Aftermath

by Meiling Colorado

  She had managed to walk half-way into the room, after all, and so far Michael had done nothing more than creep up against the furthest corner, and huddle in on himself.

  No yelling, rocking or screaming. No frothing at the mouth either.

  But that didn't mean he wasn't rejecting her, or that she couldn't sense his power.

  Yeshra felt the blood draining from her face, leaving her pale face whiter than ever, but though she stopped advancing, she continued to scan his energy field.

  He was so strong. And he was hurting.

  She could feel him, his core energy, shimmering in pain, the very pain he used to project the shield that had everyone running. But Yeshra could see beyond that hateful wall to him, the real him.

  Michael.

  Or what was left of him. It took all she had not to weep.

  Once outside again Yeshra sagged against the cottage wall, sucking greedily at the earthenware water container Sri handed her.

  She sighed gratefully, and leaning against the wall behind her she tried to dispel the illusion of chilliness the encounter had left in her bones, drawing the heat in from the sun-baked bricks. It was a strange and unsettling combination, her parched throat and the shivery cold feeling inside her. Taking a deep breath, she formed her next words in a rushing gasp of air.

  ¨He's an empath.¨

  Opening her eyes, she found the doctor's cobalt blue eyes watching her intently, honey-colored dreadlocks hanging forward as he leant down slightly toward her to compensate for his height.

  Yeshra wiped her brow with the back of her hand, dislodging the wisps of fine pale hair clammily stuck to her skin.

  ¨Or at least, he was.¨ she blinked wearily. ¨Now I don't really know what he is. Or how to help him.¨ Her shoulders slumped wearily. ¨I'm sorry, Sri.¨

  He pulled her into a tight hug and then released her gently, saying, ¨You have nothing to be sorry about. That was great. You did great. No-one was ever able to get that close before. And you've discovered some very important information.¨

  The doctor looked thoughtful. ¨An empath!¨ he exclaimed under his breath. ¨Poor man...that shit must have been awful...¨

  ¨There is very little left of the man in there,¨ she sighed regretfully, ¨I don't know if he woke up like that from his sick-bed, or if the shock of feeling everyone's emotions did it, but what I was able to sense was closer to a force of nature than a human. Like an out-of-control tornado whipped up by gale-force winds of pain and confusion.¨ Yeshra shivered. ¨But without the logic of nature itself. This is chaotic, ruled by emotions. And emotions he can't process because they aren't his own...¨

  ¨So he projects them back at us as his only means of escape from the nightmare, ¨ whispered Sri. ¨By keeping us at bay, he feels less.¨

  ¨I don't think he is aware of the process, but he lashes out like a wild animal in self-defense, and people leave. So it works. Like I said, there is little left of the man you knew in there.¨

  ¨I'm not ready to give up on him, Yeshra.¨

  ¨I didn't think you would be.¨ The blond woman in front of him drew a stuttering breath and seemed to brace herself before smiling tiredly. ¨You think I can help him?¨

  ¨I think you are the only one that can.¨

  She sighed, ¨Yes, figured you would say that.¨

  She felt a bit light-headed, maybe from heat or the ordeal with Michael, or more probably from the giddiness she felt when she saw the proud look on Sri's face.

  It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her that way, and she had to admit it felt good.

  CHAPTER 11

  BRAVE NEW WORLD

  Resnan stretched out lazily on the sun-warmed rocky ledge, feeling the muscles in his leg tense, and then give, affording him some relief. He was better, much better, in fact. Apart from some slight cramping when he had been exercising the muscles, he hardly felt any discomfort at all. He picked at the towel corner, inhaling and breathing in the smells from the lake and the surrounding pine trees.

  He felt great.

  Seeing Garand again had been pretty awesome, he had to admit, though he had felt a bit uncomfortable by the way the old man had death-gripped him in a bear hug, unabashedly wiping his eyes when he let go. He was not a man to let his emotions show easily, and Resnan had never seen him so openly moved before. He hadn't really given it much thought, but he guessed the old man must have been worried about him out there alone in the cruel wide world.

