Eye on Orion

by Laura D. Bastian

  The guava-juice tasted delicious and smooth. It wouldn't have surprised me if it had been made fresh. I drank it all and asked for more, delighted in the aftertaste. Jai refilled my glass and his. Besides a quick “Thank you” and a mumbled “You're welcome,” Jai and I said nothing to each other for more than ten minutes. Amira seemed to be interested in the conversation between our parents, so she wasn’t too talkative either.

  We'd gotten along pretty well at the mall, but here, he played with his silverware, watched Amira and me as we chatted occasionally, and kept looking at his parents as they talked to mine. He glanced at me under his lashes, but never looked directly at me. Why is he nervous?

  Twenty minutes into the meal and after my third glass of juice, my mind started to feel a little fuzzy. A faint haze surrounded the edges of my vision, narrowing until I could only see out of the center, like when I peered through my telescope. The conversations around me began to fade and echo then alternately got loud and garbled. I dropped my fork; the chime as it clipped the plate resonated through my mind. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. A sudden headache seized me, making me gasp at the pain then disappeared as soon as it hit. I jerked my head up and looked around the room.

  The haze around my vision disappeared, and I could see everything with much more clarity. The conversations still sounded strange, with unusual echoes, but I could hear them all, better than before. I looked around the table at the occupants and focused on my parents as they described how the nursery business kept them busy even in the winter.

  “Oh yeah, we have our own greenhouses and do our own planting,” Dad said. “We even propagate our own trees.” Almost simultaneously, I heard him say with a sigh that echoed, “Though I’m sure you wouldn't care about that. No one does, but it is so fascinating. Wish I could quit my part time job at the grocery store during the winter to focus on my plants.”

  At the head of the table Delilah's voice echoed, “It is too bad they have to work this hard and struggle to make ends meet, while we are living a life of luxury here.” She had her napkin pressed lightly against her mouth.

  “I agree,” Marshal's voice said, but his mouth was busy chewing a bite of food. “And how unfortunate it is that Mrs. Adams must supplement their income by teaching piano.”

  I felt outraged they thought those things about us but stunned that I could hear him speak clearly as he chewed. And how did he know my mom taught piano? I didn't remember her talking about it. My dad was still explaining how he took cuttings off one tree to graft into another.

  I stared at Amira. Her mouth was closed, but her voice echoed, “Are you satisfied yet, Jai? There is nothing wrong with these people. They do not suspect us of anything. Now may I please have your permission to develop a friendship with Holly? I am tired of all this caution. Do you still think it is necessary?”

  I heard her thoughts because she was definitely not saying it out loud. I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers against my eyelids, breathing deeply to clear my head.

  The conversations going on around the room slammed into each other, fighting for my attention. Everything else disappeared when Jai's deep voice said, “I am not entirely convinced. There is something unusual about Holly.”

  I bristled and looked at him out of the corner of my eyes. He was still looking down at his plate with his head tilted toward Amira. “I allowed you to take her shopping, in order to observe her,” his voice said. “I receive a strange vibe from her. I cannot figure out what it is. It is unlike anything I have felt before… almost…”

  “What, Jai?” Amira asked when he trailed off. “What do you feel from her?”

  “I don't know what it is. But she knows there is something different about us. That is why I decided to try this at dinner. You hear their thoughts as well as I do, yet nothing from Holly. Why is the Densinne not working on her?”

  He looked up at me. When he saw my expression, his face paled.

  “Amira,” Jai thought with a panicked tone.

  “What?” Amira sounded irritated.

  “Look at Holly,” Jai thought. I whipped my face away from Jai and looked at Amira.

  “Yes, Jai, she’s beautiful tonight,” Amira said without looking at me.

  “No,” Jai insisted, sounding a little embarrassed. “Look at her now!”

  Amira glanced away from my parents and looked at me. So many thoughts ran through my mind. If I could hear their thoughts and those of my family, couldn't they hear mine? But Jai had just said they couldn't.

