Chapter 11 #3
Eric headed to his assigned meditation room, where everything was set up. Everybody was gathered around, and he seemed to be the last one to arrive. That didn’t particularly bother him, but he was checking out where Eden had ended up.
Not seeing her, he frowned, and he widened his efforts to confirm she was nearby.
He had to admit that his experience with the Origin last night had unnerved him in a way he had never expected.
He wasn’t sure what was going on, and the fact that Stefan saw something that half made sense to him, yet was not necessarily smooth sailing, unnerved Eric even more.
The last thing they wanted was to get into energetic psychic crap with a difficulty level off the charts, especially when Eric had no clear answers on how to proceed.
He took his spot in the meditation room, just a little farther back than he had been the previous day.
He wanted to be close to the exit so he could sneak out.
He had seen multiple people do the same thing throughout the day and knew that nobody would cause him any issue if he wasn’t here.
Yet he also didn’t want to bring Eden into this if he didn’t have to.
She was here to find answers to Debbie’s death, if any were to be had.
So, if he found answers for both deaths, that would solve a lot of their problems.
At least it would solve some of them.
Eric sent Cody a quick text, asking for an update on the death of the woman from the other night.
He got a text back saying he would follow up with the coroner, asking Eric if he thought they were connected.
No. Maybe. No idea whatsoever.
But the fact that two deaths were associated with the same seminar program, at the same hotel, with the same people involved was one thing. The other thing was Stefan talking about this Origin thing—which made Eric’s skin crawl but also brought his intuition online in a big way.
He just didn’t have any clue in which direction this was going.
And, because of that, it felt as if he were throwing out feelers in all directions, hoping that something would land properly and would give them the answers that they needed. He just hoped it would be soon because, with two women dead, the last thing he wanted was to see a third.
Seeing that the lecture would go on for a while, he slipped outside and headed around to the back of the gardens and up to the same place where he had been sitting with Eden.
He wasn’t sure how long it would take, or if he could even go to the same place or could elicit the same response he had had earlier.
But he sat down in the same place as before and tried to slowly open his senses a little crack.
Much to his dismay, the energies crackled, as if a sliver of light were enough to coax out whomever or whatever was hiding just behind the curtain.
Almost immediately the forces rent that opening wider and wider. He struggled to hold on, feeling his own abilities quickly maxed out.
Suddenly Stefan was there again. You should have told me, he muttered, as he joined forces to close the curtain again.
“I just thought I would see what was going on,” Eric explained, just as the door was slammed shut. He sat here for a moment, stunned at the speed at which something had taken over. “I didn’t think it would be that bad.”
No? Stefan snapped. You need to be careful with this, Eric. And I’m not sure that bad will be measurable. A crazy amount of raw power sits there, and we need to take another look at that before you go barging in again. Give me a heads-up next time, and I’ll get reinforcements.
Stefan was right, but, then again, Eric was too stubborn to admit anything. “Is there a map of these places around the world?”
Wouldn’t that be nice? Stefan muttered, with half a laugh.
It would certainly make life easier if there was.
But nobody will travel around the world and try to map them.
We already know of a lot of these, but we have no clue where they are until we stumble across one.
Only as they come up can we figure out where it’s located and what kind it is.
“There are different kinds?”
Stefan laughed at Eric’s question. If you are stepping into this world, you need to be aware of the risks. People like to close their eyes and ignore what they don’t understand, but you are not most people because you can throw back the curtain and let loose all kinds of shit.
“Yes. Of course,” he muttered. “I just thought—”
The thought was correct, and you’re right in your own way. That’s how we figure this out, in steps. And you were close, but you let fear get in there. That can be a powerful thing because it gives these places something to feed on, and they only get stronger, then ravage the other energies.
“It just opened so fast,” he tried to explain. “I opened it just a tiny bit, thinking maybe I could figure out what was there, if somebody … needed out, needed to say something. Although that feels right too.”
A moment of silence came from Stefan. That is a pretty interesting thought, and we can certainly try again. Now that the two of us are here, if you want to give it a go, this is as good a time as any.
“Are you sure?” Eric asked.
Yes. Now I want you to focus. Remember some of the things we’ve been working on.
In this case, we also need protection because I don’t know what’s on the other side of this.
As soon as Eric had done the few things that Stefan had asked of him, Stefan began, Now we’ll open this, and we’ll only let out just a little bit of the energy. Hold it steady, and don’t panic.
“Out or in?” he asked.
In this case, probably both, Stefan noted. We’re letting something out, but we’re also potentially letting something in.
“That makes no sense.”
No, to you, it probably doesn’t, Stefan corrected, but let’s just take it one step at a time and see what we can come up with.
As soon as they opened it, just that little bit, the forces were screaming to rip wide open that tiny slice of a door.
As the energies stood at the entranceway, Eric noted, “It’s almost like I can see in here.”
Stefan pondered that for a moment and said, Good because it’s just total blackness for me.
“Seriously? I’m seeing faces,” Eric stated.
What kind of faces?
Eric frowned. “I don’t understand that question. Plain and simple faces, Stefan, like people.”
When you say you see faces, are they clear? Can you see features? Or are they indistinct? As in maybe, you know, people who have been gone a long time ago?
Almost understanding what Stefan was asking, Eric tried to search a little bit deeper, a little bit closer, and then realized that, as soon as he tried to lock on to something, it would disappear. When he explained it, Stefan chuckled.
That makes a lot of sense.
“I’m glad it does to you,” Eric muttered, “because it doesn’t make a lick of sense to me.”
That’s because you’re trying to work with something that’s old and doesn’t necessarily have the same rules as what you’re used to.
“Rules? I wasn’t aware any rules were at play here,” he stated, with a snort. “Anytime you want to give me a copy of the rule book, I would sure be happy to have it.”
Most people can’t even begin to do what you’re doing. So, just the fact that you’re even in here with me and holding your own is fabulous. The fact that you’re doing better than that is even more surprising, but I’m thrilled because having these abilities can go a long way in your work.
“I don’t really want to be dealing with the dead.”
Stefan laughed. Maybe, but think of the advantages. Something is always happening in your line of work, where the dead are speaking up and looking for answers. You may have just opened yourself up to that.
“And if I don’t want that?” he asked, his voice gaining in strength.
A calm, almost contemplative moment passed before Stefan replied, I don’t think you have a choice. And, with that, he announced, That’s enough for now. I need to step out and deal with something else. Don’t open this any further, but keep it as it is.
“What? You sure I can do this alone?”
You can, Stefan shared. I want you to just hold it right here. If you see something weird, don’t let go, don’t panic. Just hold on. Don’t let it get to you, and I’ll be back in a minute.
And, with that, Stefan disappeared, leaving Eric alone and shocked, stuck in whatever this portal was that he had somehow decided was a good idea to open.