341
Sometimes she found the happiest, most upbeat music and plugged in her headphones, turned the volume up.
Sometimes even that wasn't enough to lift her spirits.
Sometimes even that wasn't enough to lift her spirits.
Flamed and earthy light
Hope walked along the candlelit path. Her bare feet felt the alternating sensations of cold dew on the cobblestones and licking heat from the flames. She walked slowly, heel to toe, heel to toe, her toes curling against the stones. Her white gown brushed around her ankles and she hunched her shoulders against the chilled breeze.
She took a deep breath and walked down a few steps. She sat down and looked far out over the water. There was a green light she could see on someone’s dock at the opposite side of the lake. She didn’t know who lived over there, but that light shone every night.
She took a deep breath and walked down a few steps. She sat down and looked far out over the water. There was a green light she could see on someone’s dock at the opposite side of the lake. She didn’t know who lived over there, but that light shone every night.
Conflict of interest
"Tell me again. Explain to me what happened." Charlotte sat with her arms crossed over her chest and one leg crossed over the other. She stared at Casey not in an angry way, but with a concentrated effort of control. This was Charlotte's go-to posture when she felt frustrated.
Casey paced back and forth across the room. "He told me not to do it. Said I should leave him alone." She turned and shrugged. "I don't know, Charlotte. What should I have done?"
"Healed his leg."
"He told me to get away from him."
"He's hurt."
"Yeah." Casey sighed. "It's not fatal. Luke will be fine. It's just that he's a Traveler, and with a hurt leg...he should have let me help him."
Charlotte ran her fingers through her hair and stood up. "I don't get it. Why didn't he want you to?"
Casey stopped pacing and turned to face Charlotte. "Oh, you know why. He doesn't want to be Aware. He needs those brief breaks, even if he doesn't realize that he's taking a break."
"No." Charlotte shook her head. "There's gotta be more than that." Now she started pacing the room. "I haven't talked to him in a while...over there...but I know him. Luke would be okay with knowing. He'd want to help, even over there."
"Well, he's your friend. Maybe you should go talk to him."
Charlotte scowled. "I wouldn't say we're friends."
"You grew up in the same neighborhood. Fine. Whatever." Casey pulled on her coat. "All I'm saying is, maybe he'll listen to you." She pulled her straight golden hair over the collar.
"Do you know where he is now?"
"He's staying downtown at the shelter. Needs to rest more while his leg is hurt."
"Okay."
"So are you going to go see him?"
Charlotte nodded. "I don't know that I can change his mind, but I'll talk to him."
"Good. If you need me, I'll be in the west end. Just send a message over."
"Thanks."
Casey left and Charlotte put on her coat. She pulled the zipper up all the way to her chin and tugged the hood over her head. She walked out into the street and plunged her hands into her pockets as freezing wind whipped about her.
Her stride was purposeful, one footstep firmly followed another. She stared straight ahead as she walked--not that many people were outside anyway.
The crossing over business annoyed Charlotte, probably because most everyone else had a choice. Since Charlotte could remember her dreams, she saw glimpses of this world. She never had a choice: she knew of one ordinary world and another world bursting with monsters. And she knew that soon the worlds would collide and blend together. Monsters here, monsters over there.
Luke thought he could find a way to stop it. That's why he joined the Travelers. He traveled the Earth looking for a way to keep the worlds separate. His personal mission. Luke spoke with wise men, old women, and young children. He listened to advice from the wealthy and memorized the proverbs of the poor. He has walked on every major land mass and found nothing. And now he was in a shelter resting a broken leg, refusing to let his counterpart know the whole story of what was going on. Luke had a good heart, but he was stubborn.
Charlotte tensed her shoulders against the cold. She pulled open the door to the shelter and stepped inside. She glanced around the room and her eyes settled on a young man in the corner with his foot propped up on a chair. Charlotte walked around the huddles of people over to Luke.
They were the same age, but their work made both of them look older. Charlotte had dark circles under her eyes from restless nights. Her face was often tense and slow to smile. Luke's dark brown beard matched his messy hair, and the beard made him look at least five years older. Clean shaven, he probably looked 15.
In the other world, Charlotte and Luke are graduating from high school this year. But on this side, their efforts to stay alive and do something to help humanity has taken a physical toll, and Charlotte knew they all suffered spiritually as well.
"Hi Luke." Charlotte pulled up a chair and sat across from Luke.
He glanced up from his notebook where he was scribbling notes. "Charlotte. Hey." Luke closed the notebook and sat up in his chair. He cleared his throat. "What brings you here?"
Charlotte looked at his propped-up leg. "What happened to your leg?"
"Accident. Bad fall when I coming back to the city."
Charlotte lightly tapped the cast. "Will you be wearing this for a while?"
Luke nodded. "The doctor said it'll be a few weeks."
"And you're okay with that?"
Luke shrugged. "Sure, what am I supposed to do?"
Charlotte looked around and then whispered. "I know Casey offered to help you."
"Ugh." Luke lipped his lips and responded, "I thought maybe she'd send you here."
Charlotte leaned back in her chair. "She didn't specifically send me, okay? But I don't get it. She could have you up and walking a few minutes. Why wait around with a cast on your leg?"
"The alternative is revealing everything to my counterpart. I don't want him to know about the nightmare over here."
Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest and crossed one leg over the other. "You know he probably has nightmares about it anyway. Might as well let him in on the whole thing."
Luke shook his head. "No. Let him have a normal life while he still can."
"The earlier he has this information, the better he'll be prepared for the Merge. You want to give him the best chance over there, don't you?"
"Yes, of course I do." Luke shook his head. "Look, I'm stuck either way. I'm afraid if he knows, he'll look for a way to stop what's going to happen. That's exactly what I did, and we're exactly the same person. But he can't just get up and look for a solution over there."
"And there's something else?"
Luke looked at Charlotte and nodded. "I don't want him to go looking when I know he won't find anything. I did all that work. I haven't found a single thing that could help us."
"Fair enough. But he's going to find out at some point."
"Then he'll find out when he's supposed to find out."
Charlotte took a deep breath. "I fear I'm going to be the one to tell him."
Luke jerked his head in surprise. "What?"
Charlotte shrugged, a look of confusion on her face. "Those words just came out, I'm sorry."
"Automatically."
Charlotte nodded.
"A prophecy. I thought they didn't come over you like that anymore."
"I don't know, I guess they do. Not like we have guides for how this works."
"Well." Luke opened up his notebook and sighed. "I guess we have our answer then. Casey isn't supposed to help me."
"Fine." Charlotte stood up. "I guess we're done. I knew I wasn't going to change your mind."
"That's why you're a Prophet."
Luke grinned at her.
"Yes, well. I'll leave you alone then." Charlotte took a step to walk away and then turned back to Luke. "Hey, if you need anything, I'll be in town, okay? You know how to reach me."
"Thank you, Charlotte."
"Take care, Luke."
Charlotte left the shelter to enter the icy winter air again. That was it, then. Casey wasn't meant to heal Luke. The other world's Luke would would stay in the dark--or the light, rather--for a little longer.
Casey paced back and forth across the room. "He told me not to do it. Said I should leave him alone." She turned and shrugged. "I don't know, Charlotte. What should I have done?"
"Healed his leg."
"He told me to get away from him."
"He's hurt."
"Yeah." Casey sighed. "It's not fatal. Luke will be fine. It's just that he's a Traveler, and with a hurt leg...he should have let me help him."
Charlotte ran her fingers through her hair and stood up. "I don't get it. Why didn't he want you to?"
Casey stopped pacing and turned to face Charlotte. "Oh, you know why. He doesn't want to be Aware. He needs those brief breaks, even if he doesn't realize that he's taking a break."
"No." Charlotte shook her head. "There's gotta be more than that." Now she started pacing the room. "I haven't talked to him in a while...over there...but I know him. Luke would be okay with knowing. He'd want to help, even over there."
"Well, he's your friend. Maybe you should go talk to him."
Charlotte scowled. "I wouldn't say we're friends."
"You grew up in the same neighborhood. Fine. Whatever." Casey pulled on her coat. "All I'm saying is, maybe he'll listen to you." She pulled her straight golden hair over the collar.
"Do you know where he is now?"
"He's staying downtown at the shelter. Needs to rest more while his leg is hurt."
"Okay."
"So are you going to go see him?"
Charlotte nodded. "I don't know that I can change his mind, but I'll talk to him."
"Good. If you need me, I'll be in the west end. Just send a message over."
"Thanks."
Casey left and Charlotte put on her coat. She pulled the zipper up all the way to her chin and tugged the hood over her head. She walked out into the street and plunged her hands into her pockets as freezing wind whipped about her.
Her stride was purposeful, one footstep firmly followed another. She stared straight ahead as she walked--not that many people were outside anyway.
The crossing over business annoyed Charlotte, probably because most everyone else had a choice. Since Charlotte could remember her dreams, she saw glimpses of this world. She never had a choice: she knew of one ordinary world and another world bursting with monsters. And she knew that soon the worlds would collide and blend together. Monsters here, monsters over there.
Luke thought he could find a way to stop it. That's why he joined the Travelers. He traveled the Earth looking for a way to keep the worlds separate. His personal mission. Luke spoke with wise men, old women, and young children. He listened to advice from the wealthy and memorized the proverbs of the poor. He has walked on every major land mass and found nothing. And now he was in a shelter resting a broken leg, refusing to let his counterpart know the whole story of what was going on. Luke had a good heart, but he was stubborn.
Charlotte tensed her shoulders against the cold. She pulled open the door to the shelter and stepped inside. She glanced around the room and her eyes settled on a young man in the corner with his foot propped up on a chair. Charlotte walked around the huddles of people over to Luke.
They were the same age, but their work made both of them look older. Charlotte had dark circles under her eyes from restless nights. Her face was often tense and slow to smile. Luke's dark brown beard matched his messy hair, and the beard made him look at least five years older. Clean shaven, he probably looked 15.
In the other world, Charlotte and Luke are graduating from high school this year. But on this side, their efforts to stay alive and do something to help humanity has taken a physical toll, and Charlotte knew they all suffered spiritually as well.
"Hi Luke." Charlotte pulled up a chair and sat across from Luke.
He glanced up from his notebook where he was scribbling notes. "Charlotte. Hey." Luke closed the notebook and sat up in his chair. He cleared his throat. "What brings you here?"
Charlotte looked at his propped-up leg. "What happened to your leg?"
"Accident. Bad fall when I coming back to the city."
Charlotte lightly tapped the cast. "Will you be wearing this for a while?"
Luke nodded. "The doctor said it'll be a few weeks."
"And you're okay with that?"
Luke shrugged. "Sure, what am I supposed to do?"
Charlotte looked around and then whispered. "I know Casey offered to help you."
"Ugh." Luke lipped his lips and responded, "I thought maybe she'd send you here."
Charlotte leaned back in her chair. "She didn't specifically send me, okay? But I don't get it. She could have you up and walking a few minutes. Why wait around with a cast on your leg?"
"The alternative is revealing everything to my counterpart. I don't want him to know about the nightmare over here."
Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest and crossed one leg over the other. "You know he probably has nightmares about it anyway. Might as well let him in on the whole thing."
Luke shook his head. "No. Let him have a normal life while he still can."
"The earlier he has this information, the better he'll be prepared for the Merge. You want to give him the best chance over there, don't you?"
"Yes, of course I do." Luke shook his head. "Look, I'm stuck either way. I'm afraid if he knows, he'll look for a way to stop what's going to happen. That's exactly what I did, and we're exactly the same person. But he can't just get up and look for a solution over there."
"And there's something else?"
Luke looked at Charlotte and nodded. "I don't want him to go looking when I know he won't find anything. I did all that work. I haven't found a single thing that could help us."
"Fair enough. But he's going to find out at some point."
"Then he'll find out when he's supposed to find out."
Charlotte took a deep breath. "I fear I'm going to be the one to tell him."
Luke jerked his head in surprise. "What?"
Charlotte shrugged, a look of confusion on her face. "Those words just came out, I'm sorry."
"Automatically."
Charlotte nodded.
"A prophecy. I thought they didn't come over you like that anymore."
"I don't know, I guess they do. Not like we have guides for how this works."
"Well." Luke opened up his notebook and sighed. "I guess we have our answer then. Casey isn't supposed to help me."
"Fine." Charlotte stood up. "I guess we're done. I knew I wasn't going to change your mind."
"That's why you're a Prophet."
Luke grinned at her.
"Yes, well. I'll leave you alone then." Charlotte took a step to walk away and then turned back to Luke. "Hey, if you need anything, I'll be in town, okay? You know how to reach me."
"Thank you, Charlotte."
"Take care, Luke."
Charlotte left the shelter to enter the icy winter air again. That was it, then. Casey wasn't meant to heal Luke. The other world's Luke would would stay in the dark--or the light, rather--for a little longer.
On abandoning books
I’m reading Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. I picked it up at a used book sale because the title sounded familiar in the sense that I had heard good things about this book. (Don’t ask me when or from whom I heard these good reviews...something in my mind said, “Go for it. Get the book.” For two dollars, I had nothing to lose.) I’m about half way through it, and I love bits of the story, but I wonder if I want to finish the book.
The structure is really interesting, that’s one thing that keeps me reading. The author is himself in the story (or maybe a character of himself, I’m not sure) who goes to Ukraine to find his ancestors’ home village and thank the woman who helped his distant relatives escape the Nazis. Jonathan (the author) meets up with an interpreter/translator named Alex. Some of the chapters are Jonathan recounting parts of his relatives’ lives in Ukraine, passages of his family history. Other chapters are Alex’s translations into (broken/awkward) English about the trip he and Jonathan take to research the family, and the rest are letters that Alex writes to Jonathan about the progress of the book they’re working on together (aka the book I’m reading). The story is about writing the book, which reminds me of One Thousand Years of Solitude and that’s all well and good.
Jonathan’s writing is beautiful and touching at times, and it’s fun to read Alex’s translations...his word usage isn’t correct all the time but I still understand everything he’s saying. But I’m bored with the characters.
My favorite character in the book so far is Jonathan’s great-great-great-(great?)-grandfather, Yankel. But Yankel died (of old age, nothing surprising) and now I’m left with this handful of characters I mostly don’t care about and find interesting only some of the time.
And my question is, am I wasting my time if I read the rest of the story?
The thing about school and college was, we had to read novels through to the end (or Sparknote them, whatever. I felt bad shrugging off the work so I always read the novel). I had a reason, a necessity to read books through to the end, even if I didn’t like them. I don’t have to do that anymore. If I’m reading for myself, should I force myself to keep reading a story I don’t like?
With movies, I have a rule. If I’m watching a movie and I don’t like it after twenty minutes, it’s okay to turn it off. I give the film it’s fair chance and if it’s not something I want to watch, I don’t have to waste time watching the rest of it. Move on and it’s fine. I don’t have a rule like that with books that I stick to. I’ve said I’ll give a book one hundred pages to interest me. I think that’s fair. I was reading Dune by Frank Herbert, and that’s what I did, put it away after one hundred pages. I liked the story but it was going so slowly. I trudged through the first hundred or so pages and I didn’t feel like forcing myself to read hundreds more. I feel bad because it’s supposedly one of the greatest science fiction novels ever, but I was falling asleep in the middle of chapters, the way I used to fall asleep reading history textbooks. I don’t see the point in doing that if I don’t have to.
And then there’s C.S. Lewis. In Mere Christianity, he says, “It is a very silly idea that in reading a book you must never ‘skip.’ All sensible people skip freely when they come to a chapter which they find is going to be of no use to them.” (Yes, I bothered looking up the quote.) I understand what he means if he’s talking about non-fiction. If I’m reading a book about ancient Egyptians, I can skip the chapter on government structure if I’m interested in religious rituals. But I don’t see how I can skip around the same way in novels. Surely I’d miss things in the story that would relate to later chapters that I would be reading. I might skim over passages or skip halfway down a page. But whole chapters? I don’t see how I could do that and still know what’s happening in the story.
So then I’m stuck. Do I keep reading Everything Is Illuminated? The other difficulty is, I have a stack of books on my shelf, waiting to be read. I’m interested in some of those more than what I’m reading now, but I don’t like reading more than one book at a time. Invariably, I ignore the book I like less and it’s like I’m reading one book at a time anyway. I guess I will keep reading and hope that the second half is better than the first half. Maybe I’ll skip a passage here and there.
It’s times like these when I wish I had special alien powers like Allen Strange. (I wonder who else remembers that show.) He could flip through a book once and read it that fast, as he was flipping the pages. I could get through a hundred pages in a few seconds and be done with this book. It’s not about reading, it’s about time.
In another sense of abandoning books...I’ve been considering getting an e-book reader. I like the convenience of having access to so many books without needing the physical space to keep them. I like that on the Kindle you can borrow e-books from public libraries. But like I said, I have a stack of printed books that will keep me busy for a while. I don’t spend that much time reading and I do live close to the library, so having access to a lot of books isn’t an issue for me.And then there’s the Printed Word Pledge. I haven’t officially signed my name to it, but I do feel bad about making the switch to digital books, even if my reading habit would really be a hybrid of physical and digital books. I’m talking around in circles again, it happens.
The structure is really interesting, that’s one thing that keeps me reading. The author is himself in the story (or maybe a character of himself, I’m not sure) who goes to Ukraine to find his ancestors’ home village and thank the woman who helped his distant relatives escape the Nazis. Jonathan (the author) meets up with an interpreter/translator named Alex. Some of the chapters are Jonathan recounting parts of his relatives’ lives in Ukraine, passages of his family history. Other chapters are Alex’s translations into (broken/awkward) English about the trip he and Jonathan take to research the family, and the rest are letters that Alex writes to Jonathan about the progress of the book they’re working on together (aka the book I’m reading). The story is about writing the book, which reminds me of One Thousand Years of Solitude and that’s all well and good.