  “What about her?” Amira thought.

  “Do you think she can hear us?” he thought in what I assumed passed as a whisper.

  “Hear us?” Amira asked. “Why? No one has ever been able to before.”

  “I know,” Jai whispered his thought again. “But look at her face. There is definitely something going on inside her mind right now.”

  Amira narrowed her eyes at me. I narrowed mine back.

  I made a conscious effort to think the words in my mind, “What is going on here?”

  “Oh!” Amira thought, sounding stunned.

  “I can hear you. You have been listening to our thoughts!” I accused.

  Amira wrung her hands together then placed them into her lap as if to hold them still. Jai dropped his napkin onto his plate as he stood up and strode to the other end of the table. He stepped between Marshal and Delilah then leaned down to whisper.

  I heard Marshal think, “What do you mean she can hear us?” He looked up at me as he thought it. Jai whispered again. As Marshal's expression changed from confusion to concern, I knew he believed it.

  “But that is impossible,” Delilah thought. “It does not work that way here?” Her last thought sounded more like a question.

  “It is possible,” Marshal thought, “she can hear us now. Is that right, Holly?”

  I shook my head. Not denying I could hear him, but that it was happening at all. “This is crazy,” I thought.

  “Jai, do something,” Amira commanded.

  Jai stood up straight, squared his broad shoulders, and looked at me. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth turned down. I felt a small ripple of fear at the expression in his eyes.

  I tore my eyes from his and looked at my parents. They seemed to notice something was up because Marshal and Delilah had stopped talking to them for a moment. Dad glanced at Jai as he stood behind Marshal. I heard my mom thinking their behavior was odd. Delilah engaged my parents in conversation.

  “Mom! Dad!” I thought. “Can't you hear them? Do you hear me?” I screamed in my mind as loudly as I could. My neighbors all blinked, but my parents didn't bat an eye.

  I debated on what to do next. I couldn't stay here and listen to everyone’s thoughts and act normal about it. I wanted to scream, out loud this time.

  Jai thought, “Give me a moment. I might have something…” He excused himself and disappeared through the dining room door. Seizing my chance, I leaned toward my mom across the table.

  “Mom,” I whispered. “I'm not feeling well. I need to run home.” I glanced toward the door Jai had gone through then back at the other neighbors.

  I stood before Mom could object and rushed through the kitchen toward the front door.

  “Jai,” Amira shouted. I was pretty sure it was in her mind because it had that odd echo to it. “She's leaving!”

  Before reaching the front door, I heard Jai call, “Holly, stop!”

  “No!” I shouted in my head.

  “Please. I have to explain.” He sounded worried.

  I swung open their door and hurried down the steps, but he caught up quickly, giving me a moment of panic. I stopped at the end of their sidewalk and looked back at him. I folded my arms across my chest and said aloud, “Okay. Explain. This is unbelievably crazy.”

  “I know,” Jai said with his thoughts. “It is very secret, and we really need you to not say anything. I did not hear you tell your family about this, and I am begging you to continue to keep it a secret.”
>
  “How is it even possible?” I asked, placing my hands on my head in disbelief.

  “I am not entirely sure. My family and I have always been able to communicate telepathically, but have never met anyone else who could. I added an extract to your juice.”

  “You drugged me?” I accused, my eyes flying wide open.

  “I had no idea it would do that to you. We have let other people try it and have been able to hear them for a while, but they have never been able to hear us,” he thought to me and shrugged.

  I stared at him blankly for a moment. They'd always been able to communicate telepathically? And now I could? I closed my eyes again and shook my head. Not wanting to believe it.

  “It was inappropriate for me to do it. I was curious to hear your thoughts with the Densinne. It has always been such an effective interrogation tool before. I did not mean to frighten you.”

  “Interrogation tool? Who are you? Why would you want to know my thoughts?” My heart pounded harder and faster as my anger grew.

