Mind Over Psyche by Karina L. Fabian Page B

he looked up, moving his head as little as possible. The young woman was standing, balanced by the men in green as she put weight on her leg. She hesitated a moment, then nodded, smiling. They released her and she stood on her own, turning to give each one a quick hug. As she strode out of the room, Joshua took a good hard look at her leg. Where her flesh had been cleaved in two, there was now only a slightly pink area on her lovely skin. His ja w dropped.
    Deryl snickered.
    â€œOh? Can you do that?” Joshua snapped at h is friend.
    â€œNo, bu t he can.”
    Joshua turned just in time to see a pair of hands move toward his face, and the sensation he’d only vaguely felt earlier flooded his awareness. If what he had sensed before had been quiet music, this was like standing in front of the speakers at a major concert. He could feel the power of the healer, beating in time with his heart, his very cells joining in the harmony. His headache washed away in glory.
    A momentary prickling in the back of his skull, and as suddenly as it had engulfed him, the sensation of power vanished. He swayed in it s absence.
    â€œWhoa.”
    Deryl and the healer steadied him. “Are you okay?” De ryl asked.
    â€œYeah. Great. What a rush. Can we do it again?” He felt giddy and unfocused.
    The healer laughed. “You are very sensitive to healing power. You are a healer in your wor ld, then?”
    â€œNo way, not like that!” But then he stopped, considering. His mother’s friend, a local Reiki master, insisted Joshua had power and had invited him to train with her. He recalled, too, just how deeply he’d gotten inside Deryl’s head when circumstances had driven the psychic client into catatonia. “Well, maybe. I can’t say for sure.”
    The healer sat next to Joshua and handed him a drink. He didn’t look much older than Deryl or himself. “Well, I can. Drink this. It’s safe, and you need the nourishment. You must come back sometime. Perhaps we could teach ea ch other.”
    â€œThat’d be cool, but I—Hey! When did you learn to speak English?”
    â€œI picked it up from you. Es más f ácil, eh ?”
    â€œ Sí —but that’s Spanish! You picked up both languages from me? Just how long were you in my head?”
    â€œNot long, and I promise, my intention was only to cure your headache. The language is incidental. I did not know your world had two languages. Que cómico . You’ll have to help me sort them out.” Suddenly, he looked up toward the healer who frowned at him from the other side of the room. “ Con permiso , but I need to perform a c leansing.”
    â€œWha t’s that?”
    â€œI expel any parts of your memories or personality that I may have picked up during the healing. It’s important especially when dealing with head injuries—or aliens.” He smiled. “But I will keep the language. It will be useful for us. Muchas gracias .”
    â€œNo, thank you. I feel terrific.” As the healer walked away, Joshua stood and stretched. “What’s next?” He as ked Deryl.
    â€œLet’s go.” His friend scowled and left without checking to see if Joshua followed.
    â€œHey, what’s the matter with you?” Joshua asked as the door closed behind them and they were alone in the halls. It struck him as kind of eerie how empty the hall ways were.
    â€œHow can you sense the power in that room?” Deryl demanded.
    â€œYou got me. Why, jealous?” Deryl didn’t answer, just upped his pace. Joshua grabbed him by the shoulder, making him stop and face him. “Listen, I’m not psychic. I can ’t telep.”
    â€œTelep?”
    â€œYeah. Speak telepathically? Telep? I made it up just now. The point is, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on, okay? This place is even more bizarro to me than it is to you, and you’re about the closest