Empathica

by Ruth Watson

  Phoebe laughed, listening to her friend describing herself like a prostitute, it was so amusing, the one thing that Phoebe knew for sure was that Laryssa was one of the biggest prudes she had ever come across.

  Laryssa smiled, she read what her friend was thinking, as Empaths do.

  “Experiences put the quirks into my world, so I gather they did the same in his”. Laryssa continued.

  “Do you think you will ever see him again?” Phoebe asked.

  “No, I believe he hates me.” Laryssa said, feeling that pain once again hitting her deeply in the chest. She tried once again to shrug it off.

  “It’s like fate loves to let you have a taste of what is good and then takes it away again. Stepping away, leaving them to fight the disappointment alone, leaving them in the arms of someone you don’t want them to be with. They have everything that should be yours. All is lost, like a battle unfought, yet you are losing it without being allowed to stand up and fight for it.”

  “I can’t help but love him Phoebe, I don’t know how”.

  Phoebe’s heart ached with sadness for her friend, she should have spent less time gossiping with the rest of them, it was so sad, she could feel the emotion, as Laryssa’s eyes began to glisten with tears.

  “That bad uh?” she said. Holding, then rubbing her friends arm from across the table.

  “I could never have imagined hurting anyone the way I hurt him, it was unforgivable. I can still sense his hurt whenever I met him, he eventually stopped spitting his venom my way, but that was more to do with his professional courtesy. I never understood why he loved me so much, I was nothing.”

  A large tear slipped down her cheek.

  “You were never nothing to him Laz, He loved you and showed it almost from the beginning, the two of you just fit together. You need to tell him now, before it’s too late!” Phoebe’s facial expression began to reshape. The face she had been talking with began to change…

  Laryssa panicked a little as she had to think for a minute, it was the floozy, (Jaydan’s girlfriend) from the dinner party.

  “You must tell him before Jaydan finds out.” The voice changed, the girl’s flesh looked slightly decayed. “Before he gets involved, and it’s too late.”

  Laryssa woke up suddenly, sitting up quickly. Her breathing was heavy; she found it hard to catch her breath and tried to slow it down.

  She calmed herself down as quietly as she could. Niam would sleep through an earthquake; he was still there beside her, undisturbed. She turned to watch him for a while; as he lay beside her, asleep.

  Laryssa realised that it wasn’t any ordinary dream, this was part of a flashback into her other human life, the one five-hundred years before, it had been disastrous, losing Niam had been devastating, perhaps it was the talk of their engagement that had brought it on?

  She took a deep breath. If this was the beginning of her ‘end of life’ flashbacks, Laryssa knew, her life here was going to be ending quite soon.

  She seriously needed to tell Niam what he was, and soon. He had to know about his empathic powers, but how? She knew this ws becoming urgent.

  Laryssa thought of the girl at the end of her dream. What had Jaydan done to her and why? She shuddered. She got out of bed and began to walk out to fetch a glass of water.

  “Where are you going sweetie?” Niam asked, half asleep, he reached over to touch the empty side of the bed.

  “Can’t sleep honey I’m just getting a glass of water. Go back to sleep!”

  Amazing, she thought to herself. I can almost scream in my sleep and the man sleeps on, get out and make him cold, he’s awake in seconds. She smiled and turned back to watch him as he slept on.

  Laryssa vanished through the bedroom door and Niam fell back into a deep sleep. She poured a glass of water from the jug in the fridge.

  Moved into the front room and sat down on the couch.

  Her head was all over the place.

  She needed to be careful, talking to Niam about being Empathic would either make him believe she was mentally ill, or over dramatic. Which would give him need to talk to the Jay man, Niam’s best friend and confidant.

  We know what he was.

  Laryssa knew this was something he could never discuss in front of the monster, it would put Niam’s life in danger, and Laryssa could never risk that.

  Her time here was running out, it was a strange thing to understand but what could she do? Laryssa was unafraid of her own death; she had been there many times. But, making Niam understand would be hard. Understanding his powers was important.

  She sighed.

  She couldn’t make it a ‘I must tell you this before I die’ speech now could she? He would be devastated.

  She knew through her life before that the two of them would never part for long. After all, living through eternities had advantages.

  She needed to show him what he was. Perhaps taking him to the white room? Teaching him through meditation, he would connect for himself. He would pick up on her emotions and she could attempt to talk to him through telepathy, he wouldn’t believe it at first, but she could get him there.

  It was always calmer in the white room, a chance to think, to be at peace and to call on Gaia.

  It would be terrible to finally get this far and not be able to show him who he really was.

  Laryssa’s soul was getting tired. Empathica had always seemed far away, and she would never go there, not without him, his eternal soul belonged with hers, she would never leave him behind.

  Seven

  Morning broke and Laryssa hadn’t had much time for sleep, everything was still racing through her mind she had ‘So much to do - with so little time’.

  Laryssa was always overthinking.

  She would need to be careful, show him the white room now she had made it her own and turned it into a spiritual haven. That would be a start, ask him if he would like to meditate, she could show him the benefits and give him tips on lowering his anxiety. Hmm, maybe she was throwing the madness at him too soon?

