Silver & Gold

Chapter 1: Dylan Silvesong

"You stay awake, do you hear me?! Please. Don't you dare close your eyes! Please." my hand brushes away a strand of her dark cherry-colored hair. "I need you, Clara. Don't die on me." I have to work hard not to grin at the girl lying before me as a small slime spreads across her face. I mean what would the other weeping nights think if their leader, the captain of the kings' guard, were smiling at his one true love as she lay dying before him? I blink away tears, letting myself feel the burn of sadness.

"Just know—" she takes a gasping breath "that I love you, Ace." She closes her eyes and lets out a final breath then I break into tears. Perfect. Another fantastic death.

The crowd erupts into applause as the heavy blood-red curtains drop. I stand up and hold my hand down to the girl still lying on the ground. She takes my hand and I pull her up.

"Next time you can't grin, Eleana."

"I know that, Dylan." She shoves my shoulder and I grin as we turn around to face the curtain.

As the curtains slowly rise, I take a deep breath and clasp Eleana's hand tightly. Our eyes meet and she smiles at me reassuringly. She's been my friend since kindergarten, and we've been acting together since middle school, now we're Juinors and this is our last play of the semester. We know each other's quirks and mannerisms on stage, and we have an unspoken understanding of each other's acting choices.

As we step onto the stage, I feel a rush of adrenaline. The stage is where I feel most alive, where I feel like I can be anyone or do anything. I'm so lost in the excitement of the moment that I almost forget the gravity of the situation.

You see, I'm not supposed to be here. I wasn't allowed to perform in this play. Two nights ago, I snuck out of my bedroom window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the completely finished set and run lines with Eleana for the final time before the big play. And I did and it was wonderful. The whole stage looked like a medieval village. But when I got back home I got caught by my mother. I was sneaking back into the kitchen when I got caught, it shouldn't have happened. She should have been asleep long before I got back and my bedroom window should've been fixed the day before. But alas I was caught and I was grounded for a week, and my phone, laptop, and freedom were taken away. The only thing I'm allowed to do is go to school and back.

But I couldn't let the opportunity to perform slip away. So, I begged Eleana to keep quiet about my sneaking out. She hesitated at first, but she eventually agreed and even said that she could convince her parents and the director to keep quiet. I knew the risk was high, but the prospect of performing was worth it.

As the play progresses, I lose myself in the moment. I deliver my lines with conviction, and the audience responds with laughter, applause, and even a few tears when it came to Eleana's death scene. When the play ends, we take our final bow, and I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over me. But as soon as the curtain drops, reality sets in. I mutter a quick "Bye" to Eleana and rush off the stage. I hear people calling my name, but I don't stop. I need to get back home before my mother finds out.

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I am sitting restlessly at the dining table, my fingers tapping against the surface with impatience. Before me lies a sheet of paper, filled with math problems that seem to mock me with their complexity. I have only a few problems left to solve, but the knowledge that my mother could return any moment fills me with a sense of mounting pressure.

Suddenly, the sound of metal striking together echoes through the house, followed by the high-pitched squeal of my four-year-old brother. I recognize the sound immediately - it's my mother's keys in the lock. She calls out my name, her voice brimming with motherly affection and forgiveness for my actions the other night, and I feel my heart leap in my chest. I know she's heading towards the dining room, and I scramble to quickly scribble down the last few answers, hoping that they are correct.

"I thought you would've snuck out?"

"I don't do that Mom. Not anymore." The lie comes out of my mouth so quickly and with such ease that I have to wonder if Mother will ever trust me again if she finds out that I did the play.

"Okay," Her tone is skeptical. I've broken her trust and I hate it. "Did you finish your school?" I respond by holding up my papers. "Well put up those papers then help me ready the table for dinner."

I push my chair away from the table, pick up my papers, and leave the dining room. I need to be on my best behavior. Do as my mother says. That means I have to clean the bathroom, set the dining room table, read to my two-year-old brother, and go to my father's house tomorrow after school.

When I get to my room I set my paper on my desk. My knight costume still rests on my bed. I quickly took it off when I got back. I pick it up and hang it on the back of my door like it was the other night. My watch buzzes on my wrist and I look at it and frown. It's a message from the same anonymous person that's been messaging me.

From what they've let slip they're a group of people who call themselves F.A.L.L. —Furtive Agents of Lost Luminary— and they are working to defeat a "villain" known as Her or She depending on the tense that you're using to talk about her. Apparently, I'm just the person they've been looking for and they need me to start watching and recruiting their special group of kids. Two girls and two boys I would be the third boy but I would not be the leader or even the second in command, I would have to act like the fifth wheel.

I haven't told anyone about all these messages because they told me that She might harm those that I care for. I didn't ask any further as to what "harm" means but I assume it means severely injured or you know . . . worse. But I prefer not to think about the worst part. I swipe away the message and then leave my room. Mother will get suspicious if I stay up here any longer.