  Who would have thought the old goat had a soft core?

  He was looking forward to that distilling project he had mentioned…it sounded like good fun, and it seemed even staid Leiren would have a use for the end product for some of her medicinal potions. From the twinkle in Garand's eye he had a feeling that quite a lot of testing would be involved in the process.

  A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he surveyed Terrell and Leni splashing water at each other directly below him. It had been wonderful to see those two again, too. They had become good friends during the short time he had been at the village, and there was a shortage of those in his life. Apart from Ren, he'd never been close to anyone else his age.

  Last time he had seen them, a lot of people were already sick, and then he himself had barely made it to the settlement, so there had been a lot of catching up to do.

  He was still shocked and saddened by all the deaths, and he felt really bad for Leni. Her mother had seemed like a really nice lady, and both of them had already been through so much…

  …but he couldn't help feeling upbeat. Hell, he had a positive nature, and he saw an incredible future opening up before them.

  He grinned openly as he heard Leni squeal in outrage as Terrell used his talent to move the water around her so that it splashed her from every direction.

  ¨Not fair!¨ she howled, but she couldn't help laughing.

  It was good to be together again and now the drama was done with they could marvel at each others' talents. He was still awed by Ren's talent, not to mention his little sister and her antics.

  Man, they were downright scary, those two.

  He was much more comfortable with his own talent. It turned out he hadn't simply developed a keen sense of smell as he had thought.

  He chuckled.... he did rather fancy himself as a human bloodhound, he reflected, scratching his beard. He wondered if he should shave it off. It was getting pretty itchy with this heat. But then, it did make him look more mature, and that went down well with the ladies, didn't it? Especially those older than him which were really the ones he was most interested in. Being gifted didn't hurt, either.

  He was relieved his gift had been latent though, like his sister's, and not the result of the ¨jump-start¨. That shit didn't sound like a pleasant experience. At all.

  And yes, he felt pretty good, sprawled out in the sun next to the glittering lake. Glittering like the bright, wonderful future he could see spreading in front of them. After all, he thought happily, what couldn't they do together?

  Serbell had finished for the day. She had walked all around the outside of the village with Garand and a group of interested people, deciding what were the best areas for grazing and agricultural purposes.

  Up until recently the village had made do with a small community garden which had fulfilled their needs, but they had bigger plans now.

  To start with the land here was better suited to grazing than at their settlement, and since the population was limited it seemed the most practical occupation for them if the two communities were to have a future in common. One needed more people to plant and harvest than to look after cattle. This was turning out to be as exciting a project as she could have hoped for, and more.

  And it kept her mind occupied.

  She was hot, tired, and her feet were killing her. She probably didn't smell too sweet either, she thought dryly. Grabbing a change of clothes from her meager supply she reflected the lake was turning out to be her favorite place, where she seemed to be spending most of her fre
e time. The quiet and beauty of the place gave her some much needed peace of mind. Looking forward to the swim she made her way through the streets, waving to the people she met along the way, but not stopping for idle chatter. She never did on her way down to the lake, and they understood. Most of them were nice people, considerate, and everyone knew her schedule by now.

  At the hour she preferred to go the area was seldom occupied, and so she was dismayed to hear loud splashing and laughing young voices.

  Leni and Resnan from the sound of it, she thought, and that could be Terrell she could hear in the background.

  Serbell hesitated, and then ducked behind the line of trees surrounding the shore, hoping the kids hadn't spotted her. She didn't want to seem anti-social or hurt anyone's feelings, but she truly didn't feel up to smiling and making small talk. Judging by the fun they seemed to be having, they probably wouldn't welcome her intrusion either.

