Rising Shards

A keyboard clacked as a woman in a lab coat typed, a hurried energy to every word she wrote down. The room she was in was dark, its violet hue interrupted only by the bright glow of her monitor.

It took me maybe too long to realize the woman typing at the computer was my mother. Once I did, I thought I’d feel a pit in my stomach, but nothing hit me like that. When I was aware of my lack of tummy distress, it hit me that I felt so light it was though I didn’t have a body at all.

I tried to trace my steps to think of how I got here. But there wasn’t much to go off of.

I got that shifting thing and was going from like a Kanibari to a cat back and forth. I got on the couch, and then…

“It’s just a dream,” I said. I couldn’t sigh in relief for some reason, but I felt better. “I was watching TV in the living room, and I fell asleep. That’s all this is.”

“Hm?”

My thought that I couldn’t have fearful tummy distress was proven wrong almost immediately, because I felt a gut punch of terror when Mom looked up from her computer, directly at me. She rose, eyes locked on me as she stepped forward. I wanted to run away, but it felt like the ground had gone out from under my feet and I’d fallen into wet concrete.

“Oh,” Mom said. “It’s you.”

She said it so plainly. Her words had the oomph of someone dropping toast on the ground on the buttered side. Just a dull plop. She tilted her head to the side. “Some kind of mental link? Strange…doesn’t feel very strong. Potentially something very brief. Likely, I would gather.”

“Is that all you have to say to me?” I asked. “Not that I really want to talk to you, even in a dream.”

Mom didn’t respond.

“If I was awake, I’d be a lot more scared.” I said. “I’m still pretty scared, but…”

My tummy felt scared, and my legs felt wobbly and floaty, but I didn’t have a gauge on any of the rest of me, a bizarre sensation.

Mom said something, but it was too muffled for me to hear.

“I can’t hear you,” I said. “Or, I could hear you just not whatever you just said. Not that I want to hear it.”

“Can you see where I am?” Mom said, her voice much clearer all of a sudden. Too clear.

“You’re at a computer,” I said. “Or you were by a computer. But it’s really dark.”

I don’t know why I answered her. Maybe I should have said nothing. Mom nodded, heading back to her desk and grabbing a notepad and scribbling some things down.

“Links between family are possible, sure, but why now of all times?” Mom muttered. “A random occurrence. Unless…”

Mom’s eyes widened. “It is vital that you remember this. 4. 12. 7. 13.”

“H-huh?” I said.

“Repeat it. 4. 12. 7. 13.”

“4…7…” I started.

“4. 12. 7. 13.” Mom said, more firmly.

“4. 12. 7. 13.” I repeated.

“Good.” Mom said. “Please remember that.”

“Why?” I asked. Maybe because it was a dream of some kind, but my mood turned from fear to anger like a switch had been flipped. “Why should I do anything you tell me to? I’m gonna forget those stupid numbers right away! Because I don’t want to do anything for a crappy Mom who’d turn her own daughter into a monster! I’m not gonna just forget that! I’m still all messed up from you tricking me, lying to me, manipulating me, getting all mad about me being gay, stabbing me with those Sharai pins and trying to give me that stupid Beast Tendency! And all the crap you put Stella through! And for marrying Dad in the first place because he sucks! Why should I remember some stupid numbers?”

Mom’s face was stoic. Like I wasn’t yelling at her at all. She wrote some more notes down.

“Are you even listening to me?” I asked.

“It’s vital. 4. 12. 7. 13.” Mom said.

“Miss Kathron?” A voice called from the back of the room.

Mom turned to them, then back to me. I couldn’t read her expression; it was infuriating how little she was reacting. I wanted to scream at her until she broke that blank look and gave me something, anything to go off of.

Then I wasn’t in her office anymore. I was still feeling like my tummy was upset and my legs were weird and everything else was nebulous at best, but I was away from her. I waited for the dream to give me a new scene like dreams usually did, but I was alone in a pale blue place. I wasn’t sure how long, but it was long enough that I jolted when I heard a different woman’s voice.

“Zeta?”

“Hello?” I asked. “Is someone there?”

“Yes, I’m here,” It was Tik Moonheart. She emerged from the blue fog surrounding me.

“What are you doing? Are you actually here or am I just having a stupid dream?”

“You are dreaming, but it seems you’re experiencing a side effect of my power.” Tik said.

“Is that a thing? Why didn’t you tell me that was a thing?” I asked.

“I knew it was possible,” Tik said. “But it usually only happens if someone gets an illness like shift sickness. The effects of my powers can pop up again.”

“That’s real convenient!” I said. “Sorry. I’m just. Keyed up. It feels easier to say things when I’m dreaming. I just saw my mom, too.”

“I know.” Tik said. “Your sister called me.” 

“Are you there, Stella?” I asked.

“I’m here,” Stella said. I couldn’t see her, but the sound of her voice was such a relief. “It’s like you’re there sleeping, you’re a cat right now, but your dream is being beamed out like Tik’s power, I see you as your regular self kind of floating and your voice sounds like it’s coming out of an old radio.”

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“I’m good…seeing Mom suddenly in my living room wasn’t great but we’ll make it work.” Stella said.

“Right, we’ll get this sorted out,” Tik said.

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