Reasoning those mind games

Chapter 10

Around 4 am, an old woman in her early 60s, curly hair dyed in a pale shade of red, sat beside her pool enjoying her very own homemade lemonade. The cool breeze was working like a natural air conditioner. Together, the atmosphere coupled with a sweet silence, making the environment all the more peaceful and calming. But this peace was short-lived by the ringtone of Mandy's cellphone.

Puffing out a deep sigh, she picked her cell phone wondering who could it be at this hour of the day. Usually, everyone calls after 10 am because they'd know that the last thing they would want was to piss off Mandy Dorris.

"Ok," said Mandy slipping off her eye cover, " who wants to die today"

But her irritation turned into a surprise when she saw the name of the person she had least expected to text, or even call at all, flashing on the screen.

With a genuine smile, she picked up.

"Helloooooo little brother"

***

"Ha ha good one brother.. " she laughed hysterically

"Wait wait.. can you say that again? You need What??"

"We need your help, Mandy." Mr. Wilson replied calmly.

"Loooolll! You're so funny Chris... Mr. Christopher Wilson needs my help? Is that what you disturbed me at this hour for? I swear " She paused to sip her lemonade and continued

"If you weren't my brother Chris I swear you would have been...err..dead or something! Now If you excuse me..."

"It's not about ME Mandy. " Mr. Wilson interrupted, "It's about two innocent lives."

This made Mandy curious. As much as she was upset with her brother she knew she couldn't punish others for his mistakes.

Mr. Wilson continued

"I know I didn't trust you before. I didn't understand your condition. I called you mad psycho and whatnot. But I also know that you're my sister and you can't be angry at me for long. Mandy listen... I'm really sorry and I'm ready to do anything to make up for the past. But right now we really need you."

Mandy listened carefully, as her brother explained Tracy's situation. The flashbacks of her past played before her eyes. All the times she used to beg people... Her own family to trust her about astral projection but they wouldn't. Instead, they started doubting her mental health and started excluding her from their affairs.

She was abused and tortured. All her life she had wanted someone to trust her. Just believe in her. If not for help, at least they could have supported her in all she was going through. But no one, except her late husband, was there with her when she needed them، and her brother, the person she had trusted more than anyone else, had broken her the most.

She hung up the phone after listening to Tracy's story. As much as she wanted her brother to suffer as she did, she couldn't help but worry about Tracy. She had been in Tracy's shoes before. She knew how hard it is to have an ability beyond one's control that no one understands. Seeing and feeling things no one else could see or believe in, was scary. No medication would help. No doctors could help. Whatever she would do, all ended up in vain and the things, souls, and energies would still come back roaming around like it was normal. It wasn't normal for everyone though... but then it's not their fault they can't believe in the unseen. It's human nature. It's not their fault they can't imagine what it is like being in the place of a psychic person. Being psychic, having such powers or abilities required a very strong control over one's nerves.

After years, Mandy had accepted the fact that not everyone could survive the fear and trauma of having to interact with the paranormal. When Mandy started seeing those things, she was scared and traumatized as well but she didn't have a choice. She could relate to Tracy pretty well. A tear rolled down her cheek, as all those years of trauma rushed through her once again.

She knew that it was quite possible that no one else would help Tracy. If her brother was telling neatly half-truth, it was quite possible that Tracy was in a shock and not in a coma and somehow that shock wasn't letting her body accept her soul back. She just had to help the young woman.

With a blank face, Mandy picked up her cell phone again and texted her brother...

***

Within 10 minutes Mandy was standing there beside Tracy, staring at the beautiful girl, laying unconscious on the couch.

"So?" Tom asked in confusion.

"Let me see what I can do" Mandy calmly replied, walking over. She sat beside Tracy and closed her eyes, focusing on her surroundings.

Slowly the room began to fill up with a pale yellow mist. She tried to sense for any souls wandering around but there was none around. However, faint traces of Tracy's neon blue Aura were still present in her body flickering like a fuse that is about to go out.

"Tracy" Mandy called out, getting up in her soul form, leaving her body. She walked up to Clara's room but even there were no energies. Mandy took a deep breath and walked back to the lounge where Tom and Mr Wilson were still staring at her body waiting for any signs. Of course! She thought. They couldn't see her soul.

Walking back to Tracy she took a deep breath and tried to enhance her empathetic senses. A strong gush of fear and panic hit upon her making her dizzy and exhausted all of a sudden. She immediately teleported back into her body and woke up with a gasp.

Sweating and panting she tried to balance her emotions and physical strength and stabilize herself. In the past 60 years, she had never felt such a strong emotional environment before. Even at the funerals where everyone is emotionally triggered, it was bearable for an empath. But this was something different. It was like Tracy was experiencing not just the emotions at the house they were at but multiple places at the same time. Her dread was only proving itself.

Mr. Wilson got up and rushed to his sister, for the first time in his life, and held her hand. This gave Mandy a sense of confidence and reassurance and she calmed down a little.

"It's ok sis I'm here," he said trying to calm her down wiping sweat off her forehead with his handkerchief.

"I wish you had done that years ago when I was weak brother. But I can handle it now." Mandy smiled, but couldn't help vent at her brother.

"I'm sorry" was all he could say.

Mandy just nodded. She could feel the presence of regret in his voice. She turned to Tom who was just standing there holding his tears. He looked even more scared than before.

"it's ok," she said to her brother and turned her attention to Tom once again. "And you young gentleman. Let those tears spill. For the LOVE OF YOUR WIFE," she screamed "BOTH OF YOU... Throw those emotions out and calm down"

" MY WIFE IS IN A F**KING COMA at the verge of fuckin death. You're sweating like you have fuckin escaped death. And you're asking me to frikin calm my ass down? NO, I CAN'T calm the fuvk down “

Tom burst back. his face turned dark red in outrage, as he smashed a nearby vase on the floor. The porcelain shattered, sending shards flying off in all directions.