  She did need a wash, though, so she slid down the trunk of the tree and settled down to wait for a bit. Still in sight of the blue lake, it wasn't too bad a place to meditate for a while. It would get dark in about an hour and the young people would soon get hungry, if she knew anything about teenagers. Hugging her jean-clad knees she leant back against the rough bark and closed her eyes.

  Leiren watched Yeshra with increasing irritation as the blond-haired woman helped Dinain sort out some tools he had just brought in from the shed. Her attitude toward that gentle patient man grated on the Healer. She wasn't exactly dismissive, but Leiren could detect little warmth in the couple's interactions.

  She had come to check if the grey-haired man had any ideas on making frames for correcting lenses. She had discovered an old ophthalmologist who had taken refuge in the village...the man just needed a master craftsman who could help him out with the technical details to start a project sorely needed in both communities. Dinain, of course, had been delighted to add another item to his list of projects. The fact that this could mean he might have to stay behind when the rest of them left didn't seem to bother either him or his wife, she noticed.

  She had to admit Yeshra had received her civilly enough, and even offered her some lemonade, but then all that woman ever did was go with the flow...

  Huffing under her breath the wise-woman pondered on the fact that she had been unable to make any headway at all in finding out more about Yeshra's new-found ability to feel the life-force, and she had been too busy with the ´jump start´ group to really do anything about it. Yeshra was being close-lipped about the matter, somehow always managing to avoid an open confrontation.

  The issue didn't seem to be bothering the pale, blue-eyed woman in the slightest unlike in the beginning when, perhaps thrown off-balance by her son's return and the discovery of her increased talent, she had seemed more malleable.

  To Leiren's growing frustration her presence seemed to make no impact on her at all, especially now she seemed to have found her niche as the doctor's assistant…the Healer didn't really know how to feel about that, and this bothered her more than she cared to admit.

  The daughter was totally different, thank goodness. Headstrong, yes, and a handful, but ever willing to explore her potential to the fullest. Her biggest challenge there was keeping the girl centered when young Ren hung around the place. A necessary evil, though. Leiren had noticed they advanced quicker when allowed to be present at each other’s lessons.

  None of them were at the root of her discomfort, of course, she pondered as she cradled the lemonade glass between her hands. She had no intention of drinking it. It was really too sweet for her taste.

  No, the cause of this uncharacteristic lack of focus which was driving her up the wall was probably tending to one of the villagers' minor ailments, aided by a quick excursion into their heads.

  Not that she could accuse Sri of trespassing on her thoughts since she had busted him out, but it made her uneasy to know he could. In spite of his assurance he wouldn't do it again she felt the constant need to keep her guard up, which was exhausting. She was aware of the tall man's every move when he was around.

  That was what was really troubling her.

  She had allowed the boy to get under her skin, and she really didn't need this, not at the moment when everything she had been waiting on for years, all the visions she had had of the future, seemed to be coming together.

  To add insult to injury, she had the sneaking suspicion she might not be completely averse to him taking a peek, as long as he shared later. She was nothing if not curious, and she wondered what her mind would look like to him.

  In fact, she thought in disgust, her tongue curdling after distractedly sipping the too-sweet lemonade by mistake, she obviously had as little control over her own mind as the very children she was trying to mentor.

  Serbell didn't have long to wait. Barely twenty minutes later she was treading water, the lake's immensity enfolding her, washing away the dust and grime of the long hot day, and being treated to one of the loveliest sun-sets she had witnessed in some time. Or maybe she was just being whimsical. Either way, she thought as she floated peacefully face up in the tranquil waters, it all added up to perfection.

  It also meant that by the time she decided she was clean enough the last rays had disappeared behind the horizon, and she was left shuffling around on the shore in the eerie half-light of dusk, looking for her clothes.

  Hearing somebody making their way down on the opposite side of her own path of descent she was glad she had kept her underwear on in spite of the late hour. This part of the lake was uncharacteristically busy today. She knew it was childish, but she was really self-conscious about her body, and though she knew most people nowadays were very comfortable with nudity, she wasn't. Not her own, anyway.

