Galaxy Waterfall Episode 6 - Rain on the Windows (And outside, What is Dark)

        It dawned on Sadier in math class. Ali was one of the extras. It had been such a crazy night he hadn't realized it till now. As I mentioned earlier Sadier kept finding himself in a graveyard when he first entered the upperworld. It would happen once every week or two. Sadier eventually confirmed that every student who had passed away at Waterfall Academy had a stone with their name on it in his scene, but there were extra stones in the scene that had names of students who were living.

        Ali the medic was one of the extras and she died just a few days ago. One of the other extras was Olivia Thorn who had died earlier that year too. And there were a couple others examples too.

        Why was he being taken to this scene, he wondered. If the scene really was a prophecy of who would die before the year was over what was he meant to do with this information? And of course he was growing restless because Saymi was one of the extras.

        For some reason when Sadier consulted Abigail and Adrain about the graveyard scene his words seemed to fall on deaf ears, and Sadier was growing frustrated thinking that they were underestimating this experience he was having. Adrian was the one who had clued him that Saymi was in danger, and now it was like suddenly he wasn't listening. Sadier sensed inconsistency in them.

        I briefly mentioned that Sadier started talking with a Junior named Ben who seemed to know a lot of the upperworld. One day Sadier decided to ask Ben about the graveyard scene.
        When he did Ben was very alarmed, “Sadier, do not take this scene lightly,” Ben said. “You've been there nine times? Someone is obviously trying to get your attention.”
        “I've told Abigail and Adrian. Why aren't they taking it seriously,” Sadier asked.
        “I have no idea,” Ben replied. “They should be. Do not take that scene lightly, Sadier. Your sister's clearly in danger.”
        Sadier really didn't know if he should be talking to Ben or not, but Ben would always answer questions that Abigail and Adrian wouldn't.
        A few weeks earlier Sadier had started to have a sensation like something was in his eye. When Adrian noticed he didn't hesitate to tell Sadier the truth, “Mr. Bradley puts scales in our eyes,” Adrian said. “You have come high enough for you to notice them. We all have scales. They filter many things in the upperworld that are not safe for us to see. Never take them out.”
        But then just a few days following, Sadier was walking up to Abigail when he realized that she had taken out her scales. She didn't realize that he was there. Her eyes were glistening and flashing strange colors as she gazed at something the scales would have filtered.
        Sadier put a hand on her shoulder and she gasped as she her soul shot down many dimensions.
        “What are you doing?” Sadier asked.
        Ashamed, Abigail quickly worked the scales back into her eyes saying, “I need to it keep me going. My existence has been a hard one. We all do it anyway.”
        “What has been so hard?” Sadier asked her using the opportunity. “I know you're hiding something, Abigail. I've known ever since I saw that the years didn't add up right for you on the roster. You used to be in the Darma didn't you?”
        “Yeah,” Abigail admitted, “I was recruited by the Darma when I was in 3rd grade. And I served them for 3 years.”
        “What made your change sides?” Sadier asked.
        “My brother,” Abigail replied. “I never really had a family. I grew up feeling like I couldn't trust anyone. My brothers were always running from authorities and breaking into houses and even killing people sometimes. But one day my older brother suddenly changed.
        He tracked me down and wouldn't leave me alone, even though I told him to get lost. I was in 6th grade and I was depressed and suicidal. I stepped in front of a train one day trying to end my life, but out of no where my brother jumped on top of me and held me down as the train rushed over our heads. When the train passed I looked up, but he was gone and I've never seen him since. His death made me think hard about everything. Hannah Careheart, was the one who carefully pulled me into the angel's camp and into the Alma which almost cost me my life and almost cost Hannah her life too.”
        “Your brother saved you,” Sadier said. “He was desperate to save you. Just like I'm desperate.”
        “Saymi's not in danger, Sadier,” Abigail replied. “You're just imagining it.”
        Sadier turned and walked away furious. He felt bad later for acting that way after Abigail had just told him her whole story, but he couldn't believe she had dared to say that, “You're just imagining it.” But then as he played that scene back in his mind he wondered if he had seen something strange. When Abigail said those words her eyes had clicked red for a moment. Yes, everyone's eyes constantly changed colors in the upperworld, but this was weird. Like it wasn't Abigail who had said that. It was like she was under a reaction, but he assumed that she was too strong to be under a reaction. The demons would have to spend one of their Omicron reactions to get into the mind of someone as experienced as Abigail, and they only possessed a few of them. Why would they want to spend one in this way?
        The next day Sadier's friend, Ben, sat down next to him very slowly saying, “I have something to tell you. Sadier, I'm a member of the Darma. Look at your Darma roster. I've been on there all year. We used a reaction to keep you from seeing my name because we knew you wouldn't let me talk to you if you knew I was in the Darma.”