Jonathan’s writing is beautiful and touching at times, and it’s fun to read Alex’s translations...his word usage isn’t correct all the time but I still understand everything he’s saying. But I’m bored with the characters.
My favorite character in the book so far is Jonathan’s great-great-great-(great?)-grandfather, Yankel. But Yankel died (of old age, nothing surprising) and now I’m left with this handful of characters I mostly don’t care about and find interesting only some of the time.
And my question is, am I wasting my time if I read the rest of the story?
The thing about school and college was, we had to read novels through to the end (or Sparknote them, whatever. I felt bad shrugging off the work so I always read the novel). I had a reason, a necessity to read books through to the end, even if I didn’t like them. I don’t have to do that anymore. If I’m reading for myself, should I force myself to keep reading a story I don’t like?
With movies, I have a rule. If I’m watching a movie and I don’t like it after twenty minutes, it’s okay to turn it off. I give the film it’s fair chance and if it’s not something I want to watch, I don’t have to waste time watching the rest of it. Move on and it’s fine. I don’t have a rule like that with books that I stick to. I’ve said I’ll give a book one hundred pages to interest me. I think that’s fair. I was reading Dune by Frank Herbert, and that’s what I did, put it away after one hundred pages. I liked the story but it was going so slowly. I trudged through the first hundred or so pages and I didn’t feel like forcing myself to read hundreds more. I feel bad because it’s supposedly one of the greatest science fiction novels ever, but I was falling asleep in the middle of chapters, the way I used to fall asleep reading history textbooks. I don’t see the point in doing that if I don’t have to.
And then there’s C.S. Lewis. In Mere Christianity, he says, “It is a very silly idea that in reading a book you must never ‘skip.’ All sensible people skip freely when they come to a chapter which they find is going to be of no use to them.” (Yes, I bothered looking up the quote.) I understand what he means if he’s talking about non-fiction. If I’m reading a book about ancient Egyptians, I can skip the chapter on government structure if I’m interested in religious rituals. But I don’t see how I can skip around the same way in novels. Surely I’d miss things in the story that would relate to later chapters that I would be reading. I might skim over passages or skip halfway down a page. But whole chapters? I don’t see how I could do that and still know what’s happening in the story.
So then I’m stuck. Do I keep reading Everything Is Illuminated? The other difficulty is, I have a stack of books on my shelf, waiting to be read. I’m interested in some of those more than what I’m reading now, but I don’t like reading more than one book at a time. Invariably, I ignore the book I like less and it’s like I’m reading one book at a time anyway. I guess I will keep reading and hope that the second half is better than the first half. Maybe I’ll skip a passage here and there.
It’s times like these when I wish I had special alien powers like Allen Strange. (I wonder who else remembers that show.) He could flip through a book once and read it that fast, as he was flipping the pages. I could get through a hundred pages in a few seconds and be done with this book. It’s not about reading, it’s about time.
In another sense of abandoning books...I’ve been considering getting an e-book reader. I like the convenience of having access to so many books without needing the physical space to keep them. I like that on the Kindle you can borrow e-books from public libraries. But like I said, I have a stack of printed books that will keep me busy for a while. I don’t spend that much time reading and I do live close to the library, so having access to a lot of books isn’t an issue for me.And then there’s the Printed Word Pledge. I haven’t officially signed my name to it, but I do feel bad about making the switch to digital books, even if my reading habit would really be a hybrid of physical and digital books. I’m talking around in circles again, it happens.
Crossing over
Charlotte hadn’t spoken to Luke in five years, but there she was at his door. “Luke, we have to go. Now.”
Luke shook his head. “What do you mean? Where do you want to go?”
Charlotte stared at him. Luke could never read her facial expressions. She wore a blank stare most of the time, but something about her hinted at her mind working, always reeling.
“Luke, the monsters are coming.” She reached forward and grabbed his hand. “I know it doesn’t make sense, but you have to trust me.”
Then Charlotte looked at Luke, her brilliant eyes clear, and somehow he knew she meant what she said. He knew it was true. Do you know how sometimes you listen to a person, you agree with her automatically? Not because you know what she’s talking about but because somehow, you know the person is absolutely right. Luke didn’t know what monsters Charlotte was talking about, but he believed her. He grabbed his cell phone and wallet and stuffed them into his jacket pockets. He followed her out into the hallway, locking the door behind him. “Charlotte, what’s going on?” Luke asked. He pressed the down button on the elevator.
Charlotte shook her head. “It’s difficult to explain. Let’s get somewhere safe first.”
They went down to the street and Charlotte led Luke around the corner. They kept walking, out past the school, past the movie theater. The streets were full of rush-hour traffic and the sidewalks were crowded. They walked through Stevens Park and out to the old business sector beyond the park.
Luke looked up at the rusted fence and down to the twisted weeds where metal met pavement. The gate was unlocked and Charlotte led him into the compound.
“Charlotte--”
“Shhh.”
They walked to one of the abandoned buildings. The side door’s lock was busted and they walked inside. Charlotte pulled a flashlight out of her backpack and led the way down the stairs. Luke expected the cellar to be cold and maybe a little damp, but it felt comfortable instead. Lived in. Charlotte picked up a lighter on the table and lit the standing candles. A dim glow spread through the room. One side of the room had blankets down on the floor and some spare clothes piled on a chair. The walls were covered in paper, photos, and newspaper articles. Luke stared and squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what this place was.
“Charlotte, why did we come here?”
“We needed to get away from the city.” She moved two wooden chairs to the table and then motioned for Luke to sit down. “Away from all those people.” Charlotte sat down and pulled her legs up onto the chair seat, hugging her knees. “Remember, I said the monsters are coming. They come from here.” She tapped her forehead. “They’re going to come out and the ones who have to fight will be off guard. At least here, we put some space between us.”
Luke shook his head. He wanted to think that Charlotte was crazy, that this was one of the unhinged states she had as a child. But she sounded so level-headed. He played along. “What if a monster comes out of me?”
“I’d have to fight.” Charlotte’s eyes flicked to the corner behind Luke. “But I don’t think there are any monsters in you.”
Luke twisted around in his chair to see the corner where Charlotte was looking. The candle flames sent flickering shadows against the far wall, but he could make out a baseball bat, a crowbar, and something metal that glinted even in the dim light. “...Is that a gun on the floor?”
Charlotte’s voice was flat. “Like I said, we don’t need to worry about you.”
“Okay.” Luke took a deep breath, the heavy scent of candle wax filing his nostrils. “So why are these monsters coming now?”
Charlotte stood up and walked over to the newspaper-covered wall. “It’s time. I...I don’t know how to explain this to you. It’s the kind of thing that you know only if you know. Otherwise, you have no idea what’s going on.”
Luke stood up and walked over to Charlotte. “And how do you know?”
Charlotte tapped the side of her head. “Monsters in some of their heads, but there’s something different inside of me. Not just me. There are others.” She looked sideways at Luke. “There’s a world some of us enter when we sleep. It mirrors this one, but time moves differently there. Faster. It’s ahead of this world, and now’s the time when the monsters come out here.”
Luke rubbed a hand over his eyes. “You know this sounds crazy, right? I don’t mean to be rude, but Charlotte, come on.”
Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “Lots of people feel that something is wrong.” She pointed at the wall. “Political protests. Social movements.” Her fingers moved over the articles and photos, tapping each one. “Economic suffering. Cities are in a state of unrest. Something is shifting, moving. Rising.” She turned and looked at Luke. “Don’t you feel like something’s off in the world? That some sort of change is coming?”
“I don’t know Charlotte. Is this change supposed to happen tonight? I guess I don’t understand how something like this can happen and everything will be different tomorrow.”
“It isn’t sudden. Things have been progressing. We’ve been building up to this point.”
“If you say so.” Luke walked back to the chair and Charlotte sat back down too. “So why did you come get me?”
Charlotte lifted her eyes to meet Luke’s. “It’s something that I did not expect. I didn’t think I would have anyone with me to face the Rising, but then I saw you.”
“In the other world?”
Charlotte nodded. “You would say I had a dream about it, but that’s not it. We were traveling together, so I knew I had to find you in this world. I had to come back for you.”
“Not so much a dream as a vision.”
“What?”
“If the other world moves ahead of ours, then what happens there will be the future here, right? So you can see the future.”
Charlotte shook her head. “It’s no that straight-forward, but I see what you mean. Yes, that’s why I went to the apartment for you. But that won’t work anymore. When the monsters cross into our world, the timelines will be linked. Fixed together.”
“How much time do we have?”
Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, but not much. I don’t have dreams about the future anymore.”
Luke shook his head. “What do you mean? Where do you want to go?”
Charlotte stared at him. Luke could never read her facial expressions. She wore a blank stare most of the time, but something about her hinted at her mind working, always reeling.
“Luke, the monsters are coming.” She reached forward and grabbed his hand. “I know it doesn’t make sense, but you have to trust me.”
Then Charlotte looked at Luke, her brilliant eyes clear, and somehow he knew she meant what she said. He knew it was true. Do you know how sometimes you listen to a person, you agree with her automatically? Not because you know what she’s talking about but because somehow, you know the person is absolutely right. Luke didn’t know what monsters Charlotte was talking about, but he believed her. He grabbed his cell phone and wallet and stuffed them into his jacket pockets. He followed her out into the hallway, locking the door behind him. “Charlotte, what’s going on?” Luke asked. He pressed the down button on the elevator.
Charlotte shook her head. “It’s difficult to explain. Let’s get somewhere safe first.”
They went down to the street and Charlotte led Luke around the corner. They kept walking, out past the school, past the movie theater. The streets were full of rush-hour traffic and the sidewalks were crowded. They walked through Stevens Park and out to the old business sector beyond the park.
Luke looked up at the rusted fence and down to the twisted weeds where metal met pavement. The gate was unlocked and Charlotte led him into the compound.
“Charlotte--”
“Shhh.”
They walked to one of the abandoned buildings. The side door’s lock was busted and they walked inside. Charlotte pulled a flashlight out of her backpack and led the way down the stairs. Luke expected the cellar to be cold and maybe a little damp, but it felt comfortable instead. Lived in. Charlotte picked up a lighter on the table and lit the standing candles. A dim glow spread through the room. One side of the room had blankets down on the floor and some spare clothes piled on a chair. The walls were covered in paper, photos, and newspaper articles. Luke stared and squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what this place was.
“Charlotte, why did we come here?”
“We needed to get away from the city.” She moved two wooden chairs to the table and then motioned for Luke to sit down. “Away from all those people.” Charlotte sat down and pulled her legs up onto the chair seat, hugging her knees. “Remember, I said the monsters are coming. They come from here.” She tapped her forehead. “They’re going to come out and the ones who have to fight will be off guard. At least here, we put some space between us.”
Luke shook his head. He wanted to think that Charlotte was crazy, that this was one of the unhinged states she had as a child. But she sounded so level-headed. He played along. “What if a monster comes out of me?”
“I’d have to fight.” Charlotte’s eyes flicked to the corner behind Luke. “But I don’t think there are any monsters in you.”
Luke twisted around in his chair to see the corner where Charlotte was looking. The candle flames sent flickering shadows against the far wall, but he could make out a baseball bat, a crowbar, and something metal that glinted even in the dim light. “...Is that a gun on the floor?”
Charlotte’s voice was flat. “Like I said, we don’t need to worry about you.”
“Okay.” Luke took a deep breath, the heavy scent of candle wax filing his nostrils. “So why are these monsters coming now?”
Charlotte stood up and walked over to the newspaper-covered wall. “It’s time. I...I don’t know how to explain this to you. It’s the kind of thing that you know only if you know. Otherwise, you have no idea what’s going on.”
Luke stood up and walked over to Charlotte. “And how do you know?”
Charlotte tapped the side of her head. “Monsters in some of their heads, but there’s something different inside of me. Not just me. There are others.” She looked sideways at Luke. “There’s a world some of us enter when we sleep. It mirrors this one, but time moves differently there. Faster. It’s ahead of this world, and now’s the time when the monsters come out here.”
Luke rubbed a hand over his eyes. “You know this sounds crazy, right? I don’t mean to be rude, but Charlotte, come on.”
Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “Lots of people feel that something is wrong.” She pointed at the wall. “Political protests. Social movements.” Her fingers moved over the articles and photos, tapping each one. “Economic suffering. Cities are in a state of unrest. Something is shifting, moving. Rising.” She turned and looked at Luke. “Don’t you feel like something’s off in the world? That some sort of change is coming?”
“I don’t know Charlotte. Is this change supposed to happen tonight? I guess I don’t understand how something like this can happen and everything will be different tomorrow.”
“It isn’t sudden. Things have been progressing. We’ve been building up to this point.”
“If you say so.” Luke walked back to the chair and Charlotte sat back down too. “So why did you come get me?”
Charlotte lifted her eyes to meet Luke’s. “It’s something that I did not expect. I didn’t think I would have anyone with me to face the Rising, but then I saw you.”
“In the other world?”
Charlotte nodded. “You would say I had a dream about it, but that’s not it. We were traveling together, so I knew I had to find you in this world. I had to come back for you.”
“Not so much a dream as a vision.”
“What?”
“If the other world moves ahead of ours, then what happens there will be the future here, right? So you can see the future.”
Charlotte shook her head. “It’s no that straight-forward, but I see what you mean. Yes, that’s why I went to the apartment for you. But that won’t work anymore. When the monsters cross into our world, the timelines will be linked. Fixed together.”
“How much time do we have?”
Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, but not much. I don’t have dreams about the future anymore.”
328
I'm trying to be patient, I am, but I talk to myself in the car on the way home from work, and those are the only decent conversations I have anymore. I could do with a friend.
Scary place
I heard the engine of my car stutter, and then the ignition cut out. I shifted into neutral and guided the car to the side of the road. I parked and turned off my headlights.
Great, I thought, this is just great. I sighed and unbuckled my seat belt. I pulled my purse from the floor and took out my cellphone, flipping it open. The screen blinked "Low battery" twice, and then turned off. I pushed the power button but nothing happened. Dead phone. I pushed it back into my purse and turned around in the seat. At least I just passed a gas station just back around the curve.
I looked around outside, but I couldn't see anything. The sky was pitch black and there weren't any street lights here. I pulled on my jacket, picked up my purse and stepped outside of the car. I shut the door and locked it.
The air felt damp around me and then I realized it was mist blowing through the air. I pulled my hood up. I walked back toward the gas station, and I noticed my senses were primed. I heard the gravel skittle beneath my feet and a rustling breeze through the cornstalks to my left. The air smelled brisk and sharp, autumn in its prime. I kept walking, looking forward and back to see if anyone else was around.
I hoped I was the only one out there. I walked around the curve of the road and I saw the flickering neon sign up ahead. A sickening shade of yellow, almost-orange that shone through the mist.
I crossed to the other side of the road and then I heard a louder rustling in the cornstalks where I just stood. I froze with my back to the street. The gas station was open, I could tell from here. I wanted to walk in and ask the clerk if I could use his phone, but my feet wouldn't move. Maybe what I felt was left over from primal instincts. If I don't move, it won't see me. I thought the instinct we were supposed to keep was fight or flight. In my mind, I reminded myself how silly this was. No one was out there. Nothing was in the cornstalks. It was my imagination, frightened thoughts mixing with the chilling atmosphere.
And yet I heard something take a breath, my ears were so sensitive. I heard the gravel shift, something moving its feet.
I looked ahead and counted the steps to the clerk's desk. How fast could I get there? Would that thing behind me chase me?
I needed to look over my shoulder to see what was there. Probably nothing, and later I'd laugh about how I scared myself.
But if there was something standing there, watching me?
I could almost feel it waiting for my move. I took a deep breath and ran for the neon lights, full sprint.
The growl started low, guttural, and it grew into something like a roar.
Great, I thought, this is just great. I sighed and unbuckled my seat belt. I pulled my purse from the floor and took out my cellphone, flipping it open. The screen blinked "Low battery" twice, and then turned off. I pushed the power button but nothing happened. Dead phone. I pushed it back into my purse and turned around in the seat. At least I just passed a gas station just back around the curve.
I looked around outside, but I couldn't see anything. The sky was pitch black and there weren't any street lights here. I pulled on my jacket, picked up my purse and stepped outside of the car. I shut the door and locked it.
The air felt damp around me and then I realized it was mist blowing through the air. I pulled my hood up. I walked back toward the gas station, and I noticed my senses were primed. I heard the gravel skittle beneath my feet and a rustling breeze through the cornstalks to my left. The air smelled brisk and sharp, autumn in its prime. I kept walking, looking forward and back to see if anyone else was around.
I hoped I was the only one out there. I walked around the curve of the road and I saw the flickering neon sign up ahead. A sickening shade of yellow, almost-orange that shone through the mist.
I crossed to the other side of the road and then I heard a louder rustling in the cornstalks where I just stood. I froze with my back to the street. The gas station was open, I could tell from here. I wanted to walk in and ask the clerk if I could use his phone, but my feet wouldn't move. Maybe what I felt was left over from primal instincts. If I don't move, it won't see me. I thought the instinct we were supposed to keep was fight or flight. In my mind, I reminded myself how silly this was. No one was out there. Nothing was in the cornstalks. It was my imagination, frightened thoughts mixing with the chilling atmosphere.
And yet I heard something take a breath, my ears were so sensitive. I heard the gravel shift, something moving its feet.
I looked ahead and counted the steps to the clerk's desk. How fast could I get there? Would that thing behind me chase me?
I needed to look over my shoulder to see what was there. Probably nothing, and later I'd laugh about how I scared myself.
But if there was something standing there, watching me?
I could almost feel it waiting for my move. I took a deep breath and ran for the neon lights, full sprint.
The growl started low, guttural, and it grew into something like a roar.
322
There are days I feel I could shift the world,
Bear its weight on my shoulders and move the Earth.
