The Mortal Coil

S I X +

© Amber Kalkes 2015

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"True Faith" By New Order

S I X +

“—And that’s what the black sludge was, the disease, the illness.”

“So you’re telling me you absorbed a tumor into your body and it manifested as black sludge which you threw up on my shoes?”

I give him a sheepish look and shrug, “Uh, I guess. Sorry about your shoes.”

Simon stares at me like I just told him I kill kittens for fun. No, wait, he looks at me like I just told him I slapped his grandma and called her a bitch. No, wait, this ones better, he looks at me like I just told him I eat mayonnaise straight from the jar like pudding. I scrunch my nose up at the last one. That’s just nasty.

“Andy…that’s impossible.”

I laugh a little before saying, “No, it really isn’t.”

“But...” He trails and runs his hands through his blonde hair, “I mean shit Andy. When did this happen? Is this a recent discovery or has this been going on for a while?”

“A while.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” He asks, looking completely offended.

I shrug while looking anywhere but him, “Would you have believed me?”

“No.” he sighs, coming to sit beside on the end of the bed, “No I guess I wouldn’t have. But this tumor…it’s gone?”

Moving toward him I don’t hesitate to put my hand on his head, my palm resting on his forehead while my fingers lay on top of his hair. I close my eyes and visually work my way through his brain. When I’m satisfied I pull back my hand and Simon inhales sharply. He closes his eyes and grips the end of my bed as he tries to catch his breath.

“A little warning next time.” He snaps hoarsely.

I move back to my original spot feeling guilty, “Sorry.”

“So?”

“Yeah, it’s gone.”

Gripping his probably spinning head he asks, “How did you even figure out you could do this?”

“Accident.” I whisper, curling my arms around my legs as I bring them up to my chest, “Bringing things back to life, the purgatory sleep travel, and the healing, all was a total fluke. I didn’t know I could do any of it until it was already done. I mean how was I supposed to guess I could do any of it? I just always thought I was different for obvious reasons not—“

“Whoa, wait a minute.” Simon says, cutting me off. “Did you say you can bring things back to life?”

I open my mouth and try to think of something to say but nothing comes out. I guess I didn’t mention that when I explained. In fact all I said was he had a tumor and the black sludge was the sickness I could and did absorb. It was pretty straightforward and though impressive, nothing as freaky as the bringing things back to life thing. I probably should have kept that little part to myself.

“Yes?”

“How does that work?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug, feeling shy. I’ve never had to explain this to anyone before. “I just imagine what they’re life must have been like. What the body looked like when they were alive and soon that’s exactly what happens. They come back to life.”