Darma year 10 2014-15

Name	Grade	Gender	Specialty	Years of Service	Grade Woken
(Peter)	Senior	M	(Captain)	4	7th
(Jessica)	Senior	F	Scout	3	8th
(Ben)	Junior	M	Medical	3 *T	7th
(Esther)	Junior	F	Technology	2	8th
(Kendra)	Senior	F	Guide (Veteran)	4	7th
Fester	Sophomore	M	Deception	3	6th
(Alex)	Freshman	M	(Unknown)	1	8th
(Unknown)	(Unknown)	(Unknown)	(New Recruit)	0	(Unknown)
(Ty)	Sophomore	M	Geography	3	7th
(Olivia)	Junior	F	(Unknown)	2	Freshman
(Paul)	Junior	M	Protector	3	7th
(Unknown)	(Unknown)	M	(New Recruit)	0	(Unknown)
(Avea)	Freshman	F	Scout	3	6th
(Asa)	Sophomore	M	Impersonation	(Unknown)	(Unknown)

        Breathing slowly Sadier looked over at Abigail who was a few tables over. It dawned on him that not Abigail nor Adrian nor anyone in the angel's camp knew that Sadier had ever spoken with Ben. No doubt, it was an Omicron reaction. A large scale deception. But why?
        After examining the roster a second time Sadier noticed that Ben's years didn't add up just as Abigail's years hadn't added up. “The Alma recruited you,” Sadier said.
        “And I served them for three years,” Ben nodded.
        “But now you serve the demons?” Sadier said.
        “Now I serve the angels,” Ben replied. “It's a huge game Sadier. Powerful reactions. Powerful deception. All the training and the scales and Mr. Bradley's notes. It's all a game. Abigail and Adrian are good people, but they're so deep that they don't know what is up from down. Converts are rare, but Alkador thought he saw a chance to steal you, and he was willing to launch an Omicron reaction to give me a chance to win you. His love is great for us, Sadier. His love is very very great. There's nothing he wouldn't do for us. He's been fighting Selah for years to try to stop the tragedy, to try to bring these students to the light. That is what we fight for here in what you call the Darma. We fight for the light. In our camp there is no deception. We lay everything on the table. There is only truth and love here. We've been warning you all year with the graveyard scenes, Sadier. The demons are going to tear Saymi to pieces at the end of the year, but there is still time for us to save her.”
        “What do you want me to do?” Sadier replied.
        “What you're you are already thinking about doing,” Ben said. “Take off the scales.”
        That night Sadier told Saymi everything. He explained the Omicron reaction and all that Ben had said.
        “When we go in tonight we need to not meet up with Abigail and Adrian,” Sadier told her. “We need to find each other first and take off our scales. We need to see what they're trying to hide from us.”
        Saymi was very silent for a long time.
        “I love you, Saymi,” Sadier said. “I love you, and I'm trying to save you.”
        Ever so slowly, a huge grin slowly crept over Saymi face.
        “Why are you smiling?” Sadier asked.
        “Because I'm not, Saymi,” came the reply, but it was not Saymi's voice. It was deep and growling, and Sadier became afraid. Saymi's skin slowly changed color. Her eyes began flaming red. As Sadier watched she turned into a creature. Sadier screamed and ran to his room.
        Then Sadier remembered, “I went to sleep. I took off my scales.”
        Seven creatures entered his room as he sat terrified on his bed his back pressed against the wall. Then Sadier's friend Ben entered the room.
        “Ben! What's happening?” Sadier called to Ben. Ben passed the creatures and walked up to Sadier.
        “What's happening, Ben?” Sadier asked again.
        “Got you,” Ben replied. Ben reached out and pushed Sadier and Sadier fell and fell and fell...down down down...
        “You fool.”
        Sadier slowly picked himself up off the ground.
        “You fool. Don't you know where you are?”
        “No,” Sadier replied. It was so dark that Sadier couldn't see his hand in front of his face. He blindly groped about his feet shuffling in the dirt.
        “The world beneath,” the creature answered.
        “I'm not in hell,” Sadier replied. “That's not possible.”
        “You offered yourself up,” the creature explained.
        “Who are you?” Sadier asked.
        “I'm Leti,” the creature replied. “You know me.”
        “I've heard of you,” Sadier admitted.
        “Don't you realize the fool you are?” Leti asked.
        Sadier stumbled into a rock wall. With his hands he followed the wall all the way in a circle as Leti continued to tell him what a fool he was. He determined that the wall enclosed him, so he started to climb it.
        “You know better than to try to escape,” Leti said. “You're educated. You know there is no escaping here.”
        “I can't be in hell,” Sadier said. “That's not possible.”
        “You haven't heard the news,” Leti said. “The latest death at the school.”
        “Who was it?” Sadier asked anxiously.
        “They say siblings have a spiritual bond to one another,” Leti replied. “You should have been able to feel it.”
        “No, she's not dead!” Sadier said turning toward the creature.
        “Don't you realize what you've done,” Leti said. “Don't you realize the fool you are. She was a good girl. She woke up in heaven. But in your determination you gave up your faith and you've eternally separated yourself from her.”
        Sadier yelled in anger. Leti quickly ripped Sadier's soul open and shoved a small emblem inside. Sadier gasped and fell to the ground.
