"Hey, didn't you want to go see the Egyptian exhibit at the museum?" Louie asked Moriah, looking up from his phone. They and a few others still lingered in The Commons' kitchen, finishing breakfast. "Says here it's only in town for a few more weeks before returning to London."
"What?! They're leaving already?" Moriah responded, alarmed. "Shoot! I'm going to have to use one of my PTO days with how work's been going."
"Well, I'm not going," Nancy said. "Those are Egypt's cultural treasures that British collectors stole. They should be returned to Egypt."
The debate started in earnest then, but Caitlyn finished making her toast and retreated outside without contributing. She breathed a sigh of relief as she entered the trackless wood behind the compound. While she loved her friends, Caitlyn needed more and more space since getting her powers. Human minds and their constant churning mass of thoughts and emotions were louder than a freight train to her powers. While she could block out the noise, she always knew when one was close by, rattling her mental barriers, and emotions only rose higher when there was an argument to be had. The last bit of tension slipped from her shoulders as she got out of perceiving range.
Out here there was still plenty to pick up on, but none of it was human. She finished the last bite of her toast and inhaled the sweet scent of wildlands. She eased up on her mental barriers, shrugging them off like a coat, and the forest came alive around her.
She'd gotten better at this en masse perception, and it didn't immediately overwhelm her anymore—provided there were no humans in the equation. As long as she didn't fall into the trap of counting or quantifying, she could look at this stretch of forest as a whole. And, oh, it was stunning. Like catching a glimpse of the Milky Way, it left a feeling of smallness and awe in its wake.
After a few minutes basking in the assorted minds of the park, Caitlyn drew her focus back in and blocked out all but her immediate surroundings and one bristling mind a few hundred feet away. Refreshed in a way caffeine couldn't touch, she walked deeper into the wood. There was a coyote with a broken leg who needed her help.
The others could argue priceless artifacts all they wanted. The world outside their backdoor was treasure enough for her.
YOU ARE READING
Writetober 2019
FantasyI saw an Inktober post with several words that jumped out at me. So, I've turned it into a set of writing prompts. Most, if not all, of these will be from Being a Hero's universe. I hope y'all enjoy.
