Chapter 2

"How ... What ... Why ... When ... Where???" raced trough my mind. Then quickly it settled in on the more expanded, "Why Me?"

"Why was I hearing that cry seemingly calling out just to me," I thought.

I know both Tom and I had heard the sound. Plus, as I thought over it, Valerie had heard it too just as she arrived back with us in the conference room. But in my mind, it seemed to be directed more at me than at Tom or her.

"Got me too," smiled Valerie.

"Say what?" came from Tom as he looked back and forth between me and Valerie with confused look on his face.

Not wanting to show I was just as confused as he was, I passed over to her, "Not sure what you mean."

"Simple, really," she started. "It's got me too why the cry seems directed at you. But it does seem to come from or through you.

"After all, you were able to pass on the scream to both of us with ease."

"Why's that important?" I asked.

"It's just that planting an idea or sound with an uninvolved Spirit is very difficult, if not impossible. After all, for a Spirit to contact another, permission or acceptance is necessary."

Slightly embarrassed, I thought, "I knew that." which set her to laughing.

"Sheesh," I said. "Nothing's private anymore."

"Not in the least," she countered. "As if it ever was. We can all feel and hear everything from anyone we are connected to. Even the most private thoughts or memories."

"Not sure I like that one," Tom thought.

To ease things a little Valerie added, "At least Spirits usually keep private thoughts to themselves. Makes life easier. It can be unsettling to know what a friend actually thinks of and about you."

Just then another mist set in and Marilyn settled on a chair opposite me. "Or what he or she did, good and bad. It all comes through."

"Like the time in third grade when you pranked the teacher," Valerie added.

"Double sheesh," I said as I averted my eyes, shaking my head, once again, slightly embarrassed.

Looking over at me, Tom questioned with his eyes not quite getting the new discussion topic.

"Ok, I'll come clean," I admitted.

I could feel Tom's confusion at not getting it so I started with an explanation. "I guess it's an acquired talent."

Before I could continue, Marilyn confirmed that thought with, "It takes a little doing to search through another's history, but it's all there for the taking."

"It's quite intrusive," added Valerie, "So most of us use it very sparingly,".

Amid laughter from the two girls, Tom quizzed, "So what's this prank you did in the third grade?"

"Just a simple little thing. No harm done," I continued. "Every day we had a morning snack break. Sometimes it was milk and cookies, other times some juice.

"Well, one day, just before break time, we had separated into learning groups. Miss Kendall, the teacher, was preoccupied with another group and I snuck into the bathroom, taking a juice container along with me.

"Devil that I was, I drank the juice, rinsed out container and filled it with water. Back then it was easy to reseal it making it look like it had never been opened. You know, like it was before all of the product tampering protection was instituted.

"Slipping back into the classroom, I casually put the modified container on the table. There was always a lot of coming and going to the bathroom as our classroom had private, direct access. You just got up and went in whenever you needed to go so no one was the wiser that I'd left for a minute or two. All I had to do was rejoin my group and wait.

"It didn't take long. When we finally settled into our morning break, we all strolled past the goodie table and selected our juice. Sandy, the girl in line before me, picked up my surprise.