Nathan shrugged away his hand. “I’m going in there. Maybe Felicity doesn’t know what happened to Kelly, but it’s a good place to start. And I don’t know if we can believe that she knows where my father is, but it’s worth a try.” He strode toward the graveyard and stood at the edge of the hologram, crossing his arms over his chest. “Tell Dr. Gordon to play the music and flash the lights. I’m going in!”
10
THE SUPPLICANT’S CALL
Solomon gave Nathan a stern look, but it quickly eased. “Okay. I’ll make it happen.” He strode to the computer desk where Gordon and the two Simons watched their screens. “Get ready to make the jump,” he called back.
“Wait!” Daryl sprinted around the hologram and grabbed Nathan’s arm. “You ain’t jumping to light speed without me, buster.” She pointed at herself with her thumb. “You need a cool-headed thinker, and I’m your girl.”
“And I’m going, too.” Nathan’s mother walked toward him with the violin and bow. “My husband is in that dream world somewhere, so I’m going in, and I’m not coming back without him. Besides, who else will play when you need music?”
Nathan touched his reflection on the violin’s smooth surface. “You showed me how to play through pain. I’m sure I can do it. But I’ll be glad to have you along anyway.” He looked into her wise, piercing eyes. Did she know why he really needed her? To help him play the great violin if they ever found it? In any case, he would tell her soon.
The others began gathering around, but Nathan raised a hand. “Look, I know you’re all willing to come with me, but you can’t.” He pointed at Tony, Molly, and Francesca Yellow in turn. “Stay here and raise those babies. They need you. And hide all the mirrors. Mictar’s sure to come looking for them eventually.”
He stepped closer to Francesca Yellow. Smiling, he took her hand. “Amber gave me a message. She wants you to know that she loves you, and she’ll try to supplicate for you through the mirrors.”
Francesca wiped a tear from her eye. “Little Nathan and I will be watching for her.” She leaned close and kissed his cheek, whispering, “And I will pray for you and Kelly with all my heart.”
Nathan shivered at the touch. Even though he loved this girl like a sister, this was no time to get sentimental. He just breathed a heartfelt, “Thank you.”
He gestured for everyone to draw close and peered over Tony’s shoulder to get a look at Solomon and the three scientists. They were busy on the computer, apparently preparing for the next cross-dimensional leap.
With Francesca, Tony, Molly, Daryl, and his mother huddling around, Nathan lowered his voice. “Listen. No offense to anyone, but you guys are the only people on Earth Yellow I trust. Can you keep a secret?”
Tony glanced at Solomon. “Even from Flash?”
“Yeah. Even from Flash.”
“Sure. I guess so.” Tony smiled and pointed at Nathan. “You’re Future Boy, so you know more about this stuff than I do.”
“Thanks.” Nathan almost added that he wasn’t sure what he knew anymore, but he thought better of it.
Francesca fidgeted, then took in a deep breath before whispering, “Nathan, Solomon is my husband. I know you’ve been my friend for a longer time, but I made a vow. I can’t keep secrets from him.”
Nathan pressed his lips together. She was right. Asking her to go against her word was a terrible idea. “Then tell him if you have to. I know I can trust your wisdom.” He looked at Tony again. “Do you remember how to use Daryl’s transmitter?”
“The one that talks to the future? Sure. I have it all figured out.”
“Then get a message to Dr. Gordon Red for me.”
Daryl pulled on Nathan’s sleeve, her whisper a little louder than the others’. “We didn’t test it after Earth Red pulled away. I’m not sure he’ll be able to contact — ”
“We have to try it.” Nathan raised a finger. “There’s one thing I never figured out: that plastic card I took from the shotgun guy, the one with all the letters and numbers on it. It has to be important.”
“Where is it?” Tony asked.
“I left it on the computer desk in the Earth Blue observatory, so Gordon will have to — ”
“It’s not there,” Daryl said. “Gordon Red wanted to see it, so Daryl Blue loaded up the interdimensional fax machine and shot it over to him.”
Nathan gave her a thumbs-up. “Even better. Tell him to send it over to this observatory so you guys can transport it to me in the Earth Blue dream world.”
