Insomnium by Matthew Buscemi

Author:Matthew Buscemi [Buscemi, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-01-17T22:00:00+00:00

Ego Altered

“Who’s the governor of Order Stalled Chaos Permitted?” Nel asked.

Rev tapped at the computer’s interface. Documents expanded into view, and Rev turned the holographic windows so that Nel could see too.

“Someone called the Didact,” Rev said.

Nel scanned the lines of research Gin had left them. “It says here she’s not dangerous.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Rev looked up into the twisting tower of half-empty bookshelves.

Nel wondered how far they would have to travel, but before he could voice his concern, Rev had already hitched the computer to his jeans and begun climbing the ladder attached to a nearby shelf.

“Impulsive much?” Nel grabbed hold of the ladder’s base.

Rev continued upward. “Seriously, Nel. After everything we’ve been through, you really think that a ladder represents an unreasonable risk?”

Nel shrugged and climbed after him. “Fair enough.”

They climbed atop a row of bookshelves and crossed them, arms outstretched. They walked carefully, each foot in front of the other, until they reached a second ladder at the end of the row. Somehow, they rotated forty-five degrees with respect to the floor, but gravity still pulled at their feet.

“All the wards have been so strange so far,” Rev said. “What do you think we’ll find in Order Stalled Chaos Permitted?”

“I can’t even guess. Not sure I want to.”

“If Gin went there, it can’t be too dangerous, right?”

“So far each ward has managed to surprise us.”

The floor disappeared, enveloped in a foggy haze. Nel glanced about. It was no longer possible to tell which way into the tunnel of bookshelves the floor had been.

The shelves lay half-empty. Some hung suspended in the air, half-rent and half-burned.

Nel shook his head in a brief pang of regret. This was partially their fault. Well, no, not really, he reminded himself. Mostly it was Drogl’s fault.

What had become of Drogl? Nel recalled their encounter with the Farseer and the Monarch in Earth Above Heaven Below. The Monarch had said her ward was… what had she called it? ‘Forgiveness Denied Fault Exposed.’ The humans in the crimson clothes had mentioned that ward, too. So Drogl had gone there. But to what end?

“Nel?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think I’ll have to go back to my Seattle?”

“I don’t know, Rev. We might not have a choice about going back to our respective worlds.”

“Gin can travel metaxically. Maybe she can come get us?”

“How would she find us?”

Rev continued climbing. A few rungs later, he shouted down. “Locator beacons!”

Nel chuckled. He let that sit for a while. “Are you afraid of going back to your Seattle, Rev?”

Rev continued climbing in silence.

They reached the next landing, a narrow hunk of carpeted concrete with a railing. Rev sat down and looked up at Nel.

“You and Gin are the only two adults who have ever treated me like I’m not broken.”

Nel smiled weakly. “What about your parents?”

Rev looked down and away. “I don’t know what they’d— I can’t tell them, Nel. I absolutely can’t.”

“Don’t close them out just because you’re scared. They’re your parents.”

Rev looked up again. His eyes held uncertainty, sure, but damn this kid was resilient.

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