Judy brought out a tray with cookies and a tea that smelled like cloves with a citrus mist. She poured into the cups, passed out cookies, and then joined them at the table.
"You really didn't have to go to all this trouble," Zadie said. "Truly, we are in your debt already for saving Zipper. We can get him and get going. You've been too kind."
The elder Ms. Zitch raised her finger and slowly spoke, "There is no need for worry, my dear. The IG cannot see us here. We are safe. I want to talk to you about your husband."
"My husband?" Zadie questioned.
"You know where my dad is?" Zeddy chimed in.
"In due time," said the elder Ms. Zitch. "In due time."
The elder Ms. Zitch lifted her cup and sipped the steaming tea. Although each of them were beyond eager to find out what Ms. Zitch knew about Zeddy's father, Zeddy and his mother both picked up their steaming cups and sipped the sweet, fragrant tea as if commanded to do so by some unseen force. Zeddy had never tasted anything like that soothing tea. It was so sweet and left the most wonderful taste in his mouth. He tried a cookie, and it melted like butter and sugar spun into an airy, crisp wafer. This had to have been the best snack he ever tasted. Zeddy and Zadie had forgotten in their worried state that they had not yet eaten lunch. Munching cookies and sipping tea caused them to surrender to a strange calm.
"Now that your hunger is satisfied, I need to talk to you about your husband. I know you are both very worried," the elder Ms. Zitch said in her eloquent voice.
"How … how did you know we were hungry? How do you know about my husband, even my personal feelings? I'm sorry. It’s just … who are you? How do you know all these things?" Zadie questioned her.
"I am Nimueh," the elder Ms. Zitch answered.
4 WITCHY WORLD
"Nimueh? Like, the ancient Nimueh?" Zeddy asked in disbelief.
"Yes. I am she," replied the old woman.
"How can that be? It's not possible!" Zeddy exclaimed.
"All things are possible, young Zeddy," Nimueh answered.
"Who is Nimueh? Do you know this woman, Zeddy?" Zadie questioned in a concerned tone.
"Nimueh is the most famous enchantress that supposedly lived 1,600 years ago. Legendary stories about The Lady of the Lake are considered fairy tales. She was supposed to have forged the famous sword Excalibur for King Arthur. Some tales say she was a sorceress who helped fight for good. But in some versions, she was an evil witch. Which are you? Evil or good?" Zeddy asked.
"You have answered well, young Zeddy. Don’t you worry, I am not evil. Things that people do not understand or want to accept often become seen in a negative light as histories are passed down from generation to generation. I joined all of my powers with the forces of good, and I loved Merlin with all my heart. Together we helped Arthur rule with his true heart and deep love for his people. That has long been lost. This International Government has destroyed all the remaining freedoms I so long ago fought to create and preserve," Nimueh answered.
"So you have been alive for 1600 years?" Zeddy asked as his mother stared at the old woman in complete disbelief.
"I have been alive much longer than that," Nimueh answered. "But this is not the time for my exhaustive tale. You need to focus now on finding your father."
"Do you know where Zane is? Can you help us find him?" Zadie plead.
"I know that he is out of your reach. He is no longer on this plane of existence," Nimueh answered.
"Do you mean … no … he's … is he …?" Zadie could not finish her question as her eyes filled with tears.
"Do not worry, my child. He is alive. He is being transported into another plane. A parallel universe as we speak, known as Zamira, in a neighboring constellation. My powers are being weakened by the energy it takes to maintain the protective field that keeps this house safe. I cannot see every detail yet. I do know that you are about to undertake life-changing adventures, young Zeddy. Most importantly, you will not be able to share your story with others, as young boys are often prone to do. This will have to be your secret adventure. You will need help and knowledge to successfully complete your journey and bring your father home. Are you ready for such an adventure, young Zeddy?" asked Nimueh.
"I'll do anything to find my dad. I love him," Zeddy answered.
"Then you must leave tomorrow morning, both of you, mother and son. Tonight you will pack a bag for traveling, and then you will sleep. In the morning, Judy will bring you multiple sets of papers with new identities necessary for your journey. She will also bring you unlimited Amerasia tram tickets to begin your journey. You must first find Dr. Zachary Zenith. His last known address was at 777 Zarancher Lane in Livermore. I believe he is still there. He saved your father, but if you do not reach him tomorrow, the IG may reach him first. Now go. You have another surprise waiting for you at home that I have nothing to do with, young Zeddy" said Nimueh.
"How can we ever thank you?" Zadie asked, trusting the old woman because Zeddy seemed to trust her.
"If you save Zane, your journey may just save the world too," Nimueh said as she rose to escort them to the door.
"We will repay you," Zadie said as she walked out the door.
As he watched his mother walk through the door, Zeddy saw time actually stand still. He turned to look at Nimueh. She held out her hand, and Zeddy reached towards it.
"Young Zeddy, I give you this symmetrical crystal. You alone can use it. When the time comes, you will know how. I will watch over you through my own crystal viewer. If I can help, I will do what I am able to do to keep you safe. Yours is a monumental adventure, young Zeddy. The fate of mankind’s last freedom rests on your shoulders. Go now. Do not worry about Zipper. He will be safe here with me. The IG cannot find him here, and your travels are far too dangerous for a puppy," said Nimueh.