        “Congratulations, your destiny is changed,” Leti said. “There will be death at the year's end. Priscilla will be the student captain, and we prove be much more effective against her. May my words prove true.” Leti had his hand extended towards Sadier's chest as he said prophecies into Sadier's open soul.
        Sadier quickly uttered a spell that Abigail had forced him to learn in the case of emergency situations. The spell mostly disrupted Leti's connection with the emblem.
        Leti reacted in surprise, but then said, “Oh well, The rest wasn't that important. Have fun in the new time line.”
        Sadier heard his name shouted from above.
        Leti mentioning the time line startled Sadier. “What new timeline?” Sadier said. “We're not leaving the timeline.”
        “That is going to be difficult now,” Leti replied as he sat down and leaned back against a rock.
        Sadier's name was shouted again. It was Adrian's voice. A glimmering blue rope dropped into the cave.
        “Grab on,” Adrian yelled.
        “See you around,” Leti said and waved as Sadier grabbed the rope and rose out of the cave.
        It was a long trip back up, but the rope was magical and didn't let go of Sadier even when he had lost strength. Adrian who was strapped into the rope above him tried to encourage Sadier above the roar of the wind as they sped upwards.
        “Is Saymi okay?” Sadier shouted.
        “As far as I know,” Adrian replied.
        They rose out of the ground after nearly an hour of rapid upward movement.
        “Where's Saymi?” Sadier asked immediately as he stumbled out of the hole.
        Abigail ran up to Sadier with concern for him look in her eyes.
        “Where's Saymi?” Sadier shouted again.
        “She's with Lachish,” Abigail replied. “Are you okay?”
        “I took off my scales,” Sadier confessed. “How far down was I?”
        “You were sitting on the wall,” Adrian replied. “As far down as you can go before death. What did he do to you?”
        “He tried to make me think I was in hell, but I didn't believe him,” Saider said. “But then he made me angry and put something inside me and declared prophecies over me.”
        “He did what?” Abigail exclaimed.
        “That's spooky,” Adrian shuttered. “Sounds like he tried to cherry plant you. But that doesn't really make sense. Even if he was successful that wouldn't be enough by itself to take your life this late in the game. Why did they spend the resources to do this to you?”
        “We're missing something here, my friends,” a deep voiced angel spoke. Sadier looked up as he realized who was in their presence. It was Selah, the captain of the angels speaking. “What is Alkador doing here? An Omicron, no doubt, but what is it hiding from us?” Selah pondered. “What did he prophecy to you, Sadier?”
        “He said something about the timeline,” Sadier replied. “And he said Priscilla would be the student captain, and that there would be death at the end of the year.”
        “Death at the end of the year,” Selah said. “Do you know who will die, Sadier?”
        “Yes!” Sadier exclaimed. “Yes, I know! It's Saymi. They're going to kill her.”
        But as he said this the eyes of Abigail, Adrian, Selah, and all the angels that were around suddenly faded red, and Sadier knew they didn't hear his words. Sadier jumped up and started running. He ran deep into the woods. It was a dark and depressing atmosphere here, which felt good to him. But then as he rose to the top of a hill he noticed something glowing way out in the distance through the trees. He squinted trying to imagine what it might be as rainwater trickled down his face. Chills shot down his body as he realized it was the Alkador's castle. It was late in the month of April, and their long journey was about to conclude as they reached their destination.
        He sat down in the brush and put his head in his hands. “I'm going to find a way to save you, Saymi,” he whispered. The rain that was sprinkling became a downpour, and he started to cry bitterly.
        Sadier had recently clicked all the pieces together. All the journeying they had done through the rainforests, and the prairies, and the mountains, and Adrian's constant stressing over staying on course. It was because each night in the upperworld picked up where the last one left off. Sure, the scene in front of their eyes may be different which threw him off for a long time, and made him think that every night he was randomly placed somewhere when he fell asleep. But then he realized that in the actually geometry of the upperworld their souls was slowly moving, slowly falling towards something.
        The geometry of the upperworld is laid directly over the geometry of the natural as Sadier had come to understand. This would mean they were essentially falling through the atmosphere. And eventually Sadier had realized they would land upon the ground. All the journeying east, west, north, south was to adjust their fall like a parachute, so as to land in a specific place. And Sadier knew what that place was. It was the place where the final battle was fought every year and the place also where Madeline's brother was likely being held prisoner. It was the demon's stronghold built sturdily over ten years ago. It was Alkador's castle or as Sadier had always known it, Waterfall Academy.

Galaxy Waterfall Episode 5 - Nightfall (We Found the End of Gravity)

        Sadier had started to worry that his sister was destined to die. Adrian's words had been a wake up call, and the repeated trips to the graveyard scene made Sadier wonder if someone was trying to get his attention. Sadier talked to Abigail and Adrian about the graveyard, but they didn't have much to say about it. He wondered if perhaps he had bought into it a little too much.

        Sadier started talking with a junior named Ben who knew a lot about the upperworld and showed Sadier a lot of tricks. He started to wonder if knowledge of the upperworld was more common than he had realized.
