Psy Touch

by A. D. McLain

  He led Lexy to the rail and pointed out into the valley. “What do you see?”

  “Trees.” She looked at him, eyebrows raised.

  “Follow me.” Still holding on to her arm, he strode to the end of the rail and pushed back an overgrown bush to reveal a set of steps carved into the side of the rock.

  She gasped.

  The steps were narrow, with no railing for safety. He crept to the steps and helped her head down.

  “There are people down there,” she said, once they were halfway down the first flight.

  Jared looked out. The trees were still all that were visible. It would be another flight before she could see anything else.

  “You see their Psy energy from here? Even with your band on?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but it’s faint. I see flickers of light below the trees.” She took a breath. “And now I feel the hum. There are a lot of them.”

  She could also see the distant shapes of some of the taller buildings. Another flight and they’d be at the bottom.

  In a sudden moment of revelation, the village became visible.

  “Wow!”

  Jared smiled. The many structures reflected the styles of their builders. Some were simple wood cabins. Thatched roof cottages and brick homes rested next to gothic-style buildings and an ornate church at the center of the community. There were a few stand-alone businesses, but most were run out of service sheds attached to homes. The streets were as varied as the buildings. While dirt and grass paths were the norm, there were also cobblestone pathways and a few concrete sidewalks. Children and adults played in the grass or rode bikes on the sidewalks. Vendors sold wares around a massive water fountain near the church. The smell of rich foods drifted from cook houses and backyard barbeques. Some people wore the more reserved clothing of centuries past—hand-sewn dresses, plain white shirts, and slacks. Other people wore synthetic clothing from the time just before the Storm. Still, others wore more modern clothing styles. And everything was hidden under the safety of the mountains and trees.

  Lexy took her last few steps without looking down, so engrossed on the people and the buildings. “It’s like someone took every century of our history and put them all together.”

  The church bells rang and everywhere, people put down their games, put up their wares, and hurried to its stained-glass doors.

  “Where are they going?”

  “It’s midday on Sunday. They’re going to church.”

  “Everyone goes?”

  “Not everyone, but a good bit do.” Jared helped her up onto a set of steps leading up to a series of homes, bridges, ramps, stairs, and sliding poles in the trees. “Back during the early days, before the bands, when families were falling apart and crime was going crazy, a group of priests, ministers, monks, rabbis, shaman, and other holy men got together to discuss what could be done to turn society around. The monks, both native and eastern, shared their meditation and prayer methods for achieving balance and self-control. Through the churches, they offered a refuge for families looking for help. The trees give them cover from satellite and plane sweeps. As far as the outside world is concerned, this place doesn’t exist.”

  “How do they get supplies and medicine here?”

  “They are self-sufficient. They grow their own food, raise their own cattle in nearby valleys, and they use herbal remedies. When people are sick, Shield doctors and nurses care for them to prevent accidental Psy incidents.”

  Shields were people who radiated nullification fields to block Psy ability in their presence. They couldn’t pulse and no one could touch them with Psy energy.

  “Why don’t you do that?” she asked. “Why have your cabin treehouse so far from here?”

  “Even a strong Shield can’t block me completely.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “I still can’t actually touch a Shield. No one can, as far as I know. But I can pulse through their field and touch others.”

  “I didn’t know anyone was that strong.”

  “Lucky me. Anyway, there are a few doctors who live here and others who travel back and forth, bringing medicine, antibiotics, and other life-saving drugs. Most everything else is cycled through the churches and a few other businesses. That’s what my father does. He handles a lot of the logistics. He knows a lot of people, and just about everyone owes him something. He chose to remain in the city, where he could be a greater help.

  “So The Den—”

  “Is my father’s club.”

  It was one of the oldest Psy dens in the city. It had an anything goes reputation and was pretty well left alone. Early in the night, the light clubbers and people just looking for a quick thrill would stop by. From midnight to dawn, the attitude of the club changed. It became full of Psy addicts and the worst of the morally depraved. After midnight, it wasn’t safe for anyone of a delicate disposition. Short of murder, you could do nearly anything to anyone without repercussion. And unlike the newer clubs, bands weren’t allowed for anyone but the staff. It added to their reputation and gave them some protection from the police. No police officer wanted to come in band-less in a bar full of people who were drunk, Psy-high, and likely to mind rape you the moment you walked through the door.

  “Everyone assumes people who live in the free zones are a bunch of Psy addicts just wanting to experience pleasure. There is a fair amount of that on the outside edges, but there’s a substantial population of people who just want to live free of the bands. There are artists, musicians, craftsmen, families who shroud themselves in the filth to avoid the scrutiny of the outside world. They just want to live their lives and be left alone.”

  Jared stopped in front of a wooden door and knocked softly. He heard a wooden chair being pushed back against the floor and then footsteps coming toward them. The door opened a crack at first. Then it was pushed open all the way.

  “Jared, what are you doing here?” Brian beamed and motioned for them to enter.

