Oddity Specialist: World Of The Occult

by James Courneya

  “Can you help in this situation or not?”

  “I could help in any situation. My reassuring presence and moral support could elevate any set of circumstances.”

  “I think you must have lost those aspects, along with your powers.”

  “Cutting.”

  “Can you tell that she is invisible?”

  “Of course.”

  “Well, is it possible to undo an oddity like this?”

  “Why should I know?”

  “Why would you not?”

  “Simply put, I was more about controlling chaos, not stopping it after it starts. Though, I do have to say.”

  “What?”

  “Oddities are caused by extreme emotions. If those emotions stop, so do the oddities. However, in this case, even though invisibility has hurt this girl, she still is invisible. If it was derived from her desire to be invisible, you’d think it would have stopped by now.”

  “So, you’re saying, some other emotion is causing it.”

  “Who can say for sure?”

  “Okay, I think I get the picture now. Thanks.”

  “My a thank you, to the devil himself. Maybe hell really has frozen over, in my absence.”

  Quinn slides his phone back into his pocket and heads back to the table.

  “I just talked to an advisor, of sorts. From it, I think I have a better understanding of your condition.”

  “That sounds good.”

  “Yes well, the thing about it is.”

  “Yeah?”

  “The cause of this stems from your emotions. Meaning, your invisibility stems from how you are feeling.”

  “I see…”

  “And from what we have discussed, I feel that emotion is obvious.”

  “Anxiety.”

  “Yes.”

  “Then what can I do, to fix it?”

  “This is my hypotheses. If anxiety causes you to be invisible, then lessening the anxiety, might cause you to be visible once again.”

  Quinn thinks about one tank, emptying into another. “Anxiety goes down, visibility goes up.”

  “You mean, if I can be less anxious, people can see me again?”

  “Possibly, yes.”

  “Then I want to at least try!”

  “…Alright, normally the way you’d go about this would be to see a therapist. Though, under these circumstances, that might not be so simple.”

  “Yeah…”

  Quinn remembers back, to what she said earlier. “This is my fault, isn’t it?”

  “That leaves us with one choice. I’ll help you with your anxiety.”

  “You will?”

  “Yep. I once heard a psychologist say, a person looking to help, has the same results as a psychologist.”

  Quinn closes his eyes for a moment. “Although, that was in reference to a longer-time frame of a few weeks. I’ll just keep that part to myself, for now.”

  Thusly, the anti-anxiety, training, bootcamp came underway. Quinn takes the young lady back to his house, to start the treatment. “I wish there was someplace else to go.”

  “Alright, for right now, you just need to focus on upkeep. You need to eat well, sleep well, and stay active. Once you are physically in better shape, your mind will start operating better as well.”

  “Okay, I’ll try my best for now.”

  Letting the guest settle in and a not insignificant amount of research later, the first session is underway.

  “Let’s talk about why you are here today; the inciting incident if you will, for how you ended up in this situation?”

  Veilia takes time, thinking over the question. As she does, she seems to be getting progressively more anxious.

  “Ah that feeling, I want you to focus on it for a moment. Then, I want you to focus on something, that doesn’t cause any anxiety at all. Okay?”

  “Okay…”

  Taking a couple minutes, the girl begins to calm down.

  “When you start feeling anxious like that, you need to remember that you can’t give into the feeling. The more you feed it, the stronger it grows.”

  “Alright.”

  “When you’re ready, tell me about the exciting incident.”

  A few moments later, she begins to talk.

  “It really wasn’t that big of a deal; I was just having a worse day than usual.”

  “When you say that, do you mean in regards to your anxiety?”

  “Yes.”

  “Alright.”

  “It was pretty bad that day. Obviously, every interaction I had was unpleasant. I was trying to avoid them mostly, but it wasn’t really working out. Then I had gotten a grade back that wasn’t good and when I- brought it, home.”

  “It’s okay, remember don’t feed into it, focus on better thoughts.”

  She takes a moment.

  “Can I ask a question?”

  Quinn asks.

  “Yes.”

  “When you say, every interaction was unpleasant, can you go into more detail?”

  “It’s like, a fuzzy feeling in my stomach. It almost makes me feel lighter, while also tensing up from pain. Then, that feeling travels up to my head and I start feeling a lot worse. Some days, it just stays in my stomach though; it’s a lot more manageable on those days.”

  “And on those days, can you remember how you feel usually?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does it feel different, then the days that are worse?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you think it would be possible, to try and change how your feeling on those bad days, to be like how you feel on good days?”

  “I uh, when I try to do that, it usually just builds it up in my head more.”

  “Okay, let’s say, when it starts building in your head, you do an exercise that reduces anxiety build up. Then once its back under control, you go back to trying to change your mental state again. If you do that enough, you should be able to at least minimize the number of bad days.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yes. After this first session, we’ll find some anxiety relief coping techniques and see what works for you.”

  “Alright.”

  She seems to have a bit of optimism build up.