        Then one day something dawned on Sadier. There's nothing magical about dreams. Abigail and Adrian had said it so many times. It hit him what they meant. He started to wonder if he might be able to enter the upperworld in the middle of the day. And what better place to try it out than history class where he daydreamed most of the time anyway. He focused very hard for a half minute or so, and then he began to float out of his body. He took a few steps around the class room and then started walking up the wall. There were some angels and demons who were at a stand off in the room. He climbed through a skylight that was hidden from the other side and entered into a bright space that was lit with floating white spheres. There was a table where he spotted Abigail hanging out with several other spirits.
        “What are you doing here?” Abigail asked.
        “I figured out how to daydream,” Sadier replied.
        “Shouldn't you be focusing on your History class?” Abigail said.
        “With all due respect,” Sadier replied, “shouldn't you be focusing on Atmospheric Science class?”
        Abigail smiled. “I'm a Senior,” she said. “I don't have to be in class.”
        Someone in the classroom dropped a textbook on the floor and Sadier caught his breath as his soul darted back into his body.
        Sadier wondered what he would find if he did the same thing at his house. He tried to get Saymi to come with him, but she was concerned as usual.
        So, he left without her. She watched him sit silently in their living room leather chair with his eyes closed clearly not asleep. Sadier had asked her if she would keep from making any sound.
        “You have to be careful not to fall asleep,” he had told her. “Because if you fall asleep you go to a starting point like every night when we go to bed, which is usually far far away from here in sky or space. But I want to see what is hidden here in our house.”
        After a few minutes, Saymi watched him slowly open his eyes. She was startled when she immediately noticed that Sadier's eyes were a brilliant bright yellow hue.
        “Where'd you go?” she asked.
        “It makes more sense now,” Sadier replied. “What I've felt. What I've always felt here. Come let me show you. Have you meet Hinn?”
        After that she followed him to the other side.
        Sadier's favorite part of the school day was the team meeting. His curiosity burned like a fire. He always tried to get Abigail on a tangent.
        “I think the problem is that you don't understand what they are,” Abigail was saying one day. “Angels have one objective: to pull souls up to heaven where they're from. Demons have one objective: to drag souls down to hell where they're from. They meet in our realm to do battle over our souls. The war that ensues explains most every event in our lives. So, this war takes place not in heaven, not in hell, but in the supernatural fields that surround and correspond to our existence.
        “I get that, but exactly what defines an angel or demon?” Sadier asked.
        “Good question,” Abigail replied. “By our dictionary, angels are any and all beings higher than us and for us. Demons are any and all beings higher than us and opposed to us. And those who don't understand the upperworld lump all aliens into those two categories, but you have to realize that there are many races from many surfaces and solar systems just as we are a race. The war is fought because those in our universe usually identify themselves with one ideal or the other.
        “Have you ever noticed the closet door in Mr. Bradley's office?” Abigail asked Sadier one morning. “The one that is right next to the main door on the same wall.”
        “Yeah, I think so,” Sadier replied.
        “Have you ever noticed anything strange about that closet door?” Abigail asked. “Let me show you something,” she said. She drew a dot on a piece of paper and set it on the table. “Have you ever seen this trick?” she asked. “Close one eye and move your other eye over the piece of paper. At the right place the dot will disappear. It's a blind spot in your eye, but your brain usually does a pretty good job filling it in by using what's surrounding to guess what is there.”
        “Wow, that's so cool,” Sadier said.
        Now this is just your eyesight, but think about how many gaps your brain is filling in when it comes to your view of the world. Any skilled angel or demon can easily hide in these blind spots.”
        “How exactly do that do that?” Sadier asked.
        “Well, for example, there are people in your life that you know well and then people that you don't know so well,” Abigail started. “You assume that the people you don't know so well are known well by someone else. But what if those people you don't know so well aren't known well by anyone. And you say you've seen the closet door in Mr. Bradley's office?” Abigail asked.
        Sadier nodded.
        “Think about it for second. When outside his office you can see that there's no room for a closet there.”
        Sadier paused.
        “Because it would be in the hallway,” Abgail added. “Next time you're there you should ask him if you can go inside.”
        One day Sadier was hanging out deep in the flashing corridors after a team meeting. He was talking with someone when he suddenly realized that it is was an angel.
        “Don't you remember me?” the angel responded suddenly. “I'm Yunki.”
        That name 'Yunki' hit something deep and forgotten in Sadier's soul.
        “Who are you?” Sadier asked.
        “I was your friend,” Yunki replied. “I was thrilled a few years ago when Mr. Bradley began making plans to quicken you because I knew we would talk again like we used to. I've always been here.” Then with a smile he faded through the wall.
        I've chosen not to discuss anything about guardian angels beyond this account. If you want to know more I suggest you find yours and talk to him or her or both of them.
        When Sadier asked Abgail about it she simply replied, “Yeah, children are very in tune with the supernatural because they have recently come from the pre-life which is special section of the upperworld. You see, there were monsters under you bed, but the reason that the monsters slept under you bed was because there were angels sleeping on either side of you.”