Today is not one of those days.
Bear its weight on my shoulders and move the Earth.
Today is not one of those days.
303
She grew tired of being a cog in the machine and looked for a way to slip out without grinding the gears.
302
"Come with me. I have something to show you."
Caroline always had something to show me. She grabbed my hand and I walked after her, out the back door, and across the yard to her lab. Her studio. It was both.
Caroline started undergrad in a pre-med program. Then spring semester, freshmen year, she took a painting class to fulfill a general requirement. That was the first time she painted since middle school. That was the first time her gift burst through. Two weeks into the semester, she stacked her Bio 101, Chem 101, and lab workbooks into a makeshift easel. She finished out her science classes that year and then she turned to art. She spent as many hours in the studio as she had in the lab. All the diagrams she studied freshmen year, the specimen slides from high school, and the natural processes she mapped in her mind inspired her paintings.
I catch a glimpse at a canvas she's working on, and the first thing I think of is how she's organizing biology concepts into something the mind can process and memorize. Then I take a step back and see the patterns she finds in nature and how she shapes them with her brush, and I wonder how she makes the two sides of her brain cooperate so beautifully.
Caroline always had something to show me. She grabbed my hand and I walked after her, out the back door, and across the yard to her lab. Her studio. It was both.
Caroline started undergrad in a pre-med program. Then spring semester, freshmen year, she took a painting class to fulfill a general requirement. That was the first time she painted since middle school. That was the first time her gift burst through. Two weeks into the semester, she stacked her Bio 101, Chem 101, and lab workbooks into a makeshift easel. She finished out her science classes that year and then she turned to art. She spent as many hours in the studio as she had in the lab. All the diagrams she studied freshmen year, the specimen slides from high school, and the natural processes she mapped in her mind inspired her paintings.
I catch a glimpse at a canvas she's working on, and the first thing I think of is how she's organizing biology concepts into something the mind can process and memorize. Then I take a step back and see the patterns she finds in nature and how she shapes them with her brush, and I wonder how she makes the two sides of her brain cooperate so beautifully.
301
The girl with blonde braided pig tails skipping through the field of daisies, scanning the sky for a butterfly that silhouettes against the sun.
300
When I see the morning mist hover between the trees, birds call to each other, and shafts of sunlight fall on the hills, I believe that millions of years ago, this farmland was a jungle.
299
I was blind but now I see
Something's taking over me
It lies within, buried deep
and scratches out when all fall asleep
When humans dream, I start to weep
What does it mean, to "earn one's keep"?
What value do you place on life?
How does a husband treat his wife?
What hardship can the soul endure?
How long until you wish no more?
I have seen the end of things
I know what the future brings
Those who stand there aren't alone
And they have suffered to the bone.
Something's taking over me
It lies within, buried deep
and scratches out when all fall asleep
When humans dream, I start to weep
What does it mean, to "earn one's keep"?
What value do you place on life?
How does a husband treat his wife?
What hardship can the soul endure?
How long until you wish no more?
I have seen the end of things
I know what the future brings
Those who stand there aren't alone
And they have suffered to the bone.
Mental Note
Today at work I was at my desk, doing my usual job of putting together spreadsheets when, quiet as a breeze through summer trees, a purple dragon figure perched on my desk and started talking to me.
Now, you should know that I work at the headquarters of a toy company, but things like this don't usually happen. Yes, we'll have displays of toys out, but the office culture is dull, probably more than you'd expect considering we cater to children.
But the dragon. He was pacing along the edge of my desk, explaining how he escaped the dungeon below. It took all morning to reach my desk because he had forgotten how to fly. The poor thing had to crawl up four flights of stairs.
I was thinking, this dragon is delusional. And then I thought, I'm evaluating the mental state of a toy dragon.
I'm not one to judge here.
Now, you should know that I work at the headquarters of a toy company, but things like this don't usually happen. Yes, we'll have displays of toys out, but the office culture is dull, probably more than you'd expect considering we cater to children.
But the dragon. He was pacing along the edge of my desk, explaining how he escaped the dungeon below. It took all morning to reach my desk because he had forgotten how to fly. The poor thing had to crawl up four flights of stairs.
I was thinking, this dragon is delusional. And then I thought, I'm evaluating the mental state of a toy dragon.
I'm not one to judge here.
287
She called it "Spiderman feet" when her unsocked feet stuck to the hardwood floors. Stick, unstick with every step.
277
When the page came out of the printer and she held it, she felt electricity spark through her fingers.
S33 - The Me in Team
I flew over the fence at HQ and up to Dr. Atom's lab. The window was open for me. I glided into the room and moved to the curtain at the back corner. 8th Wonder's light left my body. I pulled on a patient's robe and walked back to the center of the room.
The lights were blinking on the lab's consoles, but no one was in the room. I didn't know where they'd be taking care of Streak, so I asked Dr. Atom.
"I'm in your lab. Where are you?"
Jet appeared in the doorway. "Hey." She smiled at me. "The doc sent me. We're down in the medical wing. You can come with me."
I nodded and followed her into the hallway. "Thanks for coming to the park."
"No problem. You had everything taken care of when I got there."
"How's Streak? Is he awake?"
"Doc says he'll be fine. Streak woke up with a headache, but otherwise he's okay. Good thing you were there, though. Who knows what Mayhem would've done."
I shrugged. "Kill him."
Jet looked sideways at me. She held the door open for me, and I walked over to Ryan.
"Hey." I smiled at him and looked him over. He had a few bruises on his arms and legs, but nothing serious considering his fall.
He reached out for my hand. "Hey yourself. I hear you saved my life."
I nodded. "Part of the deal. Get superpowers, help people." I looked up as Dr. Atom came back into the room.
"Hi, Molly. Streak is going to be fine, so you don't have to worry about him. You did good work out there. Discreet. Efficient."
"Thanks. 8th Wonder and I make a great team."
Ryan sat up in the bed and Jet moved in so we were in a circle. Ryan, me, Jet, and Dr. Atom.
"About teams," Jet said, "we've got an invitation for you."
I looked over at Dr. Atom.
"What do you think, Molly? Will you join the Super Seven? We could use you on our side."
I glanced at Ryan and then replied. "I'll always be on your side, Dr. Atom. That's not the question." I shrugged. "How about I start part-time and we'll go from there."
Dr. Atom nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Ryan squeezed my hand and smiled when I looked at him. He didn't say a word, but I heard what he wanted to say: "The girl next door with a secret. Who would have guessed you'd be the blazing light in the sky?"
- fin -
The lights were blinking on the lab's consoles, but no one was in the room. I didn't know where they'd be taking care of Streak, so I asked Dr. Atom.
"I'm in your lab. Where are you?"
Jet appeared in the doorway. "Hey." She smiled at me. "The doc sent me. We're down in the medical wing. You can come with me."
I nodded and followed her into the hallway. "Thanks for coming to the park."
"No problem. You had everything taken care of when I got there."
"How's Streak? Is he awake?"
"Doc says he'll be fine. Streak woke up with a headache, but otherwise he's okay. Good thing you were there, though. Who knows what Mayhem would've done."
I shrugged. "Kill him."
Jet looked sideways at me. She held the door open for me, and I walked over to Ryan.
"Hey." I smiled at him and looked him over. He had a few bruises on his arms and legs, but nothing serious considering his fall.
He reached out for my hand. "Hey yourself. I hear you saved my life."
I nodded. "Part of the deal. Get superpowers, help people." I looked up as Dr. Atom came back into the room.
"Hi, Molly. Streak is going to be fine, so you don't have to worry about him. You did good work out there. Discreet. Efficient."
"Thanks. 8th Wonder and I make a great team."
Ryan sat up in the bed and Jet moved in so we were in a circle. Ryan, me, Jet, and Dr. Atom.
"About teams," Jet said, "we've got an invitation for you."
I looked over at Dr. Atom.
"What do you think, Molly? Will you join the Super Seven? We could use you on our side."
I glanced at Ryan and then replied. "I'll always be on your side, Dr. Atom. That's not the question." I shrugged. "How about I start part-time and we'll go from there."
Dr. Atom nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Ryan squeezed my hand and smiled when I looked at him. He didn't say a word, but I heard what he wanted to say: "The girl next door with a secret. Who would have guessed you'd be the blazing light in the sky?"
- fin -
S32 - Hands Off
At 9:55 I called 8th Wonder so that by 10, I was on the roof and ready. Ryan came up in his suit. He nodded and pulled on his mask. Then we spoke telepathically.
"Thanks for coming along tonight," he said.
"No problem. Any specific reason why you wanted me to come?"
Streak floated into the air and I followed. "We wanted to see how you do on patrol. I thought it'd be fun if you and I went together."
"By 'we' you mean the Super Seven?"
"Yes."
We rose higher in the sky and glided over the skyscrapers.
"So is this a test or are we just patrolling?"
Streak shook his head. "No, this is normal patrol. No tests planned." He turned toward East Park and I followed. Streak looked over at me and smiled. "Looks like you're comfortable flying now. Definitely doesn't seem like you've been up in the air for only a few weeks."
"Well, thank you. 8th Wonder is a good teacher." 8th Wonder smiled in my mind. "Look, Ryan, is this leading to an invitation for me to join the Super Seven? Because I'm not sure--"
"I don't know." He cut me off. "Atom hasn't said anything, but it seems like you'll get an invitation."
We were over the trees of East Park now. I could see a breeze moving through the upper branches. Night had set and I could feel a chill in the air. Streak and I circled around the park. A bolt of energy shot up into the sky. It rushed between us, closer to Streak. He turned and spun in the air. I flew over and below him as he regained his balance.
"What was that?" he asked as he straightened in the air above me.
I scanned the ground below. 8th Wonder helped me trace the energy downward. "There." I pointed. "I'll check it out." I dove downward toward the source. As I was heading down, another energy bolt rushed past me, but whoever shot it wasn't aiming at me. I turned and looked upward. Ryan! The bolt hit him square in the chest. He seemed suspended in the air for a second and then he fell.
I looked between his body and the ground. He had about a hundred feet to fall. Not much time for me to figure out what do to. What could I do? I'd set him on fire if I tried to catch him. I looked down again, but I couldn't see the source of the energy bolt. I flew over, in the area between Streak and the ground. 8th Wonder sifted through my thoughts, giving me ideas while I panicked.
I lifted my arms, or rather, 8th Wonder told me to lift my arms. Air rushed around me, up above me and around Ryan's body. I felt the whirlwind circling tightly, creating a cushion of air between Ryan and me. "This is good," I thought. "But can I...let me see." I moved out to the side and turned, holding the whirlwind under Ryan but I wasn't under him anymore. His fall slowed and I lowered him to the ground. I looked over his body. He was breathing but unconscious. "Find where that energy came from," I thought. 8th Wonder was already on it. I felt my senses strain, reaching out in every direction.
Then I felt a spark. I turned and moved so that I was between Ryan and the source of the energy. "Try to finish him if that's what you want." I thought. A dare to the open air.
A moment later, a short, fat man came out of the brush. He was wearing a black hat, black mask, and a blue vest over a black shirt and pants. The vest formed a large M over his upper body. He reminded me a little of the Burglar from those old McDonald's commercials, but I knew who this was: Mr. Mayhem.
He stopped when he moved into the clearing. "What do we have here?" He looked at me and started to circle. I saw he wore some sort of backpack with buttons and switches on the side. That's what generated the energy he shot at Streak.
I moved so that I stayed between him and Ryan.
Mr. Mayhem stopped and smiled at me. "Well, I heard the rumors, but I didn't know what to believe. Here you are, the burning woman. 8th Wonder."
I couldn't say anything to him. Didn't have anything to say anyway.
He peered around me. "I'm a good shot sometimes, but I guess you won't let me finish him off. Arrogant 'superheroes' in this city. I spent a year in jail because of Streak." He pointed at Ryan behind me. Then Mr. Mayhem laughed and paced back and forth. "Well, technically I have lots more time to spend in jail. They should tighten up security. No special powers and I got out."
I watched him carefully.
He looked up at me again. "Oh, you're new in town. Right, how rude of me. I'm Mr. Mayhem." He tipped his hat to me. "Last year I blew up Liberty Bridge and Streak there interfered. I was in my prime, in the middle of Big Plans, and then the heroes had to step in." He pulled the energy gun from his backpack and aimed at me. "Move aside."
I held my ground. 8th Wonder reassured me that I could absorb and manipulate nearly every kind of energy without getting hurt. I wasn't going to let Mayhem get past me.
"Last chance, 8th Wonder."
I didn't move.
Mayhem pulled the trigger and blue fiery energy rushed toward me. I held out my hand and the energy curved around me, dissipating in the air. He flipped a switch on the gun and shot again. This time the energy came out more focused, into a bolt. I deflected it and it shot back at Mayhem's feet. He jumped back in surprise. I shot my own energy burst at him, and he fell on to his back. I floated over his body. He was unconscious, but otherwise uninjured.
"Dr. Atom," I thought, "I'm in East Park. Streak is hurt. I stopped Mr. Mayhem. I need police, and I need one of the Super Seven for back up."
Dr. Atom replied a few seconds later. "On it. Are you hurt, Molly?"
"No, I'm fine."
I felt a rush of wind and then Jet was standing next to me. She smiled at me and gave me a small salute. She glanced at Mayhem and then knelt next to Streak. She felt his pulse at his neck and deftly moved her hands over his ribs, his arms, and his legs. "Nothing seems to be broken," she said aloud. "I can take him to back to headquarters. Will you come?"
I looked back at Mr. Mayhem.
"Oh."
A white blur circled the nearest tree, then came back toward me. Jet picked up Mayhem and then circled the tree a few more times. When Jet stopped, she walked back to Streak. I looked at Mr. Mayhem tied to the tree. Good enough until the police showed up.
"So I'll see you back at headquarters?"
I nodded.
"Okay. You did a good job here." She bent down and lifted Streak in her arms. Then she ran, air whooshing behind her.
I rose up into the air. Above the trees, I could see police cars parking on the street. They'd be untying Mr. Mayhem from the tree in seconds. I turned and flew back to HQ.
"Thanks for coming along tonight," he said.
"No problem. Any specific reason why you wanted me to come?"
Streak floated into the air and I followed. "We wanted to see how you do on patrol. I thought it'd be fun if you and I went together."
"By 'we' you mean the Super Seven?"
"Yes."
We rose higher in the sky and glided over the skyscrapers.
"So is this a test or are we just patrolling?"
Streak shook his head. "No, this is normal patrol. No tests planned." He turned toward East Park and I followed. Streak looked over at me and smiled. "Looks like you're comfortable flying now. Definitely doesn't seem like you've been up in the air for only a few weeks."
"Well, thank you. 8th Wonder is a good teacher." 8th Wonder smiled in my mind. "Look, Ryan, is this leading to an invitation for me to join the Super Seven? Because I'm not sure--"
"I don't know." He cut me off. "Atom hasn't said anything, but it seems like you'll get an invitation."
We were over the trees of East Park now. I could see a breeze moving through the upper branches. Night had set and I could feel a chill in the air. Streak and I circled around the park. A bolt of energy shot up into the sky. It rushed between us, closer to Streak. He turned and spun in the air. I flew over and below him as he regained his balance.
"What was that?" he asked as he straightened in the air above me.
I scanned the ground below. 8th Wonder helped me trace the energy downward. "There." I pointed. "I'll check it out." I dove downward toward the source. As I was heading down, another energy bolt rushed past me, but whoever shot it wasn't aiming at me. I turned and looked upward. Ryan! The bolt hit him square in the chest. He seemed suspended in the air for a second and then he fell.
I looked between his body and the ground. He had about a hundred feet to fall. Not much time for me to figure out what do to. What could I do? I'd set him on fire if I tried to catch him. I looked down again, but I couldn't see the source of the energy bolt. I flew over, in the area between Streak and the ground. 8th Wonder sifted through my thoughts, giving me ideas while I panicked.
I lifted my arms, or rather, 8th Wonder told me to lift my arms. Air rushed around me, up above me and around Ryan's body. I felt the whirlwind circling tightly, creating a cushion of air between Ryan and me. "This is good," I thought. "But can I...let me see." I moved out to the side and turned, holding the whirlwind under Ryan but I wasn't under him anymore. His fall slowed and I lowered him to the ground. I looked over his body. He was breathing but unconscious. "Find where that energy came from," I thought. 8th Wonder was already on it. I felt my senses strain, reaching out in every direction.
Then I felt a spark. I turned and moved so that I was between Ryan and the source of the energy. "Try to finish him if that's what you want." I thought. A dare to the open air.
A moment later, a short, fat man came out of the brush. He was wearing a black hat, black mask, and a blue vest over a black shirt and pants. The vest formed a large M over his upper body. He reminded me a little of the Burglar from those old McDonald's commercials, but I knew who this was: Mr. Mayhem.
He stopped when he moved into the clearing. "What do we have here?" He looked at me and started to circle. I saw he wore some sort of backpack with buttons and switches on the side. That's what generated the energy he shot at Streak.
I moved so that I stayed between him and Ryan.
Mr. Mayhem stopped and smiled at me. "Well, I heard the rumors, but I didn't know what to believe. Here you are, the burning woman. 8th Wonder."
I couldn't say anything to him. Didn't have anything to say anyway.
He peered around me. "I'm a good shot sometimes, but I guess you won't let me finish him off. Arrogant 'superheroes' in this city. I spent a year in jail because of Streak." He pointed at Ryan behind me. Then Mr. Mayhem laughed and paced back and forth. "Well, technically I have lots more time to spend in jail. They should tighten up security. No special powers and I got out."
I watched him carefully.
He looked up at me again. "Oh, you're new in town. Right, how rude of me. I'm Mr. Mayhem." He tipped his hat to me. "Last year I blew up Liberty Bridge and Streak there interfered. I was in my prime, in the middle of Big Plans, and then the heroes had to step in." He pulled the energy gun from his backpack and aimed at me. "Move aside."