  “Sorry to get on a tangent. Continue your story.”

  “Yes. Well, my parents are, a bit strict.”

  Quinn’s immediate thought. “That’s code for unbearable.”

  “When they saw the bad grade, they really let me have it and I felt really bad about disappointing them and failing and about the whole thing.”

  She is getting progressively more upset.

  “I feel like I am getting the picture. Can I ask you about something?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “When you say bad grade, what was it exactly?”

  “It was a B.”

  “A, B? You’re kidding right?”

  “No.”

  “That doesn’t sound like a bad grade at all. In fact, it sounds like you did alright.”

  “It still isn’t a good grade.”

  “Yeah, but what do they want from you? I assume you get better grades then that normally. Nobody’s perfect, of course you’d get a less than a perfect grade, from time to time. Anything else, would be exceptional. It sounds to me, like you’re feeling bad about something, that was completely reasonable. The fact your parents are mad about it, well you shouldn’t let those ridiculously high standards, dictate how you feel. Did you try your best?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then there you go. You can’t ask for much more than that. At the very least, you can’t be disappointed when someone’s best, wasn’t perfect. Especially when it was still pretty good.”

  “I think I understand, what you’re saying.”

  “That’s good. Even if you understand something though, it will still take time for your emotions to catch up. That’s fine, as long as we keep working at this, one step at a time. Eventually, that anxiety will get a little weaker, then even weaker, until even
tually it’s in line with where everyone else’s anxiety is.”

  “You think I can do it?”

  “I know you can do it. You seem like a smart girl. So, if people way less intelligent then you, have figured it out, I’m one-hundred percent certain, you have this.”

  “Then I’ll try my best.”

  “That’s all I can ask for. So, now that we have covered the exciting incident and talked about how we might go about combating it, let’s try out an exercise.”

  Quinn gets out a paper and pencil.

  “Here, I am going to have you write down a list, of experiences you had that have caused anxiety. Don’t worry, I am not going to be reading it. What I want you to do, is think about each of these, one at a time. While you do, try and let the anxiety you have for these events go. When you feel like the anxiety is let go, cross them out.”

  “Okay!”

  “It might help to start with the smaller ones and work your way up.”

  “Mh-hmm.”

  Over the course of the next two days, the two work together to try and find ways to help with Veilia’s anxiety. Eventually, the two head out for a walk, to mix up the environment.

  “I feel like I’m making some progress.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Hopefully, I can go back to being seen soon.

  The girl holds a somber look. “I hope so, too.”

  Quinn seems more tired than usual. “Between putting up this psychotherapist facade and sleeping in the attic, I sure am worn out. Hopefully, we will come to a decisive conclusion soon though. Thinking about it, how are we supposed to tell when she’s visible, if both of us can see her? Ah, Lucifer can tell, I think. That should do then. Maybe I’ll have him look over her, at the end of each day.”

  As the two walk, they talk about nothing in particular. Quinn has come to learn more about the girl, over these short couple of days. Usually while not engaging with the main topic, the two discuss trivial details about daily life. “With one of us spilling their personal feelings and the others general home life being explored, we probably have come to understand each other fairly well. Although, maybe that is over extending my understanding.”

  While walking, Quinn sees a jogger turn the corner. Making eye contact with the girl, he realizes that it’s in fact, Neri. Who then sticks her arm out, interlocking it with a post, spinning around it and stopping in place.

  “Hey Quinn!”

  “Ah, coincidence seeing you out here.”

  The girl still jogging in place, gets steadily closer.

  “Coincidence, is really anything a coincidence, when we get down to it?”

  “I’m not entirely sure if your using that in a fate sort of sense, or a mathematical one.”

  “Perhaps the cosmic forces of the universe and the guiding hand of destiny, aren’t all too different.”

  “Okay.”

  Quinn is steadily realizing something. “I’m basically being silently watched, while this conversation goes on. Why does it feel like, the pressure is really on now? It was already difficult enough, before.”

  “So then Quinn, are you going to introduce me to your friend?”

  “Hm?”

  Neri, who has stopped jogging, is looking at Veilia; who in return seems dumbfounded.

  “Yes of course, I almost forgot. This is Veilia.”

  “I have another question then.”

  “Yes?”

  “Why is it, you’re with a reportedly missing person?”

  Quinn holds onto his poker face, with sheer determination. “Of course she would know about that. How do I answer a question like that, though!?”

  Before he has a chance to answer, the girl behind him begins to cry.

  “What did you do to this girl?”

  “Nothing I swear!”

  Quinn can practically hear the sirens coming for him.

  “t-This is, nothing to do with sniff him at all. I just was…”

  Neri’s cheery face progressively drops.

  “Wait if he didn’t cause this… Then did I? Ah, I’m really sorry If I said something that upset you!”

  Quinn let’s out a look of pity and confusion. “I’m not sure how you got to that conclusion, but I sure am glad you did.”

  “No, it’s fine, I’m alright now. Really, thank you.”