  She sighed with relief as she spotted the small pile of clothes to her left. Feeling rushed and clumsy she quickly walked over to it and pulled the clean t-shirt over her wet hair. It clung uncomfortably to her wet body but, she thought as she turned to greet the new-comer, thankfully it was a couple of sizes too large and covered her comfortably. At least she was halfway presentable.

  Of course she should have known the one person to catch her when she felt at a disadvantage would be Benton.

  As for him, he just stood there like a tongue tied green boy, staring at her in the fast failing light. It was more than adequate enough, however, for him to be able to see the way the damp cloth caressed her body, and picked out her puckering nipples. She simply took his breath away.

  ¨Hello, there.¨ Her husky voice did nothing to help him, but the nervous quiver he heard in it did relax him somewhat. Taking a couple of steps toward her he thanked his lucky stars the light was almost gone and his evident physical reaction to her presence not visible. If he wanted to continue playing hard to get, no pun intended, he'd better get in the lake, the sooner the better, he told himself.

  She hadn't seen him for a couple of days, and she more than half suspected he was avoiding her. But maybe, Serbell thought, he had come down here looking for her.

  As if he'd overheard her thoughts, he said, ¨Hi! I didn't expect to find anyone here this late.¨

  So, he hadn't sought her out. A pang of disappointment shot through her, and she stamped it out crossly. He was close enough now he barely had to raise his voice above a whisper. Too close. Irritated she realized she had begun sweating again.

  This was awkward, and pathetic. She had worked alongside the man for years, kissed him passionately once, and now she didn't really know how to act around him anymore.

  ¨I don't usually come down here so late,¨ she answered, her breath hitching as he took his shirt off and dropped it down on the sand. ¨The place was rather...um, busy today.¨

  Turning sideways she knelt and busied herself tying the cloth straps on her sandals, fully conscious of his movements next to her. Feeling something inside her coiling into a tight spring, slowly making its way between her legs, Serbell wondered if the man was actually going to strip naked right there, in front
of her.

  Sweet Jesus, she thought, as she heard another thud on the sand close by, he is, isn't he!

  At which point she realized she hadn't put her own jeans on before tying her sandals, and they were way too tight to do so with the silly things on.

  Get a grip, woman! she scolded herself. There was no dignified way out of this. She wasn't going to untie them and re-tie them both again in front of Benton to finish dressing. Now she would be forced either to do so out of sight behind the trees, or walk in just her wet t-shirt across the village, risking a chance encounter with anyone. She could have kicked herself.

  With her luck the whole village would be holding a council on her doorstep as she walked in on them.

  Hearing a scuffle of sand and a splash she stood up and turned around, heaving a sigh of relief. In spite of herself her eyes sought him out, peering at the by now dark waters of the lake. She could still see enough to witness his powerful strokes as he swam. Biting her lip, she hesitated. Should she shout out goodbye, before she left, or would it seem churlish if she simply left without a word?

  Benton felt the rush of water against his muscles as he cut through the lake, beating down the primal urge to run back and take her, right there and then, on the damp sand. He could tell she was ready and would have been a more than willing partner, but it had to be her choice, her move. This understanding enabled him to keep a tight rein on the beast roaring for release inside him. Keeping his head down he prayed he'd done enough for her to overcome her stubborn and misguided need to constantly be in control of her emotions.

  He cut through the water, concentrating on conquering its resistance with ever increasing speed, his mind slowly emptying itself of all thought. The only emotion touching his consciousness was that of pure adrenalin-filled elation as he worked his powerful body to its highest potential. It had always been like this with him, even as a boy in the post war days. That's one of the things that had made him a good fighter. He had channeled his rage, frustration and teen-age angst into mindless violence, and had had to find alternative ways of release once the bad days were over and the fighting was done. It hadn't been easy.