Twilight Glow
an excerpt

Ledah Ayan’s eyelids flew open. He inhaled in short, quick breaths, not bothering to exhale. His sister… He threw the sweat soaked sheets off his hot body. Darkness filled the tiny room. The sun would crest in a couple of hours. He sat up and breathed slowly, deliberately to get his heart rate back to normal. He ran a hand through his matted curls. That dream… Every night for the past 6 months he saw the same thing. It was driving him mad.

When he felt somewhat normal, he made his way to the shower. After forty minutes of hot water and steam, he got enough of an appetite to eat toast with jam. To pass the next two hours until the D.R.C. opened, he turned the television on. The anchors on the news station talked about the chilly autumn weather and a warehouse fire that happened last night. After listening to the same news six times the clock finally read 8:00. Pulling on his boots and jacket, and grabbing his keys, Ayan walked out of his apartment.

He went to the underground train to take him to D.R.C. Square. He hated how crowded the platform was while so many Elco waited to get to work. When the train showed up at 8:15 on the dot, there was some shoving as a surge of people tried to board all at once. Ayan let several people get on before even though he stood at the door. He didn’t want to push anyone. He stood to the side while the more aggressive patrons boarded. Finally, there was a small opening and he leaped onto the train.

Once on the locomotive, Ayan tried to get a seat, but others were much faster and grabbed them all. So he held on to a rail and stood the 30 minutes to the D.R.C.

Elpine City was coming alive as Elcos made their way to work. In the midst of the increasing crowds, Ayan saw a flash of white. He stopped.

Across the square, staring at the D.R.C. building, was a man with powder pale skin. Everyone living on the continent of Neidia was some variation of brown skin. Honey, cinnamon, almond, cocoa—these were common, but this man with long blond hair and irises so light, his kind did not belong in the sea of dark brown and black tresses. The man shifted his gaze to look at Ayan. He seemed surprised for a moment and then amused. Ayan glanced behind him to see what it was that made this strange man laugh. There were only Elcos walking. When he turned back the strange man was gone. Ayan looked around. The man couldn’t have gone unnoticed. He jogged across the busy square. There was an Elcoe who’d been standing under a tree beside the stranger.

“That light man,” Ayan asked her, “did you see where he went?”

“What?” The Elcoe looked at him confused.

“He had yellow hair, light grayish skin,” Ayan said hurriedly. “There was no one like that.” She started to look around.

“He was right next to you. You had to have seen him.” He grabbed her arm. “Where did he go?”

“Let go of me, you freak!”

An Elcon pushed his shoulder. “Back up, Ledah!”

Ayan dropped his hand and faced Gilpe Oren. “Sorry. But the man… she saw this strange man. Just tell me where he went.”

“There was no strange man, Oren,” the Elcoe said as Oren put an arm around her. “He’s the strange one. He’s crazy.”

“I know Bina. Let's get away from this imbecile.” Oren steered her away from Ayan.

“There was a man!” Ayan shouted as they disappeared in the crowd.

There was. Wasn’t there? No one else had seemed to notice. No one else stopped what they were doing, or gaped, or pointed. But the man had looked straight at him. Ayan rubbed his eyes. Or he could finally be dreaming about something else.

Gong! Gong! Rang the first shift bell. It was five minutes until nine o’clock. Everyone was expected to be their station or office at 9 sharp. Those still in the streets quickly made their way into the surrounding buildings. Ayan stood in the middle of the square next to a tall, thick Hadya tree. Its blue and silver leaves quivered in the cool breeze. The Hadya was the only piece of nature in the miles of concrete that made up Elpine City. That was why Derora had gone to University so far away. She wanted to be by herself. As the final bell rang for work to commence, Ayan, also, found himself alone.

The Dilarc Regional Council building was huge. Three stories tall in the front and seven stories in the back, it was one of the most impressive old era constructions. Ayan took an elevator up to the fifth floor. He made his way down the hall to Councilor Efrat’s offices. Sliding his badge into the I.D. machine, Ayan exhaled into a tube that would check his DNA. A few seconds later, there was ring.

“Welcome Ledah Ayan,” a computer voice said.

