Zone

Pulse

Pavement met fog met sky in a haze of January grey that made Lissa feel vibrant. Her coat was a deep, forest-y green, but it was positively neon compared to the gloom that had settled over the city. She shifted the grocery bag on her hip, paper, not plastic, and picked up her pace. Passing black coat after black coat, Lissa felt confident in her wardrobe choice, and in her life choices in general. She had just bought hummus. On purpose. She had even considered kale, but figured her coat took care of her daily green requirement.

Lissa was halfway home, cutting through Maude Park, or Maudlin Park, as she dubbed it after one too many encounters with certain inebriated gentle-bums, when her vision darkened and her stomach lurched as she was filled with someone else's fear.

Not fear. Excitement. Please, God, not that kind of excitement, she prayed. The shadows cleared, and she made her way to a nearby bench. She sat on the freezing metal and cradled the groceries just as she was plunged into darkness and the return of the excitement, maybe tinged with nerves.

The black gave way to the interior of a coffee house. Lissa watched through someone else's eyes as they scanned the coffee house for someone else. The interior was cute. Light and airy, with those little Pinterest-y Christmas lights strung all around. Lissa wondered whose nerves she was Zoning into. It kind of seemed like a date, so unless Margaret was stepping out on Thad, that left Roger and Chris. Although last time Lissa was Zoned into Pete, he and Becky were fighting a lot, so it could be Pete.

Poor Pete. Becky had been with Pete longer than Lissa had. Becky had seen him through the car crash. Lissa liked Becky, though sometimes she agreed with Pete that Becky could chill. Pete loved Becky, though. Lissa hoped she wasn't Zoned into Pete, unless this wasn't a date. Then it'd be fun if it was Pete.

Nervous Person checked their watch, Lissa along with them, and Lissa took note of the man's hand in the field of vision. Definitely not Margaret. Good for Thad. Either Roger or Chris, then. Or Poor Pete.

Lissa's vision, her real vision, returned and the park came into focus. That was short. Lissa pulled back the top of her mitten then curled it back around, leaving only her pointer finger exposed to the elements as she played on her phone. She waited, making sure she was done Zoning in, vowing to Google smart phone gloves as soon as she found quality WIFI.

The park faded and the nerves and coffee place reappeared through Nervous Guy's eyes just as a beautiful blonde lady was walking up. Way to go, Nervous Guy.

"Sorry I'm late," the blonde said, smiling and taking a seat. "Did you order your coffee?"

"No problem, Carrie. I don't mind waiting for you," Nervous Guy said, and though Lissa couldn't quite recognize the voice, she thought he was pretty smooth. Maybe Chris smooth. "What do you want? My treat."

Carrie smiled. "Can I get a vanilla latte? The bigger, the better."

Amen, sister, Lissa thought.

Nervous Guy stood up, and promptly looked down Carrie's shirt. With a small twitch of her gag reflex, Lissa recognized the Zoner. Roger.

"Be right back," Roger said, moving toward the coffee bar, which slowly faded from Lissa's view as Roger's nerves dissipated.

Lissa sighed, her own view of the park returning again. She looked around her, making sure nothing was out of the ordinary. No gentle-bums were rooting through her groceries, her phone was still in her hand. Another Zone into a Roger date. Gross. She hoped Carrie saw through Roger's crap soon enough. Lissa felt a small, teeny pang of guilt. Roger was lonely, too. Maybe Carrie was The One. Weddings made everyone nervous, so Lissa could totally Zone into the wedding.