  He stirred.

  “Morning Miss Wriggler!” he said, with a sleepy smile.

  “Yes, sorry about that, wasn’t very comfortable last night. I seemed to suffer a few nightmares.” She said.

  “Mmm, you too!” Niam sat up.

  “Are you having problems sleeping too?” ‘Okay, opportunity, opportunity…’ she thought.

  “Yes, been like it over the past few weeks, I keep dreaming I’m someone else…”

  Laryssa began to panic, was he having flashbacks? No surely not, it was too soon.

  “Oh God! Are you? That’s awful are you better looking in the dream?” Laryssa laughed, hoping he would tell her a bit more.

  But, as usual, he didn’t really react, Niam in all walks of life, never really was one to give too much away. She waited for him to start describing one of his other lives, but instead he just smiled and said, “Stupid really!”

  Laryssa smiled at him, “you can be so serious at times, charming, but serious!”

  “Perhaps I should get my decorators in and extend that white room, we could meditate together!” Niam smiled.

  “Now that would be a brilliant idea, it would be nice to show you what I use it for and why you paid out all that money for things you don’t understand.” Laryssa nearly jumped for joy. He did it; he asked her if he could meditate! Well, kind of! She may have jumped the gun a little bit, he seemed taken aback a little, but if it got him working with her, she could do this!

  “Oh – Okay, well I seriously was thinking of joining you some time ago, I thought it would be interesting to have something we could do together. But, remember, I have never done this type of thing before so,” he pulled her in close to him, “be gentle with me!” Niam laughed,

  “Oh, well, if you aren’t taking this seriously!” She said, pushing him away, playfully.

  He pulled her straight back into him.

  “Of course, I am taking it seriously, do you want me to come into the
white room and would you please teach me meditation? I love the idea of being soul to soul” He said, seriously now. “I have always wanted to learn.”

  “Come on then, let me get you started, after all there is no time like the present!” She said, pulling him by the arm, heading for the room at the back of the apartment.

  As they walked through to the room Niam opened the door, things had changed a lot since he last saw it, the plain white room now had large square boxes, rainbow coloured mats, flowing white see through nets, the windows opened, and considering the time of year, it didn’t seem that cold.

  “Oow! I just love what you did with the place (sarcasm)… What are these mats for?” He asked. “Unicorn parties?”

  “They are called chakra mats.” Her eyes rolled at his comments.

  “Okay, do I need to know what a Chakra is?” Niam asked, putting his hand on her backside.

  “Yes, and get your hand off, have some respect for this or I will teach you nothing! I will just stand you in the naughty corner” Laryssa said, smiling at him.

  “Oow! Intense!” Niam smiled, kissing her on her cheek. “Naughty corner? Is that where we get naughty!” He gently bit at her ear,

  Laryssa shuddered, she could feel her nipples harden, “Stop that!” she demanded.

  She showed him which way to set his mat and they sat down next to one another, with eyes closed she began to talk him through breathing techniques and then silently the two of them relaxed. It took him seconds to start opening the one eye, so he could peek at her. The smile crept over his face.

  “Are you gonna take this seriously or not!” Laryssa snapped.

  Niam shut his eye again and put on his very serious face.

  “Taking it seriously, me lady.” He whispered, smirk reappearing, a little.

  Laryssa opened her one eye to check on him, he was sat looking at her.

  “AH! See, you’re doing it now. Take it seriously… that’s what you told me!” he laughed.

  “Oh, why do I bother?” Laryssa went to get up.

  “No, okay, sorry. I do want to learn, it will be something to help cut down my anxiety levels when I’m stressed, I mean after all, look how laid back you are?” Niam said, with a smirk!

  Her stress levels were showing, because he was ‘doing her head in’.

  “Are we doing this or not?” She said, through gritted teeth.

  “Yes!” Niam said, closing his eyes again and falling back into silence.

  Laryssa could feel the presence of her Earth Mother Gaia as she entered the white room. Their communication was always telepathic.

  “You got him here then?”

  “Not sure if he’ll survive, but yes!” Laryssa replied. “Can he hear you?”

  “Oh, my dear no, not yet, he may feel a little strange at present but he will need a lot of practise before he can do that.”

  “He may not survive to take another lesson, cheeky so n so!” Laryssa smiled

  The lesson continued almost in silence, but not quite…

  Niam still gave out the odd snoring noise, so she had to open her eye and check that he wasn’t actually asleep. Which he wasn’t, he was trying to get her attention – as if he didn’t get enough!

  “Jerk!” she said, giving a smile.

  *

  As time passed, Niam was beginning to enjoy their meditation sessions, he relaxed, and he smiled a lot more and his world seemed a less stressed place.

  Gaia spoke to Laryssa in these sessions and Niam didn’t seem to notice any change that was going on he sat oblivious.

  Out of the blue one day Laryssa watched as confusion seemed to hit his face. “Did you just speak to me?” Niam asked, he turned to her, his eyes looking towards her (as they sat side by side).

  Laryssa wasn’t sure what to say; after all she hadn’t expected him to connect so quickly to his empathic side.