        One day on the bus to school when the girls were bothering Saymi, Sadier watched her closely. He saw a tear fall from her eye, and deep anger came over Sadier. Anger not at the girls that bullied Saymi, but at the demons who drove it. The reality hit Sadier again that Saymi was likely a few steps from death, and he knew something had to be done. He was frustrated not knowing what to do. Fortunately Adrian knew.
        At school that day Dalton who was the cruelest to Saymi walked up to her with a basketball under his arm and a few girls at his side.
        “Hey we were going to play some basketball and we were wondering if you'd want to join us,” Dalton said to Saymi. “Oh but, I forgot, we don't have special Olympics here at Waterfall Academy.”
        Sadier heard it, and burned with anger. Adrian heard too, and the tall boy's dreadlocks flowed behind him as he briskly walked up to Dalton and grabbed him by the shoulders. Adrian raised Dalton off the ground, and meant to pin Dalton against the wall, but Adrian was so angry and he did it so hard that he shoved Dalton right through the sheet rock and dropped him as he lost his balance. Dalton fell into a cloud of dust and coughed hoarsely.
        “Leave her alone!” Adrian shouted and then walked away. The lunchroom was dead silent. Madeline was grinning. Many of the faculty members seemed as if they had found the scene refreshing too. Abigail was not grinning. She was concerned. Adrian had made a risky move.
        The next day when Sadier floated into the team meeting Abigail was crying.
        When Sadier asked Adrian what was wrong he replied, “They tracked down Ali last night.”
        Sadier's heart sunk in shock, “She's dead?” Ali was a Junior in the Alma. She was a very skilled medic. Sadier thought she was the nicest person in the whole Alma.
        “She was brave,” Adrian said sorrowfully. “Her style was effective, but it involved a lot of lone traveling which is dangerous.”
        “She always knew it was only a matter of time, that jerk,” Abigail sobbed. “She's home now.”
        “In the place far far away?” Sadier asked.
        Adrian nodded.
        That night after entering the upperworld their team of five climbed into a small car, and drove fast because Adrian said they had to make a sizable correction to their position.
        “Adrian, how long has that car been behind us,” Abigail said suddenly.
        “Yeah, It's someone of the Darma,” Adrian said. “I think its Fester and maybe Alex.”
        “They're trying to hold us off course,” Abigail said alarmed.
        No matter how fast Adrian drove or how many sudden turns he took they couldn't shake the agile Darma sniper car, which zeroed in on them more and more until it was able to clip Adrian's vehicle and send it into a tail spin. A couple strong angels managed to keep the car from flipping. A freshman of the Darma named Alex, jumped from the roof of the sniper car and came diving through glass into their car with the clear intent of pulling someone out for the demons to pounce on. Adrian jumped into the back seat and wrestled with Alex for a few seconds until the car plowed into the concrete base of a windmill.
        Sadier was scared when he realized that his leg was broken. An angel dropped out of a helicopter and quickly grabbed Sadier and took him up to the helicopter just before a rush of warrior demons reached the crash site.
        Sadier was taken to the back of the helicopter. His leg didn't hurt, but he was more scared than he had ever been in his life.
        He woke up two hours later in an angel hospital. He sat up and started breathing fast. Abigial hopped up and calmed him down.
        “Where's everyone else?” Sadier asked.
        “We all made it out,” Abigail replied. “The guard was not penetrated.” Sadier saw that Abigail's left shoulder was heavily wrapped. He asked how bad the others' injuries were from the crash. In the upperworld though, healing is fast. Nothing lasts longer than 24 hours, so every night is a clean start.
        “Don't we need to get to Brook City tonight?” Sadier asked.
        “We'll still catch up,” Abigail replied.
        “I don't understand how we can afford to be so lax,” Sadier blurted out. “Aren't there souls on the line teetering between heaven and hell that we can steer?” Abigail tried to calm him down, but he wouldn't stop, “We shouldn't ever rest. We can't let the Darma outwork us. What if we end up going to hell because we didn't work hard enough.”
        “You have to learn to have faith, Sadier,” Abigail replied.
        “Faith in what?” he asked.
        “Faith that your story is told,” she replied.
        “Told by who?”
        “By a storyteller,” she said.
        “A storyteller? Who is he?”
        “We don't know,” Abigail said.
        “Is he good?”
        “Perhaps, it depends on how you define good,” she replied.
        “And how much power does he have?” he asked.
        “He has all power,” she said.
        Sadier's expression twisted into confusion. “Then... if he has all power, why does he let us hurt so much. He can't be good.”
        “Did you take Mrs. Wright's creative writing class in seventh grade?” Abigail asked.
        Sadier said he had.
        “What was your final project?” Abigail asked.
        “Well, it wasn't that great,” Sadier replied.
        “What was it?” she insisted.
        “Well, it was about this guy named David who got swept out to sea,” Sadier told her. “He made it back eventually.”
        “But not without a fight,” Abigail said. “You put your main character through something that was painful? How dare you, Sadier.”
        “What do you mean,” Sadier responded. “David wasn't real!” 
        Abigail's eyes lit up, “You don't know that your character David isn't real.”