I held my ground. 8th Wonder reassured me that I could absorb and manipulate nearly every kind of energy without getting hurt. I wasn't going to let Mayhem get past me.
"Last chance, 8th Wonder."
I didn't move.
Mayhem pulled the trigger and blue fiery energy rushed toward me. I held out my hand and the energy curved around me, dissipating in the air. He flipped a switch on the gun and shot again. This time the energy came out more focused, into a bolt. I deflected it and it shot back at Mayhem's feet. He jumped back in surprise. I shot my own energy burst at him, and he fell on to his back. I floated over his body. He was unconscious, but otherwise uninjured.
"Dr. Atom," I thought, "I'm in East Park. Streak is hurt. I stopped Mr. Mayhem. I need police, and I need one of the Super Seven for back up."
Dr. Atom replied a few seconds later. "On it. Are you hurt, Molly?"
"No, I'm fine."
I felt a rush of wind and then Jet was standing next to me. She smiled at me and gave me a small salute. She glanced at Mayhem and then knelt next to Streak. She felt his pulse at his neck and deftly moved her hands over his ribs, his arms, and his legs. "Nothing seems to be broken," she said aloud. "I can take him to back to headquarters. Will you come?"
I looked back at Mr. Mayhem.
"Oh."
A white blur circled the nearest tree, then came back toward me. Jet picked up Mayhem and then circled the tree a few more times. When Jet stopped, she walked back to Streak. I looked at Mr. Mayhem tied to the tree. Good enough until the police showed up.
"So I'll see you back at headquarters?"
I nodded.
"Okay. You did a good job here." She bent down and lifted Streak in her arms. Then she ran, air whooshing behind her.
I rose up into the air. Above the trees, I could see police cars parking on the street. They'd be untying Mr. Mayhem from the tree in seconds. I turned and flew back to HQ.
S31 - Before and After
For two weeks, 8th Wonder and I went out every other night. She said we have to be careful until my body is used to the energy I expend when I'm with her. We're building up to an optimal level.
I'm in superhero training. That's something I wouldn't have guessed a few months ago.
But it's been going well. Transitioning (that's what I'm calling it when I go from normal to burning/glowing to normal) has been faster and smoother. My mind is so close with 8th Wonder's now that when we're communicating, it feels more like a single stream of thoughts than two sides of a conversation. It's scary, but it's also exciting. We synchronize, harmonize with each other.
Last night I asked 8th Wonder what she did before she found me. I know there were sightings of her before I had blackouts. I guessed that she had another host body, and she said I was correct.
"So what happened to them?" I asked. I couldn't help thinking about burnt bodies, with no explanation of what happened, but 8th Wonder reassured me that wasn't the case.
"I did go to other people before you," she said. "But when I realized we were not compatible, I simply searched for someone else. I did no harm to the ones before you."
"Did they have blackouts like I did at the beginning?"
"Yes. I suppose they have a night or two that they can't explain. But they are perfectly well, I promise."
That was a relief. One of the things about telepathy is that you cannot lie without a lot of effort. 8th Wonder and I were too close to lie to each other, so I knew she was telling the truth. "What makes me compatible with you?"
Something like a shrug flitted through my mind. "I cannot explain it, I'm sorry. But when I am with a person, I can tell. You have qualities that the others lacked."
That was pretty much the end of our conversation. Last night was a patrol with no activity. I went back to my apartment, slept, and went to work today. When I came home, there was a note under the door. It said:
"I know you've been out a lot but wanna go together tonight? - R"
Ryan wanted to go on patrol with me. I wondered why.
I closed my eyes and sent a message to 8th Wonder. "Can we go on patrol tonight? Streak wants to fly together."
Her reply came immediately. "Are you rested?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Call me when you're ready."
I opened my eyes and took out my cell phone. I texted "Yes. When?" to Ryan.
He wrote back. "Ten on the roof."
My first patrol with a superhero. Look at that.
I'm in superhero training. That's something I wouldn't have guessed a few months ago.
But it's been going well. Transitioning (that's what I'm calling it when I go from normal to burning/glowing to normal) has been faster and smoother. My mind is so close with 8th Wonder's now that when we're communicating, it feels more like a single stream of thoughts than two sides of a conversation. It's scary, but it's also exciting. We synchronize, harmonize with each other.
Last night I asked 8th Wonder what she did before she found me. I know there were sightings of her before I had blackouts. I guessed that she had another host body, and she said I was correct.
"So what happened to them?" I asked. I couldn't help thinking about burnt bodies, with no explanation of what happened, but 8th Wonder reassured me that wasn't the case.
"I did go to other people before you," she said. "But when I realized we were not compatible, I simply searched for someone else. I did no harm to the ones before you."
"Did they have blackouts like I did at the beginning?"
"Yes. I suppose they have a night or two that they can't explain. But they are perfectly well, I promise."
That was a relief. One of the things about telepathy is that you cannot lie without a lot of effort. 8th Wonder and I were too close to lie to each other, so I knew she was telling the truth. "What makes me compatible with you?"
Something like a shrug flitted through my mind. "I cannot explain it, I'm sorry. But when I am with a person, I can tell. You have qualities that the others lacked."
That was pretty much the end of our conversation. Last night was a patrol with no activity. I went back to my apartment, slept, and went to work today. When I came home, there was a note under the door. It said:
"I know you've been out a lot but wanna go together tonight? - R"
Ryan wanted to go on patrol with me. I wondered why.
I closed my eyes and sent a message to 8th Wonder. "Can we go on patrol tonight? Streak wants to fly together."
Her reply came immediately. "Are you rested?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Call me when you're ready."
I opened my eyes and took out my cell phone. I texted "Yes. When?" to Ryan.
He wrote back. "Ten on the roof."
My first patrol with a superhero. Look at that.
269
I would tell you funny stories about people you haven't met. That's what happens when you stop talking to your friends.
S30 - Numb
I put on a t-shirt and sweat pants. Then I locked the window, grabbed my key, and knocked on Ryan's door.
He opened it, saw me, and opened it wider. "Hey."
"Hi," I said. "Is it too late?"
"No, come in."
I walked into his apartment and sat on the couch.
"Want anything to drink?"
"Glass of water, thanks."
Ryan came back with a glass of water, handed it to me, and sat next to me. "So what's up?"
"I was just at HQ as 8th Wonder. Saw Dr. Atom."
"Ah, how was that?" The look he was giving me said he had an idea about how it went.
"Atom treated me like a science experiment. Data collection time."
Ryan nodded. "That's what he does. I'm sorry."
I shrugged. "It wasn't a big deal. What's a big deal is that I can communicate with 8th Wonder. I finally have answers to what's going on. But all Atom cared about was classifying 8th Wonder's energy."
"Yeah, that's what he cares about the most, cold science. But how did the test run go? Everything okay?"
"Oh, yeah. It was really good." I smiled. "I'm sorry, I just needed to vent and you're the only one I could talk to."
"I know, and it's fine. I've been wondering about something, now that you remember when 8th Wonder comes."
"Yeah?"
"Does it hurt?"
"When she's with me."
Ryan nodded. "I mean, it looks like you're burning."
I shook my head. "But I'm not. It's weird, I know. I saw myself in the mirror and everything is bright, burning energy, but I feel fine. Normal." Ryan yawned, and then I did. I stood up. "Well, it looks like we're both ready for sleep. Thanks for letting me vent."
"Any time." He smiled at me. "Good night, Molly."
"Good night." I went back to my apartment and straight to bed.
He opened it, saw me, and opened it wider. "Hey."
"Hi," I said. "Is it too late?"
"No, come in."
I walked into his apartment and sat on the couch.
"Want anything to drink?"
"Glass of water, thanks."
Ryan came back with a glass of water, handed it to me, and sat next to me. "So what's up?"
"I was just at HQ as 8th Wonder. Saw Dr. Atom."
"Ah, how was that?" The look he was giving me said he had an idea about how it went.
"Atom treated me like a science experiment. Data collection time."
Ryan nodded. "That's what he does. I'm sorry."
I shrugged. "It wasn't a big deal. What's a big deal is that I can communicate with 8th Wonder. I finally have answers to what's going on. But all Atom cared about was classifying 8th Wonder's energy."
"Yeah, that's what he cares about the most, cold science. But how did the test run go? Everything okay?"
"Oh, yeah. It was really good." I smiled. "I'm sorry, I just needed to vent and you're the only one I could talk to."
"I know, and it's fine. I've been wondering about something, now that you remember when 8th Wonder comes."
"Yeah?"
"Does it hurt?"
"When she's with me."
Ryan nodded. "I mean, it looks like you're burning."
I shook my head. "But I'm not. It's weird, I know. I saw myself in the mirror and everything is bright, burning energy, but I feel fine. Normal." Ryan yawned, and then I did. I stood up. "Well, it looks like we're both ready for sleep. Thanks for letting me vent."
"Any time." He smiled at me. "Good night, Molly."
"Good night." I went back to my apartment and straight to bed.
267
Whispers in her mind, she hears them all the time. She hears them, and doesn't know why. Sometimes they're just chatter, chattering she can't understand. But sometimes they are stories. Stories unraveling in her mind with characters she doesn't know, but they're off on an adventure.
She watches them go, go where she can't. And when she turns over on her pillow, when her brain switches from chaotic creativity to cold logic, she sees him. Just for an instant. Just for a moment, he looks up and smiles at her.
And then she wakes up.
She watches them go, go where she can't. And when she turns over on her pillow, when her brain switches from chaotic creativity to cold logic, she sees him. Just for an instant. Just for a moment, he looks up and smiles at her.
And then she wakes up.
S29 - Dry Run
I opened the window in the living room and turned off all the lights. I sat on the floor, closed my eyes, and cleared my mind. This was the easy part.
I focused on the link 8th Wonder had put in my mind. I needed to open the connection to her. If I could communicate with her when she wasn't in my mind, I'd be able to talk to her when I needed her to come.
I know physical distance doesn't matter with telepathy, but for a moment I wondered where 8th Wonder was. What did she do when she wasn't with me? Where did she go? Maybe I would ask her later.
I shook my head and refocused, got rid of those tangential thoughts. Then I felt it: something switched over in my mind and I knew she was listening. I told 8th Wonder I was ready and then I waited for her to come. I kept my mind clear. I could feel her moving, coming closer.
I opened my eyes as a golden light entered through the window. It hovered over me, sank into my skin, and then my body rose off the floor. The light filled me, head to toes, and I could feel it reverberating through my entire being. Energy swirled around me. I straightened my legs and flew out the window and up above the windows.
I looked down at Prima City. This was the first time I had seen the city from above as 8th Wonder. I wondered where we would go tonight and 8th Wonder replied inside my mind. "Your choice tonight, Molly. You'll do the flying."
"Okay." I moved my body and started flying toward HQ.
I knew 8th Wonder gave me a lot of information last night, including how to use her abilities. All that knowledge was in my head and I could access it. The strange part was how naturally I could access that knowledge. I felt like I always knew how to fly, not that 8th Wonder had simply placed the instructions in my mind. I felt confident and I maneuvered through the air smoothly. I wished Ryan could see me.
"You may ask him to come." 8th Wonder's thoughts flitted in my mind. I was having a conversation with myself but not with myself. I have to remember that she knows everything I'm thinking when we're together.
"No," I replied. "We can save that for another time." I just wanted to talk to Dr. Atom.
The buildings blurred beneath me as I flew faster. Skyscrapers and city lights became dots and streaks as I sped towards HQ.
I paused outside the gate. Or rather, above the gate. Jim works regular office hours, so no one was at the entrance. I could fly over, no problem, but I didn't know how to get into the building except through the main door. I flew up and circled around the building. A light shined in one of the top rooms: Dr. Atom's lab.
I hovered outside the window and looked inside. I couldn't see him, but someone must be in there. I floated back from the building a few feet.
"Dr. Atom?" I sent out a telepathic message. "It's Molly, with 8th Wonder. I'm outside your window I think..."
I waited. No response.
"Dr. Atom, are you at headquarters right now?"
I had never communicated with Dr. Atom telepathically, and the first contact is always the most difficult. Link says it's a matter of trust. You can't communicate with a mind that doesn't trust you, so the better you know the person, the better the telepathy goes. Dr. Atom has been keeping me at a distance. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't trust me.
Images flashed through my mind of my body going through the window, passing through the glass as light would. 8th Wonder was showing me alternatives. Could I really pass through glass like that? I wondered what it would feel like for my body to transform to light waves. How would I become solid again?
But then Dr. Atom was at the window, undoing the lock.
"Oh, it really is you!" He smiled at me, and I nodded.
His eyes moved over me and he shook his head in awe. It was the most emotion I have seen him show.
He backed away from the window and motioned to the room. "Um, come in. Please come in."
I floated into the room and hovered a few feet above the floor. "Hi, Dr. Atom." I was trying telepathy again. "8th Wonder and I worked out the psychic link, so now we can communicate."
"Good, that's great." He replied aloud. One-way telepathy. He didn't mind if I was open with him but he wouldn't be open with me. Dr. Atom motioned for me to move farther into the room. "If you don't mind, I'd like to run a few scans."
I nodded and moved onto the examination pad. The examination pad is a large, square gray mat in the middle of Dr. Atom's lab. There are all kinds of sensors in the mat and scanners all around it. I was careful not to touch down on the mat. I wasn't sure what material it was made of, but I would probably set it on fire.
Dr. Atom went to the control panel and flipped a few switches. Monitors behind him flickered on and he turned around to study them. The scanners were feeding the displays my temperature readings, X-rays, anatomy. One monitor was trying to classify me. It was blinking "Human hybrid" at the top of the screen but the computer couldn't figure out what the non-human part of me was.
Dr. Atom looked over at me. "This is excellent. No one else has had such close contact with 8th Wonder. Molly, can you separate from it at will?"
I floated to the far corner of the room and moved behind a curtain that closed around a bed and some medical supplies. I know that Dr. Atom is very focused on gathering facts. He was treating me like his specimen to study. I thought something like this might happen, but I wasn't getting any response from 8th Wonder.
The energy moved away from my body and I stopped glowing. My bare feet touched the cold tile floor. I pulled on a hospital gown. 8th Wonder was hovering to my side and above my head. I walked back out to the main room and the floating energy followed me.
Dr. Atom smiled. "It's good to see you, Molly. I'm happy that you've figured out how to work with 8th Wonder."
I nodded. "Thanks." I spoke aloud now that I could. "Why did you want me to separate from 8th Wonder?"
Dr. Atom waved for me to look at the monitors. "The computer couldn't classify what 8th Wonder is when you were joined. I thought maybe it could when you were separated." He looked up at the energy floating near me. "I guess it understood that I wanted it to stay."
"I understood, so she understood." I walked back onto the examination pad and 8th Wonder followed me.
The computer scanned us again and the monitors showed two beings now. Me, the human, and 8th Wonder. The computer settled on 8th Wonder being some type of energy but the monitors didn't show anything specific.
"Hmm." Dr. Atom rubbed a hand through his hair. "Well, thank you for coming tonight. I have a lot of new data to work with, but it seems we still won't know exactly what 8th Wonder is."
Maybe it's better that way, I thought. Then I shrugged. "I'm glad I could be of some help. I'm tired, so I think that's enough for tonight." All I was supposed to do is tell Dr. Atom when I worked out the connection with 8th Wonder. Task completed.
"Yes, okay."
I walked back behind the curtain and took off the gown. 8th Wonder's light filled my body again and I floated above the floor. Out in the main room I waved goodbye to Dr. Atom and then I flew back home.
I focused on the link 8th Wonder had put in my mind. I needed to open the connection to her. If I could communicate with her when she wasn't in my mind, I'd be able to talk to her when I needed her to come.
I know physical distance doesn't matter with telepathy, but for a moment I wondered where 8th Wonder was. What did she do when she wasn't with me? Where did she go? Maybe I would ask her later.
I shook my head and refocused, got rid of those tangential thoughts. Then I felt it: something switched over in my mind and I knew she was listening. I told 8th Wonder I was ready and then I waited for her to come. I kept my mind clear. I could feel her moving, coming closer.
I opened my eyes as a golden light entered through the window. It hovered over me, sank into my skin, and then my body rose off the floor. The light filled me, head to toes, and I could feel it reverberating through my entire being. Energy swirled around me. I straightened my legs and flew out the window and up above the windows.
I looked down at Prima City. This was the first time I had seen the city from above as 8th Wonder. I wondered where we would go tonight and 8th Wonder replied inside my mind. "Your choice tonight, Molly. You'll do the flying."
"Okay." I moved my body and started flying toward HQ.
I knew 8th Wonder gave me a lot of information last night, including how to use her abilities. All that knowledge was in my head and I could access it. The strange part was how naturally I could access that knowledge. I felt like I always knew how to fly, not that 8th Wonder had simply placed the instructions in my mind. I felt confident and I maneuvered through the air smoothly. I wished Ryan could see me.
"You may ask him to come." 8th Wonder's thoughts flitted in my mind. I was having a conversation with myself but not with myself. I have to remember that she knows everything I'm thinking when we're together.
"No," I replied. "We can save that for another time." I just wanted to talk to Dr. Atom.
The buildings blurred beneath me as I flew faster. Skyscrapers and city lights became dots and streaks as I sped towards HQ.
I paused outside the gate. Or rather, above the gate. Jim works regular office hours, so no one was at the entrance. I could fly over, no problem, but I didn't know how to get into the building except through the main door. I flew up and circled around the building. A light shined in one of the top rooms: Dr. Atom's lab.
I hovered outside the window and looked inside. I couldn't see him, but someone must be in there. I floated back from the building a few feet.
"Dr. Atom?" I sent out a telepathic message. "It's Molly, with 8th Wonder. I'm outside your window I think..."
