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She nodded gravely.  Every single one of us did. Luckily, no one in our group was hurt. It seems
that though we weren t there mentally, at least something was working. It was like we all were put
on autopilot.
I was shocked. I had created a worldwide reset of everything, launching my once fantasy life into a
science fiction horror classic.  And now you say you feel disconnected?
 Yes. She thumped her hand to her chest.  As though I m all alone. I feel none of the echoes that I
used to. Do you know what I mean by echoes?
I remembered the way I used to be able to feel Edgar.  Yes, I know what you mean.
 It s just weird. I used to be so intuitive, so in tune with things, like others feelings. But now, I just
feel my own feelings. It s very strange.
 Do you feel sad? I asked, wondering if her feeling was similar to what I once felt, before Edgar.
Perhaps she was a lost child that had been forgotten like I had, saved by Heidi.
She smiled.  No, she replied simply.  No. Actually it s nice, like there s no need to worry. It s as
though I actually have to take care of myself for once, and that s all that matters: living.
 Oh. I was relieved. I don t think I could have ever lived with myself knowing I had caused bil-
lions to feel the same pain I had felt. I knew exactly what she meant.
I, too, felt the disconnection from everyone else and the absolute unity of my inner being. It was as
though someone had enhanced the hearing in my soul, forcing it to listen to what I wanted, and
what I needed. I hadn t thought about Edgar too much over the past few days, far less than I would
have thought. It was as though I wouldn t allow myself to feel sorry about it, to feel sad or helpless.
I could only listen to what was happening here and now. I missed him, of course, there was no
denying that. We had shared the truest of loves and I wanted it back, but in due time.
We began to walk again, Jack straying on ahead as though the appointed leader.
 How do you get him to stick around like that? Heather spoke in a normal tone now. I could tell
that talking of the dreaming and magic was a  hush, hush, thing.
I shrugged.  I guess he s just like that. I used to be able to attract them to me with a sort of scent,
but that s gone now. I m just like you.
It seemed as though Heather could not understand what I was saying.  But you re not like us.
You re something much more. Her eyes were wide.  You are The One.
There was that title again.
She pointed all around us.  Obviously you were touched by something none of us can ever under-
stand. Even if now you are a physical equal, she pointed to my head,  up there knows you are
something much different.
I laughed, feeling awkward still, but not quite as much as before. Heather was growing on me, and
though she still seemed amazed, she wasn t as crazy about it as I had originally deduced.
Heidi began to snore and Heather looked happy about the fact.  So, now will you tell me about the
magic? She smiled widely with eager eyes.
I looked down at my feet as I walked through the sand and dirt along the bank.  Sure.
MORNING
The smell of last night s campfire wafted into my nostrils as I sat up, my back stiff. I saw Heidi
rolling a stick in the fire, smoke rising and blowing toward me. I brought my hand to my mouth as I
leaned over and instantly threw up on the sand beside me, revealing last night s dinner of more
berries. Heather promised that in the morning light she would catch us a fish.
Heidi chuckled,  Still getting used to this, aren t you?
I was too ill to answer.
The morning light was grey as it lit the trees and river. The sun had not yet breached into the valley,
but I felt the warmth of it coming. I wiped my mouth and buried my vomit with sand, standing and
walking to the river where I washed my hands and splashed water on my face. I hadn t thrown up in
what felt like decades, and I had forgotten what it even felt like to be sick. My head whirled as I
watched the river, so I shut my eyes. I leaned back onto my hands, trying to will the stomach ache
away.
 Awake already?
I heard Heather s voice then, and I looked back, seeing her face through a few wisps of smoldering
wood. I nodded.
 Are you alright? She began to stand, glancing at Heidi as she continued to burn the end of the
stick.
Heidi was old, and I was amazed that she was even out here. Perhaps she knew, though. Perhaps
something told her to find me.
I exhaled.  Yeah. I m just a little sick from all the berries. I need something real to eat. A flash of
macaroni and cheese crossed my mind, causing my stomach to rumble, the sick feeling forgotten.
She smacked her lips.  Yeah, I feel weak as though I were up all night drinking. Clearly that was
not the case.
I laughed.
 Here, let me teach you to fish. She walked away from the fire and to the river s edge beside me.
She grabbed my hand and yanked me up as my head rebelled, whirling once more as I leaned away
from her and threw up again.
 Whoa there. I think sick was an understatement. She rubbed my back, slowly lowering me back
to the ground.
I leaned forward, once again washing in the river.
 Well, maybe you just sit and watch today.
She grabbed something from her pocket and began to unwind it. I watched as she knelt at the wa-
ter s edge and began to dig in the mud, finding something to use as bait and shoving it onto the little
hook on the end of whatever it was she d unraveled. She then tossed a small wad of it in the air as
she began to swirl her arm above her head, causing the line to go taut before she released it forward,
leaning her body into the river. As the hook and bait hit the water she leaned back, wrapping the end
of the line around her hand and giving it a few soft tugs.
I began to doze as I watched her hand, but after a second she yelped and yanked back hard.  Not
very hard to catch anything these days, she struggled to speak as she wrapped the twine around and
around her hand, reeling it in as the line thrashed about.
 Wow, I said under my breath.
She gave me a proud smile as the fish began to jump above the water, revealing the fact that it was
huge. With one last tug she flipped the fish onto the bank, grabbing a nearby rock and smashing its
head before I had time to look away. The nausea rose in my stomach once more, but this time there
was nothing to throw up, so I just dry heaved instead. The bones in my chest felt as though they had
been crushed together, my stomach muscles flexing uncomfortably.
Heather looked at me with alarm.  Oh, I m so sorry.
I heard Heidi laugh again, like she did when I was little and the older foster kids teased me.
I grimaced and looked away from Heidi and back at Heather. I had my hand on my chest.  No, it s
alright.
My mouth was pursed and stung, the acid eating away and leaving a bad taste. I walked to the river
and dug a hole that was about a foot from the water, allowing it to fill. I cupped my hands inside it
and brought water to my mouth. The sand would filter it; at least enough that I hoped it didn t trig-
ger another kind of sickness.
I watched Heather take her prize and walk back to the fire where she stoked the coals and added
leaves. I was afraid to walk back and sit, afraid that the scent would be too much to handle. Heather
combed the beach for a long stick, finally finding one. She brought it to Heidi, handing her both the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]