ENSHROUDING LIGHT

THE ATTEMPTS

CHAPTER 25

THE ATTEMPTS

Once Tom had gone to bed, Mark led her out of the living area and under the stairs to the closet next to the classroom. Nevaeh closed the closet door and looked back at Mark.

He rummaged past squashed coats to the back wall and ran a glowing hand down it. It disintegrated, revealing a perfectly square, luminous, white room.

'Come in,' Mark said.

She followed him into the area, and the wall rose silently behind her, sealing them in.

They were standing in a strange white cube—the white itself glowing as if alive. Like they had entered an anechoic realm; silence was absolute. The room seemed clinical, yet it had a wonderfully calming aura to it. She lifted her hands. Was it buzzing? Was she stood in some kind of safe zone, freed from the world itself?

'This room is infused with light-energy and aids concentration amongst many things.' As they entered, a white chair appeared in the centre of the room. Mark held out his hands, and she stepped towards him.

'Have a seat.' Mark held out his hand. 'This evening we will align your mind with that of Omnipion.'

She saluted and sat.

'Light-heartedness.' He smiled. 'A good start!'

'Thank you!'

Mark walked behind her and placed his fingertips on her temples. As his unique warmth melted into her scalp and crept deep under the surface of her skin, she tried to ignore the feeling of bliss that ran through her body from his touch. She needed to focus! Not on how his touch was pleasing her, but on how relaxed it was making her feel.

'Your mind has to let go of all resistance. Let the calmness flow towards you and take you. You have to trust it...embrace it...welcome it.'

'Okay.' She closed her eyes and concentrated on the ease flowing into her from his palms, trying to make it her own. She needed to do this so she could get her powers, encourage Tom to save her dad, and train as hard as she could.

'Relax,' Mark said in a softer tone. 'Deep breaths...concentrate. That's right...now feel.'

She took in a deep breath and tried to recall the memory of when her channel opened. Even if she could remember just a touch of the ecstasy she experienced that night, it may help. Adaeze had told her to smile like she did on that night to help conjure the feeling, make believe she was living it again, so she did. She sat and smiled and breathed exactly as she'd been taught and, for the first time since her practice, she didn't feel anxious about failing. She felt safe in Mark's hands. She trusted him implicitly.

Her mind left the white room. Weightlessness crept in, and she drifted into an intense state of calm like she was anaesthetised. She wanted to go with the flow, attach her mind to the new depth but, as a bright light appeared in the distance, her heart rate soared, and the feeling faded. Damn panic!

'You were close then, Nevaeh.' Mark's silky voice sounded miles away. 'Trust the light. It can only heal you.'

She focused again and not only did the depth and weightlessness come back with ease, but the light also came back. She took in a slow breath. Her heart gave out a few protesting pangs, but she bore down into her stomach, fighting the returning fear.

'Don't push it away. Just allow what's happening.'

Fighting her natural instincts to push, she honed in on the sensation of Mark's hands. They were warm. They were soothing. As an expansion opened inside her heart, she visualised herself travelling in the cylinder of light, and prepared for the abundance of love to enter. She needed to do this!