  He was a full head taller and much wider than Jared. At the club he looked like a brute, and he had strength to back up his appearance. But at the moment, he looked like a gigantic teddy bear.

  “Who’s this?”

  “Brian, this is Lexy. Lexy, Brian. He works with my father. And Lexy, well, Lexy and I, we…”

  “We’ve been inextricably brought together through the benevolent hand of fate, but otherwise don’t know what the heck we’re doing.” She linked her arm through his and leaned into him.

  “Sure, I can go with that,” Jared said.

  Brian laughed. “Well, all right then. Welcome.”

  “Uncle Jared!” Brian’s two youngest boys, both under hip height ran toward him.

  Jared bent down and gave them a hug. “Hey, where’s your brother?”

  “He’s with Mom and the baby,” the taller of the two boys answered.

  “How are they doing?” Jared asked Brian.

  “Good. The baby’s doing great. She’s sleeping good so far, and she took to nursing right away. They’re both asleep right now. The kids and I were just trying to clean up a little so things wouldn’t be such a mess when they wake up.”

  “In that case, we’ll get out of your way. I just wanted to say my congratulations.”

  “Where are you off to?” Brian held the door open and stepped out onto the porch with them.

  “The crystal room. I was hoping the teachers there could help Lexy with her Psy control.”

  “I don’t see why they couldn’t. They help everyone, even you.” He punched Jared in the shoulder.

  Lexy looked at them and then down at her feet. “I’m not sure anyone can help me.”

  “Why’s that?” Brian knit his brows and studied her.

  Jared looked at Lexy and she nodded.

  “She’s a Reader. A strong one. She’s reading now, even with that band on.”

  “You don’t say. What do you see?”

  Lexy took a breath and closed her eyes. With the band on, the humming was faint enough not to
bother her, but she could still see the faint glow of Psy energy for every person in Tthe Valley.

  “Thirty-one lights on this row of houses. Most of the lights in the homes are children. There are a couple dozen adults in the buildings on the outside edge.” She pointed. “Five over there and two there. There are a few others spread around. The church is too bright for me to count how many people are inside.” She opened her eyes and looked over at the church. “Their lights blend together. I’ve never seen so many colors in one place. Usually the light overwhelms them, especially from this distance. But there are colors swirling throughout the entire congregation.”

  A swirl of light surrounded the church and shot up to the sky. A glow of energy surrounded The Valley, leaving a sparkle in the air. A tear came to her eye and fell down her cheek. The sound of singing came from the church. She closed her eyes again and let herself be bathed in the light and warmth of their Psy energy.

  “Daddy, Mom’s awake,” a little boy called from the door.

  “Okay.” Brian’s voice quivered. “Tell her I’ll be right there.”

  Lexy opened her eyes and turned back to them.

  “You two be safe, and good luck.”

  “Thank you,” she said.

  Then she and Jared were walking again.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “I didn’t realize you could feel that far with the band on.”

  “Normally, I can’t. At least, not in that detail. This place is charged with energy, in a good way.”

  It was enough to make her want to take the band off, though she knew it wasn’t possible. Still, she wondered what that church service would’ve felt like without it.”

  “You said you saw light for the children, but they don’t have any Psy ability.”

  “Everyone has Psy energy inside of them, whether or not they can use it. Even Shields produce a faint glow. Do you really think these teachers can help me?”

  He took her hands and pulled her to a stop. “If they can’t, then we’ll figure it out on our own. There’s always a way.”

  He led her to a beautiful beige and gold building with translucent windows. Difficult to see through, they reflected sunlight in an array of colors. Jared and Lexy stepped through the doors, and she felt the lights outside blink out. Many new Psy signatures inside the building were now visible to her, but they were muted. The inside of the building was full of pillows, incense, and moving water. They stood on a platform that started off narrow and bowled out into a half-circle. To the left was a coy pond. To the right was a sand garden. Glass doors opened out into large sunrooms. Steps on either side of the front door went up to a second floor. In the various rooms, men in robes sat in meditation poses or practiced fighting stances to focus their movements and thoughts. People tended small gardens. Others did intricate woodworking.

  “Everyone’s different,” Jared said. “We all respond to different relaxation techniques, so they have a little bit of everything in here.”

  “Jared is correct.” A young man in an orange and red tunic walked up and offered his hand. “You may remove your band here. The lower level is completely crystaled, for beginners. As you rise through the building, the crystal protection is reduced.”

  Lexy took off her band and sighed. After years of wearing the inhibitor band, this taste of freedom had taken hold of her heart. She couldn’t wait to be through with it, once and for all. There was no way she could go back to the life she had.

  She looked around the room and took in the faint lights of Psy energy that signified each person in the building. She could feel their hum now, too. The people in the upper levels were the brightest and strongest, except for Jared. His light was always the easiest for her to read.

  “I’m not like the other sixty people in this building,” she said.

  The young man’s eyes widened. “A Reader. And a strong one, too.”

  “Have you worked with Readers before?” Jared asked.

