17 Red Marks

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room.

What did she do? After all this time, where time for Piper in the dreamworld seemed like hours, here in her world—if that was what she could call it anymore—it had been months.

“I said I’d back Piper; I didn’t know I had to be concerned of you coming back.” Morry said slowly, as he too now stood behind her looking over her right shoulder out the window.

“We aren’t allowed outside passed dusk. If you are, you are taken.”

“Taken where?”

“From what has been told, the news being very vague, and I am sure skewed, to some facility where they quarantine you.”

“Quarantine from what exactly? It isn’t a disease… it just seems that people are not waking up.”

“They are hiding something from the public, that is for sure. But they are calling this a sleep pandemic. And the only thing anyone can tell is that has to do with sleeping, and the night.” Morry explained. I was dusk now and Piper saw police officers stopping people on the streets and pointing. They must have been telling them to go inside or go home because they were pointing at the houses in a rather persuasive or aggressive manner, Piper couldn’t tell from this far back.

Piper watched, and noticed that though they were police officers, they were not wearing the usual attire. These men were wearing all black with neon yellow bands on their arms, chest, back and even calves. They wore big goggles that had some blue light tint, and something that covered their mouth, but Piper couldn’t tell what exactly it was. In their hands were not guns, but big, long, black polls that had some electric current going through. Piper could actually see the static coming from the tip of the stick. It reminded Piper of a big bug zapper.

“Sleeping, I get it, but night? How’d they come to figure out that connection?” Morry stepped back from the window, shaking his head, seemingly defeated. He went over to his side table next to his bed—the same side table that still held the photobooth photo of him and her. Months later without hearing from her, and Morry still had their photo. That did make Piper feel a little better despite him acting distant with her right now. She really didn’t mean to be gone that long, but how could she get Morry to see that? Piper wanted to stay in the dreamworld, yes, but momentarily… just until she could figure out what she wanted. Where she belonged. She had no idea that all of that would end up leading to this…

Morry grabbed a newspaper and handed it to Piper. Piper read the headline:

Sleep Pandemic or Mythological Discovery?

Is it possible to think of the impossible? It seems that what is causing this death by sleep could actually go beyond our natural beliefs. Some continue to call it a myth, but others are starting to wonder, could these ‘black beings’ be real? If so, maybe we should rethink the Lochness monster, or big foot… even werewolves?

Mouth gaping wider as she read on, Piper couldn’t believe what she was reading. At the word black beings, her stomach dropped. Abiden mentioned that thing to her. But they were in the Elphiates—the dreamworld—not this one. How could they have gotten into the real world?

“Morry…

“Turn the page, look at the photo. They found evidence of the those ‘black beings’.

Piper turned the page and sure enough, she saw it. The same thing she saw guarding the gates of the Elphiates. It was a photo at night, the creature that looked skeletal. It was dark to where one could possibly mistake it for an anorexic naked man, but what was insane was the shadow that followed it… somehow in the dark, the creature still had a shadow. Which was impossible.

“The shadows…”

“It is the only way anyone can identify them. By their shadows at night. And though they are rarely identifiable because no one wants to get close enough to one, some have claimed that they look awfully like their loved ones… the ones that have been victims of the death by sleep. It is like the walking dead.” Morry told her. He refused to look Piper in the eyes. He refused to even get near her, like she had… a disease.

“Wait… Morry…” Piper started. She was almost afraid to ask, but surely, he didn’t really blame her for all of this. She tried to read his eyes, but again, he refused to make eye contact with her.

“You can’t actually think this is all because of me?” Piper asked quietly, but Morry stared.

“Piper, this started when you started having—going in—those dreams.” She could tell it hurt Morry to even say it, but she could tell he believed it.

Piper stepped back, not sure what to do, or say at this point. Morry looked back out the window, and seeing how dark it was outside now, he turned back to Piper.

“You may stay tonight, but at dawn, I will need you to leave.” He said.

“No… it is fine.”

“Stop it Piper, I know you don’t have anywhere to go.” Piper felt a gut punch. She knew what he meant, but something about the choice of words, stung.

“Well, thank you. I will be up and out of your way at first light.” Morry nodded. Having done this before, back in London, he gave her an extra shirt and some shorts for Piper to change into. Piper went to the bathroom and started to change, feeling slightly uncomfortable, but relieved he didn’t just kick her out in the dark. She didn’t know what was going on out there but being taken to be quarantined… that was the last thing she wanted.

