’s shoulder, and his arm wrapped around me.

  I looked up to face him, awkwardly shifting away. “Did you find anything?”

  Orion slowly stood up, disoriented.

  “You should see this for yourself,” he said, alarmed. He placed his hand on my shoulder. Instantly, I saw flashes of his travels, through his eyes as though they were my own. He started in a big, white dome with many different rooms. The room he entered had a row of beds along a wall. Some beds were empty, while others were occupied with individuals hooked up to a series of wires and tubes attached to screens. I saw myself deep asleep, but the screen above my bed was blurred. I looked over at the vacant bed beside me—number ten.

  In another flash, I saw Daisy—number eleven. She was comatose in bed, while her screen flickered erratically. I zoomed in on the flashing images—they were of me sitting on a bench with Orion.

  “She’s here…watching us,” I gasped, with my eyes still shut.

  “Who is?” Orion asked.

  “
Daisy
. The lost fragment that keeps haunting me.”

  “Ignore her for now,” he instructed.

  I held on to Orion’s incoming visions, eagerly. Seeing myself through his eyes, all helpless and unconscious like that, was agonizing.

  “Who would do this to me?” I cried, worriedly.

  “The ESOM,” he said, bluntly. “They’ve blocked powerful Diplozoe’s in the Dome for over two centuries, testing and monitoring us like lab rats.”

  “Me? Powerful?” I asked, dumbfounded.

  “Xenia, your mother gave you up soon after she had you. The brief time she held you in her arms was all it took for you to track her. As a child, you traveled Offline in search of your birth mother. Most Diplozoes cannot travel until they’re in their early teens,” he explained. His bright eyes sparkled enticed. “You were captured by the ESOM and kept in the Dome from the age of six.”

  “How do you know all this?” I asked, mystified.

  “I rested my hand on yours in the Dome. You granted me access to your memories—not that I needed it,” he said, smugly.

  “So the ESOM has me blocked in the dome, and I’m unconscious?”

  I could feel Orion strain to recall.

  “Hmm. Yes, but you purposely shielded yourself, preventing them from gaining access to your travels, Online,” he uttered, equally surprised. “You were held captive physically against your will, yet mentally, you blocked yourself as a protective mechanism—
impressive
.” Orion was completely fascinated, mumbling something quietly to himself.

  I could not take the pain any longer. My mind felt as though it would combust from the overwhelming flow of images, even after Orion retracted his hand. The hazy images trembled erratically with static, as did the blank screen above my bed. I was trapped, helpless and alone—I hated feeling powerless. The rage that boiled deep inside me slowly erupted, sending sparks of electricity throughout my idle self, extending to the earth which violently shook from beneath us. Online, I firmly pressed both hands over my aching temples, gasping for air. Oddly, I could feel the warmth against my eyelids in the Offline world, before slowly opening my eyes, immersing them to the callous light. I was finally freed from my dark, reclusive safe haven of a mind.

Xenia (Offline):

  I gasped, quickly sitting up—I was soaked with sweat. I pulled the little suction tubes attached to my forehead, liberating my head in its entirety to the surrounding cool air. My body ached as I moved to the edge of the bed, placing my bare feet against the cool marble floor. I walked down the aisle, observing each and every person with his or her respective screen, returning to a particular bed of interest.

  “
Daisy
,” I whispered, frantically. On her screen, she played alone surrounded by butterflies and green grass.

  A door creaked as someone entered the premises. I hid under a bed.

  “Betsy, we have a problem. One of the Diplozoes has gone missing again,” she bellowed.

  “Oh, dear. I’ll look for her, Maggie.”

  The haggard sounding nurse exited, while the soft spoken one searched the room.

  I hid behind tables, curtains, and beds until I was only a few inches from the exit. I waited until the coast was clear to make a run for it. As I approached the exit, someone caught a hold of me.

  “Wait!” she sharply whispered.

  I tried to run, but I was propelled back. She caught hold of my white robe. “Wait a second. I can help you escape.”

  “Why should I believe you?” I paused, examining her.

  “You have no other choice,” she said. Her eyes strained with worry.   As I contemplated the lack of feasible options, my body relaxed and I listened to her plea.

  “Xenia, if you want to escape, you have to do as I say. Maggie will return soon with guards, so we must act fast.”

  Her floral perfume was familiar and comforting. Rapid images ensued of my life in the Dome causing me to groan in pain, nearly fainting. Betsy steadied me, leading me through an otherwise inaccessible hallway, stopping to grab a black bag.