The rest of the day was easy. It was more of the same— frequency triggers galore. And customers, but those were a given.

By the time I got done in the mid-afternoon, I was practically a zombie. Which, of course, necessitated me giving myself a quick look over in the mirror to make sure I wasn’t actually turning into a zombie. And no, I was not turning into one, thank the holy.

But a I left the store and was walking back to my apartment, I saw more people handing out fliers. Taking one, since the posters were at the exit and entryways to the store, since it would be rude not to take one, I saw that it was a missing persons poster. Abor Maybrook.

I held onto the flier until I was out of sight and then was about to crumple it up when I realized I was back at my apartment. I was still not used to how quickly frequency triggers hastened the work of everyday life. In a way, it was unnerving.

Locking the door behind me, I stood slumped against my apartment door for what seemed like many minutes. Staring out into the brightly lit room— the gentle sunlight streaming in through the blinds— it would have been a picturesque scene had not most of the apartment been destroyed. I forced myself to do some cleaning, but there was only so much I could do after I had just finished a shift.

I had tomorrow off. And what I wanted to do was sleep. That was it. Sleep.

And that was what I did. I crawled into my bed and slept uninterruptedly. Not quite like a baby since I was tossing and turning for a while, but well enough.

And when I woke? Despite the fact that I had gone to sleep no later than three-in-the-afternoon, my alarm clock read 5:35 am.

I yawned and stretched, made myself a cup of iced coffee, and just sat at the kitchen table. Man, how much I would like to pace; I usually paced back and forth in the mornings as I had my caffeine. This sitting thing— the only way to have my iced coffee— was something that needed to change. It just didn’t hit the same way.

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As I was having my drink, I realized that I felt refreshed. Still stressed out— especially when I looked at that missing persons poster and thought about the police questioning me— but I at least felt well-rested. Honestly, though, I also felt like I could go for another nap after this cup of chilled joe.

How much sleep do you need, powder puff? I heard a familiar voice say into my mind.

“Felix,” I said out loud, “where did you run off to?” I said sitting down and non-too-happy about it.

Nowhere in particular. Just about. Mostly just left to give you time to get your shit together. You know. No boring me to death with observation after observation.

“Mate, that’s the fakest shit I heard all week. We were just bonded and you think I buy that? That you were just out and about to escape from my frantic thinking?”

I can be pretty conceited. So, yes. I expect you to believe it.

“Well, unfortunately, I don’t believe it. But I guess each of us will just have to find a way to move on.”

After a moment of silence, where Felix snuggled back up atop my head and around my shoulders, he said, How was work? in a very somber way.

“Agonizing. Exhausting. People were handing out the missing persons poster for that kid and I nearly had a panic attack.” I had to pause for a moment, catching my breath. “Obviously, I didn’t have anything to do with his vanishing, but every time I see the poster I think of the police and how awful it would be to be falsely accused. Ruins lives, you know.”

I know. But you will soon be more powerful than the police or any mortal. I would not worry about it. Trust me, in a little while, you are going to start relating to people very differently.

“Considering the fact that I am already shy and introverted, I can’t wait to see how these future mysteries impact my already overwhelming awkwardness. What joy!”

He did not respond with words. Felix was purring, vibrating as his wings gently flapped, giving me a nice cooling breeze. As I sat down and sipped my coffee, I thought that, for the time being, this was nice.

And then there came a knocking at the door.

It was the organization.