Taking off her shirt now, her arms became exposed. Looking down, Piper gasped.

“You okay?” Piper heard Morry call out through the door. His voice sounded exhausted.

“Yeah, be out in a second.” Piper replied and stared down at her arms. Red—she saw red marks, the same type of red marks that Colik had on his arms, but smaller, and more of them.

“What the…” Piper whispered. She knew why Colik had his, he had opened up and explained that the red marks meant he killed someone. When he killed Blaze, they formed on his arms—blood to blood—but then why, why was Piper having the same marks? And why did she just notice them now? She hadn’t killed anyone…

“Piper?” She heard Morry again, this time right outside the bathroom door. Quickly, Piper put his shorts on, changed back into her sweater, grabbed his shirt and left the bathroom.

Morry eyed her as she came out, and for a second she swore he was looking her up and down, until he turned over in the bed, as close to the edge of his side as he could.

“I was cold, but thanks for the shirt.”

“No problem. I set an alarm.”

Piper was glad it was dark, because not only was she red in the face from freaking out by the red marks on her arm, but also that she had to lay in bed with Morry, again. Last time, she had woken up next to him, cuddling and he woke her up from her bad dream. She had seen those red eyes, the red eyes that still haunted her…

Now, laying there next to him, she felt the tension between them. She laid on her back, staring at the ceiling, trying to control her breathe.

“You okay?” Piper heard Morry whisper.

“I think so.”

“What are you afraid of?” He asked after a few minutes of silence. It was like he was reading her mind.

“I am scared that if I fall asleep… I will be gone for months again. Or worse… I won’t wake up again.” Piper admitted. She knew she was kicked out of the dreamworld… the only one who could help her go back there was Steele. This time, as she tried to fall asleep, she was actually scared of the normalcy of it all. Of dreaming, or nightmares.

“If you have another nightmare, I will wake you up. Don’t worry.”

…

The song was dark, but beautiful. Piper didn’t recognize the language, but then again, she knew it wasn’t a language at all. She turned around and Steele was there. Standing, his bright white hair glistening in the moons wake. But this time he didn’t have his glasses… this time his eyes were red. The same red that Piper had seen before.

“Steele, your eyes…”

“Are you scared?”

“…no. Are your eyes always red, or just in this dream? Piper asked, but Steele did not answer. Instead, he turned and looked around to the moon. It was not the red moon that was in the Reverie, so she knew she wasn’t in the dreamworld this time.

“Am I dreaming again, or is this real?” Piper asked. She couldn’t tell, but this was the first time Steele had been in her dream if so.

“This is a dream, but you know you. No dream with you will ever be just a dream.” Steele said. Piper looked around, following his gaze. He was right. This was not her typical dream, and yet she was living it just as before.

“Where is here?” Piper asked. It was beautiful, where they were. A different type of beautiful than in the Reverie. Again, Steele ignored her question.

“What is that? Whose singing?” She asked, changing the subject. The song was subtle, but there, like it was meant to be part of the wind.

“That is a sirens song.”

“What does that mean?”

“It is the crying call of the soul’s who have been heartbroken and separated in the Elphiates. It was one of…the punishments.”

“Whose punishment? Punishment for what?”

“Envy. Hades kidnapped Persephone, and so the wicked, lustful call is a warning to those who try to come to hell. The sirens are blackened souls who seduces any who try to get through hell. The cries of the sirens mimic that of Persephone’s cries when she was first kidnapped. They sit in the meadow at the end of the Brine, enchanting those who try to pass.”

“So, like a mermaid? You cannot tell me Mermaids are real now too…” Steele laughed.

“Oh no, no Piper. Mermaids are beautiful. Sirens… now they, they are devilish. The only thing good about them is the sound of their voice. Everything else… you will be good to never see one.”

“Why are they crying now?”

“It seems, perhaps, someone is trying to get through.”

“Why would anyone want to go to hell.”

“Well, the gods world is connected to the dreamworld. And some will do anything to go there.” The way that Steele said this made Piper shiver. It was like he was talking in third person. His eyes were staring hard out past the moon. She could hardly look at him, his eyes were… monstrous. Piper took a step back but realized that she wasn’t able to move, so she was just dreaming. She wasn’t controlling this one. But it felt so real…

“Those marks on your arm, Piper. How many?”

“What?”

“How many marks?” Steele asked, his voice cold as stone. He turned to her and Piper looked down at her arms. She had sleeves over them, so how would Steele know about her red marks?