“And use channel three,” Daryl added, showing Tony three fingers. “That’ll send a digitally encoded message straight to Dr. Gordon’s computer. With all the whale-speak going on there, I doubt that anything else will work.”
Tony spread out one of his huge hands. “But it’s five hours to Newton. By the time I get there, this cemetery dream will be history. How can anyone find Nathan to give him the card when it gets here?”
“Okay, okay.” Spreading out her hands, Daryl heaved a sigh. “I’ll take care of it.”
“What do you mean?” Nathan asked.
She flicked her thumb toward the computers. “I watched El Gordo work the gizmos. Tony and I will figure out how to get everyone to scoot so we can do the transmissions right here, and maybe I can get the card to you before that dream ends.”
“Thanks, Daryl.” Nathan gave her a light pat on her back. “I know you wanted to come. I appreciate it.”
“Not so fast, Tin Man. If you had a heart, you’d remember that I’ve already spent too much time in this world.” She poked his chest with her finger. “You’re not leaving me here again. I’m going to find you and hand deliver the card.”
Nathan suppressed a laugh. “You’re amazing, Daryl, you know that?
With a wink and a grin, Daryl tossed her hair back. “As a matter of fact, I do. It’s obvious you need me around.”
Returning the grin, Nathan looped his arm around his mother’s. “I guess we’re off to see the wizard without the scarecrow.”
“Scarecrow?” Daryl shook a finger at him. “Listen, Twister Boy, if you’re looking to wrestle with another tornado, I’ll be glad to — ”
“Time to go!” Nathan pulled his mother into the hologram. After the initial flash of light, he put the glasses on. Again, everything slowed to a normal pace — the rain, the windblown fog, and the swaying trees. He turned and looked back. “I hope to see all of you soon,” he called, waving.
Their replies sounded muffled and warped, and their waves seemed slow. Music filled the air, something mournful he couldn’t identify. “Do you know what that song is?” he asked.
He leaned close to his mother so she could hear through the transmitters.
After a few seconds, her head bobbed up and down with the tune. “Speed it up in your mind, Nathan. You’ll figure it out.”
He concentrated on the notes, trying to push them together, but he didn’t have much time. The flash sending them to the dream world could come at any moment.
He nudged her side. “Give me a break, Mom. What is it?”
Smiling, she whispered, “ ‘Danse Macabre.’ ”
Nathan shuddered. “The Dance of Death” was the same piece he had played when boarding Flight 191 in Chicago. At this slow pace, it was creepier than ever.
While waiting for the flash, Nathan glanced around, looking for any sign of Felicity. In the midst of a shroud of fog and windswept rain, her shadow arose in front of the tombstone where he had seen her before. She staggered backwards, her face and form becoming clear. With her mouth agape and her arms trembling, she seemed petrified of something, but in her blindness how could she see any danger?
Nathan followed the direction her face pointed. At the wall that led to the hologram’s inner core, a hand protruded from a gap — a long, pale hand. Then, a body emerged along with a familiar face and white ponytail, but it looked like he was having trouble pushing all the way through.
“Now!” Nathan yelled. “Send us now!”
r /> Lightning flashed. Thunder boomed. Nathan sucked in another breath to yell again, but the air felt cold and wet in his lungs. Raindrops pelted his hair, matting his bangs to his forehead, and mist coated his glasses.
His mother pushed the violin under her sweater. “Looks like we made it.”
“Stay there!” Nathan yanked off the glasses, ran to Felicity, and took her hand. “It’s me, Nathan. Are you okay?”
“I smell death.” She pointed straight ahead with her walking stick, her voice thin and frail. “Among the tombstones, I always smell death, but now it’s stronger than ever. He has finally come to take me away.”
“Not if I can help it.” Nathan stepped between her and Mictar. The stalker shook his leg, trying to free it from the dark wall.
“He’s stuck,” Nathan said. “Let’s get out of here before he gets loose.”
She resisted his pull. “No need. I smell my new friend. He will protect me.”
“You’re dreaming. The only real things here are me, my mother, and a crazy murderer named Mictar, and we don’t want to mess with him.” He scooped her up into his arms and hurried back to his mother.
