Chapter 6

I couldn’t believe my ears ... well, my mind. I will admit that I’m getting used to hearing things in my mind rather than with my ears. I’d always assumed that if there were Spirits, they could see and hear everything that went on in the living world but somehow I haven’t learned how to turn on that latter skill.

Seeing things was something I just was able to do. I didn’t have to think about it. It was just there and I rapidly figured out -- learned -- how to handle and enable it. You know, the X-Ray ability to peel things away and get down to the nitty-gritty of it all.

I was glad the ability to ‘Hear’ other Spirits was selective. Regular hearing is selective and we hear only what we want to hear. I assumed the selective nature of hearing or talking with another Spirit was a similar thing.

“You’re rambling,” Marilyn interjected.

I’d forgotten that thinking was just like talking when you’re connected to another Spirit. “Sorry,” I told her. “I’m still very new at this.”

“Oh,” Marilyn reminded me, “You can hear what everyone ... that is the living ... can say. You just have to focus. You were doing that in the operating room as they were determining how much of you could be transplanted and what should be first. Remember?”

She was right. I’d forgotten about that. I guess I just had to focus and I then could hear things the living were saying. I was willing to bet that I could also tune in on things that the living were thinking. Chalk a couple up for the Spirit team.

I started to wonder how she knew that last piece of information about me being able to hear the conversations in the operating room when she passed over, “I was in there waiting for your corneas. I just didn’t bother you then. It would have confused you no end.”

I accepted that and my mind returned to my question, “Why do you think it was someone at work?”

As I thought it, Marilyn expressed it. “You want to know why I think it was someone at work who shot you. Right?”

A little annoyed at her remark, I shot back at her. “Well, that thought had crossed my mind.”

She just laughed and then said, “Will. You don’t have to get uptight about this. You’ve helped me and I want to help you.”

It was just a couple of seconds later when I heard her saying, “Did you know you were up for a promotion at work?”

“Me? Up for a promotion? I didn’t even know there was one in the works for anyone, let alone me?” I returned to her. “But why would someone want to kill me for it anyway?”

“Man you are out of the loop!” Marilyn said. “It’s been the talk of the company for a week! The CEO announced they would be promoting a Junior Executive to serve as Jim Rose’s Assistant but they would not make the announcement until this Monday.”

“Yo!” I almost screamed at her. “I’ve been out of town on vacation for the last week, how would I know anything about all of that?”

“Ooops,” she sent to me. “I knew that ... Forgot ... Sorry.”

“So what’s this promotion thing about anyway?”

“You know that Randolph Industries has thinking about opening a new plant. Right?”

“They’ve been talking about that for a few years.”

“Well,” Marilyn said, “They just got SEC Approval last Monday to issue a hundred-million in bonds to finance the construction of a new plant in Mississippi. They need someone to run it with Jim Rose.”

“But ... ME? I’m just a Junior Executive. Why do you think they might choose me?”

“Well,” Marilyn replied, “As of this Monday, you were to be moved up to the ninth floor, with your own office and secretary.”

“But?” I objected.

“No buts about it. The office is ready and you were to be told when you arrived back to work next week.”

“Ready?”

“Yes. They told me early Friday to collect all of your mail from your old office and move it to your new office. Plus, they specifically told me not to tell anyone,” she added.

“But I still don’t understand, Why Me?”

“First, they have been planning this for a long time,” she continued. “You have the seniority. That wouldn’t count for much, except for the test they put six of you Juniors through a little over six months ago.”

“What test?” I asked. “I don’t remember any test.”

“You wouldn’t. None of you Juniors knew it was a test,” Marilyn said rather coyly. “Nor did you know that anyone else was doing the same thing. Nor did they.