        “But if I somehow believed he was real I would have wrote the story a lot different,” Sadier said. “Why does our storyteller let us hurt so much. Why does he make my sister hurt,” Sadier said his voice choked with anger.
        “I don't know,” Abigail replied. “But why do all the stories that we write have characters who are struggling? I don't know. There's a lot we don't understand. Maybe part of it is because we're struggling too. And maybe he's struggling too, Sadier. Just as much as we are. He's trying to find hope and give hope to others. As for us, we will watch the clock because every minute is a victory. Time will run out as we stand and believe. The key is to believe that you are in a story.”
        “Well if that's what we are, just characters in a story, then our fate isn't in our own hands,” Sadier said. “I mean either our lives our predetermined or they're not. It can't be both.”
        “Yes, it can be both,” Abigail replied. “Listen to me, no one knows the answers to some of these questions, but I believe that no matter what something good is coming for us. Something worth everything it will take to get there. Coming soon. We won't go on forever like this, Sadier. One day, everything will change. I have seen something, I've seen visions, I don't understand, but it's like darkness pushed, but now the light pushed back even harder, saying, 'No, that's not the way the story will end.' Death is not the end for us. I can see a day in my mind when we pass out of this life. I can see you, and me, and Adrian, and Saymi and Madeline, your parents, Mr. Bradely, all together in the end. That images drives me. It drives me get up every morning no matter how dreary life may look. I will believe that there is something to live for. That day is not so far away. Every day is closer. We're closer now than we have ever been. Every question will have an answer. It will be worth it in the end. You have to stop being so hard on yourself. You're right on track. You will make it, Sadier. Don't you know who you are.”

Galaxy Waterfall Episode 4 - A Degree in Forestry (If you wake up in a gallery, don't look at the portraits)

        Sadier stared at a portrait of an old man. He felt like he had seen it somewhere before. He thought it very odd that the school would decorate the hallway in this manner.
        “It sure is warm outside for October,” he said to Abigail as he sat down at a blue lunch table.
        “Yes, it is,” she replied as she sat down next him.
        “I just came from Mr. Bradley's office,” he said. “I had a good conversation with him.”
        “Good, Sadier, that's good,” she replied. Her eyes were unusually shifty. “Do you know where you are?” she replied. “You went to bed already, remember? We're in the upperworld. They sensed you had lost awareness. The guy in the corner over there is here to kill you.”
        Sadier looked up and saw an assassin demon not twenty feet away leaning in the corner.
        “We'll get you out of here,” Abigail reassured. “I brought Onnie to help clear a path for us.”
        Sadier spotted Onnie, the warrior angel, eating a tuna sandwich at an adjacent table wearing glasses and a white collared shirt.
        That's when the assassin speed at Sadier extending a weapon. But Onnie reached out and broke the assassin's arm.
        Abgail jumped up and lead Sadier down the hall.
        “There's no exit this way,” Sadier said.
        “We're not at the school,” Abigail replied. Onnie caught up with them and ran ahead to make sure there wasn't an ambush waiting. More portraits of old faces flew by as they ran down the hall. Onnie yelled a warning and directed them up a flight of stairs which lead to the roof. Sadier heard Onnie wrestling with a creature as they ran away. Abigail and Sadier fled across the roof and jumped into a tree. They hastily proceeded to scale down the branches of the tree worrying that an enemy might run to the base before they could escape. But as they climbed down it dawned on them that the branches didn't reach all the way to the ground, and it was too high to jump.
        “I'm so sorry, Abigail,” Sadier said thinking they were stranded.
        “Hold on tight,” she replied putting her hands on the trunk of the tree. She repeated a phrase over and over until the tree started snapping and creaking. Sadier clung to his branch as the huge tree collapsed. They maneuvered out of the entanglement of wood and leaves and ran deep into the forest. There were yellow birds flying around harmonizing with each other. Funny chipmunk creatures with orange eyes watched them speed by.        “Did Onnie make it out of there?” Sadier asked.
        “Yeah, he did, fortunately,” Abgail replied. “He just sent me a message. Don't let it get to you. It happens to the best of us. They set up an excellent trap. I'm just glad we didn't lose you.”
        “You know, not all of us have been around since the 3rd grade, show off,” a voice called.
        “Cutting roots is not such a great feat with a little faith, muscle boy,” Abigail replied.        Adrian and Saymi ran into sight.
        “We almost got into trouble back there,” Adrian said.
        “So did we,” Abigail added. “You know what that means.”
        “A little early this year,” Adrian nodded.
        “This is day 1?” Sadier guessed.
        “This is your debut, my friend,” Adrian replied squeezing Sadier's shoulder so hard he squirmed away a little.
        Sadier was nervous. He could tell Saymi was too. Abigail and Adrian had taken care of the first few attacks by themselves. Most of the demons had still been far away closer to their castle, but now there were more reaching the students and launching reactions on them which were more powerful at night. This was the seed planting. All hands were needed including those of the green recruits. This could be their first chance at steering a subconscious victim.