“Did he see you?” she asked.
“Hard to say.” He nodded toward a cluster of gnarled trees.
“Let’s find a place to hide.”
Still carrying Felicity, Nathan half-ran to the biggest of the trees, a thick leafless oak so bent it looked like an old, arthritis-stricken man covering his moss-covered head with his crooked arms. They huddled behind the trunk, stooping as they watched.
Mictar finally freed himself from the dream boundary.
With rain plastering his ponytail against the back of his shirt, he raised his hands and sang out a pair of vowels that sounded like a long E and a short A.
A puff of gray smoke arose from his palms, cloaking them for a moment. When the air around him cleared, a black violin and white bow lay in his hands. He lifted the violin to his chin and pulled the bow across the strings. A high note sang out, warbling with a songbirdlike vibrato.
“I hear the song,” Felicity said, her voice quiet and mysterious. “Death is calling me.”
Nathan clamped a hand over her mouth and whispered, “When death calls, don’t pick up the phone.”
Playing more vibrating notes, Mictar walked along a path through the graveyard, looking at both sides of each tombstone as he passed by. Suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air, turning as he took in long drafts.
Nathan pushed everyone lower, but he didn’t dare utter a word. If that stalker smelled fear, staying quiet might not do any good, but why give him any more clues than he already had?
Another sniff sounded, this one coming from under Nathan’s protective arm. Felicity whispered through Nathan’s fingers, “I smell the clutching wood.”
The tree’s trunk let out a long creaking sound, and the branches sagged lower, obviously saturated and heavy. If much more rain fell, this might not be a safe place to hide.
Mictar looked their way, his nostrils flared. Shuffling closer, he played three short notes as if calling out, “Where are you?”
Nathan clamped down tighter on Felicity’s mouth. Why was Mictar hesitating? He had to know they were nearby. Why hadn’t he rushed ahead to find them?
The rain stopped suddenly, and as the clouds raced away, a strange glow shone in the distance. Mictar halted and tilted his head up. Nathan, too, looked skyward. The canopy above had turned from gray to purple, with hints of azure and blue spreading from treetop to treetop, but no sun appeared. The light seemed to be coming from over the horizon, as if dawn was about to break, but the sky was brightening too quickly — far too quickly.
Mictar pointed the bow at their hiding place. “I smell your presence, Nathan and Francesca Shepherd. The aroma of the gifted ones is one you cannot hide.”
Felicity struggled, but Nathan kept her locked down. “Since you’re staying put, Mictar, I don’t think we’re the only ones who reek. I can see the yellow stripe down your back from here.”
“Oh, yes, the heroic barb, the comical insult to buttress your sagging courage.” Mictar propped his bow against his shoulder and laughed. “But I must give you credit: you really are good at comic relief, flinging taunts from behind a spider tree.”
Nathan looked up at the branches. Although the rain had ended, the branches continued to sag as if reaching down. Felicity’s words came back to his mind. “I smell the clutching wood.”
A knobby-fingered hand reached down and grabbed Nathan’s arm. He jerked away and pulled his mother and Felicity back just in time to avoid two other wooden claws, but as he hurried backwards, he tripped over a root and fell on his rear.
Mictar laughed again. “Watching a clown perform his arts is truly entertaining.”
Nathan jumped to his feet and wiped mud from his backside. Felicity groped for him. “Death is near. I hear him, smell him, feel his presence.”
Grabbing her wrist, Nathan pulled her to his side, while his mother picked up a hefty branch and wielded it like a club.
“Why were you hunting for Felicity?” Nathan asked. “She’s just a dream.”
“What do you take me for, a fool? I keep my own counsel.” Mictar took a step toward them, but stopped. A new voice, powerful and deep, sang from over a hill in the distance, sending beautiful vowel sounds across the cemetery.
Felicity whispered, “Mictar seeks a gateway to the mind of the new gifted one, the sleeper, the dreamer, my beloved.”
As the blue light brightened near the hilltop, Mictar backed away, crouching like a wary cat.
Backing away at the same pace, Nathan caressed Felicity’s arm. “Did you just interpret that song?”
