A Pocket Full of Posies (Book 3)

Chapter Six

It takes Chiku two days to nail the anesthetizer, and I've never felt more like a Science experiment in my life. The original concoction just didn't work, so she had to alter it for my Frankensteinian arse. This one doesn't taste as nice as the last, even with a stronger dose of orange and mango squash, but it's still suspiciously pleasant.

The Medakis are being pains in the arse over it, though. They won't let me give up on trying to learn to control the ability myself, and live off Chiku's cocktail. Granted, their argument is centred around the fact that prolonged exposure to anesthetizers has been known to cause brain tumours, but hey, no need to get caught up in the details.

Today is the first day Kato and Sefu have deemed appropriate for me to go cold turkey on the anesthetizers. So far, so shit. I'd almost forgotten how deafening the voices were. Today isn't one of the better days. I slept fine, but I just feel tired, like I never should've gotten out of bed this morning. I've been in the house long enough to get used to the blessing daze now, and no longer feel nauseous by simply existing in this place. I still feel like a pile of crap, though. I think the Medakis have been waiting for a day like this, the sadists.

"Stop ignoring us! Let us in!"

"It won't be directly related to him, it probably just feels--"

"Stupid child! What are you waiting for?"

"... a lot more about you, not whoever is around. It will help to have someone--"

"This is cruel! Cruel!"

"You're the evil one, not us! Look at what you're doing to us!"

"... not rely on details like that, so--"

"This isn't working," I blurt, then realise I may have accidentally shouted, given the startled look Kato is giving me. "Sorry, I just--I can't really concentrate, or y'know, hear what you're actually saying."

"Stupid child!"

I'm lying on the sofa, staring at the white textured ceiling in a poor attempt to try and relax myself. Safe to say, it isn't helping. Kato, Sefu and Ava are sitting on the other sofa, and this is my first real attempt at trying to control the banished voices. As fruitless as it's proving to be, I'm glad Ava's at least here for the adventure. She's way less terrifying than her grandfather.

"Stop ignoring us!"

"Is Carmen still here?" Ava asks, which steals my attention away from the ceiling. I turn to her, and she shrugs. "She helped with the telekinesis."

I guess.

"We know you can hear us!"

I wince, then shut my eyes. I appreciate it, but I don't need the Medakis' help. Nothing needs to be figured out. I've controlled the voices before. I know how it works. It's just really damn hard to ignore them when they're endlessly screeching in my ear, and I don't have Connor or Dad here helping me. Besides, even if I do figure this out, what am I supposed to do? I don't want to live the rest of my life constantly aware of needing to distract myself to escape the screaming.

"I've been prescribed as your therapy, apparently."

I snap my eyes open to see Carmen standing above me with her arms folded, her hair falling in waves around her oval face. She has a mischievous look in her eyes, and her lips are curved into a smirk. The Medakis have left the room, and not even Annabel has stayed, so it's just me and Carmen.

"Don't get cocky," I mutter.

"Stupid child!"

"Was that one?" Carmen questions. I give her a blank look. "Just then. You flinched."