I waited. No response.
"Dr. Atom, are you at headquarters right now?"
I had never communicated with Dr. Atom telepathically, and the first contact is always the most difficult. Link says it's a matter of trust. You can't communicate with a mind that doesn't trust you, so the better you know the person, the better the telepathy goes. Dr. Atom has been keeping me at a distance. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't trust me.
Images flashed through my mind of my body going through the window, passing through the glass as light would. 8th Wonder was showing me alternatives. Could I really pass through glass like that? I wondered what it would feel like for my body to transform to light waves. How would I become solid again?
But then Dr. Atom was at the window, undoing the lock.
"Oh, it really is you!" He smiled at me, and I nodded.
His eyes moved over me and he shook his head in awe. It was the most emotion I have seen him show.
He backed away from the window and motioned to the room. "Um, come in. Please come in."
I floated into the room and hovered a few feet above the floor. "Hi, Dr. Atom." I was trying telepathy again. "8th Wonder and I worked out the psychic link, so now we can communicate."
"Good, that's great." He replied aloud. One-way telepathy. He didn't mind if I was open with him but he wouldn't be open with me. Dr. Atom motioned for me to move farther into the room. "If you don't mind, I'd like to run a few scans."
I nodded and moved onto the examination pad. The examination pad is a large, square gray mat in the middle of Dr. Atom's lab. There are all kinds of sensors in the mat and scanners all around it. I was careful not to touch down on the mat. I wasn't sure what material it was made of, but I would probably set it on fire.
Dr. Atom went to the control panel and flipped a few switches. Monitors behind him flickered on and he turned around to study them. The scanners were feeding the displays my temperature readings, X-rays, anatomy. One monitor was trying to classify me. It was blinking "Human hybrid" at the top of the screen but the computer couldn't figure out what the non-human part of me was.
Dr. Atom looked over at me. "This is excellent. No one else has had such close contact with 8th Wonder. Molly, can you separate from it at will?"
I floated to the far corner of the room and moved behind a curtain that closed around a bed and some medical supplies. I know that Dr. Atom is very focused on gathering facts. He was treating me like his specimen to study. I thought something like this might happen, but I wasn't getting any response from 8th Wonder.
The energy moved away from my body and I stopped glowing. My bare feet touched the cold tile floor. I pulled on a hospital gown. 8th Wonder was hovering to my side and above my head. I walked back out to the main room and the floating energy followed me.
Dr. Atom smiled. "It's good to see you, Molly. I'm happy that you've figured out how to work with 8th Wonder."
I nodded. "Thanks." I spoke aloud now that I could. "Why did you want me to separate from 8th Wonder?"
Dr. Atom waved for me to look at the monitors. "The computer couldn't classify what 8th Wonder is when you were joined. I thought maybe it could when you were separated." He looked up at the energy floating near me. "I guess it understood that I wanted it to stay."
"I understood, so she understood." I walked back onto the examination pad and 8th Wonder followed me.
The computer scanned us again and the monitors showed two beings now. Me, the human, and 8th Wonder. The computer settled on 8th Wonder being some type of energy but the monitors didn't show anything specific.
"Hmm." Dr. Atom rubbed a hand through his hair. "Well, thank you for coming tonight. I have a lot of new data to work with, but it seems we still won't know exactly what 8th Wonder is."
Maybe it's better that way, I thought. Then I shrugged. "I'm glad I could be of some help. I'm tired, so I think that's enough for tonight." All I was supposed to do is tell Dr. Atom when I worked out the connection with 8th Wonder. Task completed.
"Yes, okay."
I walked back behind the curtain and took off the gown. 8th Wonder's light filled my body again and I floated above the floor. Out in the main room I waved goodbye to Dr. Atom and then I flew back home.
S28 - Understood
In the morning, I showered, got dressed, and knocked on Ryan's door.
"Hey." He smiled and nodded for me to come in. He was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. I saw the pot of coffee on the counter.
"You working later today?"
"Yeah, just have some errands to run before." He walked over to the counter and poured coffee into his mug. He held the pot higher. "Would you like a cup?"
I shook my head. "No thanks."
He looked up at me. "Are you okay after last night?'
"Yeah, fine." I sat down at the kitchen table after Ryan sat. "I'm guessing you want to tell Dr. Atom about it. But 8th Wonder is coming back tonight for a sort of test run around the city. I was hoping we could wait until afterwards to tell Dr. Atom."
"Yeah, that's fine. Do you need me to come with you on this test run?"
I shrugged. "I'm not sure. 8th Wonder didn't specify."
"Well if you need me, you know how to get a hold of me." Ryan tapped the side of his forehead. "That was cool last night, the telepathy. Unexpected, but cool."
"That describes my whole night." I looked at my watch. "I should get to work. I'll let you know how it goes later." I stood up.
"Yeah, okay." Ryan and I walked to the door. "Good luck," he said, and I left.
"Hey." He smiled and nodded for me to come in. He was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. I saw the pot of coffee on the counter.
"You working later today?"
"Yeah, just have some errands to run before." He walked over to the counter and poured coffee into his mug. He held the pot higher. "Would you like a cup?"
I shook my head. "No thanks."
He looked up at me. "Are you okay after last night?'
"Yeah, fine." I sat down at the kitchen table after Ryan sat. "I'm guessing you want to tell Dr. Atom about it. But 8th Wonder is coming back tonight for a sort of test run around the city. I was hoping we could wait until afterwards to tell Dr. Atom."
"Yeah, that's fine. Do you need me to come with you on this test run?"
I shrugged. "I'm not sure. 8th Wonder didn't specify."
"Well if you need me, you know how to get a hold of me." Ryan tapped the side of his forehead. "That was cool last night, the telepathy. Unexpected, but cool."
"That describes my whole night." I looked at my watch. "I should get to work. I'll let you know how it goes later." I stood up.
"Yeah, okay." Ryan and I walked to the door. "Good luck," he said, and I left.
S27 - Mutual
I had a headache tonight after I took a shower. I put on my robe and was brushing my hair when I felt a pulsing in my head, behind my forehead. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. A shiver ran down my spine and my whole body tensed.
I don't know how I knew, but I knew that was the signal. I went out to the living room and opened the large window. I could see it coming, a faint orb of light. 8th Wonder was coming. I left the window open but I went back to my bedroom. No burning clothes this time. I took off my robe and lied it on the floor. I sat crossed-legged on top of it and closed my eyes. Made my mind blank out.
Link said if I ever thought 8th Wonder was coming, I should try meditating. I should see what happened if she came to me when my mind was clear and open. Maybe we could communicate.
I took deep breaths. Inhale, exhale. Think of nothing. Open, be open.
I saw brightness in front of me, even with my eyes closed. But I tried not to break my state of mind. Just let it happen. That's what Link said.
Then I felt it. A warm, tingling sensation over my whole body. My body temperature was rising. Then I was rising off the floor. Stay calm. Stay calm. I tried not to think about floating or how high off the ground I must be.
If it was easier to change seats in a car without exiting the car, and someone could shove you in the back seat and stop you from coming back the front, I imagine it would feel like this.
I was conscious. I knew 8th Wonder was taking over my body, but I think this was the part where my brain shuts off. Except this time it stayed on, watching. But she was in charge of moving.
My body relaxed. I uncrossed my legs and shifted into a standing position. When I opened my eyes, I could see and everything was brighter. Everything was more defined. Stronger images.
I moved--8th Wonder--moved me over toward the mirror on the wall. Floating there, I saw what Ryan must have seen a few times now. A glowing, burning figure. Woman-shaped, but not obviously me. My eyes and hair were bursting with yellow and white light. With the energy and light shifting around me, it was hard to make out my exact shape. I don't look naked. That works for me.
I felt better about that time Ryan found me.
Then I remembered I was supposed to try to communicate with 8th Wonder. I thought about introductions and mixed in some of my feelings of confusion. I thought about curiosity and questions. I tried to make her understand the uncertainty and fear that I felt, less so now than when this all began but both feelings are still there.
8th Wonder didn't respond in any way that I understood but I could feel her moving around in my mind the same way Link did the first time.
Then I felt something close to calmness from her. Reassurance.
And a whisper in my mind. "Hello?"
I echoed it. "Hello?"
"You are called Molly?"
"Yes." Was 8th Wonder really communicating with me in English? I was so sure I'd have to stick with pure telepathy. This was a nice surprise. "What do I call you?"
"You've been calling me 8th Wonder. You may continue with that name. I don't know of one more suitable."
I shrugged. We shrugged?
"So you can understand English?" I asked her.
"I share the skills you have, as you share mine."
She knows English because I know English. I liked this set up.
"Did you understand what I communicated to you before?"
"Yes."
"Okay." I looked at myself in the mirror again. What now?
"I have a question for you, if I may ask."
"Yes?"
"Before tonight, I was never aware of when you came to me. Why am I aware now?"
"You were not prepared before. But now your discipline has made you ready."
"The meditation work?"
"Yes."
"I have another question. You being here, in my body. Does that hurt me? Is it dangerous?"
"I mean you no harm, Molly. My presence does not hurt you and it is not dangerous."
"So why me then?"
The outer door clicked open. "Molly?" Ryan.
I floated out into the main room. 8th Wonder was careful to keep my feet off the carpet and not set flame to the apartment.
Ryan saw me and froze. "Oh."
"It's okay, Ryan. I'm finally awake for this part." He understood me. Everyone has low-level telepathy. It's a matter of learning how to use it, and everyone who worked with the Super Seven learned.
He looked up into my eyes, even though all he would see is light. "Am I speaking to 8th Wonder?"
The thing about telepathy is, I keep thinking people's thoughts in my mind will sound different from their voices. But they're very similar. I'd know this was Ryan talking to me even if I didn't see him.
"No, it's me. Molly," I answered. Then I wondered if my thoughts sounded different from my voice when 8th Wonder possessed me. I made a mental note to ask Ryan later.
"You're aware of what's going on right now. That's great!"
I smiled, but I don't know what it looks like when I'm like this and smile. Hopefully it still looks like a happy smile.
"Molly, are you talking to her too?"
"Yes. It's better than I expected."
Ryan laughed. "Good, good." Then he said aloud, "Are you planning to go out? Should I grab my suit?"
8th Wonder conveyed a 'no' to me. I shook my head. I think all I can do when 8th Wonder possesses me is use telepathy. I tried forming words but none came out. So instead I thought, "No, we're staying in. Just talking I think."
Ryan nodded. He moved back to telepathy. "Okay, good. I'll let you two alone then. I'll be next door if you need anything."
"Okay, thanks."
He left and shut the door behind him.
The rest of what happened that night is hard for me to explain here. Writing down telepathic conversations is easy when they're in English, but what 8th Wonder told me after Ryan left was in pure telepathy. Concepts and emotions. She explained to me what her purpose is, why she chose me, and how this connection between us works. It's all in my head now, but it's hard for me to explain. Maybe it'll be easier after I've had time to think about what she told me.
I woke up the next morning in my bed. I didn't remember when 8th Wonder left or if I dreamed, but I felt rested.
I don't know how I knew, but I knew that was the signal. I went out to the living room and opened the large window. I could see it coming, a faint orb of light. 8th Wonder was coming. I left the window open but I went back to my bedroom. No burning clothes this time. I took off my robe and lied it on the floor. I sat crossed-legged on top of it and closed my eyes. Made my mind blank out.
Link said if I ever thought 8th Wonder was coming, I should try meditating. I should see what happened if she came to me when my mind was clear and open. Maybe we could communicate.
I took deep breaths. Inhale, exhale. Think of nothing. Open, be open.
I saw brightness in front of me, even with my eyes closed. But I tried not to break my state of mind. Just let it happen. That's what Link said.
Then I felt it. A warm, tingling sensation over my whole body. My body temperature was rising. Then I was rising off the floor. Stay calm. Stay calm. I tried not to think about floating or how high off the ground I must be.
If it was easier to change seats in a car without exiting the car, and someone could shove you in the back seat and stop you from coming back the front, I imagine it would feel like this.
I was conscious. I knew 8th Wonder was taking over my body, but I think this was the part where my brain shuts off. Except this time it stayed on, watching. But she was in charge of moving.
My body relaxed. I uncrossed my legs and shifted into a standing position. When I opened my eyes, I could see and everything was brighter. Everything was more defined. Stronger images.
I moved--8th Wonder--moved me over toward the mirror on the wall. Floating there, I saw what Ryan must have seen a few times now. A glowing, burning figure. Woman-shaped, but not obviously me. My eyes and hair were bursting with yellow and white light. With the energy and light shifting around me, it was hard to make out my exact shape. I don't look naked. That works for me.
I felt better about that time Ryan found me.
Then I remembered I was supposed to try to communicate with 8th Wonder. I thought about introductions and mixed in some of my feelings of confusion. I thought about curiosity and questions. I tried to make her understand the uncertainty and fear that I felt, less so now than when this all began but both feelings are still there.
8th Wonder didn't respond in any way that I understood but I could feel her moving around in my mind the same way Link did the first time.
Then I felt something close to calmness from her. Reassurance.
And a whisper in my mind. "Hello?"
I echoed it. "Hello?"
"You are called Molly?"
"Yes." Was 8th Wonder really communicating with me in English? I was so sure I'd have to stick with pure telepathy. This was a nice surprise. "What do I call you?"
"You've been calling me 8th Wonder. You may continue with that name. I don't know of one more suitable."
I shrugged. We shrugged?
"So you can understand English?" I asked her.
"I share the skills you have, as you share mine."
She knows English because I know English. I liked this set up.
"Did you understand what I communicated to you before?"
"Yes."
"Okay." I looked at myself in the mirror again. What now?
"I have a question for you, if I may ask."
"Yes?"
"Before tonight, I was never aware of when you came to me. Why am I aware now?"
"You were not prepared before. But now your discipline has made you ready."
"The meditation work?"
"Yes."
"I have another question. You being here, in my body. Does that hurt me? Is it dangerous?"
"I mean you no harm, Molly. My presence does not hurt you and it is not dangerous."
"So why me then?"
The outer door clicked open. "Molly?" Ryan.
I floated out into the main room. 8th Wonder was careful to keep my feet off the carpet and not set flame to the apartment.
Ryan saw me and froze. "Oh."
"It's okay, Ryan. I'm finally awake for this part." He understood me. Everyone has low-level telepathy. It's a matter of learning how to use it, and everyone who worked with the Super Seven learned.
He looked up into my eyes, even though all he would see is light. "Am I speaking to 8th Wonder?"
The thing about telepathy is, I keep thinking people's thoughts in my mind will sound different from their voices. But they're very similar. I'd know this was Ryan talking to me even if I didn't see him.
"No, it's me. Molly," I answered. Then I wondered if my thoughts sounded different from my voice when 8th Wonder possessed me. I made a mental note to ask Ryan later.
"You're aware of what's going on right now. That's great!"
I smiled, but I don't know what it looks like when I'm like this and smile. Hopefully it still looks like a happy smile.
"Molly, are you talking to her too?"
"Yes. It's better than I expected."
Ryan laughed. "Good, good." Then he said aloud, "Are you planning to go out? Should I grab my suit?"
8th Wonder conveyed a 'no' to me. I shook my head. I think all I can do when 8th Wonder possesses me is use telepathy. I tried forming words but none came out. So instead I thought, "No, we're staying in. Just talking I think."
Ryan nodded. He moved back to telepathy. "Okay, good. I'll let you two alone then. I'll be next door if you need anything."
"Okay, thanks."
He left and shut the door behind him.
The rest of what happened that night is hard for me to explain here. Writing down telepathic conversations is easy when they're in English, but what 8th Wonder told me after Ryan left was in pure telepathy. Concepts and emotions. She explained to me what her purpose is, why she chose me, and how this connection between us works. It's all in my head now, but it's hard for me to explain. Maybe it'll be easier after I've had time to think about what she told me.
I woke up the next morning in my bed. I didn't remember when 8th Wonder left or if I dreamed, but I felt rested.
S26 - Not One of Them
I've been coming to HQ for a few weeks now to meet Link, but I might as well be invisible when I walk through the building. Dr. Atom hardly acknowledges me if we pass in the hallway. The other people don't say hi. I'm not one of the Super Seven, so I guess I don't matter to them.
Except for Jet. She's been friendly. We've had a few conversations. But even she seems guarded.
I can understand that. Ryan didn't talk to me much either before. Superheroes have a lot on the line. They have to be careful about who they can trust. I get that, really I do. Ryan's explained it that way to me too. But still, I would think saying hello would be okay to do.
I don't want to think of the Super Seven as an elitist group, but will they treat me differently if I can work with 8th Wonder voluntarily? Will they ask me to work with them when they know I can access 8th Wonder's power?
I wonder how they'll react when I tell them I'm not sure I want to do the superhero thing. I'll help out when I have to--I don't think 8th Wonder will let me sit out on dire circumstances. But right now, I don't know if I want to be a superhero. It's scary enough trying to get a grip on what's happening to me with 8th Wonder. I don't want to think much about the next step.
Except for Jet. She's been friendly. We've had a few conversations. But even she seems guarded.
I can understand that. Ryan didn't talk to me much either before. Superheroes have a lot on the line. They have to be careful about who they can trust. I get that, really I do. Ryan's explained it that way to me too. But still, I would think saying hello would be okay to do.
I don't want to think of the Super Seven as an elitist group, but will they treat me differently if I can work with 8th Wonder voluntarily? Will they ask me to work with them when they know I can access 8th Wonder's power?
I wonder how they'll react when I tell them I'm not sure I want to do the superhero thing. I'll help out when I have to--I don't think 8th Wonder will let me sit out on dire circumstances. But right now, I don't know if I want to be a superhero. It's scary enough trying to get a grip on what's happening to me with 8th Wonder. I don't want to think much about the next step.