“Yes,” she replied. “He called me his beloved. I must go to him.”
A head appeared at the hilltop, then the body of a young man came into sight as he walked to the crest. An aura of blue light surrounded him, and its glow spread throughout the graveyard. With his silky blue shirt and dark blue hair flowing in the breeze, he seemed more unearthly than ever. Jack walked a step behind, threading his hat through nervous fingers.
Nathan stopped and bent close to Felicity. “His name is Cerulean. And another friend is with him, a guy named Jack.
They’ll keep death from finding you.”
Mictar squared his shoulders and glared at Cerulean. “Since your doom is certain, cursed supplicant, coming to the graveyard is most appropriate.”
As Cerulean approached, tombstones crumbled, weeds shriveled, and lush grass grew in their places. Flowers sprouted near Mictar’s feet, yellow, orange, and purple blossoms bursting forth with radiant petals. Flashing a brilliant smile, Cerulean spoke, this time with words instead of vowel sounds. “Graveyards become gardens, darkness becomes daylight, and daisies decorate the feet of death.”
The stalker leaped to a bare spot in the path and kept his icy glare trained on the supplicant. “Poetry won’t save you from your fate.”
Cerulean’s glow diminished, but his eyes stayed as bright as his smile. “Sacrifice appears as a curse to those of limited perception. To the beneficiary, it is life itself. To the provider, it is the path to enlightenment and the end of all fear, for perfect love casts out all fear.”
“Trite moralisms nauseate me. You sound like my fool of a brother.”
Slowing his pace, Cerulean pointed at himself. “That is because he has listened to my song, to Amber’s song, and to Scarlet’s song. He has learned the meaning of sacrifice.”
“Bah! Fodder for girlish romance.” While keeping his stare locked on Cerulean, Mictar pointed at Nathan. “Did you know that Patar has more than once insisted that this boy kill you along with your color-coded sisters? Did you know that this boy and his mother are the reason Scarlet lies dead in Sarah’s Womb, never to return to your loving embrace?”
Cerulean glanced at Nathan, his smile wilting ever so slightly. He halted and folded his hands at his waist. “All three of us have asked for the cup of death to pass
by, but if the master of the table pours it into my goblet, I will drink it to the very last drop.”
Mictar sneered and waved his hand. “You can stay at the side of this ugly little blind girl forever, but you can’t stop me. With Scarlet’s corpse now rotting in the abyss, you will never be able to protect all three of the gifted Earth Red dwellers. I will eventually find one unguarded, and when I do, the Lucifer machine will again be fueled.”
With Jack standing at his side, Cerulean stretched out his hand and called with a deep, commanding voice. “Felicity, my beloved, come to me!”
Felicity pulled against Nathan’s grip. “I have to go to him.”
“But Mictar’s in the way, the guy you call ‘Death.’ ”
She took off her glasses and looked up at him with her vacant sockets. “We all have to suffer the presence of death to enter the arms of our supplicant, but death is merely an odor. It comes and it goes, like breath in our nostrils, and after it passes by, only the fragrance of life remains.”
Nathan stared at her, slowly releasing his grip. How could a blind girl who has seen only darkness, who has suffered through countless nights of fear, speak so beautifully?
As Felicity pulled away, Nathan’s mother touched his arm. “Dreams often give us eloquence, Nathan, for God pours wisdom into the dreams of men.”
Looking at his mother, Nathan shivered. “Did you read my mind?”
“In a way.” She smiled and held his gaze for a long moment. “It’s as if your thoughts are spoken through your eyes.”
Nathan had to look away. He reached out and took Felicity’s hand again. “I’ll lead you to him.”
Cerulean shook his head. “Let her go, Nathan. Her fears are many, and she cannot overcome them if you guide her.” Again extending a hand of invitation, he called out, “Felicity, come to me. I will lead you across the shadow of death with song.”
Clutching her walking stick, she tapped the ground in front of her, now without her dark glasses. Cerulean stood about a hundred feet down the path. As Felicity drew closer, he crouched and held both hands out as if waiting for a baby to approach with her first toddling steps.