The Nexus

Chapter 22

When Thomas returned Sophia was with him and she was carrying two plates of food on a tray. "Thomas told me that you might be super hungry," she said.

Emma sat up in the bed and scooted back so that she could use the wall it was up against to lean on. She still felt like her body was made of lead. It was like she had always been floating around up until this point. "Thanks," she managed to say.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked as she placed the tray on Emma's lap. She sat up against the small dresser that was directly across from the bed and Thomas went back to the brown armchair in the corner at the end of the room.

"Sure," said Emma. She looked down at the food. On one plate there was a pile of pasta that looked like it was covered with alfredo sauce and had what looked like clams in it. There was some garlic bread on the side and Emma took the bread in her hand and started to nibble it.

The other plate had mashed potatoes with gravy next to a salad and some fruit.

"There's all sorts of stuff downstairs if you want more," said Thomas.

"This is good," said Emma as she bit off more of the garlic bread. Her stomach started to wake up and growl with each bite. She was pretty sure she'd be able to finish both plates and the two days without food started to hit her.

Her arms seemed to gain some more energy and she forked up some of the pasta. She had guessed right about the clams and the creamy dish was the best she had tasted in her whole life. The flavors of the food were exploding in her mouth and she actually moaned with excitedment.

The looks on Sophia and Thomas's faces were comical as they took in the image of Emma eating her food like she had never eaten anything but dirt in her life. This normally reserved and closed person was completely lost in the experience of eating.

She was chewing carefully to taste every morsel in her mouth and she ate with gusto.

"Glad to see that you're enjoying yourself," Thomas said with a laugh.

Emma seemed to come back into the room and also smiled, "I don't know what's come over me," she said as she continued to eat.

Sophia swallowed her amazement and changed the subject, "Do you think you're still going to be able to help us get our people back from The Agency?" she asked.

Emma ate for a moment while she thought about the answer to that. She could barely think with all of the flavors mushing around in her mouth. It was almost the exact opposite situation from before; now she it was an effort to form words in her head.

The feeling of heaviness was beginning to leave her, but she still felt like there was more for her to face. More memories or realizations to be had.

She looked up at Sophia, "I'll do my best." She wasn't sure if she was still capable of even walking again, let alone taking on The Agency.

Sophia nodded and pushed herself away from the dresser. "Okay. I'm going to go see if anyone is making a plan to get our friends back." She turned to go to the door. "Do you guys need anything?"

"Can you ask Joan to come see me?" asked Emma. She figured that Joan might be able to help her sort out what was going on in her mind.

"Sure," said Sophia and she left the room.

Emma continued to eat and enjoy the food while Thomas just watched. Her stomach got full quicker than she thought it would and she tasted some of the salad and fruit, but didn't need to eat anymore.

She put down her fork and looked at Thomas. He looked like he hadn't slept much and she realized that he actually cared a lot about her. She smiled at him. "You should get some sleep," she said.

"I will," he said. "I can't help but want to see what's going to happen next with you. It's like you've got multiple personalities and I just have to see who you'll be next."

She laughed a little and took him in. For the second time she felt like he was actually a handsome person. His dirty blonde hair was full and his jaw was square. The stubble on his face gave him a bit of a movie star look.

A knock on the bedroom door broke the silence that had formed between them. "Come in," she said.

Joan came in and Thomas got up to offer her the brown armchair. She took a seat and he sat at the end of Emma's bed facing Joan. Emma was still staring at him. This time she was looking at his back. It was as if she could see all the particles that made up his shirt and the forms on smaller-than-usual muscles underneath it. She was fascinated for a moment and Joan sat for a moment, watching.

Finally, Emma met her gaze. "I'm sorry about what happened, Emma. I didn't realize this would happen."

"Don't be sorry," Emma said. "I just need to figure out what is happening now. There aren't anymore voices in my head, but I can barely string a thought together. The pictures and memories in my mind are a lot to handle. I know it's all real, but I feel like there's more to my life then just the events that I can remember."

Joan nodded, "I don't know what to say."

"I think you might have to hypnotize me again," said Emma.

"Hmmmm," Joan said, "I'm not so sure we need to do that. Why don't you come downstairs for a little while to the meditation room and just try to clear your mind first? Then we could think about hypnosis again."

Emma thought about it for a second, "Okay," she agreed. "Let me take a shower and I'll come down in a bit."

Thomas and Joan got up to give Emma some privacy. "A shower is actually a good idea," said Thomas as he stretched his arms out and yawned.

Emma decided that she wouldn't push the issue of him going to sleep and just slid her legs out of the bed. She was wearing a t-shirt and some shorts, and wondered how she had even got into these clothes. The hardwood floor was cold beneath her bare feet as she stood up, but she was glad that she was able to. She still felt like she was walking through cement, but it was manageable.

Thomas and Joan left Emma to find some clothes and shower.