S25 - In Ideas
Meditation sessions with Link are always at HQ, usually after I'm done at work. Today he explained to me how everyone has "low-level telepathy." The catch is, most people don't realize they can access that ability.
"So how does it work?" I asked him. I was sitting on the floor cross-legged. We already went through the parts about clearing my mind and keeping distracting thoughts out.
"You can think of telepathy as a foreign language," he said. "At least that's how you should think about it when you're trying to communicate with 8th Wonder."
"Because we don't know if she understands English." At this point, I was still sitting on the floor. Link usually leans against the far wall.
"Right," he said. "So try this for me. Think of tree, but you have to think of it as a concept. Pretend I don't know what the word means."
Tree, I thought. As a concept. But 8th Wonder is even more foreign than someone who doesn't speak English. How would I explain a tree to someone who hasn't seen a tree before?
I started by thinking of what a tree looks like. I imagined green leaves in spring. Bare branches in the winter. How bark looks. More than visuals. I thought about trees blooming. That smell. I thought about the leaves changing colors. Rough bark. Damp ground in the tree's shade.
"That's good," Link whispered. He can read surface thoughts without entering minds, so when everything else is cleared out and I'm only thinking about trees, that's what he sees.
More than what a tree is. I thought about tree houses. Children climbing trees. Cutting down trees. Firewood.
"Good, that's really good, Molly."
I opened my eyes. He was still leaning on the far wall. "So what happens if both people speak the same language? Do you have to stick to concepts?" I asked.
"If you can keep your thoughts clear and direct, you can send messages in English. As if you're talking, but only using your mind. But otherwise, it's best to send concepts."
Link walked over and held out his hand. I took it and stood up. I still haven't figured out how he walks right to me. Or how he knows where the walls and door are. I've never seen him with a walking stick inside HQ.
"That's enough for today," he said. "Good work."
"So how does it work?" I asked him. I was sitting on the floor cross-legged. We already went through the parts about clearing my mind and keeping distracting thoughts out.
"You can think of telepathy as a foreign language," he said. "At least that's how you should think about it when you're trying to communicate with 8th Wonder."
"Because we don't know if she understands English." At this point, I was still sitting on the floor. Link usually leans against the far wall.
"Right," he said. "So try this for me. Think of tree, but you have to think of it as a concept. Pretend I don't know what the word means."
Tree, I thought. As a concept. But 8th Wonder is even more foreign than someone who doesn't speak English. How would I explain a tree to someone who hasn't seen a tree before?
I started by thinking of what a tree looks like. I imagined green leaves in spring. Bare branches in the winter. How bark looks. More than visuals. I thought about trees blooming. That smell. I thought about the leaves changing colors. Rough bark. Damp ground in the tree's shade.
"That's good," Link whispered. He can read surface thoughts without entering minds, so when everything else is cleared out and I'm only thinking about trees, that's what he sees.
More than what a tree is. I thought about tree houses. Children climbing trees. Cutting down trees. Firewood.
"Good, that's really good, Molly."
I opened my eyes. He was still leaning on the far wall. "So what happens if both people speak the same language? Do you have to stick to concepts?" I asked.
"If you can keep your thoughts clear and direct, you can send messages in English. As if you're talking, but only using your mind. But otherwise, it's best to send concepts."
Link walked over and held out his hand. I took it and stood up. I still haven't figured out how he walks right to me. Or how he knows where the walls and door are. I've never seen him with a walking stick inside HQ.
"That's enough for today," he said. "Good work."
S24 - Wake Up Call
I woke up naked this morning, so I called Ryan right after I took a shower.
"Hey, Molly," he said. "What's up?"
"Hey, it happened again. Any reports about 8th Wonder last night?"
"I haven't heard anything. Let me check and I'll call you back."
"Thanks, Ryan."
I hung up the phone and got dressed. When I was standing in front of the mirror, I noticed the scar above my hip wasn't there. I pulled on a shirt and saw that the scar on my elbow was gone too. "What...?"
The phone rang.
"Hi, Ryan."
"Hey. No sightings. Nothing about her from last night."
"Okay, thanks."
"You're welcome. Was that all?"
"Well, something else came up. Can I meet you somewhere?"
"Yeah, cafe on the corner of Liberty and 10th? I can be there in five minutes."
"Great, I'll see you there."
I went down to the cafe and Ryan was sitting at a table in the back corner.
"Hey," he said as I sat down. "So do you remember anything from last night."
I shook my head. "Not a thing."
A waitress came and took our order. Coffee and an apple danish, fine. I'm freaking out. I pulled up my shirt sleeve.
"Ryan, look."
I pointed to my elbow. My perfect-looking elbow, except it wasn't always like that. "I used to have a scar here." I traced a line from the tip of my elbow up my arm two inches. "Nasty bike accident when I was twelve. Didn't break anything, but my arm got cut up badly."
I rolled down my sleeve. "This morning when I was getting dressed, I noticed the scar had disappeared. I had another scar above my hip from when I had my appendix out. That's gone too."
Ryan nodded and whispered. "And you think 8th Wonder has something to do with this?"
"Well, she came last night and apparently there weren't any accidents or disasters to fix. So yeah, seems she was fixing me." She's fixing me. I didn't realize how creepy that sounded until I said it. But yeah, that's exactly why I was freaking out. This energy thing we don't know much about is changing my body.
"Well, it's not uncommon for people's bodies to change when they have an ability." Ryan kept his voice low and steady. "Muscles become more defined. Asthma suddenly goes away. A bad knee isn't bad anymore. I know it's strange, but it's not a bad thing. 8th Wonder wants you to be healthy."
"Not to have a mark on me?" I knew Ryan was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn't helping. "She's changing things about my body and there's nothing I can do about it. I understand making sure I'm not hurt when we're out, but this is different."
Ryan shrugged. "We still don't know where 8th Wonder is from, how she thinks. If she can think. Maybe it was automatic. Fix any damaged skin."
"Well it freaks me out. What if she's changing other things about me? And I have no idea it's happening."
Ryan reached his hands across the table to hold my hands. "Molly, look, I'm sure 8th Wonder isn't going to do anything to hurt you. She healed your scars. It's a superficial fix. I don't see why 8th Wonder would need to do anything except heal injuries." He relaxed back into his chair. "How are your sessions with Link going?"
"Okay. Meditating and more meditating. It's supposed to be preparation for me accessing the psychic link."
Ryan nodded. "So Link can show you how to do it?"
"Yeah, he thinks I'm nearly ready."
"Good. I think if you can communicate with 8th Wonder, you'll feel better. I know it's scary when you don't have control over what's happening, so having that connection will help."
I nodded. I always thought superheroes had exciting lives. Cool things happened to them. I never thought about what it's like to be that average person suddenly in the center of strangeness. It's scary being singled out like this, even if other people have had similar experiences and I know they came out okay in the end.
"Hey, Molly," he said. "What's up?"
"Hey, it happened again. Any reports about 8th Wonder last night?"
"I haven't heard anything. Let me check and I'll call you back."
"Thanks, Ryan."
I hung up the phone and got dressed. When I was standing in front of the mirror, I noticed the scar above my hip wasn't there. I pulled on a shirt and saw that the scar on my elbow was gone too. "What...?"
The phone rang.
"Hi, Ryan."
"Hey. No sightings. Nothing about her from last night."
"Okay, thanks."
"You're welcome. Was that all?"
"Well, something else came up. Can I meet you somewhere?"
"Yeah, cafe on the corner of Liberty and 10th? I can be there in five minutes."
"Great, I'll see you there."
I went down to the cafe and Ryan was sitting at a table in the back corner.
"Hey," he said as I sat down. "So do you remember anything from last night."
I shook my head. "Not a thing."
A waitress came and took our order. Coffee and an apple danish, fine. I'm freaking out. I pulled up my shirt sleeve.
"Ryan, look."
I pointed to my elbow. My perfect-looking elbow, except it wasn't always like that. "I used to have a scar here." I traced a line from the tip of my elbow up my arm two inches. "Nasty bike accident when I was twelve. Didn't break anything, but my arm got cut up badly."
I rolled down my sleeve. "This morning when I was getting dressed, I noticed the scar had disappeared. I had another scar above my hip from when I had my appendix out. That's gone too."
Ryan nodded and whispered. "And you think 8th Wonder has something to do with this?"
"Well, she came last night and apparently there weren't any accidents or disasters to fix. So yeah, seems she was fixing me." She's fixing me. I didn't realize how creepy that sounded until I said it. But yeah, that's exactly why I was freaking out. This energy thing we don't know much about is changing my body.
"Well, it's not uncommon for people's bodies to change when they have an ability." Ryan kept his voice low and steady. "Muscles become more defined. Asthma suddenly goes away. A bad knee isn't bad anymore. I know it's strange, but it's not a bad thing. 8th Wonder wants you to be healthy."
"Not to have a mark on me?" I knew Ryan was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn't helping. "She's changing things about my body and there's nothing I can do about it. I understand making sure I'm not hurt when we're out, but this is different."
Ryan shrugged. "We still don't know where 8th Wonder is from, how she thinks. If she can think. Maybe it was automatic. Fix any damaged skin."
"Well it freaks me out. What if she's changing other things about me? And I have no idea it's happening."
Ryan reached his hands across the table to hold my hands. "Molly, look, I'm sure 8th Wonder isn't going to do anything to hurt you. She healed your scars. It's a superficial fix. I don't see why 8th Wonder would need to do anything except heal injuries." He relaxed back into his chair. "How are your sessions with Link going?"
"Okay. Meditating and more meditating. It's supposed to be preparation for me accessing the psychic link."
Ryan nodded. "So Link can show you how to do it?"
"Yeah, he thinks I'm nearly ready."
"Good. I think if you can communicate with 8th Wonder, you'll feel better. I know it's scary when you don't have control over what's happening, so having that connection will help."
I nodded. I always thought superheroes had exciting lives. Cool things happened to them. I never thought about what it's like to be that average person suddenly in the center of strangeness. It's scary being singled out like this, even if other people have had similar experiences and I know they came out okay in the end.
253
Traffic jam
Jam the frequencies
Throw everything in
Black holes leave nothing out
I write it down
I lose it all
Jam the frequencies
Throw everything in
Black holes leave nothing out
I write it down
I lose it all
Localized
Every Wednesday between classes, I have two hours to kill. Two hours to be “productive” by reading a longish article in Spanish about magical realism and the writers who best exemplify that movement. Two hours to drink tea (I don’t like coffee and it’s terrible here anyway) or watch the news on TV (la presidente is visiting Chile this week, the highlights of yesterday’s fútbol game). Two hours to pretend to be a local while I sit in this café.
This is routine for me now. After Art History, I take the B-line two stops east to the “microcentro,” the business and theater district of Buenos Aires. It’s not actually in the center of the city. It’s more northeast, but that’s how it is in Buenos Aires—people say things they don’t mean.
I come to this café every Wednesday morning at 10:30, give or take a few minutes. The menu here is huge, physically and in terms of options. They serve breakfast and lunch. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so I order té con leche (tea with milk) and medialunas. The tea is a British brand, nothing special, but medialunas are the best food I’ve eaten in Argentina. They’re palm-sized croissants with flakey dough. They come in two varieties: plain or sweetened (basically a thin coat of syrup on top). Most places have only the sweetened kind, and I won’t complain about that.
The waiter comes back with a full tray. I ordered two things, right? But not even the menus here are clear on what they mean. Té con leche means I get a large mug with a saucer, a tiny pitcher of warm milk on a saucer, a small teapot of hot water on a small plate, and a tiny glass of orange juice. (The first time I ordered tea in Buenos Aires, I thought it was some weird thing with mixing orange juice into your tea. But no, they drink it separately. A little bit of vitamin C never hurt anyone.) Medialunas come in a basket. If they’re larger ones, you get three. Smaller ones, four. My square table that’s supposed to seat two is covered with excessive glassware. I rearrange everything into an arc around me to make space for that magical realism article. (The page I’m on is talking about Julio Cortázar’s use of time. He likes to jump around a lot.)
I unwrap the tea bag and drop it into the teapot. I look up at the TV and see that the public bus employees are striking this afternoon. Fine, I take the subway home on Wednesdays anyway. After the tea steeps I fill my mug halfway. I fill the rest with milk.
Some of my friends back home joke about how much sugar I put in my tea. As in, I have some tea with my sugar. That didn’t change when I switched hemispheres. Most people in Buenos Aires have too much sugar and caffeine anyway. It’s because they stay up late and wake up early. Every kiosk on every corner has a variety of sweets and candy bars to give you a sugar boost any time of the day. The waiter probably doesn’t think anything of the three sugars I put in my tea. Either that or he’s used to it by now. I always have the same waiter.
When you walk into most shops in Buenos Aires, employees will immediately walk up to you and ask what you’re looking for. This makes sense for two reasons. One, they want to make a sale and two, direct contact with customers reduces shoplifting. Restaurants and cafés don’t work that way. Usually you walk in and find a table yourself. When the waiter notices you he gives you a menu. You have to wave him over when you’re ready to order. Take your time eating and sit for as long as you like, and then you have to get the waiter’s attention again for the bill.
Americans are used to attentive waiters so it’s frustrating the first few times you have to do that, but I don’t mind it much anymore. The locals are better at it than I am, but I’m getting there.
This is routine for me now. After Art History, I take the B-line two stops east to the “microcentro,” the business and theater district of Buenos Aires. It’s not actually in the center of the city. It’s more northeast, but that’s how it is in Buenos Aires—people say things they don’t mean.
I come to this café every Wednesday morning at 10:30, give or take a few minutes. The menu here is huge, physically and in terms of options. They serve breakfast and lunch. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so I order té con leche (tea with milk) and medialunas. The tea is a British brand, nothing special, but medialunas are the best food I’ve eaten in Argentina. They’re palm-sized croissants with flakey dough. They come in two varieties: plain or sweetened (basically a thin coat of syrup on top). Most places have only the sweetened kind, and I won’t complain about that.
The waiter comes back with a full tray. I ordered two things, right? But not even the menus here are clear on what they mean. Té con leche means I get a large mug with a saucer, a tiny pitcher of warm milk on a saucer, a small teapot of hot water on a small plate, and a tiny glass of orange juice. (The first time I ordered tea in Buenos Aires, I thought it was some weird thing with mixing orange juice into your tea. But no, they drink it separately. A little bit of vitamin C never hurt anyone.) Medialunas come in a basket. If they’re larger ones, you get three. Smaller ones, four. My square table that’s supposed to seat two is covered with excessive glassware. I rearrange everything into an arc around me to make space for that magical realism article. (The page I’m on is talking about Julio Cortázar’s use of time. He likes to jump around a lot.)
I unwrap the tea bag and drop it into the teapot. I look up at the TV and see that the public bus employees are striking this afternoon. Fine, I take the subway home on Wednesdays anyway. After the tea steeps I fill my mug halfway. I fill the rest with milk.
Some of my friends back home joke about how much sugar I put in my tea. As in, I have some tea with my sugar. That didn’t change when I switched hemispheres. Most people in Buenos Aires have too much sugar and caffeine anyway. It’s because they stay up late and wake up early. Every kiosk on every corner has a variety of sweets and candy bars to give you a sugar boost any time of the day. The waiter probably doesn’t think anything of the three sugars I put in my tea. Either that or he’s used to it by now. I always have the same waiter.
When you walk into most shops in Buenos Aires, employees will immediately walk up to you and ask what you’re looking for. This makes sense for two reasons. One, they want to make a sale and two, direct contact with customers reduces shoplifting. Restaurants and cafés don’t work that way. Usually you walk in and find a table yourself. When the waiter notices you he gives you a menu. You have to wave him over when you’re ready to order. Take your time eating and sit for as long as you like, and then you have to get the waiter’s attention again for the bill.
Americans are used to attentive waiters so it’s frustrating the first few times you have to do that, but I don’t mind it much anymore. The locals are better at it than I am, but I’m getting there.
S23 - Blank
Link just left. I was right--guided meditation. I think it went okay. Lots of sitting still and paying attention to my breathing. Doing my best to keep my mind clear.
We're going to do a series of meditations. Practice mental discipline. Preparations for accessing that psychic link. But I'm tired, so this is all I'm writing for tonight.
We're going to do a series of meditations. Practice mental discipline. Preparations for accessing that psychic link. But I'm tired, so this is all I'm writing for tonight.
S22 - Scenarios
Over the weekend, I talked to Ryan about getting in touch with Link. I decided I want to see what we can do with this psychic link I have with 8th Wonder. At the very least, I'd like to be aware of what happens when she takes over.
So far, 8th Wonder has taken over at night time, while I'm sleeping. But at work today, I was thinking about what it'd be like if she took over during the day. I work in a cubicle. People pass by all the time. I'm on the phone with customers. I can't exactly start glowing and float out of the place unnoticed. So yeah, I don't want to have to explain that to my boss and co-workers. It'd be much better if I could at least get a head's up from 8th Wonder. Enough time to get to the roof or something before she takes over.
I'm still not sure how I feel about 8th Wonder taking over my body. On the one hand, it's to do good deeds and I don't get hurt in the process. That's all okay. But on the other hand, it IS my body and the way things are now, I don't have any control over what happens when 8th Wonder comes. That's potentially scary.
Ryan called Link and Link is coming over tomorrow night for a first session or whatever. I have this feeling that meditation is involved. That'll be new to me. But I guess that's okay.
So far, 8th Wonder has taken over at night time, while I'm sleeping. But at work today, I was thinking about what it'd be like if she took over during the day. I work in a cubicle. People pass by all the time. I'm on the phone with customers. I can't exactly start glowing and float out of the place unnoticed. So yeah, I don't want to have to explain that to my boss and co-workers. It'd be much better if I could at least get a head's up from 8th Wonder. Enough time to get to the roof or something before she takes over.
