Even More Meditation

[Steve Jones]

Steve sat cross-legged on the grass and closed his eyes. Images from the minds of passersby flitted past his mind's eye like a swarm of blinking fireflies. The first time he had tried this he couldn't believe he was doing it, not at the suggestion of that supposedly reforming supervillain. He still couldn't.

Damnit. Focus.

He concentrated, slowly bringing an object out of memory. The cartoon sketch of a rocket-ship took shape. A rocket-ship with fins. A red rocket-ship with fins. A red rocket-ship with orange fins. Each iteration was a greater strain, but with each there were fewer and fewer foreign images. By the time the ship breached the third dimension, his forehead was dripping sweat and his face tense with exertion.

[OPEN]

[Brigid Plunder]

"You know," Brigid said as she emerged from the nearby hedgemaze with Alex, "I'm not sure it has a center."

[Alex Carpenter]

"Don't look at me. I can't even tell if we're coming out in the same spot," Alex said with a grin. "Has anyone ever really come out and said that there was a center to it?"

[Brigid Plunder]

"I mean logically I'm sure there's physically a center, I just think someone might have had a laugh and made it so none of the paths go there."

[Alex Carpenter]

"Maybe if you flew over it, you'd see a sign that said "ha ha, look at the ants scurrying around searching.""

[Steve Jones]

Steve, still sitting motionless with his eyes closed and mind focused, hadn't noticed his own small nosebleed.

[Brigid Plunder]

"That sounds like a lot to put on a sign."

She looked to Steve and blinked.

"...is he alright?"

[Alex Carpenter]

"Well, I'm sure they could shorten it u- um... I don't know if he is."

[Brigid Plunder]

"...Steve?" She called out cautiously to the boy.

[Steve Jones]

There was no response.

[Alex Carpenter]

"Okay, for the record? If I'm like that? THAT'S when you worry about me," Alex said, looking worried himself.

[Brigid Plunder]

"Uhm... yeah. That... about qualifies," she said as she hurried over to the boy.

"Steve can you hear us?"

[Steve Jones]

Steve's eyes shot open. He looked annoyed.

"Damnit... I almost had it."

[Alex Carpenter]

"Had what? A brain hemorrhage?"

[Brigid Plunder]

"You're... uh... kind of bleeding right now, Steve."

[Steve Jones]

"Huh?" he asked, looking momentarily perplexed before wiping under his nose with the back of his right hand. He looked at the small smear of blood and winced. "Oh..."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Yeah, that's... not good, right?"

[Alex Carpenter]

"What... were you even doing?" Alex asked, giving Steve a worried look of the 'something might burrow out of his chest' variety.

[Steve Jones]

"I was just practicing blocking out stuff. I guess I pushed myself too far."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Well be careful. Nobody wants to see anyone get hurt, right?"

[Steve Jones]

"Well... no. But on the plus side, things were the quietest they've been in a while."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Doesn't seem like much of a plus," she said with another worried look at him.

[Steve Jones]

"Yeah, seeing people's thoughts all the time isn't a negative at all," he said with irritation.

[Alex Carpenter]

"As opposed to your brains leaking out your nose?"

[Steve Jones]

"It's just a tiny nosebleed," he said stubbornly.

[Brigid Plunder]

"If you're having trouble, maybe you should ask the teachers?"

[Steve Jones]

"It's not... it's just... you wouldn't understand," he responded, rising abruptly and wobbling on his feet.

[Brigid Plunder]

"...well, aren't there teachers that have powers like yours?"

[Steve Jones]

"Yeah, I'm sure the headmistress has plenty of time to tutor people," he said sarcastically.

Or the worst telepath ever...

[Brigid Plunder]

"Don't know until you ask, right?" She asked with a sidelong look to Alex, hoping for some support.

[Alex Carpenter]

"I'm pretty sure they know how to deal with whatever mental problems can pop up," Alex offered. Wait, how did I just say that? Shit, did that sound as bad as I think it did? Shit, shit, shit...

[Steve Jones]

"Mental problems?" Steve asked with irritation.

[Brigid Plunder]

"Uhm... maybe not the best way to put it."

[Steve Jones]

"Ya think?"

[Alex Carpenter]

"Yeah, I... uh... sorry. Totally didn't... yeah, I'm just going to shut up now."

[Steve Jones]

"I'll be fine. Okay?" he said stubbornly.