        “Half a mile north,” Adrian read. “Alexander Hemsey, 5th grade, let's go.”
        Sadier thought Adrian and Abigail were obnoxiously laid back considering what he felt was at stake. They accelerated into the forest.
        A blonde haired girl intercepted the pack, and said, “They're drawing in memories now. Looks like a Gamma plant. We'll have to approach from the side.”
        Adrian directed the team to the left. It didn't surprise Sadier that he recognized the newcomer. She was in his class. She always wore a white head band in her long straight blonde hair. What was her name? He couldn't remember.
        Suddenly Adrian motioned with his hand to lay down. The team dropped to the twigs and leaves and crawled forward.
        “Remember I told you we had one more joining our team?” Adrian said. “She's a scout. It's taken a while for Mr. Bradley and his staff to figure out what what team to put her on.”
        “Why?” Sadier asked.
        “Well, there was some drama last year,” Adrian replied.
        They crawled forward until they came upon a boy who was sitting on a fallen tree in a clearing in the woods. Abigail exchanged words with the warrior angel who was in charge. Reactions had been launched from both camps and were dancing toward the boy who was 11 years old.
        Abigail turned to Sadier and Saymi and said, “Be ready if I signal you.” Then she took a deep breath and strode into the clearing towards the boy. It was like a movie set Sadier thought.
        The boy was sitting on a thick fallen tree. He had his chin in his hand, and with the other hand he drew in the dirt with a stick. Abigail took a wide angle so that she could approach the boy from the direction he was facing so as not to startle him.
        “That was textbook. Did you see that?” Sadier said out-loud.
        Abigail sat next to the boy. He said gibberish to her. Or was it really gibberish. Sadier had started to wonder. Regardless the boy was unconscious and his speech and actions were mostly nonsensical. Then Adrian stepped into the clearing. Sadier knew their act. Abigail would have joined him and they would have started to steer the victim away from the demon's reaction and into the angel's reaction, but suddenly a well hidden figure shot up from the other side of the fallen tree. It was a senior of the Darma named Kendra. At her suddenly appearance the boy yelled and started running.
        Chaos ensued as Angels and Demons thundered into the clearing and began battling. The boy was battled over like a fumbled football. Sadier ran into the clearing, but made sure to stay well on his side as he had been instructed. Abigail managed to out-duel Kendra and steer the boy onto the Angel's side, and to Sadier's surprise the boy ended up right in front of him. Sadier froze as the boy looked at him. All of Sadier's practice and education left him.
        “Follow me,” was all Sadier could think to say. Sadier ran in the direction of the Angel's reaction fashioner who they called Quiver. And surprisingly the boy understood his words and followed Sadier all the way to Quiver who quickly blanketed the boy in an Alpha reaction. The boy couldn't see the reaction or the angels or the demons, but suddenly as a result of the reaction a wave of revelation came across his face and Sadier saw a curious look in the boy's eyes.
        Then suddenly the boy vanished. Abigail ran to Sadier's side. The scrum in the clearing started to subside. Adrian slowly picked himself up off the ground clutching his ribs.“The boy, where did he go?” Sadier asked.
        “His mom woke him up,” Abigail replied. “Because he was screaming.”
        Abigail walked over to their new teammate, the blonde girl. She had taken quite a blow to the mouth, and was spitting blood between her teeth. Sadier remembered her name.
        “You shouldn't have been able to steer that boy so easily,” Adrian said walking up. “You may have just found your specialty. We'll get you hooked up with Valerie as soon as we can to see if you have the skills to be a guide. You know Joseph was a guide, Sadier.”
        Sadier smiled. It was unusual for a recruit to find their specialty this early in the year. And if he was a guide, Sadier would be following in the path of the Alma's most famous member, Joseph, who had turned the tide of the war back in year 2, 3, and 4.
        “Adrian, it'd be good if we could reach to the summit before morning,” Abigail said. “We need to get a look at what's out there.”
        “I can do that,” Adrian replied. “I'll let you know what I see. But I want to take Sadier with me.”
        Abigail nodded.
        “Look, Sadier!” Saymi pointed. She had spotted a huge fleet of Angel's running through the trees about 200 feet away. At their lead was a radiant figure. Sadier could only see his feet.
        “Who was he in front?” Sadier asked Adrian as they started climbing to the summit.
        “That was Selah,” Adrian replied. “He's the Angel captain at Waterfall Academy. He's our leader.”
        As they hiked up the steep slope of the mountain the temperature became colder and traces of snow were apparent on the ground.
        “Her name's Madeline, right? Our new teammate?” Sadier asked as he forced his tired body up the rocky slope.
        “Yeah,” Adrian replied. “Isn't it funny that you looked at the roster and didn't even notice someone in your own class.”
        “Yeah, yeah, I know how it works,” Sadier replied. “What did you mean when you said there was drama last year,” Sadier asked.
        “Yes, it is necessary for you to know,” Adrian replied. “Madeline is a very talented player, but she lost her brother last year in the game. You have to understand that when someone loses someone that close to them historically they are extremely unstable in the upperworld.”
        “How did it happen?” Sadier asked.