"Tom relax, "Mr Wilson said getting up to walk in up to him but Mandy's giggle stopped him.

Both men looked into Mandy's direction in shock, but there she was, sitting with a wide grin spread across her face.

"What?" She shrugged at the two confused men. "You two are acting like scared kittens when it's Me who is the woman Here" she finished with a carefree laugh.

The way she was laughing made both men chuckle relaxing the tense environment a little.

'That's better boyeez... Now.. please have a seat I have some... uh explanation to do" she said air quoting the last words.

"Oh c'mon, Mandy! Can you get serious about one thing in life" Mr. Wilson taunted his sister, making Tom chuckle. Both men sat down on the couch adjacent to where Mandy was sitting.

"Uh. Lemme think" she said " Hell nah! If you CIA people can't get sarcastic for once who do you suppose is supposed to cover your serious bummies ?" Mandy rolled her eyes making both men chuckle again. The funny old woman shrugged at them.

By now both men had become quite enough distracted from Tracy. Most of their focus and attention was on Mandy. It was like she had hypnotized them into following her on purpose, and now, she had almost full control over their minds subconsciously.

"Now! Let's get to business. I have good news and a piece of bad news. And a few proposals." She began slowly and paused for a few seconds. Tom and Mr. Wilson nodded.

" Let me start with the bad news first since we are already in a horrible situation right? So a little bit of salt won't hurt the broken bones.."

" Bones?" Tom cut her off and raised an eyebrow.

"That was supposed to be a phrase dodo!" The woman said waving her hand making everyone giggle again.

"No wonder even an atomic blast won't hurt if...Mandy tells it!" Mr. Wilson mocked her again.

Instead of getting offended, Mandy only laughed and hit her brother behind his head.

"Now shush! " She said putting a finger on her lips. The room falls into a pin-drop silence.

Mandy curled her lips and sighed. Taking a glance at Tracy, and caressing her golden hair, she spoke again.

"The bad news is... I tried to look for Tracy's soul all over the house. She's nowhere. It's quite possible that she may have traveled a little farther than she should. And very much possible she has slipped into the mid-world." A tear rolled down her cheek and she held Tracy's hand trying to stay calm.

"Mid-world?" Tom stuttered. His face was white as a sheet.

"And can you go to the mid-world after.." Mr Wilson began but Mandy cut in

"Only the dead can go there... before they die completely. I'm sorry I can't. Tracy has to figure it out herself before she gets on to the afterlife. "

For the first time since the woman had arrived, she was actually serious. Her seriousness was making the environment even more tense.

"But!" She quickly turned her tone to a jolly one. " The good news are.." she paused

"Are? You mean there are more than one" Tom and Mr Wilson both exclaimed in unison as if she had just blown a second breath in them.

Mandy giggled and nodded. She turned towards them to make sure they had relaxed a bit before she spoke again.

"One! Tracy is Alive. I'm not sure about Clara but Tracy is ..yet. I've seen her Aura present around her body which means she is still not dead. " Mandy paused and focused on the surroundings trying to sense the level of tension around. It was still high. Sweat formed over her upper lip, but she wiped it off quickly.

"Second! Tracy is technically a healer. She has multiple psychic abilities that we will discuss once we have her back. But for the moment. What I can tell you is... Tracy is way stronger than a normal psychic. Her tolerance is higher than most of us and she might be able to fight it out."

Mandy smiled at both confused men. They looked at each other and back at Mandy completely lost.

"Ow c'mon " she rolled her eyes" Men I tell you! It was good news! You were supposed to be happy "

The men shook their heads still blank.

"Ok! Here's the thing boys. Tracy can fight strong pain and emotions and that's why she's still alive. But since she isn't aware of her psychic abilities, her body might not accept her soul back because of all your fear and panic. She can sense all of our emotions and vibes. And possibly those of the mid world too. And you never know how strong those negative vibes and emotions of dead souls would be. They are creating a barrier around her body preventing her soul from entering back."

Tom's eyes widened and Mr Wilson's jaw dropped.

"So " Mandy continued" Like I said. This barrier is way too strong for a normal soul to break through. And I can't go to the mid-world to help Tracy. Even if I die, there's no surety whether I would go to the mid-world or the afterlife. So it's risky. I'm honestly surprised that Tracy is still fighting it but she is. And I'm not sure how long she can keep fighting it. I've seen her Aura1 but it's fading slowly..." She turned to look at Tracy again.

"So..is there nothing we can do to help her? Is that what you mean?" Tom asked frustrated and furrowed his eyebrows. Mr Wilson looked at Tom and then at her sister still staring at Tracy.

"Great" Tom raised his arms in the air. "I mean.. wow I.." he was about to say something but Mandy cut him again.

"Actually there is honey," she said not breaking her stare from Tracy's face. "We can try... we can try to control our emotions and try to weaken the barrier. And TRY to think and feel positive to give her strength." She paused for a moment and whispered.

"I don't know you, gurl. But I swear I'm already in love with you and your strength. "

Tom sighed and closed his eyes. A few seconds later he breathed out a deep whiff. Smiling, he got up and walked up to his fiancee and held on to her other hand.

"And no doubt you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met little princess." He added to Mandy's words and smiled as he thought about all the happy memories they had.

Mandy once again tried to sense her surroundings which were now slowly easing out. Mr. Wilson also nodded and tried to relax.

They all sat around Tracy waiting for her to show a sign.