Frail Tears

Chapter Four : Adjustment of the Soul

Olivia took a deep breath, holding in her tears . I wasn't sure how to help. I reached out , and grasped her hand . I held us there for a moment watching her . The deeper she was able to breathe , the faster her appearance returned to the original Olivia I met yesterday . I noticed neither of us needed to breathe , but I'm sure it helped to keep her calm . Her tatters started to disappear , and the blood began to fade away . Her hair fixed itself , and it was like dirt was never on her face .

I gave her a warm smile as she recovered . After a minute , she looked brand new . She dropped my hand , and stood . She glided to the middle of the porch , and began to twirl . She was grinning brilliantly , as if nothing happened . I could hear birds chirping to her beat with every step she made. I smiled softly thinking about how quickly she bounced back . It was incredible .

"Hey , have you been to see your family?" Olivia finished her mini-recital with her hands gracefully in the air . She expectantly looked at me. Her long hair framed her face beautifully.

"I haven't. I'm not sure I want to so soon." I answered. Their dull thoughts echoed in my head with the rest of them. I didn't have the best relationship with my parents. They had their issues to deal with , and in turn completely ignored and/or s**t all over mine .

"Oh , we could go visit your friends?" She asked hopefully . It was clear Olivia wanted to know everything about what my life had been . She was a genuine soul , and I was starting to appreciate her so much more for it .

"Hm . All of my friends were Vince's friends. I didn't like making my own. Friendships would always get frustrating. I don't like making friends if it's just going to end badly . Getting upset over someone making boundaries , or getting angry that I refuse to be controlled , that's not the type of friend I want." I explained .

Olivia nodded her head , and gave me a sweet smile . "I will never harm you that way , Della. I'd gain nothing from it."

Surprised at her words , I ran a hand through my hair. I didn't know what to say to that , so I nodded my head to let her know I had heard her.

"Okay , let's do something fun !" She exclaimed . You could practically see the little light bulb ding above her noggin.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked, looking up at her.

...

We stood in my backyard staring at a soda can perched on the patio table. I crossed my arms as she demonstrated for the 14th time how to move the damn thing. It was around noon, so everyone was already gone for the day. We had the house to ourselves. Olivia looked joyful as she played teacher, and I'm sure I just looked disgruntled. I couldn't move it the first time. Why would the millionth time be different?

She stood in the table , placing one palm down on it's surface while the other was placed gently on the can. She shoved it ever so slightly , and it moved about an inch. It was unopened so the wind wouldn't carry it away. Olivia said it takes some concentration to be able to do something like this , and for most it takes years to be able to fully master it.

I forgot to tell her about the light switch. I didn't see a point to now that we were practicing. I'd learn the tactic soon enough. I sat down in the baby blue patio chair concentrating on a soda can. She leaned out of the way , and I placed my hand on the can. My hand went through a few times. There were a few times I was able to touch the can , but not muster enough strength to actually move it.

An hour in , and my head started to hurt again. People were still thinking of me off and on today. I didn't much care for my funeral . I preferred to be a tree pod. Where they cram my body into a basket full of seeds , some fertilizer , and they bury me in the forest. I wanted to feed and grow a tree. Not many people knew that about me, I guess. At least they got the flowers right.

"Della , maybe it's a good time to take a tiny break," she said. I could tell she was a bit disappointed that I wasn't getting it. I sat back in the chair , and she moved out of the table to sit on the edge of it in front of me. I rested my cheek on my fist. I couldn't help that I was disappointed , too.

"I did this last night," I mentioned. I kept my eyes down at the frosted glass table, unable to look at her.

She placed a hand on my forearm , "Well , I bet you can do it again. What did you move? What did you feel when you were doing it?" She spoke warmly, knowing how defeated I felt. "I had trouble doing that , too. I promise it gets better with practice."

I explained the events that happened last night to her, and what I had dreamt of.

"Della, you were in his dream. You sent that to his thoughts." She looked at me , her mouth gaping.

So , I did that. But how do I do it again? She seemed to have read the look on my face.

"Spirits older than me still have difficulty doing what you did. They have to make a proper connection before even attempting it, otherwise they scramble the person's brains." Her explaining further made me gulp. I could have seriously hurt him, and I didn't even know what I had been doing.

I raised my eyebrows, "How did I do it though? What if I do it again, and don't realize it? It didn't feel any different than just sitting there thinking."

"I haven't done it before , Della. I don't know how. I've seen others do it, but sometimes it's ended so badly. Um, I know a friend that might be able to help you." She looked down, and twiddled her fingers together.

"What is it?"

Olivia glanced my way, and then back down to her bare feet. "It would be easier if he could show you." She grasps my hand in hers, and gives me a small smile that really didn't touch her eyes. A tingly feeling radiated throughout my body, and for a second we were floating. When the feeling stopped, the static faded from my eyes, and we were sitting in a completely different place that I hadn't been before.