"Thank you, Nimueh. I will find my father," said Zeddy.
"I hope you do, young Zeddy. It is most important that you have this faith. I understand that you are a little boy, but you have a brain that is exceptionally rare. Take with you, too, this little book. Science is your gift, but science came from the marvels of magical thinking. Use it wisely. You have it inside you. Your knowledge is your power. Now go."
Zeddy slipped the tiny, worn leather book and the violet crystal that turned pink as he placed them in his pocket. Walking through the door, time restarted. Zadie turned to ask about Zipper, but Zeddy reached for her hand saying, "Let's go home, Mom. Nimueh will take care of Zipper. We have a lot to do."
5 ZAMIRA AND ZENITH TVS
The day quickly disappeared with the sun setting behind the rows of houses in their suburban neighborhood. The pinks and oranges that streaked the sky reminded Zeddy of that blazing neon pink that had filled the sky just after the loud noise. He was still trying to piece that puzzle together, but he just wasn't sure what the puzzle was or even if he had all the pieces yet.
Zeddy and his mom entered their house with caution, both nervous over whether or not Zane would be there. Neither knew what to expect. Zadie was the first to break the silence and call out, "Zane, are you home, honey? If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny anymore! Please come out! Please be here. …"
"Mom, you heard Nimueh. Dad isn't here. He's in some place called Zamira. I've never heard of it. He's never mentioned it in any of his stories or in any of our talks. But Nimueh did say we needed to find Professor Zachary Zenith. I wish I had a chance to ask dad about his latest discoveries. Maybe this Zachary Zenith worked with dad. I need to snoop around the Intranet and see if I can find out any information on him."
"Zeddy, you know how I feel about you doing things on the Intranet that might make the IG look into you. How do plan to do that?"
"Kids my age don’t usually understand how to manipulate the Intranet like I do, Mom. Please don't worry. I can do it."
"I trust you. I'm going to make us some dinner. I'm really hungry now, and I think we could use a good meal before we go to bed. Tomorrow could turn out to be one long d
ay," Zadie said, already feeling exhausted.
"You said that right, Mom. I'll hurry up and see what I can find. Surely there has to be something on this professor somewhere. Wish me luck!" Zeddy announced as he headed towards the Intel room.
Zadie did not share her son's enthusiasm about this search for Professor Zenith. Ms. Zitch, or Nimueh, or whoever she was, had said that if they did not find the professor by tomorrow then the IG might reach him first. That didn’t bode well for researching him on the Intranet. She resigned herself to starting dinner and packing them both small duffle bags of clothes, in case they could not come home once their trip began. That in itself was not a prospect Zadie wanted to consider. She took a deep breath and went to the kitchen to get started.
Zeddy sat in front of a holographic monitor, focusing his eyes in deep concentration. He knew he could look this professor up without being detected; he just had to be nonchalant about it. But how to start?
Zeddy thought about every scientific thing he could remember. He recalled that Nimueh said that his father wasn't on this plane anymore; but that, he was okay on some place named Zamira. Could that be the loophole? He would start with Zamira. As he began speaking the computer zipped through three dimensional images in search of information on Zamira. To Zeddy's amazement, the computer actually found information. There wasn't much, only a paragraph and a blurry picture of some kind of star or something; but at least it was a place to start. Zeddy read it quickly and started a search on how pollution level trends in Northern Amerasia affected the appearance of distant stars to make it seem that he was randomly searching pollution topics.
Zeddy hurried to the kitchen while the computer was searching the Intranet for information on the new topic. His mother looked up from her cooking to ask what he had found.
"Well, according to the data pooled from the Intranet, Zamira is a part of the constellation Libra. It was discovered in 2010 by an astronomer named Zachary Zenith. That must be the same Zachary Zenith we are supposed to find! The craziest thing about it, though, is there wasn't any other real information. The computer had information about the astrological sign Libra and something about a type of television that was once made by a company called Zenith, but no other information on Zamira. So basically, all we know is that this professor must be our way to find dad," said Zeddy.
"I hope you’re right," answered Zadie. "Come on now and eat a bite. I don't know about you, but I could use a shower and some sleep after dinner. All this worrying is exhausting."
Zadie and Zeddy sat down at the little table and ate their dinner in silence. Both were tired and worried. The food was warm and filling, and the long summer day had finally surrendered to the night. The two weary souls finished their meals, cleaned their plates, and finished straightening up the kitchen. Zeddy noticed the two duffle bags beside the kitchen door and drew a long sigh. He could only hope that this journey would one day lead them home again.
"Let's go get ready for bed," Zadie said as she put away the last dish.
Zeddy looked at his mother thoughtfully, thinking of a way to ask the question that had been brewing in his mind since they left Nimueh's house.
"What is it, Zeddy? I can see the wheels in your head turning, you're thinking so hard," Zadie said patiently.
"I… I was thinking about something Nimueh said to me. Mom, are we free?" Zeddy asked.