The double doors to Councilor Efrat’s offices opened. Ayan worked as a record clerk. He sat in meetings making sure the tele-recorders got conversations word for word, and adding in anything that was missed. He made and printed summaries. If someone needed the telescript for any kind of past meeting in the last 100,000 years, he found it. Mayors and local councils sent in their chronicles from all over Dilarc. He kept detailed documentation of the on-goings of the region and filed them accordingly. He also sent copies of Dilarc’s telescripts and records to the High Council in Leila.

Normally, when he came in for work, he turned down the first hallway which led to the record keeping room. Instead he walked past that corridor. Down the wide main hall, passing several offices, closer to Councilor Efrat’s own office, he turned into a short enclave. He knocked on the door on the right and let himself in.

Gilpe Oren, the receptionist, glared at Ayan’s entrance. Oren liked people to use the intercom so he could let them know he was important. Oren also hated Ayan although Ayan wasn’t completely sure why. They’d clashed since they met.

“Ledah Ayan,” Oren said, “you don’t have an appointment.”

“I don’t need one, Gilpe.” Ayan placed a hand on Oren’s desk just to see the small Elcon bristle.

Not clever enough to mask his thoughts, Oren drew his upper lip up in disgust.

“Is my brother in?” Ayan asked.

Oren clasped his pudgy brown hands together.

“I informed Secretary Two of your unsavory spectacle in the square this morning.” Oren’s smug smile made his dark eyes twinkle. “He was quite nauseated by the whole ordeal.”

“It was not an ‘ordeal’, I just made a mistake.”

Ayan took his hand off the desk. Oren grabbed a handkerchief out of a drawer and scrubbed the area Ayan’s hand had been.

“Well, you seem to make a lot of those.” Oren’s glass wiggled on his nose as he scoured. “You always find a way to be the blight on Secretary’s blooming flower.”

“Is he in his office now?” There was no point in talking to Oren.

Oren threw the handkerchief in a trash container. He sat and straightened his glasses. “The Secretary is seeing appointments only. He’s booked for the next three weeks.”

“It’s a family emergency.”

“Emergencies have to go through human resources first. You know that, Ledah. Now, we have an opening at 1:00 on the 27th. Would you like that slot?”

Ayan would like to break Oren’s glasses in half. Instead, he knocked over a small vase that sat on the corner of the desk. As Oren jumped up to catch it, Ayan walked past him, and opened the door to Efrat’s second-in-command secretary.

Ledah Sivan sat behind his desk writing in a notebook. He looked up, surprised by Ayan’s sudden entrance.

“Sivan—“ Ayan began.

Oren ran into the room panting. “I tried to stop him, Secretary Two. He just burst in like he always does. I told him you’re only seeing appointments. He has no respect for authority, no sense of decorum.”

Sivan held up a hand to silence the sweating receptionist.

“Thank you Gilpe,” he said. He turned to his brother. “Ledah Ayan, you know how the structure works. You can’t barge into a superior’s office without permission. I could have you written up for a disturbance like this.”

“Or fired.” Oren added.

“He wouldn’t fire his own blood,” Ayan said to Oren.

“I am the Secretary Two, Ledah Ayan.” Sivan sat up straighter. “You are a record keeper. Those are our chosen professions. When we are at our jobs, we are not family. I am many levels above you and you need to treat me as such. I can and would fire you.” Oren let out a small laugh. “But I won’t.”

Ayan felt his ears grow hot.

“Excuse me, Secretary Ledah,” Oren stepped forward, “but I must point out that Ledah Ayan has not only intruded upon you, but attacked a receptionist to Councilor Cesret. That in and of itself are grounds for arrest.”

Sivan waved his hand.

“I am thoroughly aware of this morning’s incident, Gilpe. But Ledah Ayan’s work record is spotless.” Sivan rifled through a desk drawer and took out a notepad. “Therefore, I will only give him a warning.” Sivan filled out the paper. Tearing off the top sheet, he handed it to a slightly jaded Oren. “Please put this in the computer, Gilpe. Thank you.”

Before Oren left the room, he said into Ayan’s ear, “Next time you won’t be so lucky.”

Sivan waited until the door closed before gesturing to Ayan to sit down in the chair across from his desk. Ayan sat on the edge of the seat. Sivan was right. He’d been out of line, but the sleepless nights were driving him crazy, making him do strange things.