  “No, although, I was speaking…”

  “Really? Who to?” Niam asked, a little puzzled, he begun looking around at the room he already knew was completely empty apart from them both.

  “Mmm, to Gaia… she is our Earth Mother!” Laryssa said, waiting for the laughter or the sarcasm.

  “I have come across the name Gaia; it is a legend from an ancient tribe I investigated as part of a social psychology report at University. Does that mean you were praying? Niam asked, a bit curious.

  “I suppose so, in a way.”

  “But, hang on, you’re an atheist!” Niam said.

  “Yes, I am not praying to a Christian God, Gaia is one of many.” Laryssa said.

  “Weird! I have never heard you speak like that before!”

  “Like what?”

  “You know, all Churchie!”

  “CHURCHIE! It’s nothing to do with being Churchie!” Laryssa was about to hit meltdown, everyone she had come across who was connected with churches always seemed to be a bunch of bigoted liars.

  Niam sensed the blow out as it started and panicked.

  “Okay, maybe I meant that you don’t really talk about having a religion.” Niam cringed, he hated upsetting her, she was like a bull in a china shop if you got her going.

  Laryssa calmed herself quickly; this was not the way, she had wanted things to go. The one thing she couldn’t afford to do right now was make him feel uncomfortable, it would put him off meditating with her.

  “Sorry,” She said hanging her head “I have been doing this for a very long time, I forget I have a lot of knowledge that you don’t yet. Gaia is just a communication that I use, because…”

  The phone rang…

  “Do I get that?” Niam asked.

  Laryssa sighed. “Yes, you’d better.”

  Niam got up and walked out of the room.

  Laryssa sighed, it was sounding like the old days, her life before. He would say nothing, so Laryssa learned to respond with nothing; next he will start the negative shit, which blew them out the water last time. That turned out so badly.

  “Patience my darling, he is at the beginning. You must not let your need to show him turn him away from here now. He is a good man, but if you make him uncomfortable here, he will make excuses to not come in.” said Gaia telepathically.

  Laryssa agreed she was tense over her beliefs; no communication always left him hurt and struggling, over thinking everything.

  Her family on earth called her powers a gift, but it’s not such a gift when you can feel how sad people are as well as how happy. His pleading for help, but she was a stubborn girl, she wasn’t gonna help him out the pit he had fallen into, he needed to find his feet and stand up to her.

  Anyway what did her parents know? This was not a gift, a gift is something you are given that you love, not something thrust upon you because you are more evolved than some.

  *

  As days floated by, Niam avoided meditation lessons; he felt he’d irritated her by talking in his usual clumsy manner, it was a shame he did this, it always made Laryssa wonder why such a dominant man could feel so weak, if it was abuse, she would hunt down and kill whoever did it! He could never deserve such a fate.

  Laryssa felt guilty because she had made him avoid her not just the meditation sessions, but his eyes looked down and he began to avoid eye contact. Damn her terrible temper, sometimes she felt so childish!

  Niam was oblivious to what she was thinking; he just assumed she needed some peace in there, after all that was what it was for.

  Laryssa decided to concentrate on something else for now…

  Like, breaking into Jaydan’s vault!

  She could be taking her life into her hands, but she needed to know what was there and why this woman had appeared in her dream?

  Eight

  Laryssa worried about what the outcome would be if Niam started talking to Jaydan about their ‘little meditation’ sessions. He would go from friend to Niam’s predator.

  Laryssa tried to make meditation and the white room a bit ‘matter of fact’ but he was starting to pick up Empathic communica
tion so this would be the time he thought he might be going crazy, which, if he panicked enough might convince him to converse with his favourite mate, Jaydan.

  In other words - Niam hadn’t really thought about it. After all, Jaydan made a big thing when people did anything out of the ordinary.

  It never entered Niam’s mind to talk about anything like that, he could imagine what his strange friend would do, if anything turned Jay crazier than he already was, it would be the news that his best friend was hearing voices. He didn’t want to chance his friend taking the piss out of him, so thought it better to not approach the subject.

  There was no point in telling Laryssa though, not only did he get the feeling that she didn’t like the guy, she may feel a little insulted if he used words like ‘a bit crazy’, or ‘odd’ when she found her time in the white room relaxing, and not strange at all.

  The vault – Laryssa spent some time in City Hall looking up plans and blueprints of the building she now lived in with Niam. She was after all, perfectly within her rights as a law-abiding citizen and tenant.

  Nothing in the City Hall blueprints showed her any clue to where the vault was, Laryssa assumed as his father owned the building that perhaps ‘the vault’ was just built in there afterwards, keeping knowledge of it to a bare minimum. With that in mind, she had to consider two things, Jaydan had built it in one of the many rooms already mapped out on the blueprints, or ‘the vault’ was not in the building at all.

  This was going to be a real mission, at the end of the day how the hell was she supposed to find out?

  She was about to put away the blueprints, when she thought she saw something a little different on one of the older maps.

  “Bloody hell, he hid that well.” She whispered to herself.

  It was updated some time ago in 2521AD, it was barely noticeable. She decided to give the blueprints one last flick, these were quite small about A4 size and only because Laryssa had quickly gone through them again the difference stood out, and she noticed the small addition.