"Free? Where did that come from? I never heard Nimueh mention anything about freedom?" Zadie asked curiously.
"It’s a long story about when she said it…. I just … I just don’t understand what something she said means. Are we free, Mom?" Zeddy asked.
"You must be careful where you ask a question like that, Zeddy. Very careful! It's not safe to ask such questions where others might hear," Zadie whispered.
"Mom, why are you whispering? We're at home," Zeddy said, completely confused at his mother's reaction.
Zadie walked to the window and looked up and down the street. Zeddy watched as his mother closed the curtains tightly. Then she walked into the Intel room and began to turn off monitors and computers. She left on the Law Update Monitor as required by the IG, but slowly turned off the other ones. Zeddy stood in the kitchen, more confused than ever. Then she walked into the hall and motioned for Zeddy to follow her. Zeddy rose from the table, and followed her down the hall.
Zadie opened his father's favorite book that always sat on a table in the hall. Inside the book was a key. Zadie put one finger to her lips, indicating that Zeddy should not talk. She slid aside the giant tapestry that hung on the hall wall, revealing what looked like a part of the wall. Zadie firmly pressed the wall, and a panel broke loose. Zadie pushed the panel aside and slid the key into the lock of a thick steel door, opening it. In silent wonder, Zeddy followed his mother through the door and started the descent down a steep, dark staircase.
6 BEHIND THE TAPESTRY
The stairs seemed to go on forever. When they reached a small landing, Zadie felt along the wall for a button. As the button depressed, Zeddy heard a loud bang behind him. The little light that had shown through the tapestry over the steel door disappeared. Zadie pressed another button and fluorescent rods that hung from the ceiling sputtered out a dim grey light that hummed towards a glaring brilliance. By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, the room was brighter than the glaring schoolrooms that Zeddy hated. The walls, however, were not bare like the school walls; they were stacked from floor to ceiling with books. Zeddy looked around in shock and amazement.
"What is this place?" Zeddy asked, slowly walking around the book-filled room. "Has this always been here?"
"Yes, it has," Zadie answered. "In the earlier part of the 21st century, people called these rooms 'Panic Rooms.' They were used in case people broke into the house to steal things, or later, to hide from the oppressive governments. Believe it or not, those things happened very often back then. In fact, they happened until about 50 years ago."
"What happened 50 years ago?" Zeddy asked curiously.
"Fifty years ago is when the International Government took over," Zadie answered.
"What?" asked Zeddy in confusion. He stopped walking and just stared blankly at his mother.
"The history books you study at school are wrong, Zeddy. The IG has not been our government for the last ninety-nine years. I know that you have been told that, but it isn't true. The year 2000 wasn’t the start of a new millennial government called the IG. In 2049, the International Government took over after a series of catastrophes destroyed the world that once was. They took power when countries and local governments were weak. To keep that power, they had to change history so that as time went on, the IG would be all anyone remembered," Zadie tried to explain.
"But, Mom, why would they lie? Why would you lie to me if you knew what I was learning was wrong?" Zeddy asked.
"Your father and I lied to you because we thought you were too young to bear the responsibility of knowing the truth. You see, Zeddy, if anyone so much as questions the IG … well, let's just say it isn't something that you come back home from doing," Zadie answered.
"Are you telling me now because I asked you if we were free?" Zeddy asked.
"Yes," Zadie answered. "We knew the day would come when we would have to tell you the truth, but we hoped it would be when you were older. We hoped we would be better prepared to protect you. I see now that we should have told you all along. Zeddy, we are not free. Not free the way people once were free. We have no elections to vote for who we want to lead this region of the world. We have no say in our laws or our choices. We have to do, say and act as the IG demands, or we will be taken away to God knows where. The IG even takes children away from their parents if they excel at science or math. They train them and use them to further the technology the International Government uses to control the populations."
"What about Dad?" Zeddy questioned. "He's a math whiz! Did they take him from his parents? Are Grandmother and Grandfather his real parents?"
"Gr
andmother and Grandfather are your real grandparents. Luckily for your father, he was in college before he discovered his talent for math and physics. But he is forced to work for the IG when they need him to work for them. He has no control over when the IG calls him to go off for a project. That is where he has been the last two months: working for the International Government.
"The only reason he gets to keep his regular job is so that neighbors don't ask too many questions about where he goes or where he has been. His company thinks that he is working for them on his travels. It's all one lie after another, but your grandparents are your grandparents."
"Is that why I can't let people know how smart I really am?" Zeddy asked, piecing the puzzle together. "You were scared they would take me?"
"We're still scared of that. We don't know what limits the International Government would go to in order to get what they want. That includes taking you away from us even after you are grown," Zadie explained.
Zeddy was overwhelmed. The world seemed to be tilted, and it felt like there was a chance he might fall over. His whole life he had wondered why his parents would teach him so many amazing things and ask him not to let people know he knew them. He felt loyal to the International Government. It was part of their daily message to make you feel like a proud, loyal constituent. But if they had no freedoms, what were they loyal for?
"Mom," Zeddy said carefully, "I believe what you are telling me. I do. But you never really answered what this room is and why it's here?"