The room filled with the air of disapproval, disappointment, and irritation. Derora had always been good at sensing an individual’s mood and thoughts. She was even better at using this insight to her own advantage. Ayan could feel a hint of it, but he never knew how to react to them. He usually chose the wrong thing to do or say. Derora had told him that she just relaxed and let the atmosphere lead her to the right balance. Ayan tried, but he got flustered and always ended up freezing in fear and indecision. If Derora were here, she’d know exactly what to say to make Sivan laugh. She never would have got written up because she’d have convinced Oren to let her in to see her brother. Oren adored Derora. Sivan and Oren would have canceled the rest of the week’s appointments for her.

But he wasn’t her. He couldn’t think of one word to say in his defense. All he could do was avoid Sivan’s stare and hope he looked repentant enough. The strained silence lasted for a few more minutes until Sivan graciously cleared his throat. It was his sign that he was ready to talk and Ayan could look at him now. Ayan lifted his head. Sivan leaned back in his chair, the middle finger on his right hand tapping his desk, a frown that seemed chiseled into his handsome face. He was the image of their father in every way.

“I have been considering your problems, Ledah.”

He hated it when Sivan called him by their family name. It wasn’t as formal as both the family and given name, but it wasn’t what a person called their kin. Yet Sivan insisted on procedural formalities in the workplace. Sivan went on.

“It seems that you may be suffering from anxiety. Although not uncommon in the devoted, it is highly unfavorable for an Elco to allow this to affect the job and, thus, the reputation of the company… or that of the Elco for that matter.”

“I’m not anxious.” Ayan lied.

“Then why is your hand shaking?”

Ayan looked down at his right hand trembling in his lap. He quickly put his other hand over it, but that didn’t stop it from quivering.

“You only do that when you’re scared,” Sivan said with a touch of triumph on his lips. “Ever since we were young—“ He cut himself off, realizing he was about to cross the line between professional and familiar.

“I’m not.” Ayan repeated, feeling like a little one again.

Sivan leaned forward. “Ledah, I’m trying to help you. Every person needs to be functioning at their best if the government is to run smoothly. Tell me, what troubles you?”

Ayan shook his head, not to deny anything, but because Sivan already knew. He had to have the upper hand. Even when they were little Elcoin, Sivan loved to be in control.

“What did you come, so boldly, for?” Sivan asked.

Ayan wasn’t sure what he’d been thinking when he walked down here. Sleep deprivation apparently made people do stupid things like go to an insufferable younger brother for help. But he had come, so he may as well get on with it.

“I keep having the dreams.” Ayan said.

“So what?”

“Every single night it’s the same thing. I can’t fall sleep for a few hours, and when I finally do all I can think of—“ He breathed deeply. “Then I wake up and can’t go to asleep again. If I close my eyes, I see it, Sivan.”

“Secretary Ledah,” he corrected with a scowl. He folded his hands on the desk. “It’s only a dream. It means nothing.”

Ayan stared at his shaking hands. “I don’t think it’s nothing. That’s why I wanted to see you. I think I keep having the same dream because it means something.”

Sivan snickered. “Really? And what’s that?” He obviously feigned interest. Another control tactic to make the other person feel that they weren’t worth the time so that, flustered and embarrassed, they either bumbled through or drop the subject all together. For a moment, Ayan thought of apologizing and heading to the record room. Then he pictured Derora’s face, as she was in the dreams, and knew he had to try.

“I believe she’s alive.” Ayan said. He clasped his hands together, not sure of what Sivan’s reaction would be. Derora would have figured out his response before Sivan formed it.

Sivan sat still regarding Ayan as if trying to determine whether his brother was kidding or not. When he did finally move it was to hit the intercom on his phone.

“Yes, Secretary?” Oren’s overly eager voice said.

“Bring me breakfast,” Sivan said.

“Yes sir.”

Sivan sat back in his chair, folding his arms. “You didn’t want anything?”

“No.” He really wanted a couple cups of tea, but not from Sivan. Not when he was being a jerk. He never would have pulled this stunt with Derora. Derora never would have let him get away with it. But Ayan would, and did, and they both knew it.

“You should eat more, Ledah.” Sivan said. “You’re looking rather thin. That’s probably what’s causing your anxieties. We don’t want to have to add malnourished to your company profile.” He turned to his computer. “I’ll give you an extra fifteen minutes for lunch today.”

