Silent Mountain: Chapter 1-D

Ian still stood in the doorway, timidly looking at David and Jennifer, who were both in an apparent state of disarray. Finally, David broke the silence moving out of the doorway.

“No, no, it’s fine. Come on in.”

“You seem happy,” Jennifer noted mischievously, as Ian entered the home, “You meet a girl?”

“No, no,” Ian replied rapidly, returning to his previous exuberance, “This is amazing.”

“And falling in love isn’t?” David replied quizzically.

“I have to show you something,” Ian said, completely ignoring David's comment.

With that he headed towards the kitchen. David and Jennifer exchanged concerned glances as they followed him. Before they could reach the room they heard him exclaim.

“You guys have a fight with the pickles or something?”

David entered the room, non-chalantly retorting, “At least we won.”

Ian shrugged, conceding the point and then went back to his previous excitement.

“Now, watch this,” he said, smiling mischievously.

As he continued smiling, David and Jennifer looked at him and around the room, unsure what Ian was trying to show them. David was about to ask something of this nature, when one of the pickles on the floor burst into flames. They were quite taken aback at the sight, not to mention rather concerned about the effect this was having on their floor.

“Um . . . Ian?” Jennifer began, cautiously.

Soon, the worries about the floor were over as the pickle slowly began floating off the floor. Ian was quite surprised at this himself and not quite in control of it. Soon the flaming object was raising itself higher and higher until it was eye-level with Ian.

“Okay, Ian, that’s impressive, now put the pickle down,” Jennifer implored.

It was too late. By the time she had finished saying it, the pickle was careening out to the dining room, where it crashed through the window and landed in the yard. Ian rushed out after it, followed closely by Jennifer and David.

“Oh, man!” Ian exclaimed as he rushed toward the door.

He burst out the front door into the small yard, and soon thereafter was joined by David and Jennifer. They looked out and saw the pickle, which now looked like a piece of charcoal, lying in a burnt ring of grass.

“I’m so sorry,” Ian burst out, “I had no idea I could . . . Look I’ll pay for the window. Dude, I’m really sorry.”

He turned around and saw David and Jennifer looking at him in a complete state of awe.

“How did you do that?” David asked.

**********

Perry sat in the back corner of the waiting room. The doctor had ordered a number of test for Helen, and so she was left to wait. She had wandered down to the cafeteria where she tried to eat, found she didn’t have much of an appetite. A walk through the garden had similarly failed to distract her from her worries, so she had ended up here.

At this point she was attempting to read a magazine, but somehow the travails and celebrations of the rich and famous didn’t seem to matter so much. She was confused, and she just wanted to forget everything that was going on around her. She set down the magazine, closed her eyes, and tried to push it all away.

There it was again, the pushing sensation. She stopped and opened her eyes, curious about her newfound talent. She looked across the room, where a young child was running and screaming, as young, untamed children often do. She focused all of her mind on the child, pushing again. Sure enough, the child slowed down, stopped running and sat on the floor.

She quickly stopped pushing and the child returned to his mischief. This was absolutely amazing. Next her gaze fell on a fidgety middle-aged man. Like clockwork he stopped his fidgeting and slouched in his chair. After that it was the elderly woman with the magazine. The magazine dropped to her lap and she closed her eyes, nodding off. Perry then looked out the window where a bird was flying across. The bird perched itself on the windowsill and stayed, she began to wonder if it was even breathing.

She tried several more of these experiments, but it was clear to her that this was no coincidence. She wondered if she should be given some tests herself, but decided that this would be her secret. No one else had to know. She had just reached this conclusion, when she saw Helen entering the room. She look a bit dazed, worry etched across her face.

"Hey," Perry said standing to approach her.

Helen attempted to force a smile as she replied, "The doctor took some blood samples. He, uh, also wants me to go in for some other tests tomorrow. I have an appointment."

"Okay," Perry said, barely hiding her concern, "Does he . . . Is it serious?"

Helen just shrugged her shoulders and moved to the receptionist in the front. She paid without a word and as he headed for the door, without turning to Perry, said, "We need to stop on the way home. He prescribed something for the pain."

Perry nodded her agreement and the two women headed out.