Lei sat next opposite my father, next to me, at the small square table. I wasn't looking at her. I looked at my plate, or at my father. Hamburgers take a lot of attention, so I don't think that was rude. I didn't have to look at Lei to feel her grinning in my mind, so wide I thought my head would split open. I was definitely more aware of the psychic flow right after my treatment. With her so close, there was nothing she could hide from me.

Her thoughts were in my head:

Martin must be dying with questions. How did I see the wolf? What does it mean? Is Lei some kind of superhero?

I made an effort to keep a straight face.

Lei thought:

Martin can't do a thing about it though, because he's afraid of his father! All he can think about is how mysterious and interesting I am. How fun to be mysterious.

"I'm surprised you are getting homework on your first day," my father said. His face inscrutable, but to me his unspoken question revealed:

Why is Doctor Warmal at the school?

So my father did overhear. Their thoughts were so loud in me, I could scarcely hear my own, or know where I ended and they began.

"Mountain High is known for that," Lei said amiably. "My mother said they have the highest college approval rates in the state."

I tuned out her words. I tried to listen to the thoughts underneath. The wolf, why did she see the wolf? I dove underneath the current of her mind swam through her memory. I tested to see what I could feel, and felt her mind feeling me in return.

I saw a flash of Lei sitting in meditation. She was kneeling on a cushion, on the ground of a beautiful garden. She was in the nook of a little stream, fitting perfectly in the small curve in the water which looped around her. An old man stood behind her, combing her dark hair with a white bone brush. They were both wearing ceremonial oriental dress, she in white with gold patterns, he in red.

"Yes, that's why I'm sending Martin to that school as well," my father said, distant, distorted, like an old radio. "And how are your classes? Any surprises so far?"

I was looking into the water now. No longer merely at the scene in Lei’s memory, but within her mind, looking out from her eyes. I saw a creature in the mist. It looked like a badger. It was so insubstantial, swirling so fast, that I could not tell for sure. But the creature was surely made of the same stuff that the wolf was. Lei was seeing into the psychic world on her own.

The old man spoke behind me. I recognized it now as Japanese. I couldn't understand a word, but Lei could. Through her I felt the meaning as a whole without knowing the meaning of the parts.

"Do you see them now, child?" the old man asked.

"They're getting stronger every day," I replied. Or she replied, I couldn't tell. I was focused on the shapes of light and shadow, the current which runs between worlds.

"Can they see you?"

"They're ignoring me if they are," we said.

"When they see you, then you will be ready."

"There were no surprises," Lei replied cheerfully from another world. "These hamburgers are so good, thank you! My mother doesn't let me eat meat very often."

Then turning to me, she asked: "Did you have any surprises on your first day?" Lei smirked, clearly enjoying the shared secret.

I was shaken from the vision. It was disorienting to be looking right at the girl whose eyes I was looking out from a moment ago.

I felt my father's thoughts clearly again:

If the boy lies to me about Doctor Warmal, then I'll know he's hiding something else too.

I took my time swallowing a bite of hamburger. Then a long drink of water while they both looked at me. I had to make sure who I was, which world I was in, and that I chose my own words.

"Doctor Warmal is teaching my chemistry class. He says he teaches classes fairly often. He was happy to see me doing so well."

"So your attack must have been later," my father said, wiping his mustache. He was finished eating. So was Lei.

"I feel much better. I'll be fine by tomorrow," I said, evading. "Thanks again for dropping off my homework, Lei. It was nice to meet you."

Lei was quick to understand my hint, and soon stood by the door. She bowed low, both hands clasped before her. "Thank you for inviting me to eat. I brought my own car, and will go now."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Yeah, right, see you in class."

"You'll walk me to my car though, right Martin? It's pretty late..."

I heard my father loudly clash two plates together at the sink.

"Okay, sure. Where did you park?"

I breathed a little easier when I closed the apartment door behind me. One mind less to deal with. I steeled myself for the barrage of questions Lei no doubt prepared for detonation. I could feel her excitement building and overflowing all through dinner. But she was quiet now, walking slightly behind me as I descended the apartment stairs.

"Thank you," I said.

"It was on my way."

"Do you know what they are? The spirit things."

"Grandfather calls them the Old Ones," Lei said. "Although actually, I'm not sure that translates quite right."

"It's okay. I understand."

And I did, to a level she couldn't guess at. I felt the meaning of the 'Old Ones', deep beyond words. I felt the sea of energy which settled over the world. I felt the mind of the sea, watching as the first life began to take shape. I felt the Old Ones mimicking what they saw, taking the form of animals, and then of men. Always watching, never touching, a world together but apart.

We were outside the apartment now. It was still warm. Lei held her school jacket under an arm without putting it on. I watched it drop to the concrete sidewalk, falling from her limp fingers. I felt her fear, and her wonder, and then I saw what she was looking at.

