        Three Paragraphs
          Excerpts from Something
 
     The prize-winning journalist Stephen King might have likened her to
Carrie.  Oh yes, Carrie was the flame that sparked the formation of the
Illuminati Project.  When that girl's story broke out in the news media,
a wealthy philanthropist took it upon himself to lay down millions of dollars
to create a boarding school for "special" kids. This school would be staffed
by brillant minds from all of the scientific disciplines, but as you might
guess, those knowledgable about the workings of the mind felt we were their
concern.  Our parents gladly allowed us to go there, where we wouldn't
constantly be seen as freaks who frightened normal folks.  Those in high
government offices, interested in the potential contribution to national
defense we could make, not only fully approved of the Project and all its
details, they also dispatched military officials to work with us.  Brainy
little marines, that's what we could be, yes?  Psychic warriors destined to
become exotic battlefield weapons.

    I recall the times in 8th grade, when the rest of our Thought Perception
class were given a break to go to the bathroom or drink water, Beth and I
would stay by ourselves in the room.  She'd sometimes get up and walk over to
talk with me, and I'd observe that- no; you didn't have to die to go to
heaven.  I think I could've coped if we somehow got frozen in a time warp and
stayed by each other, talking forever.  We chattered on about everything, but
when the class began filing back in she'd disappear to her desk on the other
side of the room.  She would return to her reading her book (because she
always carried a good book to read to school, favoring books on witches)
and I would sit and wish all these people would just vanish and leave us
alone.  One day she heard me thinking!  I knew she had; I felt her mind
probing my thoughts.  She gazed at me, and said telepathically, MAYBE WE
SHOULD.  "What?"  MAYBE WE SHOULD...  MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR.  "Oh...  can you
really do that?  No, Beth!  No!" Surely she wasn't that powerful!  It was
impossible, anyway, I knew it.  There were certain things beyond the scope
even of psychic minds.  Stories and rumors to the contrary were merely
common superstition.  DON'T BE SILLY!  WATCH ME DO IT.  Whoosh!  I saw a burst
of violent colors, swirling in front of me, buzzing loudly.  A thick mist
rapidly flew across the room, and I felt motion; I felt my body accelerate
from still to light speed.  I heard something far away go "pop", and when I
looked again I saw the classroom just as it was before.  Nothing had happened.
The kids were reading their texts, and the instructor continued typing data
into the class terminal.  Strange, that they had noticed nothing- then I
saw...  and I cried in terror!  Oh God, what had she done?  I began to
shake in mortal fear.  "No, tell me we're not dead!  Tell me that!  Beth, what
have you done?"  With a look of remorse, she eased her arms around me.  IT'S
NOTHING, JAMES.  WE CAN GO BACK.  WE'RE IN A SAFE PLACE INSIDE OUR MINDS, AND
WE CAN RETURN TO OUR BODIES WHENEVER WE FEEL LIKE IT.  JAMES- she touched my
face -WE'RE ALRIGHT. The fear suddenly passed away as I peered into her eyes.
I believed her, and I knew then that we were in love.

    Some day, I know...  I can faintly see a day approaching through the
haze of time, coming to me, coming for us, bringing us together forever.  I
call through the endless span of time, and I can barely hear a whisper
coming back, saying softly, "Yes, James.  I hear you, and I want you to know
this: There is a day in the future...  Hold on to your hopes, because it will
come, as surely as the Sun rises across the morning sky and warms the cold,
dark Earth... we will meet again, and Summer will be the season of the rest of
our lives."  Her apparition appears before me, shockingly, and she winks an
eye and smiles before gradually fading away.  I know that I will keep trying
to reach her, until old age robs me of my gifts, until these bones of mine
wither to dust.