  “You watch us. I wanted to know what you discovered,” he said.

  “What? That’s not fair! I can’t believe you would intrude on my private thoughts!” I only watched him because he was so… I stopped, not wanting him to hear those thoughts. Ever.

  “Do you know everything I’m thinking?”

  “Not everything,” he admitted. It is mostly when you make a conscious effort to say words in your mind. Kind of like when you talk to yourself,” he thought. “There are jumbled thoughts but nothing concrete. You seem to be able to keep most of it quiet.” He seemed annoyed he couldn’t get what he wanted from me.

  “How long will it last?” I demanded.

  “I am not sure. We always add it to our food and have not lost our telepathy. Will you tell me when it no longer works?” He straightened his back and crossed his arms as he waited for my answer.

  “I'm going home to lie down,” I said. “This whole thing is freaking me out.” I turned to walk away.

  “Will you tell me when it no longer works?” he repeated, grabbing my arm before I took a step.

  I stared at him in shock. When he touched my arm it tingled, stronger than when we had shook hands the first day we'd met, almost like there was an electrical charge in his body that coursed through mine. I couldn't believe he dared ask for my help after drugging me. “Why don’t you come over later and see what I’m thinking then?” I snapped.

  “Thank you,” he whispered as he let go of my arm.

  I guess he didn't understand sarcasm. I rubbed my skin where his hand had been as I started to walk away then asked, “How far does this work?”

  “The same distance of talking to someone with your voice,” he answered. “If you are out of voice range, you are out of our telepathic range. At least that is how it works for us. I assume it works the same for you. Maybe we could try some experiments with you if you are willing.” He seemed excited about the idea.

  I glared at him. “We’ll see about that.” I turned and headed to my house. “Experiments? Gahh! Not likely,” I thought, hoping he would hear me.

  ****

  I threw myself onto my bed, buried my face in my pillow and screamed, took a deep breath, and did it again. Then I rolled over onto my back and yelled even louder in my mind. I stopped and wondered if he could hear that. Maybe not in his house, but if he stood outside, I'd bet he'd heard some of it. I resisted the urge to jump off my bed and run to the front room window to see if he was still outside.

  I couldn't stay put, so I heaved myself off my bed and circled my room, randomly picking up things and placing them down in a different spot in my confusion. Why did they do this? Where did they get the stuff? How long had they been using it? How did it work? How could he hear my thoughts but my family couldn't? What kind of secret was he keeping, besides the fact they could communicate telepathically?

  What if he had been able to hear my thoughts without me hearing his and knowing what was going on? I blushed as I remembered my thoughts of him, ranging from irritation to infatuation. I grabbed the closest object and slammed it back down on the dresser top. I cringed when I realized it was my starfish from our trip to California. One section of the bottom had cracked, but the top was still intact. I set it down again carefully and slumped to my bed.

  If I could hear other people’s thoughts that would be cool, but I wouldn't want anyone to hear mine. Does that make me a hypocrite?

  I lay on my bed, hashing things out over and over again. I wanted to get my thoughts in order before I saw someone who could hear them. How did they stand it?

  Soon my parents returned. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t even worried about them staying with people who could hear their thoughts. I didn't know what to say about my quick exit. They must have thought I was crazy. Not wanting to talk about it, I climbed out my window and lay on the roof, still warm from the sun earlier in the day. I heard a light knock on my door, followed soon by the door opening.

  “You must be feeling better if you are out here.” Mom poked her head out my window. I hope it wasn’t the food. I heard her thoughts as easily as if she’d spoken.

  “I'm okay.” I shrugged. “A headache hit me all of a sudden, and I felt a little weird. Figured I should come home and lie down. When it didn’t help, I thought being out here to relax would work.”

  “Probably not the best idea,” Mom said as she looked across the rooftop. She didn’t lean out very far.