The white wolf was back. Glorious and powerful, it looked almost solid now. You could hardly tell it wasn’t of this world, except for the swirling patterns within its fur, or the mist trickling upward to dissipate above.

"We both see it," I confirmed. “It’s been following me.”

"Should we go back inside?"

"I don't think walls would prove much of a barrier. It's had several opportunities to attack me, but that isn’t what it wants."

"It's looking right at you." Lei was in awe. There was envy there too. She couldn't sense it as powerfully as I could, but she could see the fixed golden eyes. I could not break contact with them. Those eyes bound my soul to them. I felt nothing but peace looking at the predator.

"There's more," I said. My voice hushed and low, although of course there was no hiding. My tone was was more from the reverence of the presence of something so far beyond my understanding.

There were two more wolves at the end of the block. They were looking our way. On the electrical lines above were rows of blackbirds. Only they weren't, because they were made of smoke which bled from their wings and smoldered in the air.

The closest wolf took a step toward me, and then turned. It looked at me over its shoulder, and then started to walk away. The other wolves departed with it. In the same instant, the entire row of birds which were not birds took flight. They moved as one, as though they were each a feather in the same wing. They soared in perfect unison over the top of my apartment building to disappear over the other side.

"The wolf wants us to follow him," I said. "Into the woods, I think. What does it mean when they see you?"

"It means you're ready." Lei's eyes were strained into the darkness.

I could have asked her what that meant, but no words between us could give me what I needed. I was in her mind, looking for answers she did not give. What had her grandfather told her? What had he been training her for? But I couldn't find what wasn't there. Lei didn't know what I was ready for, because she herself was not ready.

Her innocent eyes searched my face. She had no idea she was already apart of me.

"Should we walk, or take my car?" she asked.

I shook my head vigorously, waking myself from the living dream. "What? No, we aren't going to follow. There's something in the woods that we don't want to meet. Something hungry. And I'm not going to be the one to fill it up. What else did your grandfather tell you?"

"The Old Ones are the stuff thoughts are made of. I don't know what that means, but it's not easy getting answers out of grandfather. He's always sending me on these silly chores, or having me sit and do nothing but be bored. But then about a year ago, I started to see things which my mind was not looking for. Then I knew to trust grandfather, and have been practicing every day. Why can you see them?"

I hesitated, but saw no reason to lie. It seemed especially wrong to lie to someone after I had already run freely through their own secrets. But I wouldn't tell her about the telepathy. That felt like confessing to a crime, somehow.

"It started with my medication," I told her.

We watched the wolves disappear around the block. They didn't look back to see if I followed.

"They're getting away. Are you alright with that?"

I nodded. "They'll always find me. Before I face the hunger again, I want to meet your grandfather."

And talk to Doctor Warmal again, I thought quietly. I will be ready to face him this time.

Lei nodded. "That's a good idea. We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Thank you," I said again. "I thought I was going mad there for a bit. But if there's just one other person in the world who sees what I do, I can't be fully mad, can I?"

"Unless we both are."

"Still beats being mad alone."

I watched Lei get in the car, then drive away. She turned in the same direction as the wolves went. I don't know if that was a coincidence, or whether she intended to follow them on her own. If her vision of the badger was any guide though, she would have trouble tracking them for long. She thought she wanted the power I have, but she doesn't know what it's like. I was glad the Old Ones didn't notice her.

All these years watching us, but never seen. No wonder they were surprised to see me looking back.

I walked inside, up the stairs. Then back inside my home, I closed the door and rested my back against it. I didn't realize how weary I was.

"Lei was nice," my father said. The harsh kitchen light caught his glasses and concealed his eyes behind the glare.

"Did you tell Doctor Warmal about the injection I gave you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Maybe that's why he's at school. He was just so shocked by my recovery that he had to see it."

"Don't tell Lei either," my father said. "Remember, I could get in a lot of trouble."

"Of course dad. I'm tired. I need to go to bed early."

"Of course. Oh, and one other thing. Don't take anything else that Doctor Warmal gives you. I'll need to make sure it won't have an unintended interactions with your other medication. We'll get your blood work done tomorrow."

His words were flat and colorless like usual. I could feel the real fear he hid behind them though. He wasn't just afraid of an interaction. He didn't trust Doctor Warmal either.

"Okay dad. Goodnight."

I needed to sleep, but it took a long time. I lay awake in bed for hours. I stared at the ceiling, rolling back and forth, restless energy begging release. It was too hot in here. After a few failed charges toward sleep, I got up to open the window. I lifted the shades to see one of the blackbirds of smoke sitting there. It was looking right at me. I think it was watching me, even while the shade was down.

The Old Ones weren't going to let me go. I hoped I was ready for school tomorrow.