I'm still not sure how I feel about 8th Wonder taking over my body. On the one hand, it's to do good deeds and I don't get hurt in the process. That's all okay. But on the other hand, it IS my body and the way things are now, I don't have any control over what happens when 8th Wonder comes. That's potentially scary.
Ryan called Link and Link is coming over tomorrow night for a first session or whatever. I have this feeling that meditation is involved. That'll be new to me. But I guess that's okay.
S21 - A Few Things
1. I know that Doctor Atom was busy when Ryan and I went up to his office, but I thought he'd have more of a reaction to finding out I'm 8th Wonder. 8th Wonder is me. It uses me as a host. You know what I mean.
2. Maybe it's a trust issue and Doctor Atom didn't want to talk about the implications with me in the room.
3. Maybe he doesn't care since I have no control over the situation. Maybe he'll be interested only when I can communicate with 8th Wonder. If I can.
4. Doctor Atom probably called a meeting with the Super Seven to discuss 8th Wonder. Talk about the newbie when she's not around.
5. I don't like being left out of the loop. Especially when I'm the topic of conversation.
2. Maybe it's a trust issue and Doctor Atom didn't want to talk about the implications with me in the room.
3. Maybe he doesn't care since I have no control over the situation. Maybe he'll be interested only when I can communicate with 8th Wonder. If I can.
4. Doctor Atom probably called a meeting with the Super Seven to discuss 8th Wonder. Talk about the newbie when she's not around.
5. I don't like being left out of the loop. Especially when I'm the topic of conversation.
S20 - Guard
After work, Ryan picked me up in his taxi and we drove to the Super Seven's headquarters. He drove into the parking complex and we stopped at the booth at the entrance. An elderly man in a security guard uniform stepped up the car.
Ryan put down his window. "Hey, Jim, how are you?" Ryan said.
"Just fine, thanks." Jim looked over at me and then back to Ryan. "Have a visitor with you today?"
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, this is Molly. Molly, Jim. She might be coming here more often."
I waved to Jim. Jim adjusted his hat. "New recruit?"
"Yeah, we'll see."
"Okay." Jim patted the top of the car. "Head in then. I think just the doc's inside."
"Thanks." Ryan rolled up his window and drove into toward the complex.
"Does Jim know you're a superhero?" I asked Ryan after we stepped out of the car.
"Oh yeah, he knows about the Super Seven."
"You have an ordinary man guarding superhero headquarters."
Ryan laughed. "Well, he's a human lie detector, so that's helpful." I followed him into the building. "Besides, if anything bad happens, he sounds the alarm and we show up."
I expected the Super Seven's Headquarters to be more...extravagant? Maybe that's not the right word. But I don't know, fancier. It looked like a regular office building lobby. (I'm going to call the place HQ from now on. Easier to write.)
Jim the ordinary security guard. Inside, Ellen the ordinary secretary. She had dark hair with a few strands of gray. Short and round, but not fat. She looked up and smiled at Ryan. "Nice to see you, Ryan."
"Hi Ellen." We walked up to the desk. Ryan nodded toward me. "This is Molly Waters. Um, she was here a few weeks ago after the Next Gen Energy incident."
Ellen looked at me and nodded. "Oh, right. Are you having complications from the accident, dear?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine. We're here on--"
"We have a lead on 8th Wonder," Ryan finished. "Is Atom busy right now?"
Ellen shook her head. "Just routine monitoring."
Ryan nodded. "Great thanks, Ellen."
We walked to the back of the lobby and went in the elevator. Still ordinary office building. Ryan hit the 4 button.
The elevators doors opened on the fourth floor and everything was gleaming blue. Computer screens covered the walls. There was a large desk in the room at the end of the hallway and a bank of screens beyond it. Doctor Atom was sitting at the desk and looking up at the screens. He jotted down a few notes.
He turned around as we walked down the hall. "Hi, Ryan." Doctor Atom saw me and stopped speaking.
Ryan waved his hand. "It's okay. Molly knows I'm Streak."
"Ah." Doctor Atom stood up as we approached his desk. "It's nice to see you again, Molly. Though I have to say, I'm surprised." He looked at Ryan.
"We've got a lead on 8th Wonder. It seems to be some type of energy force that possesses Molly."
Atom sat down in his chair.
I cleared my throat. "Last night Ryan was keeping watch and he saw 8th Wonder take over me. We flew up near King's Lake and put out a fire."
"You remember it?" Atom asked.
"No, Ryan told me what happened. I sort of black out."
Atom turned and typed on the keyboard. The screens blinked and showed different video footage.
"I asked Link to visit my place this morning," Ryan continued. "He found a psychic connection in Molly's mind. 8th Wonder must have put it there."
Atom nodded. He pointed to the screens. "These are all security footage of incidents where 8th Wonder was involved. But we never get it on screen. He turned to me. "What do you want to do about 8th Wonder, Molly?"
I shrugged. "Link said he could help me access this connection I have to her. I guess that's a good place to start."
"I agree. That's a good starting point. Please keep me updated on what happens."
"Right, will do," Ryan said. He put his hand on my shoulder. "We'll let you get back to your monitoring, Atom."
Atom nodded. "Goodbye."
We left HQ and Ryan drove back to our apartment building. So the visit wasn't so bad.
Ryan put down his window. "Hey, Jim, how are you?" Ryan said.
"Just fine, thanks." Jim looked over at me and then back to Ryan. "Have a visitor with you today?"
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, this is Molly. Molly, Jim. She might be coming here more often."
I waved to Jim. Jim adjusted his hat. "New recruit?"
"Yeah, we'll see."
"Okay." Jim patted the top of the car. "Head in then. I think just the doc's inside."
"Thanks." Ryan rolled up his window and drove into toward the complex.
"Does Jim know you're a superhero?" I asked Ryan after we stepped out of the car.
"Oh yeah, he knows about the Super Seven."
"You have an ordinary man guarding superhero headquarters."
Ryan laughed. "Well, he's a human lie detector, so that's helpful." I followed him into the building. "Besides, if anything bad happens, he sounds the alarm and we show up."
I expected the Super Seven's Headquarters to be more...extravagant? Maybe that's not the right word. But I don't know, fancier. It looked like a regular office building lobby. (I'm going to call the place HQ from now on. Easier to write.)
Jim the ordinary security guard. Inside, Ellen the ordinary secretary. She had dark hair with a few strands of gray. Short and round, but not fat. She looked up and smiled at Ryan. "Nice to see you, Ryan."
"Hi Ellen." We walked up to the desk. Ryan nodded toward me. "This is Molly Waters. Um, she was here a few weeks ago after the Next Gen Energy incident."
Ellen looked at me and nodded. "Oh, right. Are you having complications from the accident, dear?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine. We're here on--"
"We have a lead on 8th Wonder," Ryan finished. "Is Atom busy right now?"
Ellen shook her head. "Just routine monitoring."
Ryan nodded. "Great thanks, Ellen."
We walked to the back of the lobby and went in the elevator. Still ordinary office building. Ryan hit the 4 button.
The elevators doors opened on the fourth floor and everything was gleaming blue. Computer screens covered the walls. There was a large desk in the room at the end of the hallway and a bank of screens beyond it. Doctor Atom was sitting at the desk and looking up at the screens. He jotted down a few notes.
He turned around as we walked down the hall. "Hi, Ryan." Doctor Atom saw me and stopped speaking.
Ryan waved his hand. "It's okay. Molly knows I'm Streak."
"Ah." Doctor Atom stood up as we approached his desk. "It's nice to see you again, Molly. Though I have to say, I'm surprised." He looked at Ryan.
"We've got a lead on 8th Wonder. It seems to be some type of energy force that possesses Molly."
Atom sat down in his chair.
I cleared my throat. "Last night Ryan was keeping watch and he saw 8th Wonder take over me. We flew up near King's Lake and put out a fire."
"You remember it?" Atom asked.
"No, Ryan told me what happened. I sort of black out."
Atom turned and typed on the keyboard. The screens blinked and showed different video footage.
"I asked Link to visit my place this morning," Ryan continued. "He found a psychic connection in Molly's mind. 8th Wonder must have put it there."
Atom nodded. He pointed to the screens. "These are all security footage of incidents where 8th Wonder was involved. But we never get it on screen. He turned to me. "What do you want to do about 8th Wonder, Molly?"
I shrugged. "Link said he could help me access this connection I have to her. I guess that's a good place to start."
"I agree. That's a good starting point. Please keep me updated on what happens."
"Right, will do," Ryan said. He put his hand on my shoulder. "We'll let you get back to your monitoring, Atom."
Atom nodded. "Goodbye."
We left HQ and Ryan drove back to our apartment building. So the visit wasn't so bad.
244
Sometimes she stared through the computer screen. The images bent and blurred. She saw them and didn't see them.
S19 - Out of the Loop
I probably should have stayed home from work today. Ryan even said so, considering everything that happened last night/early this morning. But no, I was a trooper and went to InfoTech anyway.
An excerpt from my day...
Me: Good morning. This is InfoTech. Molly speaking. How may I help you today?
Customer: Uh, hi, I was wondering what your return policy is.
Me: Our standard policy is that customers can return unopened merchandise with the original receipt for 60 days after the date of purchase.
Customer: Okay, does that apply to movies?
Me: Both DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, yes sir.
Customer: Where do I return it?
Me: All returns should be made at our Customer Service desk in the store.
Customer: So I'll just bring the disc and the receipt down there?
Me: Yes, sir. Today we're open until 9 o'clock.
Customer: Great, thank you.
Me: You're welcome. Have a nice day.
The sad part is, we get phone calls like this all the time. The same information is on the receipt, on our website, and at the Customer Service desk. People don't read when it's convenient.
I was a little distracted for most of the day. My boss noticed and asked if there was anything I wanted to talk about. Yes, I'm spacing out because I'm thinking about this strange thing that's happening to me. No thank you.
The last hour of work, I was thinking about what would happen tonight. Ryan and I were going to the Super Seven's headquarters to tell them about 8th Wonder. I thought maybe we could wait a day but Ryan said it's best to tell them ASAP.
An excerpt from my day...
Me: Good morning. This is InfoTech. Molly speaking. How may I help you today?
Customer: Uh, hi, I was wondering what your return policy is.
Me: Our standard policy is that customers can return unopened merchandise with the original receipt for 60 days after the date of purchase.
Customer: Okay, does that apply to movies?
Me: Both DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, yes sir.
Customer: Where do I return it?
Me: All returns should be made at our Customer Service desk in the store.
Customer: So I'll just bring the disc and the receipt down there?
Me: Yes, sir. Today we're open until 9 o'clock.
Customer: Great, thank you.
Me: You're welcome. Have a nice day.
The sad part is, we get phone calls like this all the time. The same information is on the receipt, on our website, and at the Customer Service desk. People don't read when it's convenient.
I was a little distracted for most of the day. My boss noticed and asked if there was anything I wanted to talk about. Yes, I'm spacing out because I'm thinking about this strange thing that's happening to me. No thank you.
The last hour of work, I was thinking about what would happen tonight. Ryan and I were going to the Super Seven's headquarters to tell them about 8th Wonder. I thought maybe we could wait a day but Ryan said it's best to tell them ASAP.
236
Someone to save him
to fall down into his abyss
to be so low with him
and yet be the one to lift him
to carry him up, out
Be the one he needs
Find the one you are
to fall down into his abyss
to be so low with him
and yet be the one to lift him
to carry him up, out
Be the one he needs
Find the one you are
S18 - Residual Energy
Someone knocked on the door and Ryan stood up to answer it. "Good to see you, Ryan." The voice sounded a little hoarse but gentle too. I walked out into the living room area. An elderly man took cautious steps into the apartment. I noticed Ryan gently held the man's arm and guided him toward the couch.
Ryan spoke to the man. "This is my friend I was telling you about. Molly." Ryan looked at me. "Molly, this is Link."
I held out my hand. The man hesitated and then grasped my hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you," I said.
He lifted his eyes to mine and I noticed a translucent cloud over his eyes. Blind. But he smiled at me and said, "Nice to meet you too."
"Is it Mr. Link or..."
He waved his hand in the air. "No, no, just Link." He felt for the couch behind him and sat down. Ryan sat next to him.
I sat down in the chair and looked at him. There was something about him, something..."You look familiar," I said. "I don't think we've met before but..." I tilted my head, trying to think. I tried to picture him outside of Ryan's apartment.
"You've lived in Primacity for a while then."
I nodded and then said, "Yes, sir. All my life." Where had I seen him before?
Ryan looked between us. He gave me a look, maybe surprised that I knew this man.
The older man smiled at me. "I didn't always go by Link."
I closed my eyes and tried to picture him somewhere else, tried to place him. "You weren't always blind."
"No. Not in my younger days."
I imagined what he looked like as a younger man walking around the city, and for some reason I kept putting him in red and white clothing. A red and white uniform. "You used to be a superhero." Deep red sleeves and matching pants. White chest and torso. A stretched out and slanted S over his chest in that deep red. I opened my eyes. "You remind of Psionic. He's the one."
The man nodded. "Very good. That was me alright."
Ryan stared at me, his mouth open. "You remember him? That was 15 years ago."
I shrugged. "So I know the superheroes of the city."
"You were a child when I retired. Good memory," Link said.
"I remember seeing you on the news."
Ryan laughed and patted Link on the shoulder. "Looks like I don't have to give you much of an introduction." Ryan looked at me. "Psionic retired officially but he stills helps superheroes sometimes in a different capacity. That's why he goes by Link now."
I nodded.
Then Link spoke. "One of my abilities, I can detect different kinds of psychic energies. Ryan told me you have some sort of connection to 8th Wonder. As far as I can tell, 8th Wonder is something new. I haven't detected anything like that before so if there's something related here, I'm very interested in it."
I looked at Ryan and he smiled and nodded. Guess I was doing the explaining. "Okay. This is a little complicated, so bear with me. I'm not aware when it happens, but apparently 8th Wonder sort of possesses my body to do superhero work. It's happened several nights over the past few months. Most recently, last night when Ryan witnessed it."
Link whistled. "First I've heard of 8th Wonder needing a host." He rubbed his hand over his wispy gray hair. "But that answers the question about 8th Wonder having a physical form. It needs somebody."
"If you can detect 8th Wonder's energy, could you detect it on me?"
"Theoretically, yes." Link waved me to him. I stood in front of him.
He reached forward and held my hands. How did he know where they were if he couldn't see? He closed his eyes and leaned his head back a little. After a moment he said, "Yes, it's the same. It's touched you."
I involuntarily shivered and he chuckled. "It's nothing to be afraid of, Molly. I have no reason to think 8th Wonder is dangerous." Link took a deep breath. "I'd like to see if 8th Wonder has made a connection with you mentally. Psychically. Mind if I peek into your mind?"
I looked at Ryan and he nodded. It's safe. I looked back at Link. "Will it hurt?"
"No, but good for you for asking." He smiled up at me. "Most people don't consider what it's like to have someone else in their head."
"Go ahead then. Do I have to do anything?"
Link nodded. "Close your eyes and stay calm." He closed his eyes again.
"Okay." I gripped his hands a little tighter and closed my eyes.
Link was right--it didn't hurt, but I could definitely feel him enter my mind. A weightless, sort of floating overcame my body. I thought I was going to fall down but despite the feeling in my head, my legs felt steady and stiff. I felt Link's mind shifting in my own mind, something moving that wasn't part of me.
Suddenly, all of that stopped and I felt like air was rushing past my ears. I took a startled breath and Link pulled my hands forward at the exact moment I thought I would fall backward. "You're okay," he said in a gentle voice. "Take a deep breath. Everything's fine."
I took several deep breaths and opened my eyes. Link let go of my hands and I sat back down. "That was something."
Link nodded and chuckled. "You did well."
Ryan came out of the kitchen with two glasses of water. He handed one to me and put the other carefully into Link's hand. "Here's some water for you, Link," he said and sat back on the couch.
(When did Ryan get up to go to the kitchen?)
"So?" Ryan looked at both of us.
Link took a sip of water and then said, "There's definitely a psychic connection." He looked over at me. Was he only partially blind? How did he know exactly where to look to meet my eyes? "That's good," Link continued, "because it's two-way. If 8th Wonder can use it to take over your body, you can use it to communicate with her."
"Her? 8th Wonder is female?" I asked Link.
"Well, if it's pure energy, it doesn't have a gender. I like thinking of it as a she." He smiled.
"How do I use it?" Did I want to use it?
"Link can teach you how to access the connection," Ryan answered. "That's the kind of work he does now. Help superheroes when there's psychic stuff involved."
Link nodded. "That's right. I look forward to working with you, Molly." He put the glass on the coffee table. How did he know where the coffee table was in relation to where he was sitting? I didn't want to be rude and ask him questions about his blindness, but it was strange how aware he was of things in Ryan's apartment. "We've done enough for today, though." Link stood up. "You can call me when you're ready and we'll see what we can do." Link held out his hand to Ryan. "It was nice seeing you again." Ryan stood up and shook Link's hand. Link turned toward me and I stood up to shake his hand too. "Molly, it was nice meeting you."
"You too," I said.
He held my hand still and said, "This is exciting, what's going on."
I smiled. "I hope so."
He clasped his other hand over mine. "It is. Don't be frightened. I'll see you soon."
Ryan guided Link back to the door and Link left.
Ryan spoke to the man. "This is my friend I was telling you about. Molly." Ryan looked at me. "Molly, this is Link."
I held out my hand. The man hesitated and then grasped my hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you," I said.
He lifted his eyes to mine and I noticed a translucent cloud over his eyes. Blind. But he smiled at me and said, "Nice to meet you too."
"Is it Mr. Link or..."
He waved his hand in the air. "No, no, just Link." He felt for the couch behind him and sat down. Ryan sat next to him.