I examined our surroundings , and noticed a few people in light green scrubs. All 3 were speaking quietly to each other, and I couldn't make out what they were saying. The concerned looks on their faces turned to curiosity when another nurse walked through the double doors on the right. The girl he was with wore white scrubs and grippy socks. He hovered a hand behind her back, guiding her into one of the rooms down the hall.

I turned around to Olivia, who was sitting with her knees up in a wheelchair. She looked like she didn't want to be here.

"Where are we, Olivia?" I asked.

She peeked up at me, "We're at White Iris Sanitorium. It's right in between the mountains . Your house is 20 minutes away from here."

"You don't have to stay, but who am I looking for here?"

She unlocked her arms, and put her feet down. "Gideon practices here." She held the tops of her arms, and I noticed her looking at a young boy sitting in the corner with a puzzle cube in his hands. He was watching us. I shifted back and forth on my feet. Sure enough, he was staring straight at us .

Olivia spoke, "The sick ones can see us. Some of them don't speak nicely." I glanced at her, putting my hand on her back to rub it.

"You don't have to stay here if this is making you uncomfortable. I'll find him myself." I said.

I'd like to say I was confident, but I have no idea how big this place really is. Luckily, she didn't seem to notice. She nodded, and made another disappearing act. She focused herself into an orb, and floated out of the window. Now, I had to find Gideon, and see if he'd teach me how to control myself.

I walked down the corridor taking peeks into the rooms as I went. Some of them were not empty. One of the patients even screamed, causing a flood of nurses to invade the room. She started pointing at me standing outside of her door, and earned herself a shot of the sleepy juice . I continued down the hall , and peeked out the barred window. I appeared to be on the top floor, not including the roof. When I turned toward the staircase across from the window, the little boy from earlier was behind me.

I jumped; he was so silent. He had short blonde hair, and blue scrubs with blue socks. He was as tall as my waist. He was holding his wooden puzzle in one hand, and reaching for my hand with the other.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I think I know where your friend is." He grabbed my hand, and started to tug. I didn't expect his attempt to work; it surprised me.

"Can other people touch me here?" I asked him, a little worried.

"No, I don't think so." He whispered. He led me down the stairs. When we reached the 3rd floor, we turned out of the stairwell, and headed down another hall. This one had fewer doors, and double ones at the very end. We walked right up to them, and he dropped my hand.

"They won't let me in there. I have to go back upstairs." He whispers.

"Why are you whispering?" I asked him quietly.

"Because the monsters are asleep. Shh." He puts a small finger to his lips motioning for me to shush, and turns to run back the way we came. Creepy, but I guess I should have expected that being where I am.

I turned, not giving it a second thought, and popped my head through the door. Sure enough, there were ghosts here. There were at least a dozen in the room while 4 nurses pulled a girl off the bed and into a wheelchair. She looked no older than 19. She looked like she was somewhere far away. There were various tools in the room. One in particular stood out. It was a metal pike of some sort with a handle on it.

I gulped; I don't think I like this room. A few seconds later, they strap her in, and get ready for take off. She didn't move, not once, except the occasional head sway. Something extraordinary happened though. Her body started glowing slightly. A gold color rose from her chest, and as soon as I blinked, the girl was standing there. She stood beside her body, looking around. She touched the pike-looking piece, and had a painful look on her face.

She looked around at the faces in the room. They looked like they were studying a rat in a maze. When the nurses walked out the door, and further down the hallway, she misted closer to her body. It seemed as though she was forced . A golden rope was tethering her to her body. It was glittery and bright.

I could see Gideon in one of the back corners of the group. His eyes lit up seeing me standing there. The rest of the dead talked among themselves while he made his way over to me.

"Hey , what's going on?" I asked, looking at the tools on the table.

"Hello again, we're recording our findings." He said happily. He was grinning ear to ear watching his friends lost in conversation.

"What?" I didn't quite get it.

"Astral Projection. There are ways living people can visit us here. Some people don't understand they are doing it, and they think it's a dream. Others are comatose, and do it. And like this lady that was just here, some are forced into it." He was still smiling.

"What do you mean forced into it?" I suddenly felt like I should be cautious with what I say here. The creepy hospital, the creepy kid, the creepy room with all the ghosts, it all gave me horror movie vibes. Gideon seemed a little too excited to be here.

"Well , the patient ended up being a problematic case. They did a procedure to keep her in line. Of course, it only hurt for a second. When they lobotomize someone, the patient then has an astral experience. We generally observe events like this to study the happenings. They end up coming here and seeing us. Depending on how long they are out, in her case, permanently, they remain there until their bodies accept them again." He was gushing over the topic, and I just wanted it to end.

"Gideon, I have a question. Olivia said you may be able to help me?"

His head snapped back toward me, intrigued. "What can I do for you, dear?"

"I gave my ex a memory of us, and I have no idea how I did it. Olivia mentioned that if I had done it wrong, he would have ended up really damaged." I looked up at his 6'2'' build, hopeful.

"Hmm," Gideon put a hand on his chin, "Yes, she's very correct. I didn't expect her to bring you here. Olivia loathes my methods, and hates this place. Did you feel something when you did it?"