Emergence 3.0
A Novel – One Page Per Day
Day 016, Tuesday
January 16th, 2018
Chapter Two: Regrets
“I never should have seen her.” Jim thought, doubting himself. It was
something he was not inclined to do, but at this moment he could not help it.
He reviewed each step of his plan, reviewing it for every possible
detail, believing, and yet uncertain that he had laid the path for Kathy to
follow perfectly. He visualized each step, telling himself that his indulgence
today was a necessary step, he had to see Kathy in order to reinforce, in
non-verbal ways, his absolute need for her to follow the path that he had laid
out.
Another wave of doubt passed over him. He was being foolish when he
asked her to see him. His emotions were running high, too high. They might have
alerted her to the plan.
Whenever he was with her, through all of the years that he had known her,
he had to maintain a strict discipline in order to shield his mind from hers.
It was the most difficult thing he had ever done, but he was able to do it
nonetheless.
He could feel her consciousness probing his, like psychic tentacles
pulling at his mind. Never once had she penetrated him, and that was only
because she was not trying. As forceful as her psychic powers were, they
functioned within her autonomically. She was not directing them, she was a
passive user of her own powers, and in fact she had spent most of her life
learning the skills she needed to suppress her powers, rather than push them to
the limits.
Jim was always aware that if she had wanted to she could break through
his defenses effortlessly.
When the time came, it was paramount to take her by surprise, his plan
depended on shocking her, at just the right moment.
The delicate path he was walking filled him with dread, and sorrow, and
guilt.
Jim couldn’t help himself. It was all over; it was over for everyone, and
nothing could be done.
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