  “A few. I knew some in the early days, but they all disappeared around—”

  “Fifteen years ago,” Lexy said.

  “Yes.” He nodded. “I’m Paul.”

  “Lexy.” She took his hand and smiled.

  He had a good, honest energy. She remembered her father telling her that he could discern if a person lied just by the hum of his glow. She’d never cultivated her gifts as he had, but she could usually get a sense of a person by his glow. The lights here were loving ones. She felt safe in this place.

  “Can you help her?” Jared asked.

  “I’d say she’s already doing the hard part herself. I’ve seen that look in many eyes. You’ve never accepted your gift before now, have you?”

  Lexy darted her gaze back at Paul, realizing she’d been analyzing the Psy energy of people in the building. Even now, she felt her eyes trailing back to them, anxious to examine them further. It was like a switch had been turned on. She felt alive. She wanted to read and see all she could.

  “I’ve never been able to focus through the light,” she said.

  Paul led them down the platform, to a circular hall and brought them into an open courtyard. “From what I remember, that’s a common problem for those with your ability. Come this way.” He opened a set of patio doors and stepped outside.

  She hesitated, but he held out his hand for her to follow. Expecting the worst, she stepped outside and felt stronger sensations than before. She could still see all the individual Psy signatures in the community, except for the group gathered in the church. They were still blurred together. There was the addition of the humming, but she didn’t feel waves of pressure rolling against her.

  “The lights here are different, aren’t they?” Paul said.

  She nodded.

  “That’s because we teach control and not fear. Because of the bands, people in the city never learn to control their ability. They only know how to react. And just like a drowning man, they’ll pull you under if you get too close. Here, no one’s drowning.”

  He led her back inside and lit a candelabra set on a table surrounded by mats. Each of them took a seat on a different matt.

  “So mother or father?” Paul asked.

  “Father. How’d you know?”

  “For you to hide your ability for this long, you had to know from experience that it wasn’t safe to reveal it. Was he Reader Force?”

  Her breath caught in her throat. She nodded.

  “Well, Lexy, I want you to look at these candles and pick one. Focus on the flame. Don’t look at any of the other flames around it. Just look at that one. Let your vision blur and wander around that single flame so that it doesn’t become uncomfortable, but don’t look anywhere else.”

  She did as he asked. At first, her gaze wandered to the other flickering lights, but she kept her focus on one flame. Then Paul stood and moved a second candelabra behind the first. One by one, he lit the new candles.

  “Keep focused,” he said.

  She shifted her gaze back to the first candle. With lights flickering behind the first row, it became more difficult to distinguish where each flame began and ended. But with extra willpower, she managed to keep her attention in one spot. Then he added a third row of candles and her eyes began to burn from focusing on that single flame for so long. Her vision was now filled with light. She put her hands on her temples and lowered her head, attempting to stay focused. With the fourth row of candles, she closed and rubbed her eyes. Spots of light stayed on her vision. She turned her head and opened her eyes, but all she could see was light.

  “Good,” he said. “Now we know your starting threshold. We can begin here and work our way up.”

  She looked back and found only three candelabras. The fourth was off to the side. Tendrils of smoke drifted from the recently blown-out candles.

  “Now what?” she asked.

  “When you’re ready, I want you to focus back on that candle.”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep br
eath, then opened them and stared. Paul picked up the third row and moved the candles from side to side. The motion drew her attention, making it more difficult to remain focused on the stationary flame. He kept up the action until she lasted three passes without moving her eyes. Then he called Jared over and had him sway the second row while Paul continued to move the back row, in the opposite direction. Lexy stared and focused, but Jared’s light was too distracting. Over and over, she looked at him. She rubbed her head and tried to clear her vision. After steadying her breathing, she opened her eyes to begin again. And so it went.

  As she improved, Paul increased the difficulty. She kept focused on the single flame until it was all she could see. Then he called an end to the exercise. She blinked and looked up, shocked to realize the room was full of people. She rubbed her eyes and closed them, as much to ease the afterimage of the flames as to avoid looking at anyone. Without the focus of the candles, their energy was everywhere. Because they were much closer than the people outside, she felt the hum and pressure surrounding her.

  “Breathe,” Paul said.

  She did and the pressure lessened. Turning her mind to Jared, she searched out his light and focused on that. The other pressures dropped away. Then she sought out Paul’s energy, and it surged into her awareness. One by one, she shifted her mind to each of the people in the room, letting all the others drop away. For the first time in her life, she was controlling what she sensed and when. With a smile, she opened her eyes. Paul returned her smile and dismissed the others from the room. She took Jared’s hand and he pulled her up.

  Paul returned the candelabras to their original positions. “Realize that this will be more difficult outside the free zone. But if you can focus your attention, you can learn to control your ability, even there.”

  “Thank you.”

  The church bell rang and people began filing out of the building.

  “Where’s everyone going,” she asked.

  “It’s time for the Sunday feast.” Paul walked with them to the door and followed them out.