Chapter 1: Noctiphany 1 NOCTIPHANY Noctiphany (n.) Latin and Greek origin An appearance of something that occurs only at night Eleven years later Each morning, at dawn''s first light, Alexis Michaels had the same nightmare. The nightmare that had tormented him like a plague ever since he was a child. The nightmare that didn''t feel like it was a dream at all but rather a distant memory, something that had been buried deep in his unconscious and resurfaced only in his sleep. Feeling like an imposter in his own body, he braced for the pain that would inevitably come to wake him, unable to do anything to stop it. In his dream he stood at the cliff edge overlooking the ocean, its waves crashing against the shoreline far below. Even from a distance, he could feel the cool salty spray dampening his curly hair and plastering it against his golden-toned skin. There was something tranquil about being surrounded by water, peaceful.
The rhythmic pulling and pushing of the waves had an order that made sense to him. The ocean made him feel small--made his worries and pain insignificant, things that could be swept away by the current. Inhaling as the waves drew back and exhaling with every broken crest, the boy closed his eyes to savor the perfect synchronicity. But, as usual, the moment of peacefulness, of tranquility, did not last. The color of the scene around him drained away, tinting all that he saw gray. His body lurched as a violent, explosive pain struck him like a tidal wave from within. He gasped at the intensity of it and clawed at his face and neck, trying to exorcise the pressure. But the pain only grew, snatching the air from his lungs as it did.
His vision blurred as pools of red bled across his body, pulsing out through the tiny pores of his skin. It was unbearable. It flooded his consciousness and his sight, forcing him to buckle over. Alexis tried to call out for help, but even his voice had abandoned him in his suffering. He stumbled back. He had to get away. But in his struggle he had forgotten where he stood, remembering all too late once the ground disappeared beneath him. Fighting to regain his balance with only one foot left on the earth''s edge, he cast a final look toward the vacant cliff side.
A second boy with striking white hair appeared in the distance. He was running toward Alexis, his face aghast in horror. The boy desperately called a name, "Nero!" and reached out, but at that point there was nothing to catch but air. Alexis disappeared over the edge of the cliff. The bitter sea air stung his blood-soaked body as he fell, twisting and turning in his attempt to somehow slow his descent, his eyes upon the element that would seal his fate. The black surface of the ocean rushed toward him. Waves crashing. No longer peaceful.
No longer tranquil. No longer safe. Nero closed his eyes as he met the darkness. Alexis bolted awake, sitting up straight in his bed as if to stop himself from hitting the water. The afterimage of the dark ocean remained at the forefront of his mind for a while, determined to linger as his heart pulsed in his throat. Yet with the light from the sunrise shining into his room, illuminating the walls with a warm orange glow, the darkness of the nightmare was forced to recoil, releasing Alexis from its clutches. He used the back of his hand to wipe away the feverish sweat that glazed his skin, and spent a couple of minutes tapping his fingers to his thumbs, timing each brief pressure with the regulation of his breathing, just like a doctor had shown him years ago. To settle his mind, he reached out for the book on his bedside table and removed the bookstore receipt that served as a bookmark.
Despite every effort to stay awake, his eyelids began to droop. The nightmare only came once at sunrise, so it wouldn''t disturb him again. He must''ve drifted off, because he was once again startled awake. Only, this time it was by the frustrated shout of his mother. "Boys! If I have to call you one more time, you''re getting a bucket of cold water over you. I come home, and no one''s even loaded the dishwasher." The sound of her tutting somehow managed to carry up the entire flight of stairs. "Alexis, get a move on or you''ll be late!" A bucket of cold water didn''t sound too bad, Alexis thought, but a hot shower would probably be a more relaxing option.
