The Narrator

21 - Shakespeare's A Slow Learner

Journal Entry

December 30th, 2:30 AM

I still can't sleep.

Yesterday, when I was training with Shakespeare, we were in the kitchen and there were a bunch of ingredients for sandwiches on the table. We went back and forth trying to script the other person to put ingredients on the bread to make a sandwich.

Shakespeare ended out with a huge sandwich with tons of toppings.

I ended out with a plate.

I started with a plate.

Why am I so bad at this?!

Maybe today will be better... I should probably try to get some sleep, though...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5:27 AM

I may as well get up now.

"Sleep well?" Tolkien called from the kitchen table. I had taken a long shower and was a little late to breakfast. Everyone was already seated, eating. Well, not everyone, I guess. Alex was seated between Tolkien and Scott, staring at his untouched breakfast.

My God, he looked like death. His hair was all over the place; it looked like he had tried to tug it out of his head and it just stayed spiky. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. He had no facial expression at all. His eyes, usually lit up and happy, were a dull brown and he seemed to be looking straight through the floor. It was obvious he hadn't rested at all last night.

"Uhh, not really," I mumbled, shifting on my feet.

"Well, sit, have something to eat." Tolkien shot me a hundred kilowatt smile that was dimmer than usual. I could tell she was trying to keep her spirits up... for everyone.

"I'm not hungry," I said quietly. I tried to catch Alex's eye but he seemed oblivious to the fact that anyone was actually in the room with him.

"Well then, shall we practice?" Shakespeare gave me the tiniest of grins. She probably thought I was hopeless but wasn't ready to crush my spirits just yet.

I took a shallow breath then nodded. "Yeah."

"Right then. Follow me." Shakespeare stood, pushing her seat back and led me upstairs to the attic. Before we left the kitchen I glanced at Alex, feeling a familiar pressure settle in my chest. Tolkien shot me an encouraging smile and nod that I was sure were faked.

"We'll try something different today," Shakespeare stated, grabbing some blank printer paper off Daniel's desk. I took a glance at the clock.

00:05:23:54:51

00:05:23:54:50

00:05:23:54:49

"Like what?" I asked, following her to the couch. We sat and she handed me a paper and a pencil.

"Try to make me draw something." She said, flashing her own pencil.

"Draw something." Even I wouldn't listen to me, whether I was scripting or not.

"That was weak and you know it." Shakespeare scolded. "More force, Travis. More power."

I scoffed. "This is stupid."

"Come now! You can do it! Try it with your thoughts. Come on."

I huffed but tried focussing on Shakespeare's mind. Draw something. Draw something.

"Come on, Travis." She egged.

Draw something! I thought. Draw fucking anything!

"No cursing." She scolded.

Draw something! Draw something! Draw something!

"You're not trying, Travis, you're being desperate. Come on, try."

I took a deep breath, thoroughly frustrated with myself. I calmed myself as best I could and tried again. Draw a circle with an inch long diameter. Draw a circle with an inch long diameter. Shakespeare had told me more specific suggestions worked better than vague ones. That way you could be sure the suggestion was actually what you wanted and not just the subject's own actions.

Shakespeare shook her head. "Try contact."

I groaned in frustration. "I'll never get it! It's useless, Shakespeare! Useless! You shouldn't count on me for this! Make a plan that doesn't involve me! I'll be useless-"

"Travis!" She exclaimed. "Calm down. You'll learn. It's only your second day. Even I didn't learn that fast!"

"How fast did you learn?" I mumbled, coloring the corner of my paper with my pencil.

She bit her lip. "Th- Three days..."

I threw up my hands. "Oh! So there's no way someone like me learns in less than a week!"

"Well, if I'm being completely honest, I was actually a slow learner. The average time it takes to learn, or at least start, is about a day or two." She froze, noticing my horrified expression. "But there's always a chance!" Shakespeare exclaimed, grabbing my hand forcefully. "Who knows? Maybe you'll be more powerful than me!"

I shot her a look. I knew she didn't believe that. She squeezed my hand.

"You can do this!" She implored.

I stared into Shakespeare's eyes. She looked so determined. So sure.

She was such a liar.

Why couldn't I do this?! I just wanted a little circle to be on her paper! A little freaking circle! I sighed, glancing at her paper. I did a double take. Blank.

I blinked, shaking my head. I thought I saw a circle. God, I was so pathetic! Now I was imagining things. I was so tired. I probably should've eaten breakfast. Some toast might've been nice-

"Focus, Travis." Shakespeare snapped a finger in front of my eyes and I started. She smiled at me. "You can do it."

Liar.

"I'm not lying." She argued. "You can do this!"