I sat down in the chair and looked at him. There was something about him, something..."You look familiar," I said. "I don't think we've met before but..." I tilted my head, trying to think. I tried to picture him outside of Ryan's apartment.
"You've lived in Primacity for a while then."
I nodded and then said, "Yes, sir. All my life." Where had I seen him before?
Ryan looked between us. He gave me a look, maybe surprised that I knew this man.
The older man smiled at me. "I didn't always go by Link."
I closed my eyes and tried to picture him somewhere else, tried to place him. "You weren't always blind."
"No. Not in my younger days."
I imagined what he looked like as a younger man walking around the city, and for some reason I kept putting him in red and white clothing. A red and white uniform. "You used to be a superhero." Deep red sleeves and matching pants. White chest and torso. A stretched out and slanted S over his chest in that deep red. I opened my eyes. "You remind of Psionic. He's the one."
The man nodded. "Very good. That was me alright."
Ryan stared at me, his mouth open. "You remember him? That was 15 years ago."
I shrugged. "So I know the superheroes of the city."
"You were a child when I retired. Good memory," Link said.
"I remember seeing you on the news."
Ryan laughed and patted Link on the shoulder. "Looks like I don't have to give you much of an introduction." Ryan looked at me. "Psionic retired officially but he stills helps superheroes sometimes in a different capacity. That's why he goes by Link now."
I nodded.
Then Link spoke. "One of my abilities, I can detect different kinds of psychic energies. Ryan told me you have some sort of connection to 8th Wonder. As far as I can tell, 8th Wonder is something new. I haven't detected anything like that before so if there's something related here, I'm very interested in it."
I looked at Ryan and he smiled and nodded. Guess I was doing the explaining. "Okay. This is a little complicated, so bear with me. I'm not aware when it happens, but apparently 8th Wonder sort of possesses my body to do superhero work. It's happened several nights over the past few months. Most recently, last night when Ryan witnessed it."
Link whistled. "First I've heard of 8th Wonder needing a host." He rubbed his hand over his wispy gray hair. "But that answers the question about 8th Wonder having a physical form. It needs somebody."
"If you can detect 8th Wonder's energy, could you detect it on me?"
"Theoretically, yes." Link waved me to him. I stood in front of him.
He reached forward and held my hands. How did he know where they were if he couldn't see? He closed his eyes and leaned his head back a little. After a moment he said, "Yes, it's the same. It's touched you."
I involuntarily shivered and he chuckled. "It's nothing to be afraid of, Molly. I have no reason to think 8th Wonder is dangerous." Link took a deep breath. "I'd like to see if 8th Wonder has made a connection with you mentally. Psychically. Mind if I peek into your mind?"
I looked at Ryan and he nodded. It's safe. I looked back at Link. "Will it hurt?"
"No, but good for you for asking." He smiled up at me. "Most people don't consider what it's like to have someone else in their head."
"Go ahead then. Do I have to do anything?"
Link nodded. "Close your eyes and stay calm." He closed his eyes again.
"Okay." I gripped his hands a little tighter and closed my eyes.
Link was right--it didn't hurt, but I could definitely feel him enter my mind. A weightless, sort of floating overcame my body. I thought I was going to fall down but despite the feeling in my head, my legs felt steady and stiff. I felt Link's mind shifting in my own mind, something moving that wasn't part of me.
Suddenly, all of that stopped and I felt like air was rushing past my ears. I took a startled breath and Link pulled my hands forward at the exact moment I thought I would fall backward. "You're okay," he said in a gentle voice. "Take a deep breath. Everything's fine."
I took several deep breaths and opened my eyes. Link let go of my hands and I sat back down. "That was something."
Link nodded and chuckled. "You did well."
Ryan came out of the kitchen with two glasses of water. He handed one to me and put the other carefully into Link's hand. "Here's some water for you, Link," he said and sat back on the couch.
(When did Ryan get up to go to the kitchen?)
"So?" Ryan looked at both of us.
Link took a sip of water and then said, "There's definitely a psychic connection." He looked over at me. Was he only partially blind? How did he know exactly where to look to meet my eyes? "That's good," Link continued, "because it's two-way. If 8th Wonder can use it to take over your body, you can use it to communicate with her."
"Her? 8th Wonder is female?" I asked Link.
"Well, if it's pure energy, it doesn't have a gender. I like thinking of it as a she." He smiled.
"How do I use it?" Did I want to use it?
"Link can teach you how to access the connection," Ryan answered. "That's the kind of work he does now. Help superheroes when there's psychic stuff involved."
Link nodded. "That's right. I look forward to working with you, Molly." He put the glass on the coffee table. How did he know where the coffee table was in relation to where he was sitting? I didn't want to be rude and ask him questions about his blindness, but it was strange how aware he was of things in Ryan's apartment. "We've done enough for today, though." Link stood up. "You can call me when you're ready and we'll see what we can do." Link held out his hand to Ryan. "It was nice seeing you again." Ryan stood up and shook Link's hand. Link turned toward me and I stood up to shake his hand too. "Molly, it was nice meeting you."
"You too," I said.
He held my hand still and said, "This is exciting, what's going on."
I smiled. "I hope so."
He clasped his other hand over mine. "It is. Don't be frightened. I'll see you soon."
Ryan guided Link back to the door and Link left.
S17 - Missing Link
I woke up on my couch, covered with the blanket I had out for Ryan. I blinked my eyes and sat up. The blanket slipped down and I realized I wasn't wearing anything. "Great," I muttered to myself. It must have happened again. "Ryan?" I said a little louder, "Ryan, are you here?"
I stood up and wrapped the blanket around my body. Checked the window. It was locked. I turned around, running my hand through my hair and saw a piece of paper floating over the coffee table. I walked over and plucked the paper out of the air. It said "Please come over after you're dressed." Ryan. I didn't know he could make things float like that when he wasn't in the room. Pretty cool.
I went into my bedroom and pulled on sweatpants and a t-shirt. I looked over at the alarm clock. Almost 5 a.m. I wondered how long I was asleep. I brushed my teeth and tried to tame my hair but it was frizzy. All over the place.
I picked up my keys and cell phone and walked out into the hallway. No one else was around. I spun on my heel and knocked on Ryan's door.
He opened it and smiled. "Hey, come in."
I waved his note at him. "Neat trick."
Ryan nodded. "I thought so."
I followed him into the kitchen. He went straight to the coffee maker. "I already made a pot. Want any?"
"No thanks." I never ate or drank anything right after I woke up from...whatever these types of nights are called. Episodes, that's the word Ryan used before. "I was wondering what happened. You should know, right?"
Ryan grabbed his mug and the container of sugar and sat down across from me. "Oh yeah. You're not going to believe it."
"Try me."
"Have you heard of 8th Wonder?"
"Yes..."
He nodded and took a sip from his mug. "You're it."
"What?"
He shrugged. "I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself. I stayed up after you went to sleep. Stake out, that was the idea. A few hours later, you came out of your room. In your pajamas, whatever you wore to sleep. You went straight to the window. Unlocked and opened it. I called your name. Went over and tried to talk to you but you didn't respond. It was like you were sleepwalking. You don't remember any of this?"
"No." I shook my head. "I mean, I thought I heard you call my name, but I thought it was a dream. I don't remember anything else. What did I do next?"
"I tried getting your attention. Tried to wake you up, but you didn't respond to anything. You just sidestepped around me and went out on the fire escape."
"Did I hurt you?"
"No."
"Good."
"But I had no idea what you were doing. It didn't look like you were going to jump, so I stood right inside the window and watched. Then there was a glowing in the sky. It came straight for you and hit you. Went through you. I don't know, but your whole body started glowing. You rose into the air and away from the building, brighter and brighter. Burning. That energy, whatever it is, burns through your clothes. That's why you wake up naked. Your whole body turns into pure energy."
While Ryan was talking I held my arm across my lap, my hand palm up. I traced with my finger the vein that runs from my wrist toward my elbow. Everything burning, but there wasn't a mark on me. I didn't feel any pain at all. I know I've had a dozen dreams like this, dreams where I'm burning but not hurt. I knew what Ryan was saying was true.
"Molly?" He put his hand on my knee and I started.
"Sorry." I looked up at him. "I was floating in the air. Did I fly somewhere?"
"Yeah. I saw you moving farther up into the air. That's when I realized it--you--were 8th Wonder. I've never seen it up close, but once you moved away, I recognized it. You. Sorry. I changed into my suit and flew after you."
That's what he had in the duffle bag. I might have guessed.
"You went west," he continued, "toward King's Lake.There was a lighting storm during the night. I don't remember hearing about it in the forecast, but it started a small forest fire out by the lake. 8th Wonder contained the fire and put it out. Then you ducked low over the trees for a fly-over. Checked for any people who were near the flames, but there wasn't anyone out at that time of night.
"I followed you back here. The process went in reverse. You hovered for a moment above the fire escape and the burning stopped. Then that light around you dimmed and you stepped down onto the fire escape. You walked back into the apartment and lied on the floor. I came in right after you and you were already asleep. That's when I moved you to the couch, left the note, and came over here."
I nodded after he finished talking. "I know what you're saying is true, but you're right I don't believe it. People don't even know what 8th Wonder is. And now, hey, newsflash. It's me. Of all people, why me?" This wasn't the worst explanation for what was happening to me, but even so I wasn't sure it was good.
Ryan held my hand between his hands and lowered his head to look me in the eye. "Hey, I know this is a lot. I have a friend who can help with this and I asked him to come over."
"What, now?"
"Yeah, at least for you to meet him." Ryan smiled. "I think you'll like him, actually."
I stood up and wrapped the blanket around my body. Checked the window. It was locked. I turned around, running my hand through my hair and saw a piece of paper floating over the coffee table. I walked over and plucked the paper out of the air. It said "Please come over after you're dressed." Ryan. I didn't know he could make things float like that when he wasn't in the room. Pretty cool.
I went into my bedroom and pulled on sweatpants and a t-shirt. I looked over at the alarm clock. Almost 5 a.m. I wondered how long I was asleep. I brushed my teeth and tried to tame my hair but it was frizzy. All over the place.
I picked up my keys and cell phone and walked out into the hallway. No one else was around. I spun on my heel and knocked on Ryan's door.
He opened it and smiled. "Hey, come in."
I waved his note at him. "Neat trick."
Ryan nodded. "I thought so."
I followed him into the kitchen. He went straight to the coffee maker. "I already made a pot. Want any?"
"No thanks." I never ate or drank anything right after I woke up from...whatever these types of nights are called. Episodes, that's the word Ryan used before. "I was wondering what happened. You should know, right?"
Ryan grabbed his mug and the container of sugar and sat down across from me. "Oh yeah. You're not going to believe it."
"Try me."
"Have you heard of 8th Wonder?"
"Yes..."
He nodded and took a sip from his mug. "You're it."
"What?"
He shrugged. "I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself. I stayed up after you went to sleep. Stake out, that was the idea. A few hours later, you came out of your room. In your pajamas, whatever you wore to sleep. You went straight to the window. Unlocked and opened it. I called your name. Went over and tried to talk to you but you didn't respond. It was like you were sleepwalking. You don't remember any of this?"
"No." I shook my head. "I mean, I thought I heard you call my name, but I thought it was a dream. I don't remember anything else. What did I do next?"
"I tried getting your attention. Tried to wake you up, but you didn't respond to anything. You just sidestepped around me and went out on the fire escape."
"Did I hurt you?"
"No."
"Good."
"But I had no idea what you were doing. It didn't look like you were going to jump, so I stood right inside the window and watched. Then there was a glowing in the sky. It came straight for you and hit you. Went through you. I don't know, but your whole body started glowing. You rose into the air and away from the building, brighter and brighter. Burning. That energy, whatever it is, burns through your clothes. That's why you wake up naked. Your whole body turns into pure energy."
While Ryan was talking I held my arm across my lap, my hand palm up. I traced with my finger the vein that runs from my wrist toward my elbow. Everything burning, but there wasn't a mark on me. I didn't feel any pain at all. I know I've had a dozen dreams like this, dreams where I'm burning but not hurt. I knew what Ryan was saying was true.
"Molly?" He put his hand on my knee and I started.
"Sorry." I looked up at him. "I was floating in the air. Did I fly somewhere?"
"Yeah. I saw you moving farther up into the air. That's when I realized it--you--were 8th Wonder. I've never seen it up close, but once you moved away, I recognized it. You. Sorry. I changed into my suit and flew after you."
That's what he had in the duffle bag. I might have guessed.
"You went west," he continued, "toward King's Lake.There was a lighting storm during the night. I don't remember hearing about it in the forecast, but it started a small forest fire out by the lake. 8th Wonder contained the fire and put it out. Then you ducked low over the trees for a fly-over. Checked for any people who were near the flames, but there wasn't anyone out at that time of night.
"I followed you back here. The process went in reverse. You hovered for a moment above the fire escape and the burning stopped. Then that light around you dimmed and you stepped down onto the fire escape. You walked back into the apartment and lied on the floor. I came in right after you and you were already asleep. That's when I moved you to the couch, left the note, and came over here."
I nodded after he finished talking. "I know what you're saying is true, but you're right I don't believe it. People don't even know what 8th Wonder is. And now, hey, newsflash. It's me. Of all people, why me?" This wasn't the worst explanation for what was happening to me, but even so I wasn't sure it was good.
Ryan held my hand between his hands and lowered his head to look me in the eye. "Hey, I know this is a lot. I have a friend who can help with this and I asked him to come over."
"What, now?"
"Yeah, at least for you to meet him." Ryan smiled. "I think you'll like him, actually."
S16 - Jeopardy
Ryan knocked on the door during a commercial break of Jeopardy. Funny thing about that game show. Technically there's an exclamation point in the title, but who's gonna write it that way?
Lately I've been keeping score for myself when I watch Jeopardy. It sounds lame, I know, but I always wonder how well I'd do if I got penalized for incorrect answers. I usually don't pay attention to how many answers I get right vs how many I get wrong. So I started keeping score on paper while I watch. Ryan saw the notebook open on the coffee table. He didn't say anything, but I might as well be wearing a t shirt that says "Bored Nerd."
"Did you eat dinner?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I did, thanks."
I nodded. "Want something to drink then?"
"A glass of water would be great."
I went to the kitchen and poured him a glass of water. "You can put your stuff wherever," I called out to him. He had a duffle bag and his coat over his arm when he walked in.
I took the glass of water out to him and he said thanks. He put his stuff on the floor, next to the chair with the spare sheets, pillow, and blanket I took out of the closet for him. I didn't know exactly what time he was coming over, so I was going to make up the couch after I figured out if I ended with a positive or negative Jeopardy score.
We watched the rest of Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy. I ignored the notebook even though I did really well in the first round. As the credits rolled, I turned toward him and asked "So what's the plan for tonight?"
"Pretty simple." He shrugged. "You do your normal routine and I try not to get in your way. I stay here overnight and if anything unusual happens...well, I guess I go with the flow." He thought for a moment. "You never know beforehand when it's going to happen, do you? Like a feeling or anything like that?"
I shook my head. "Sorry, no."
He waved his hand. "It's okay. I was just wondering."
We spent the next few hours watching TV and flipping channels when we got bored. I felt tired and told Ryan I was going to go to sleep. I stood up and pointed down the hall. "Bathroom's on the right. Feel free to use it." I smiled at him.
"Thanks."
"Good night."
"Sleep well."
I brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas. I fell asleep after a few minutes. I don't know how much time passed but at some point later on I heard Ryan call my name. I couldn't answer him, though, and it felt like a dream anyway.
Lately I've been keeping score for myself when I watch Jeopardy. It sounds lame, I know, but I always wonder how well I'd do if I got penalized for incorrect answers. I usually don't pay attention to how many answers I get right vs how many I get wrong. So I started keeping score on paper while I watch. Ryan saw the notebook open on the coffee table. He didn't say anything, but I might as well be wearing a t shirt that says "Bored Nerd."
"Did you eat dinner?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I did, thanks."
I nodded. "Want something to drink then?"
"A glass of water would be great."
I went to the kitchen and poured him a glass of water. "You can put your stuff wherever," I called out to him. He had a duffle bag and his coat over his arm when he walked in.
I took the glass of water out to him and he said thanks. He put his stuff on the floor, next to the chair with the spare sheets, pillow, and blanket I took out of the closet for him. I didn't know exactly what time he was coming over, so I was going to make up the couch after I figured out if I ended with a positive or negative Jeopardy score.
We watched the rest of Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy. I ignored the notebook even though I did really well in the first round. As the credits rolled, I turned toward him and asked "So what's the plan for tonight?"
"Pretty simple." He shrugged. "You do your normal routine and I try not to get in your way. I stay here overnight and if anything unusual happens...well, I guess I go with the flow." He thought for a moment. "You never know beforehand when it's going to happen, do you? Like a feeling or anything like that?"
I shook my head. "Sorry, no."
He waved his hand. "It's okay. I was just wondering."
We spent the next few hours watching TV and flipping channels when we got bored. I felt tired and told Ryan I was going to go to sleep. I stood up and pointed down the hall. "Bathroom's on the right. Feel free to use it." I smiled at him.
"Thanks."
"Good night."
"Sleep well."
I brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas. I fell asleep after a few minutes. I don't know how much time passed but at some point later on I heard Ryan call my name. I couldn't answer him, though, and it felt like a dream anyway.
Reading List
I made a new page on this blog to keep track of books I'm reading. Original idea is from Matthew Elmslie.
Not much to list right now because most of the reading I do is for college courses. I'm not including that on the list unless I have to read a book in its entirety (and that's rare). The good news is, the list should pick up in June when I have more time to read whatever I want. Yay for being a college senior.
Not much to list right now because most of the reading I do is for college courses. I'm not including that on the list unless I have to read a book in its entirety (and that's rare). The good news is, the list should pick up in June when I have more time to read whatever I want. Yay for being a college senior.
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