“I don’t know.”

“Count them.”

“Why?”

“You will see.” Piper thought about it for a second, not liking how demanding Steele was being, but decided to listen. Something about this dream was very controlling, like she was almost in someone else’s dream. She felt obligated to count the red marks, though she didn’t see the point.

She counted, each one slowly, like counting one would just add more to her arm. When she counted them all, her stomach dropped.

“How many?”

“…17.” She said, and just when she looked up to see Steele give her a devious grin, everything went black.

…

“Piper, Piper wake up!” Piper heard Morry yelling in a hushed tone and shaking her awake. His hands were on her arms, over the top of her sweater sleeve, and the red marks.

“17… 17…” She found herself saying, tears flooding her eyes.

“Piper, you are having a nightmare.” Morry said again as Pipers eyes opened and she saw his concerned face.

“I am sorry… why does that always happen to me.” Piper whispered through tears and dug her face in his chest. She knew he was mad at her, but she couldn’t help it. She needed something, some comfort, even if it was momentarily.

He let her, laying there. He didn’t say anything for a long time. She settled her tears, but the number 17 couldn’t get out of her mind. 17 red marks…

Suddenly, Morry moved Piper over, and got up abruptly. He stood up and turned to her.

“I think it is best if you go now. My dad is upstairs. I can’t risk my family. You must understand that.” Morry said though slow breaths like he was trying to keep himself calm and contained. He went to the bathroom and asked her to change back into her own clothes. When he closed the bathroom door, Piper got up, her body shaking, but she wasn’t sure from what exactly. One moment he was caring, and the next, this.

Morry came out right as Piper had grabbed her stuff then went to his side door. As they both reached for the handle, their hands slightly grazed. Morry flinched. He then abruptly moved back and wiped his hand where she had just touched it.

“I wish you were just some messed up dream that I could wake up and forget.” The words came out of Morrys mouth before either one really knew what was happening, because the way he stared at her now was like he was in physical pain. He was now towering over her as he usually did, but this time she did not feel comfortable, but tension.

“Take that back. You don’t mean it.” Piper begged, and she felt tears form behind her eyes. Morry was giving her the same look Colik had given her when he was sending her back to this world. Now Morry was doing the same— kicking her out of her world.

Morry wish Piper were only a dream and Colik wished she were only human, not a dreamer. Nether world wanted her. Piper instantly felt sick to her stomach.

“For fuck sake. Of course, I don’t mean that…” Morry paused, his voice cracking as he spoke.

“But I wish I did. You can’t keep doing this.” Piper almost asked what he meant by that, but she knew, she just didn’t know how to explain it—that she still felt lost. How could she tell someone that treated her like home that despite it all, she still felt totally, utterly, and completely like she belonged nowhere. And though he said he didn’t mean it, here he was almost validating it.

“You have this craven refusal to accept who you are. You act like this world—or whatever world—is out to get you. You act like you are all alone, that… that you have to do this life by yourself, but you don’t.” Morry stopped and took a deep breathe.

“I don’t…” Piper started, but he stopped her.

“No, no more excuses. Open your eyes and look. Actually take a second and look around, because maybe, if you are willing to look at it from someone else’s eyes, another perspective, perhaps you will finally be able to live.”

“I am living.” Piper defended, but she didn’t even know what she meant by that. It was like Groundhog Day. She just kept hearing the same thing, but from different people.

Morry took a step back from her, putting his hand on the door, starting to open it. He was not going to let her stay.

“No, Piper. What you are doing is not living. If I had to call it anything, what you are doing is pretending. No wonder they call you the Pipe dream in that world.” Pipers eyes widened.

“How do you know…”

“Steele told me. I was trying to find you, so I came back to Dublin. I went to the library, the Olympus House, even asked Ms. Snyker. And you know I do not like talking to her. She creeps me out.” Morry started. Piper gave a shy smile, agreeing with him, but Morry was not smiling. Not this time. Instead, he shrugged and continued.

“Finally, I went to our graveyard, and he was there. You must have told him about our graveyard, because he was there, and he seemed to have been waiting… for someone.”

“I…”

“And he told me everything Piper. He told me things that you should have told me. He told me about your new world, how you were trying so hard to stay there. I helped you decipher the Book of Godspells, but I didn’t do that to help you leave the life you have to live in another one. I helped you in the hopes you would find yourself in this one.”

