Once inside the office he unrolled the door and held it against the wall, pinning it with the scatterclips. After he placed the last pin, he stepped back and watched as the door and frame grew thick and real before his eyes.

Alex hiccupped randomly and gave a shaky laugh, totally giddy and frightened that he was actually, finally, able to go see—and save—his twin. He wiped his sweaty hands on his pants, and then reached out for the doorknob, turned it, and pushed it open. He lifted his foot over the small threshold created by the space between the painting and the floor, and stepped through the opening into a dark dormitory room.

Together Again

Alex glanced over his shoulder as he pushed the 3-D door closed behind him. This door was identical to Aaron’s regular door that led into the dormitory hallway—the two doors now stood side by side like twins. Alex wondered what would happen if the 3-D drawing were removed from Mr. Today’s office wall. Would the magical door disappear? For a brief moment Alex felt claustrophobic. What if he couldn’t get back to Artimé? He shuddered and waited for his eyes to adjust completely to the dim moonlight.

There was no way Alex could do this without scaring Aaron—he knew that. Alex stood next to the bed, his stomach flipping, knees shaking. At first Alex tried to will Aaron awake, but that didn’t work. Aaron’s chest rose and fell rhythmically.

“Aaron,” Alex whispered. “It’s me.”

The boy didn’t stir.

Alex closed his eyes and breathed in a shaky breath, and then blew it out slowly and opened his eyes again. He stepped closer and touched Aaron’s arm. “Aaron,” he said a little louder. “Aaron. It’s me, Alex.”

Aaron sucked in a breath and rolled to his side. His eyes opened. Blinked.

“Aaron, wake up. It’s me. It’s … it’s Alex.”

Aaron reared up wildly, scrambling on his backside. He let out a shout. “Who’s there?”

Alex cringed. “Shhh! Aaron, it’s Alex.”

Aaron’s mouth fell open, a look of intense fear on his face. “No! Leave me alone!”

“What?”

Aaron blinked and scooted to the far corner of his bed, his face anguished. “Stop torturing me!”

“Aaron, please—keep your voice down before you wake the whole dormitory. Listen, I know you’re scared.”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not afraid of a dream. Alex is dead. Leave me alone.” He spat out the words.

This was not the way Alex had thought the conversation would go. He hadn’t known what to expect, but whatever it was, it wasn’t this.

“Aaron.” Alex sighed. He looked around the room in the dark, his eyes having adjusted now, and found a lamp. He lit it, and a low light filled the room. “I’m not dead. I came back to rescue you.”

Aaron was silent, staring. His jaw quivered as he regained control of his emotions, and soon his face took on the old familiar serious look. His voice, controlled and cold. “You have three minutes to explain yourself before I call the guards,” he said.

Alex’s mouth fell open. “You’re jok—,” he began to say, and then he realized where he was, and that of course Aaron wasn’t joking. Aaron wouldn’t even know the meaning of the word. Alex closed his mouth and sighed. “Aaron, it’s me, Alex. Your brother. Your twin. I’m not dead. But you will be soon if you don’t listen to me. If you don’t come with me. Please.”

“What are you talking about? How did you get in here?”

That cold voice. Emotion was completely gone from his brother’s face now. Aaron wasn’t glad to see Alex. Alex’s heart began to crack.

“You’d better explain.”

Alex bit his lip. Get it together. “Aaron, please …” Alex couldn’t help it. He reached out his hand. “Haven’t you missed me? Not even a little?” Hot tears sprang to Alex’s eyes. “Blast it!” He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away so Aaron wouldn’t see, and then sank down to sit on the edge of Aaron’s bed. He took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out again. “I miss you,” he whispered.

Aaron’s face softened, the tiniest bit. “Alex,” he said, “if you aren’t a dream, where have you been hiding all this time? Did you escape from the Eliminators? How could you survive this long? This is impossible.”

Alex knew he had to do this right. It was his only chance. He turned back toward his brother when he had composed himself, and he spoke evenly, like he had done when he lived in Quill. “If I tell you, you must promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes. He was quiet for a moment. “All right.”

“I live in a secret world. A wonderful, magical world of art and creativity.”

Aaron stared. “Now I know for sure that I’m dreaming.”

“It’s a world very different from Quill. We have fun there. We paint and draw and listen to music.…”

“I have no idea what you are talking about. Or what you want from me.”

“I want you to be with me, Aaron. Remember when we made houses in the mud with the bone? Do you? That’s called drawing. You loved it, I could tell! But you were too good … too good to admit it, even to yourself.”

Something flashed across Aaron’s face and disappeared into a frown. “I had no infractions.” His voice was cold again.

“You are like me, Aaron, whether you believe it or not. If you come with me right now, I will show you.”