        “Well, last year Madeline and her brother were our most promising recruits. Mr. Bradley put them on our A team with our student captain, Simeon. Madeline and her brother lived up to the hype and showed tremendous promise, but they got cocky, and Madeline's brother made a huge mistake. It would have cost us victory last year, but Madeline's brother came to his wits and executed a sacrificial maneuver that ensured our victory but he was captured.
        And the crazy thing is he never showed up in heaven, and he wouldn't have gone to hell. Many of us suspect that the demons didn't kill him because they didn't want to free him. Perhaps they keep him locked up in their castle. Therefore, many of us, and especially Madeline, are eager to reach the demon's castle at the end of the year on the chance that we might find him still alive.”
        “Wow, so why did Mr. Bradley put Madeline with us?” Sadier asked.
        “Well, you have to realize that right now she is at high risk of suicide,” Adrian replied. “One wrong reaction and we could lose her. Mr. Bradley considered not including Madeline in the Alma this year, but he knew that she would be safer working with us. He wants her to heal, and I guess he sees us as the best team.”
        “But why?” Sadier kept pushing.
        “I think largely because of Abigail,” Adrian replied.
        “What do you mean?” Sadier asked.
        Adrian paused, “Because Abigail's past is rough as Madeline's.”
        “I may need to know this too,” Sadier said.
        “No,” Adrian replied. “If you want to know that story, you're going to have to ask Abigail herself.”
        They reached the summit and looked out over the treetops for miles in every direction. Sadier was speechless as he gazed at the landscape of rainforests, prairies, deserts, rivers, mountains. It was the threshold of heaven itself. Sadier saw something especially mysterious way out in the distance almost concealed by the fog. It was a frightening place darker than night, covered by ginormous terrifying clouds, where bolts of lightning flashed red and silver.
        “What is that?” Sadier pointed.
        “That is where we're going,” Adrian replied. “Our journey's end. Can you see the spirit in the clouds? Look closely. It's Alkador, the captain of the demons. Legend says that Alkador was the one who found the powerful moonstones and would have ended the lives of countless children, but Selah came to the rescue. This is the meeting place of two of the most well-known characters in all the upperworlds. Our school is the battle ground of Selah, the powerful angel and Alkador, the ruthless demon.”
        Vibrant colors began to appear in the sky as the sun set. The air grew cold and Adrian and an angel made a fire.
        “I'm worried about your sister,” Adrian said suddenly.
        “What do you mean?” Sadier asked.
        “There are some bad signs,” Adrian replied. “Do you remember that really short girl with the black hair that was in the class ahead of you last year,” Adrian asked.
        “Yeah, Hailey, you mean?” Sadier replied.
        “Do you know why she disappeared in the middle of the semester last year.” Adrian asked. “It's because she killed herself, Sadier.”
        “Really?” Sadier said.
        “The final phrase of the long note that she left said, 'It's bullying that killed me.' And this is not rare,” Adrian said. “There have been several suicides every year since the birth of the school. Bullying is the main cause for suicide. Some joke about their classmates saying they're short, or stupid, or weird, or they have a funny nose, and they don't mean much by it. But those casual remarks take root, and the hearer starts to believe it, so that every time they look in the mirror they hate themselves. It's in our teenage years that we are trying to figure out who we are and we're all insecure and vulnerable.
        Well, let me tell you the truth about Hailey and every one of them. It might sound clique, but its true, she was beautiful, perfect just the way she was. And more than anything else in this entire world I hate that they doubt that to the point that they are hopeless enough to take their own lives. Since I started realizing this I gave up joking about my friends even if its just for fun.
        Sadier, your sister is showing bad signs. She is far along. She has contemplated suicide many times by now. There are several students who tease her everyday about not being about not being able to walk. She is in tremendous danger. I've seen it play out so many times. We will do everything we can, but ultimately I suspect it will have to be you that pulls her our of the grave and out of hell. For that is our business here in the angel's camp, isn't it Sadier, pulling souls out of hell.”
        The next night before Sadier joined up with his team he found himself in a strange place. He had been here before. From his training Sadier recognized was has happening to him as a recursion, or by its more common title, a recurring dream. He had been here half a dozen times now, and it was always the same. Looming trees, black iron fence, misty rain, and rows of stones.
        The first time he found himself here was the time that he had met Abigail and Saymi had been there too. But since then Sadier was always here alone. Sadier would walk through the graveyard, and read the names that were carved on the stones. Then he would walk out the gate and start locating his teammates. This was when he started seriously fearing for his sister's life because after he woke up in the scene a few times he started to realize that there was a pattern in the stones. Recently, he found an Alma database that contained a complete listing of all the students who had died in the school's history. Many of the names in the listing looked familiar because of the names he had read at the graveyard. Sadier hadn't cross checked all the names yet, but he was sure that the graveyard was a perfect memorial of all the students who had died at the school. But some of the gravestones had names of people who were still living. He knew scenes like this could be very prophetic. And that is why Sadier started fearing for Saymi's life. Because in the fourth row nine stones down was a stone that had the name Saymi Davidson.