  “I’m fine. Being out here makes my headache better.”

  Mom grunted as if she didn’t believe me.

  “Did they seem upset I left in such a hurry?” I asked, hoping to keep her from telling me to come back in.

  “No, they were concerned you felt unwell, though. Dad and I thought it was impolite to leave like you did,” she chided me. Not waiting for me to respond, she continued, “Jai asked for permission to come over here a little later to see how you're feeling.” She looked at me curiously.

  Great, I thought. Another person wanting to know what I’m thinking. “I saw him for a sec before leaving their house.” I tried not to frown at the memory of our conversation. “Please tell me you can hear me. I don't want to see him right now.” I thought with all the conviction and emotion I could put into it.

  “He seems like a polite young man,” Mom said with a smile, giving no indication she had heard my thoughts.

  “Yeah, he seems that way, doesn’t he?” I muttered. Why is she always trying to get me to develop friendships? I wish she could just accept me for who I am, instead of who she thinks I should be.

  “I wish she'd tell me what she thinks of him,” Mom thought. “I can't tell if they like each other or not. Goodness, teenagers are hard to read.”

  I sat in silence, listening to her debate with herself on how to get me to open up. The insights into her mind fascinated me. In another situation, I'd love to be able to listen to her thoughts, but the reason I could hear her still bothered me. All my attention returned to Jai and what he'd done. I knew she wanted me to talk to her, and it touched me, but I had no idea what to say. I didn't want to talk about the topic on both our minds.

  “Um, Mom, I'd like to just lie here in the quiet for a bit.”

  “I'll check on you later, dear.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Chapter Five

  Thoughts

  Less than half an hour after Mom left me alone, Jai came over and rang the doorbell. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, counting to ten to calm myself. I wanted to be completely under control before meeting with him. My thoughts had to remain private. Maybe if I stayed here I wouldn’t have to talk to him.

  I expected to hear my mom calling me to come back in and go downstairs. Instead, I was surprised to see Jai poke his head out my window. I couldn’t believe my parents let him come up through my room.

  I heard Dad’s voice from inside. “Go ahead and climb out the window. She’s just around the edge.”

  Jai climbed out slowly, kee
ping low.

  Dad poked his head out. “You two be careful up here.”

  I stared at my dad. I had never felt so betrayed in my life. Man, what were parents good for anymore? How could they let him up here? It was my room. Dad’s head disappeared into the house. I looked at Jai and frowned.

  “Do you think we could go back inside and down to the front porch?” Jai asked.

  “No,” I snapped. “You want to interrogate me, you do it on my roof.”

  Jai scowled. “I will not be interrogating you.”

  “Good.”

  Jai leaned his back against the edge of the window. “I think I was more comfortable in the dark when I couldn’t see everything.”

  I stared at him, surprised. I immediately felt bad for making him nervous, but I squashed that emotion. He should feel uncomfortable. He deserved it after drugging me.

  “I’m sorry about this,” Jai said. He kept surprising me.

  We sat on the roof, not saying or thinking anything for a few moments. Deciding I'd get more information by being nice, I started, “How long have you been able to talk telepathically?”

  He sat silent for a moment then said, “A while.”

  “And I'm the only one outside your family who could hear your thoughts?” I glanced at the window behind me to make sure my parents weren’t peeking. I wouldn’t put it past them.

  “Yes.” He nodded, then sighed. I grumbled to myself. He raised his eyebrows and watched me. Was he waiting for me to say something in addition to my grumbling? I didn't like all this mind-talk. Thoughts should be private.

  “How do you stand being able to have your family hear your thoughts?” I thought in a whisper, which is kind of hard to do. It was definitely not as easy as the shouting had been. I absently wondered what a normal volume for a thought was.

  “We are used to it. We know how to only say or think what we mean to. At first stray thoughts get out, but soon you learn how to keep some things private.” He leaned forward a second then pressed his back against the side of the house again.