Separian - Book 1

Chapter 38

I was back at the estate, confused and now slightly angry. Nothing had been resolved. We left the park bench and I walked her back to her room at the university without sound. When we finally arrived at the door, I hugged her tightly and walked away, again, without sound. She didn't try to stop me from leaving. Although, once the door was closed, I heard her swear a few times about how stupid she was behaving. I forced my mind to focus on something else and give her her space.

But the question still remained: What had changed so drastically in a few seconds that it shifted Amy's entire persona?

With once again, no answers to speak of and over one hundred minds weighing in with their own 'silent opinions', I was over thinking about it. At least until I could be alone with my thoughts somewhat. The middle of the day was not the time for that. Not here.

Mike had found his place beside me the instant I returned to the estate in an attempt to distract me from my own thoughts. For once, I appreciated it. The topic of conversation? Quinn's overbearing interest in Nelson.

Mike and I often noticed her staring at him whenever he worked and lost her focus for too long. Nelson, more than from the other woman, didn't appreciate the attention. He could feel her watching and forced himself to work faster to keep distracted from her. Convincing him that she didn't want to kill him seemed impossible now, as he was recently convinced that she wanted to "eat him" from a comment she'd made to Marissa about dinner. She'd intended it as a private word, even a compliment, ignoring the basic laws that made us what we are, and quickly regretted it as he began avoiding her as much as inhumanely possible. Now, Quinn had to make a deliberate effort if she wanted to get within a ten foot radius of him.

Unfortunately for him, whether he realized it or not, until he officially rejected Quinn or at least set the record straight for how he viewed her, she wouldn't stop. I doubt she knew how to without being told. He made great use of his mental maturity over her and bounced his thoughts around even faster than Marissa did. Several of the men in the household volunteered to act as memory banks when his own mind couldn't fight her off on its own. Quinn wasn't the only one who hated that.

The other women in the house who desired to know how Nelson felt about them also disliked that they were now forced to wait until he verbally admitted to anything. I envied him in that respect. The peace that bouncing his thoughts around allotted him was a peace I'd longed for since arriving. Still just a novice.

On their final days here, some of the male workers pulled Nelson aside and attempted to talk to him about Quinn. Wondering how she'd come into the money required to pay them and manage the estate, when he planned on making his move on her, among other questions that made him extremely uncomfortable. But his external composure was now as solid as a rock. He would defend himself if Quinn went after him and he still feared she would, but their roles had been completely reversed on the outside. She was the one who looked uncomfortable.

The day came to a close and one by one, the minds of the Separian went quiet. Not completely, of course. Something I forgot to mention: when a Separian dreams, their mind continues to broadcast to others within range. Although, the range is significantly shorter than our typical mental elasticity. Still, it was quieter. Quieter was nice. is was as close to peaceful as this place got. The only time better than the evenings after training? The mornings before everyone awoke. Even quieter.

"Are you ready to wake up yet?"

Another night down and once again, no sleep. No surprise. No resolution on my conversation with Amy either. I'd sent several texts throughout the night to apprise myself of her mental state. If she responded with a period, she was trying to make it seem like she was mad. But she wasn't actually. If she responded with all capital letters, she was genuinely mad. If she used an exclamation point she was excited. An ellipse to end a text and she was tired.