A Midnight Mind

Chapter 15: Basic Braining

Eleanor Stafford's expression remained neutral as she appraised Ethan with her cold eyes. "So be it," she said at last. "But I won't teach you everything at once. Neil tried to rush your training, and that can be dangerous to an inexperienced mind. So it will be slow-going. I don't expect to be finished before the end of the school year. And I won't be teaching you how to enter the Worldmind on your own for at least a month. Probably two."

Ethan's heart sank. Why not? he wondered. Neil, Pryce, and Kara can do it and they're all my age. Why the baby steps for me?

"Not happy about it?" said Stafford. "Then we're already done." She opened up her laptop, turned her attention away from Ethan and toward the screen before saying, "Go take your lunch break, Murdock. Be a normal kid."

Mouth agape, Ethan wondered what the hell he said to make her change her mind so quickly. "How...?"

"It's a psychic thing," she said simply, resting her chin on her hand and lazily clicking her trackpad. "If you don't have the patience it takes to learn, then why should I take time off my already busy schedule to teach you outside of school hours?"

Ethan stood up, trying not to let his anger show and doing a poor job of it. "I've been attacked. If anyone needs to learn the ropes quickly, it's me. What if the rogue astro guy comes after me again?"

"You've heard my offer," said Stafford, her eyes still on the laptop screen. "I don't owe you anything. I'd be happy to teach you psychology if you register for my class next semester, but that's all you'll get from me if you insist on being so impatient."

Frowning, Ethan said, "You're not giving me much of a choice in the matter, are you?"

"On the contrary, I'm giving you a very simple choice, Murdock: Learn about the Worldmind over the next several months, or refuse to overcome your restlessness and go back to living a normal, safe, pleasant life."

"I can't go back, choice or no choice. But I don't want to have to wait two months just to be able to do the telepathy thing."

"Then that's you removing choice, since your impatience only leaves you with the option of forgoing training. You shouldn't limit yourself so, Murdock. Tsk, tsk."

Unsure what else to do, Ethan sat down again, sulking. Having to essentially add another class to his school schedule wasn't what he had in mind when he came into Ms. Stafford's office, but if he wanted to learn to make use of his psychic potential, he'd have to suck it up and learn at Stafford's pace. He considered asking Neil to train him again, but he doubted Neil would agree where Stafford turned him down. He could go to Kara or Pryce, but Kara seemed altogether too timid, and Pryce altogether too obnoxious.

He wanted to explore the Worldmind, though. He wanted to be able to communicate using his mind. And he wanted to be able to defend himself if the dream man came around again.

"Okay," Ethan said at last. "We'll do it your way."

Ms. Stafford looked up from her laptop. "It will be a lot of work," she said. "I'm going to need you to follow my instructions exactly, and only my instructions. That means no trying to take any shortcuts or learning on your own. The Worldmind is dangerous. Tampering with it doesn't just affect you, but countless others. As such, I must forbid you from commiserating with other psychics."

Ethan told himself not to argue, but he couldn't help it. "But most of the people I know at this school are psychics. Am I just supposed to avoid them altogether? Heck, Neil sits right beside me in English."

"You may speak to Edwards and the others, but only regarding normal subjects. You must avoid any conversations about psychics and the Worldmind entirely. I will ensure they know not to discuss such with you."