Probing Visions 1

Chapter 8 (Part 3)

"I've been thinking about my dreams... my visions," Jean stated, his brows furrowing as his gaze lowered.

"And what are you seeing in your visions?" Kevin inquired, raising a curious eyebrow.

"I've been seeing this lady multiple times in my dream. She has blonde hair, similar to my hair colour," Jean described, gesturing towards his head. "And. And I've been seeing her multiple times. And I think I know who she is," he admitted.

"Who do you think she could be?" Gabriel asked, absorbing every word Jean uttered.

"...My mother," Jean revealed.

"Your mother...?" Kevin and Gabriel murmured in unison, peering deeply into Jean's brown pupils.

"Yes," Jean nodded, joining his hands together.

"Hey. Will it be alright if... if you tell me what happened to your mother? We're friends anyway, right?" Gabriel asked politely, his voice oozing with bashfulness.

"Well, it's time for you to know anyway," Jean said, nodding lightly. As Kevin and Gabriel huddled closely, Jean took a deep breath and explained. "I... I was orphaned when I was a baby. I was... I don't know... abandoned...? Given up for adoption..."

"Oh..." Gabriel huffed.

"But, good thing I was adopted when I was four, though," Jean ventured, tilting his head as he lowered his eyes.

"I see... I guess it must've been hard for you... isn't it...?" Gabriel asked kindly.

"Honestly, I haven't even thought of my mother until these days when I began receiving visions," Jean confessed, his eyes roaming on the ground. "However, now that I've been seeing her in my dreams, I feel like seeing her in person once more."

"...How would you be sure that lady with blonde hair in your dreams is your mother, though?" Kevin inquired curiously.

"I've seen it in my dreams. I've seen her give me away for adoption," Jean reasoned.

"But how would you be sure she is really your mother?" Kevin asked again, emphasizing each word.

Jean pondered momentarily before gasping in surprise upon remembering Professor Lenszcen's invention. "Oh, I know. Perhaps we can use Professor Lenszcen's invention to confirm who my mother really is?" he suggested.

"That would be a great idea!" Gabriel thought with a bright grin.

"I know, right?" Kevin smiled. "We should head to Professor Lenszcen's office right now while we're still on our vacant period and ask him about his invention."

"Yeah, let's go!" Gabriel jumped out of his seat.

Jean smiled warmly at his friends, his heart filled with sweet compassion for their support.

     In the meantime, inside a compact office, Professor Lenszcen wanders around. As a peaceful hum passes through his lips, he walks towards the window and gazes out. He then turns from the window and strides towards a desk. And there, he stands before his invention. He smiles proudly at his work as his eyes inspect every intricate detail on its surface.

     Professor Lenszcen's piercing eyes slowly land on the transparent glass screen of his glistening invention. And, as he peers at it, curiosity weighs down his brows. He tightens his lips as genuine interest sparks within his heart.

     Turning from the desk, Professor Lenszcen grabs a shot glass and pours himself a shot of tequila. He then downs a shot, and the alcoholic taste tickles his tongue and throat. Snatching a napkin from his pocket, Professor Lenszcen walks towards a drawer and grabs a needle.

     Humming, Professor Lenszcen wipes off the needle's pointy tip with his clean white napkin. He then drops the needle on the shot of tequila, allowing the alcohol to strip off every bacteria before retrieving it. Drinking his final shot, Professor Lenszcen wipes the needle and stands before his invention.

     Taking a deep breath, Professor Lenszcen pricks his right finger with the needle. He grunts in pain, his brows pressing together. Like a creeping vine, a drop of crimson blood seeps out from his wound, and he allows it to fall on his invention. Once his blood touches his invention, the transparent glass begins to whirl with a cloud of smoke, slowly forming an opaque image of a boy.

     Professor Lenszcen's eyes fly open. His jaw falls to the ground, and his heartbeat races with his restless mind. His pupils contract, and his skin shivers—as if being touched by electric sparks.

     Unexpectedly, a round of four gentle knocks echoes across the room. Professor Lenszcen's eyes dart towards his office door, and he quickly grabs a white sheet and drapes it over his invention. Clearing his throat, he straightens his back and leans against a table before responding to the knock.

"Come in," he said with sweat trickling down his neck.

The door swung open, revealing Jean, Kevin, and Gabriel on the other side.

"Good afternoon, sir," Jean greeted Professor Lenszcen with a warm, lucent smile.

"Oh, my students. What brings you here?" Professor Lenszcen asked nervously.

"Oh, uh," Jean bashfully looked at his friends. "We're here to, uh. We're..." Jean closed his eyes and fidgeted his hands.

"We're here to tell you..." Kevin prompted, whispering his words to Jean.

"We're here to tell you we're sincerely amazed by your work, Professor. Your invention—the one you showcased in class—had impressed me, sir, and its function couldn't leave my mind," Jean smiled.

"I see, I see. How can I help you with it, then?" Professor Lenszcen stammered, joining his shaky hands.

"Professor. I hope it's not intrusive for me to ask. But, will it be fine if I use your invention with care? Cause' you see, I'm an orphan. And I'm thinking of seeing my mother—" Jean began, his smile reaching both ears.

But before Jean could finish his sentence, Professor Lenszcen intervened and cut off his words. "Oh! Look at that!" he gasped, snatching out his pocket watch. "It's time for my next class. It's best if you head to your next class, too," he suggested.

"Heh. Our next class is still in an hour," Gabriel said.

"Oh?" Jean's smile faded. "When will you be available again, Professor, so I may have the chance to use your invention? It would truly help me out, sir."

"We'll see next time, alright?" Professor Lenszcen stated. "But for now, how about you, kids, explore the school's Enchanted Garden? Today's weather is fantastic for a stroll in the garden!" With a gentle push, Professor Lenszcen shoved Jean, Kevin, and Gabriel out of his office and closed his office door before hurrying down the hall. "Alright. If you excuse me! Excuse me! Hehe- bye!"