Total Eclipse of the Heart

Chapter 2: You Needed It

"I don't think it's working," Leah sighed.

She slumped her shoulders back down and stared up at the sky, clearly frustrated.

"I told you it would be a long process, dear," Missouri said. "You need to give it time."

"I know, but I've been here ten days. I guess I thought something might've happened by now," Leah said. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"No, dear," Missouri reassured her. "There is nothing wrong with you. You just have a lot more blockage than most people do."

"I thought these exercises were supposed to help me 'unclog'?"

"They are," she said. "But, like I told you; you just have to work a little harder than most at cleaning yours out."

"You told me that the first chakra relates to survival instincts and self-preservation," Leah said, fiddling with the sleeve of the red shirt Missouri had let her borrow.

Leah was supposed to be wearing something red every day since the color red is associated with the base chakra. It was also supposed to make her feel more confident; or at least, so Missouri said. Leah wasn't sure if it was really working, but she knew that Missouri was an expert on this stuff, so she figured she knew what she was doing.

"That's right," Missouri said.

"What does that mean, exactly?" Leah asked.

"Well..." Missouri tried her best to think of a way to explain this in a way Leah might understand. "Think of a baby. In the first six weeks of living, all it needs to get by is food, warmth, and protection; basic things it needs to survive. Only once it passes that six week mark does it then start smiling up at its parents and respond to voices. That being said, those first few weeks of an infant's life are very important ones. A baby needs love and the assurance that it won't be abandoned, and that it will be cared for. So when I say survival instincts, it doesn't necessarily mean physical survival; it could be metaphorical, too."

"What does that have to do with me?" Leah asked.

Missouri sighed, placing a hand on Leah's knee. "Dear, I don't have to read your thoughts to know that you're scared."

"Of what?"

"Why, of being abandoned, of course," Missouri explained to her. "Child, from what I can sense from you, you haven't felt safe with anyone for a long time, now. You're so afraid that everyone will leave you that you don't let yourself get close to anyone. And I think that's why you were so quick to believe that Sam didn't actually care about you - why you immediately shut down and pushed him away. In order for you to fully open up your base chakra...you need to be able to feel safe."

Leah felt tears start to well up in her eyes.

"But...how?" she asked. "I-I can't-"

"Yes, you can," Missouri said. "You just need to let someone in; let someone take care of you, for once. I know that there's always a risk of people leaving, and that it terrifies you, but darling you can't keep doing this to yourself - psychic abilities or not. Going through life alone and terrified...well, that's no life at all."

Leah stared at Missouri for a brief moment, trying to come up with a response to that, but before Leah could think of anything to say back, her phone went off.

"Sorry," Leah said, then cleared her throat. "It's Sam."

She then flipped her phone open and answered the call.

"Hello?" she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Leah? Hey, I, uh..." Leah heard the sadness in his voice and snapped out of her own head.