Page 54 of (Sur)real
Blake remained very quiet. I could feel his confused mix of emotions. He wouldn’t remember giving any orders. But I’d ensured others were in the room when he’d given them. Witnesses who traveled with him while he was possessed. Witnesses who had likely already filled him in on what he’d told me to do.
“The rest of the group are in another room helping care for the one who was injured,” I continued. “The dreamer and her Mate aren’t present. With luck, she’s sleeping somewhere and dreaming the answer we need.”
“I felt something before. What was it?”
“One of them surprised me with a simple act of kindness. I don’t understand why they are so willing to be nice to me.”
“Use it to your advantage. Find out where they plan to go next so we can greet them.”
“I will.”
The line went dead. I hung up the phone and slipped it back into my pocket before turning to face the man who made my stomach go wild with just the sound of his voice. He stood before me, his arms crossed and his head tilted as he studied me. I wished I could see his face.
“Are you really blind?” he asked, startling me.
Was I that easy for him to read?
“To this world, yes. There is another world that touches ours. I see the creatures in that world. They are like wisps of grey smoke. They like to move and swirl around the objects in this world, giving me sight, sort of. Rough outlines of things.”
“What do you see in here?”
I turned my head, looking around at the Others as they played.
“Two beds, a lamp, a desk, a toilet, sink, and shower.”
“You can see in the bathroom?”
His surprise almost made me smile. I needed to keep better control around him.
“Yes. They like to move around the objects we interact with. People don’t really interact with walls.”
“You can see into the next room?”
I turned my head slightly and glanced at the two people who snuggled on the bed not far from us. Across the hall, someone ate on a bed next to someone who slept. Further down, I saw the familiar shape of Winifred slightly bent over another person. Likely still stitching Clay.
“Yes. I can see them all. I’m glad we’re on the first floor. It’s weird to look down and see people below me.”
“I bet it would be. So you can only see some shapes and only in grey?”
“Yes. Except the Lady. She’s different. Her smoke has color.”
“Why is she different?”
“I think she rules the Others. And maybe even us.”
“Why do you think that?”
I laughed, unable to help myself.
“You like the word why,” I said.
“Yeah, I drove my mom and Winifred nuts with all my questioning. I’d like to say it was only while growing up, but I still question everything.”
“It’s a sign of intelligence.”
Jim snorted. “They think I just don’t grasp what they are trying to tell me.”
I liked talking to him. A lot. The sound of his voice soothed me, and I wished I could actually see his face.
