Dead Lines

13: That Would Be Helpful

My hands curled into fists and started pounding on the panel, doing everything I could to force myself to snap out of this. But whoever was holding me here had a grip on me like iron and there was no bending or breaking it.

The muscles in my arms were burning, almost like they were on fire, but I didn’t want to stop. “Andrzej! Anyone! Get me out of here!”

I was hoping someone would hear me but eventually I had to stop, becoming too exhausted both mentally and physically to continue the useless protests. Even though my actual body hadn’t moved, I felt like I’d just done hours on the treadmill. The panic I was feeling started mixing with worry.

Maybe I’d never get out of here.

And because I didn’t want to be done fighting yet, I slammed my hands one more time against the panel and let out an earsplitting scream.

The panel didn’t break and everything that was happening out there continued to play on without any interruption from me. I took several steps back, my chest heaving from my rushed breath. My eyes darted over the scene, trying to see everything I could. Maybe even read Andrzej’s lips as well as Apollo’s since he’d somehow edged his way into view.

But I got nothing. None of it was translating through. Their mouths were forming words but I didn’t know them. They were speaking English but it was as if I didn’t know the language.

“What’s happening?” I asked out loud. “WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME!”

I backed all the way up to the table and tried to regain my focus. There was no way I could figure this all out if I completely lost my head.

If I already hadn’t.

I took a couple deep breaths and closed my eyes. This was nothing. I could figure this out, no problem. All I had to do was calm down and stay that way. Clear my mind and erase the fog of fear and panic…

Something shifted behind me, the sound translating through as that of someone coming through underbrush in the woods. My whole body became tense and I held my breath, unwilling to turn around and find out what had made that sound. I knew something or someone was here with me but there was no need to…

A hand came to a rest on my shoulder. Even in my head I moved quick but apparently so did whoever was here with me. When I whirled around to look, there was no one behind me. Even though the room was naturally dark, like the lights were set on the lowest possible setting, there was no out-of-place shadow.

“Who’s there?”

“Don’t be afraid, Natalie.”

Those words were whispered around me, a woman’s voice. It was gentle and kind. And way too calm for my liking. This was, after all, my mind that she was invading. There was nothing calm about invading someone else’s mind. If I wanted to be afraid, I would be and considering she was the unwelcome presence, she should be afraid too. I may not know the extent of my Particular but I knew she must be expending a lot of energy to stay in my head.

This time I felt fingers run through my hair and yet again, I wasn’t quick enough to turn around. The panel came back into view but I ignored it. If there was one thing I could count on, it would be Andrzej protecting me while this—invasion was taking place.

“Don’t be afraid,” she said again.

“If you don’t want me to be afraid, stop playing games.”

“I’m not playing games, my dear.” A hand cupped the back of my head and this time when I turned around, the mysterious presence in my mind was still there. She was sitting up on the table, looking very much like a ghost in a white dress. Her fingers dragged through strands of my hair as she said, “Hello, Natalie. You’re so much like your mother, it’s uncanny.”