  “Uhhh, no problem.”

  Quinn searches through his memories. “You know, this is the first time I’ve seen Neri bewildered from a situation. Though, this is a somewhat odd one, I’ll give her that.”

  Quinn gives a reassuring look to Neri.

  “Don’t worry too much about anything. That missing person’s report, was a bit of a misunderstanding. It’s mostly been worked out now.”

  Quinn gives a knowing look to Veilia.

  “If you say so, I guess I’ll take your word for it. Anyways, nice meeting you Veilia.”

  “Uh, likewise.”

  Neri begins jogging off, into her original direction. As she is running off, she yells back one last thing.

  “Good on you, for helping out a lost girl.”

  Quinn’s eyes widen, ever so slightly. “How does she know that I-? You know what, not something to think about yet.”

  “Veilia, congratulations, you’re back to normal.”

  “I know it’s amazing. I wonder what did it?”

  “If I had to guess, I would say the thing that was causing you the most anxiety, was probably being invisible. Even just knowing there was a way to fix it, probably lessened it dramatically.”

  Quinn thinks back to the last couple days. “I’m just glad that it took a bit of time to happen, though. That could have led to a bad and convoluted conversation with the relatives.”

  “Now, we just have to get you home.”

  Quinn starts walking again.

  “…”

  “Hm?”

  “I was so focused on being invisible, but how am I going to explain this to my parents?”

  With a genuine look of terror crossing the girls face, Quinn gets a terrible feeling in his stomach. “Couldn’t be… Could it?”

  As if to twist the knife, Lucifer leans over the boy’s shoulder.

  “Hm, shame, seems she’s back to square one again.”

  Quinn knowing what the man means, gets a serious look.

  “Veilia, we need to talk.”

  The two-start discussing, the next problem they are facing.

  “Would they believe you, if you told the truth?”

  She shakes her head.

  “Not something like this, they wouldn’t ever believe it. They wouldn’t even believe something far more mundane.”

  Quinn thinks to himself. “I had given a bit of thought, to how she was going to talk things over with her parents already, but every time I did, I couldn’t think of a way for it to go cleanly; besides the truth option that is. Since that seems to be out the window, that leaves one option.”

  “You’re going to have to lie to them then.”

  “But!”

  Veilia looks up frantically, she then recollects herself.

  “I don’t want to, have to lie…”

  “I know.”

  “But if you think that it would be for the best, I guess I would have to agree. It’s not like they would believe me anyways.”

  Quinn feels a tinge of pain. “It feels like I am forcing this path on her, but from what I’ve gathered, I really don’t see another option, right now.”

  “What should I do then?”

  “I think you should fake having had anxiety. That after they had gotten mad, you felt so anxious about returning home, that you couldn’t bring yourself to do it.”

  “…Okay.”

  “Of course, I would tell them you spent the time at a friend’s house and that said friend hadn’t seen the report. Then, either say you don’t want the friend to get in trouble, or I guess, I could potentially get someone to vouch for this information.”

  “Why wouldn’t I have gone bac
k when I saw the report?”

  “That doesn’t even have to be a lie. Just tell them you got even more anxious seeing it.”

  “I understand.”

  “Good.”

  After an emotionally draining phone call, everything seems to have been set into place. With a pained smile and joking, soft voice, she says.

  “Worst thing comes to worse; I can just live on the streets again.”

  Quinn let’s his face look slightly angry.

  “No, you aren’t ever going to do that again; don’t even joke about it. Do you not realize how much danger you were in?”

  “What do you mean, it’s not like people could see me?”

  “Doesn’t matter. Not having a good place to sleep, living off of things you scrounge from shops, that isn’t a way for you to live. Besides, it was plenty dangerous. Obviously, you had been walking around, right?”

  “Well, yes.”

  “Walking across streets, through parking lots. Somethings might have been safer, but others certainly were not.”

  “…Okay.”

  Quinn let’s out a sigh. “I don’t mean to be hard on her, but it isn’t a behavior that she needs to be mimicking again. Especially, not with what might happen, if someone actually stumbled across her. That’s not something I even want to think about.”

  “Sorry for being stern, it wasn’t my place.”

  “It’s alright, I’m glad you said it… I really didn’t want to have to do that again. Honestly, it was the worst couple days of my life.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be, at least these last two have been fun. Stressful and strange, but fun.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “Hey Quinn, I said I was heading over there later, would you stay with me until then?”

  “Of course.”

  The next two hours are spent with the girl, steadily building up her courage.

  “Let me check if your visible, really quick.”

  “You can do that?”

  “Well of course.”

  Quinn looks over his shoulder, but no Lucifer has appeared. “Could he be upset, that I said I can do it?”

  Whispering behind him.

  “Ah, sorry, but can you help out here.”

  “Fine, at least the home segments of the day, will go back to being peaceful again.”

  “Meaning?”

  “She is visible once more. Make sure she doesn’t have a panic attack, between here and her house.”