This was the part where Ayan was supposed to express gratitude at Sivan’s compassion. Maybe Sivan hadn’t understood what he was trying to say.

“Derora may be alive,” he said again. “The recurring dream could be a sign that she’s still out there somewhere.”

“I’m not going to discuss this with you.”

“Don’t you see? You can go to Councilor Efrat and asked her to launch an investigation. Then they’ll find her and we’ll be—“

Sivan burst out laughing, long and hard. He pressed his palm to his forehead. He always did that when he was feeling a bit out of control. He wasn’t actually in a jovial mood. He was really upset. There was nothing amusing about the situation.

“Are you serious?” The smile on Sivan’s face fell faster than gravity could take it. “Do you actually expect the Galeian government to open another investigation into a shut case because you’ve got a feeling?”

“It’s a dream.” Ayan corrected.

“Oh,” Sivan stood, “even better. It’s bad enough that you have silly night visions in the first place, but act as if they have importance to reality… It’s despicable.”

“Maybe I have dreams because they do mean something.”

“It’s because you’re too stupid to sleep like a real Elco.”

“Derora has dreams. Is she stupid?”

“Derora—“ Sivan caught himself. “Ledah Derora is—was—she…she had a very special…a brilliant mind. She was still a child, she had some sporadic daydreams. They would have gone away completely in a couple years.”

“She is almost 234, if she was going to outgrow them, they would have disappeared by the time she was 100.”

“This is ridiculous. You need to return to your workstation.”

It was a direct order, but Ayan wasn’t going to give up, yet.

“She’s our sister,” Ayan tried. “Our little sister. We used to protect her. You wouldn’t even let her stub her toe. I know we all kind of separated, but Derora needs us to protect her now, when no one else will.”

“She’s dead, Ledah. Gone. Forever.”

“They never found her body. We don’t know that for sure.”

“All the evidence points to that conclusion.” Sivan leaned over his desk. “She was murdered just like the others. Her body was thrown into the ocean and devoured by the merfolk. That’s why there’s not a body.”

The room began to swirl. He closed his eyes. She wasn’t dead. An aching pain pricked Ayan’s head. He rubbed his temples. She was alive.

“The investigators found her books and her blood on the ground.” Sivan was saying through the fog that seemed to surround Ayan’s ears. “This wasn’t released to you, but they even found a lock of her hair… with a piece of her scalp still attached.”

The office shrunk until he smashed inside a small box. He opened his eyes, it was pitch black. The darkness churned with a dizzying speed. Ayan’s stomach twisted with nausea. He dropped through the spinning blackness so fast he couldn’t catch his breath. Pressure squeezed on his body. He was going to suffocate. Then suddenly out of the dark appeared a slim almond brown face, black hair pulled back, cocoa eyes confused and searching.

“Who are you?” The face looked at him, but didn’t see him. “Ayan?”

He couldn’t breathe.

“Ayan? Is it you? Please.”

What little bit of oxygen was left in his lungs, he forced it out.

“Derora!” He squeaked.

“Ayan! Wait!”

It was too late. His body was already shooting up the black swirling tunnel. Her face faded. Before it was completely gone, she said,

“University, monsters, Eraden, cages, Smilla, Rollo, Emperor, death, Kerda.”

Ayan slammed into some kind of wall. Then he was free. He found himself back in Sivan’s office, heart racing. He shook his still spinning head. Derora. It came back to him. He looked up at Sivan’s shocked face. Had he heard her too?

“Derora,” Ayan said. “I heard her voice. I saw her face.” His throat closed for a moment. He swallowed hard. “She is alive. She told me—I don’t remember. But she knew it was me. I don’t think she was hurt. We’ve got to do something. Get the Councilor down here. Tell her to begin the search!”

Sivan stood still, eyes wide, jaw twitching. Suddenly Ayan took notice of the room. Papers, the computer, the phone, the desk, the chairs—they were all floating above the ground. The ceiling lights flickered. Sivan’s curls swayed as the air around them swirled just like in the strange tunnel but much more gently. Ayan turned an apologetic eye to his brother. Every once in a while, these weird things just happened. The door behind them creaked opened. Ayan flinched as Oren dropped a tray of food and screamed. The air stopped moving and the furniture crashed to the floor. A minute later, Sivan was shouting to Oren,

“Get security in here. Now!”