Alexis stared unblinking into the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Although the Shadow Man was long gone, Alexis was still haunted by its remnant voice. It was one of his more unusual superstitions, the distrust of his own reflection, wary that if he blinked, the Shadow Man would be able to reach him again. He was probably just being paranoid--points for consistency. A short blow of air from his nose indicated that he at least found himself funny. The moment the shower water touched his body, he instantly relaxed as his disturbed sleep washed away. Under its near-scalding temperature, Alexis''s amulet remained cold. The small, blue gem sat in the center of his chest, droplets falling freely from the bottom point of the inverted triangle.
After quickly dressing and throwing on a hat to cover his messy dark hair, he picked up his packed suitcase and shut the door to his room. He pounded his fist against the door of his younger brother''s room and pushed it open before he continued walking downstairs. There was a grumble in response. Probably a swear, but Alexis didn''t catch it. As Alexis approached, the kitchen doors swung open, and Stephanie Michaels burst through them, a wooden spoon held out like a weapon in her hand. She stopped when she saw him. "Lexi, there you are." He gestured to the kitchen utensil.
"That for me?" "Not now that you''ve come down," she said, flashing him a grin. "Come on--if you insist on going on this trip, you need to make sure you eat something before you go. You know Dad will nag you otherwise." "Morning, Son," Jackson said as Alexis joined him at the table. "How did you sleep?" The lie came to Alexis as easy as breathing. "Fine." When the hallucinations had stopped a few years back, his parents had assumed his nightmares had gone too. Alexis had let them, because the endless trials of medicine and countless child psychologists had become unbearable for them all.
He was protecting them. They deserved peace of mind after everything he had put them through. Besides, he hadn''t hurt himself--or anyone else--for years now; it was easier to pretend the nightmare of Nero had disappeared along with the Shadow Man . Alexis watched as his dad stood and pulled his mum in for a kiss. "Sit down and rest, darling. The boys and I will clean up," he said, trading places with her behind the counter. Then he turned to Alexis. "Right, have you packed a coat in case it gets cold or rains?" "Dad, it''s basically summer," Alexis replied in between mouthfuls of scrambled eggs.
"We''ll only be gone for a couple of days for this stupid geography coursework." "Doesn''t matter. It''s windy on the Jurassic Coast. Do you need any money?" Alexis shook his head as Jason thundered down the stairs. His younger brother trudged into the kitchen, dragging his feet across the tiles, still in his superhero pajamas. He had inherited his father''s blue eyes and his mother''s dirty-blond hair and short height. Otherwise, he looked no more biologically related to them than Alexis did. "Why do I need to get up so early?" Jason moaned.
"I don''t have to be at school for another hour." Stephanie kissed the side of his head as Jackson handed him a plate of breakfast. "Didn''t you want to say goodbye to Lexi before he goes?" "I don''t care," Jason mumbled. "I don''t care," mimicked Alexis, exaggerating the crack in Jason''s voice, making Jason scowl. Alexis moved over to the sink to wash his empty plate. His mother joined him. As she took the plate to towel it dry, she quietly asked him for the twentieth time that week, "Are you really sure about going?" "Mum, I''m seventeen and it''s not like it''s a vacation--it''s for school. It''s compulsory if I want to get top grades.
If it makes you feel any better, Demi will be there." "I know," his mother replied, nodding to herself. "That''s the only reason we''re allowing you to go." Alexis''s parents had always been strict, especially with him. They had eased off a little over the years, especially when he had joined Bishop''s Secondary School, but they were still over the top. Alexis understood, however. He hadn''t been the easiest child growing up. "I''ve barely left Protegere all my life.
I promise I won''t wander off or get into any trouble." Stephanie took his hands, squeezing them tightly in her steady surgeon ones. "Maybe you should take some medication with you, just in case." "I''ve been off them for years now, Mum. With no episodes or symptoms, bar the odd delusional thought, but I hear that''s common for teenagers." Alexis grinned, hoping that in convincing her it was no big deal, he too would be reassured. "I''m not going to suddenly lose my mind." "I know, I know.
" She looked sheepish for having brought it up. "It''s just. to me, you will always be my little boy who hated letting go of my hand and would never let me say ''love you more'' without saying it back." "He''s a young man now, Steph," in.