Fiction/Fantasy
Dreamwalkers — Chapter Five
Even asleep, you’re not alone
The walk back from the forest was filled with a mixture of apprehension and determination. My mind was racing with questions about this new reality I had stepped into. Chase and Stefan walked beside me, their presence both comforting and unnerving.
I can’t believe I blew off school, well, the first half of it. Now, I had to go into lunch and hope that Elizabeth didn’t ask too many questions regarding Stefan and Chase.
“We’ll need to start your training soon,” Stefan said, breaking the silence. “There’s much you need to learn.”
“Training? Like, what kind of training?” I asked, feeling a pang of anxiety.
“Physical training, for starters,” Chase replied. “You’ll need to be able to defend yourself. But there’s more — learning to harness your powers, understanding the history of the Veil, and mastering the skills necessary to protect it.”
I nodded, trying to absorb it all. This was like diving into the deep end without knowing how to swim. “Um, yeah, okay.” I stepped up to the entrance of the school’s front doors. “I’ll let you know.” I still had to comprehend everything that I’d learned over the past three hours. I couldn’t make a rational decision regarding anything just yet, especially anything that dealt with these two.
I pulled on the door to open and go in, but Chase gripped my elbow. “Wait.” He glanced over at Stefan who was scouting the area as if someone or something would sneak up on us.
“What?” I yanked my arm away.
Stefan pulled me back and opened the door like he was on guard duty or something. “Someone is here.”
“Yeah, the rest of the student population.” I pushed past both guys and walked toward the cafeteria.
“Cera.” I heard Elizabeth and Chase call my name at the same time.
I glanced back at Stefan and Chase, both had a deadlock stare at the opposite end of the hallway where Elizabeth had yelled. I looked over to where Elizabeth, Leia, and Breen were and saw what the issue was all about.
My three friends were with a guy, but just not any guy, the guy who was in my last dream, the one who saved the girl.
“Hey, where were you?” Elizabeth took my hand and led me away from Stefan and Chase. She glared at them with an evil smile playing on her lips. “We got another new student in today. Well, he’s not new to me since I’ve known him forever, but new to our school.”
Elizabeth pulled me toward the cafeteria entrance where the other three were waiting. “Cera, this is Zander,” She motioned to the guy with the dark hair and piercing green eyes. “Zander, this is Cera.”
My eyes lifted to meet his. I saw a sparkle and a bit of humor as if he knew I knew he was in my dream. “Hey, Cera, it’s finally good to meet you. Beth has talked nonstop about you.” His voice was as smooth as it was in the dream.
Now that Stefan and Chase told me everything, well, not everything about dreamwalkers and the veil, I had to figure out how this guy played in the whole big scenario.
Was he a friend?
Or, was he foe?
But then again, I didn’t know much about Stefan and Chase to consider them friends.
Maybe they were the bad guys? Or, part of the evil plan.
Or was there even a plan? Maybe they were making shit up and getting a big kick out of seeing me frustrated.
But, how were they in my dreams?
So many questions, and never any answers.
“Earth to Cera.” Elizabeth snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Thought we lost you there.”
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. ”I was, um, thinking. I have a test coming up soon.”
“Uh-huh.” Elizabeth didn’t look too convinced with my answer. “We better get to lunch before all the good stuff is taken. I’ll grab your usual if you wanna show Zander where to sit.” She and the other girls walked away leaving me alone with Zander.
I glanced back at the exit to see if Chase and Stefan were still there. They looked to be in deep conversation, but they must’ve felt my gaze as their eyes met mine.
“Shall we?” Zander put his hand on my lower back, directing me toward the cafeteria. I felt a burning sensation and instantly wanted to pull away. But Zander quickly pulled his hand away and the heat subsided.
What the hell was going on?
As Zander led me into the cafeteria, I couldn’t help but feel like I was being pulled into a game I didn’t fully understand. Zander seemed friendly, almost too friendly, like he was trying to win me over. His hand had briefly touched my back, sending a strange sensation through me, but he quickly pulled away, as if aware of the effect he had.
“Cera, you seem a bit distant today. Everything okay?” Zander asked, his voice laced with concern.
“Yeah, just a lot on my mind,” I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
We found a spot at the table, and Zander was effortlessly charming, making everyone laugh and feel at ease. But my mind kept drifting back to Stefan and Chase. They knew about Zander, and their guarded demeanor suggested a history of conflict. And now here was Zander, seemingly unaware of the deeper issues at play, or was he just pretending?
After lunch, I excused myself and found Stefan and Chase waiting for me outside the school building. Their expressions were serious, a stark contrast to Zander’s easy-going demeanor.
“Cera, we need to talk about Zander,” Stefan said without preamble.
I crossed my arms. “What about him? He seems… nice.”
Chase let out a sigh. “He might seem that way, but we believe he’s here for his own reasons. Reasons that might not align with your safety or the protection of the Veil.”
“But he hasn’t mentioned anything about the Veil or anything strange. He’s just been friendly,” I countered, feeling a need to defend Zander, though I wasn’t sure why.
“Exactly,” Stefan interjected. “He’s trying to get close to you, gain your trust. But his motives are unclear. We just want you to be cautious.”
I felt torn. On one hand, Stefan and Chase had been upfront about the Veil and the dangers surrounding it. On the other, Zander hadn’t shown any signs of deceit, and his friendly nature was hard to overlook.
“Look, I appreciate your concern,” I said finally. “But I can take care of myself. I’ll keep an eye on Zander, but I’m not going to avoid someone just because you have a bad history with him.”
Stefan nodded, though he looked unsatisfied. “Just remember, Cera, in this world, not everything is as it seems. Trust your instincts.”
The rest of the day passed in a blur. My mind kept replaying the conversations with Stefan, Chase, and Zander.
Who was I supposed to trust?
Stefan and Chase clearly had knowledge about the Veil and the dangers it posed, but their secretive nature and urgency were overwhelming.
Zander, on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air, his demeanor light and friendly, but his sudden appearance and connection to my dream raised questions.
That night, as I lay in bed, the events of the day circled in my head. I was a regular high school student one moment and thrust into a world of ancient powers and hidden conflicts the next. Stefan and Chase warned me about Zander, but he hadn’t shown any signs of malice or deception.
The only thing I knew for sure was that I was in the middle of a conflict that spanned beyond my understanding. I needed to be cautious, keep my eyes open, and learn more about the Veil and my role in all of this.
As sleep finally took over, I resolved to find answers, to understand the full picture before taking a side. In this game of hidden motives and ancient powers, I needed to be smart, observant, and above all, true to myself. The path ahead was uncertain, but I was determined to uncover the truth, no matter how deep I had to dig.
The story will continue…
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