“I am sorry, Morry. That wasn’t…”

“Don’t apologize to me, Piper, say sorry to yourself because that is who you are really fooling.” Morry backed off again and started to open the door more. It was now open completely, and the way it was open was inviting her to leave.

“That’s it? After everything, you’re done with me?” Piper asked. Morry shook his head as if trying to figure out what to say.

“You are persistent, I will give you that. One of many great qualities about you that apparently everyone sees but you.”

“But?” She knew there was more.

“But this is not how I want to live my life, Piper. I can’t continue watching you destroy yourself… or this world. I tried to help, tried to be there, but you are only killing yourself. And my world.” Morry paused, and Piper swore she saw his eyes redden like he was holding back tears. She had never seen Morry cry, not even when he told her about his parents’ divorce, or that he was moving months back.

“I am not killing myself. I am not suicidal.” Piper whispered, but Morry scoffed.

“Come on Piper. After all this—dreamworld, the sleep pandemic—you can’t tell me there is not more than one way to killing oneself. Don’t fool yourself. Plus, I know you are way too much of a baby to physically kill yourself. But it doesn’t mean you are not on your way, and I cannot be here to watch you… anymore.”

“So what am I supposed to do, Morry? I can’t help who I am.” Piper was getting angry now, not getting why he was blaming her for everything.

“Be alone. Open your eyes, and…” He paused again.

“And what?”

“…And choose one world. You know which one I’ll be in.” He finished, and Piper swallowed hard.

“I really have to go. I have… other things to deal with. And my family to protect.”

“Okay.” Piper said and started out the door.

“Oh, before I forget.” Morry reached into his pocket and grabbed a piece of paper out and handed it to Piper.

“What is this?”

“When I was coming up to the graveyard, I heard Steele say something odd, so I wrote it down and thought maybe you would know. Probably some odd language you… those dreamers speak?” Morry explained and Piper read it outloud:

In the fire, to the past

Is my intend to bide here

Links of my chain, a new world

In the darkness the fend is she

And yet my roots

The transfiguration all humankind

Ever in the emptiness is high in

Man to man, birr and smeddum

“I have no clue what that means…” Piper started, but Morry stopped her again.

“Not this time. I am serious about what I said. I love you, but I am done.”

“Okay… bye, I guess.” Piper said, tucking the piece of paper in the back of her pocket. She felt the Book of Godspells against her in her side satchel. Maybe something in there would help her decipher what Steele said. She didn’t tell Morry that she was still using the book. That she was still finding clues… that she had been trying to figure out why she was able to go to the dreamworld and back and others couldn’t. She knew people in this world were dying, Abiden even told her, but she did not know that black beings were in this world now.

Piper stepped out of the door, feeling like it was almost some right of passage. She felt odd, leaving his place. Stepping out of her comfort zone in her world and away from him. This was the first time he had ever not came with her. She had no idea where she was going to go, except as far away from Edinburgh, from Morry, as she could. He didn’t want her in his life, so why stay here any longer.

As she walked away, Morry called out to her one more time.

“It doesn’t probably matter because I know you will do what you want, but I don’t think I would trust Steele.”

“Why?”

“When I mentioned that Pipe Dream to him, he seemed too happy about it. Like it was a sudden discovery. But you told me about you being the Piper Dream, so I assumed he knew too.”

“You told him I was the Pipe Dream?” Piper asked, and Morry sighed.

“Was I not supposed to? I thought… I don’t know what and what not to say. All I know is that he was way too eager to see you again. Like it was exactly what he wanted to hear.”

“Thank you for telling me.” Piper said but had a bad gut feeling by what he said. She did not like that Steele knew who she was now. Colik had told her to keep that a secret from Abiden, but was that specifically to him or anyone outside of the Citadel? Steele was on her side… was he not?

“I am sorry if I wasn’t supposed to, but what can I say, I am only human.” Morry said, and without another word, he closed the door behind him, leaving Piper standing out in the street of Edinburgh, all alone and no clear direction of where to go.

Piper looked around before leaving Morrys porch, watching out for the neon yellow. She knew it was day light, so she should be fine, but something about them scared her. She had not been back in this world since this all came about. On the end of his driveway, Piper saw a newspaper from this morning. She read it again. It was talking about the confirmation of deaths by sleep now. Last time she was here, the newspapers only said of two people who passed away in their sleep, and now… a confirmed count of 17. 17… How was it possible that Steele knew?