Free The Games Heroes Play by Joshua Debenedetto Page B

am not consciously reading your mind; I guess I’m just taking in more than I want to.  I don’t know how to shut it off.”
    Michael looked down at the floor.  “I guess I just wanted to be alone for a few minutes last night, and I felt like you wouldn’t let me.  You’re my best friend here, but sometimes I guess I get tired of constantly feeling you pulling my thoughts from my head.”
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it felt like that.  Maybe we could do some independent research to learn how to better control the flow of thoughts?  Maybe there is some sort of block that I can do to block myself or something.”
    Jay had meant this seriously, but Michael apparently found it slightly amusing, because a small smile showed up on his face.  Jay continued, “ a nd I give you permission to read my thoughts all you want.  Seriously, we have all the same classes, we share a bunk bed, we eat all our meals together, why not just cut to the chase and share a mind altogether?”
    “Or maybe I can just pretend you are my conscience, checking to make sure I am staying pure in thought and deed.”
    “That could work too,” Jay put his arms up in imitation of a spirit, “Michael, this is your conscience speaking, forgive your friend for his inadvertent intrusions.”
    “Alright conscience, you’re forgiven,” Michael responded with a smile, “and my name’s not Michael, it’s Snake.”
     
     
     
    AS EXPECTED, DEFENSIVE T actics class was much more interesting to Jay that Monday.  They were working on defending against Hermes, and students were being paired up in groups of three, one Hermes with two non-Hermes.  The Hermes would tap one of the others repeatedly in different spots, as if they were attacking them.  The one being “attacked” would defend their vital areas and wait for a moment when the Hermes would slow.  The third person would watch and give critiques at the end of the exercise, then they would switch places and the Hermes would go after the one who had previously been watching.  The teacher had given them a few techniques to try, some involving distracting the Hermes, and some involving getting them off their feet to be stopped by gravity’s effects. 
    When it was Jay’s turn to be attacked, he decided to try a technique using gravity.  He took a low position in a crouch, blocking his face and abdomen from the Hermes, but making sure he could still watch the Hermes.  The exercise began, and Jay saw the Hermes look towards him.  The Hermes suddenly dashed over to Jay and moved in for a tap on his shoulder.  Jay instinctively crouched a little further, and to the surprise of both him and the Hermes, he dodged the tap.  The Hermes was immediately caught off balance, stumbling past Jay.  Jay realized this was the position to finish the technique, so he grabbed one of the Hermes flailing arms in his left hand, scooped up the Hermes legs with his right hand, and suspended the Hermes in the air. 
    “Stop ,” t he teacher called to the class.  He walked over to where Jay stood.  “Put your classmate down.”
    Jay looked down and noticed that the Hermes was still suspended in his arms.  He had been so surprised at how quickly the technique had worked that he had forgotten to finish the move by pinning the Hermes on the ground.  Jay quickly let the boy back onto his feet.
    “How many touches were landed before the attack was stopped ? ” t he teacher asked the Titan who was observing the maneuver.
    “None sir, the larger Hermes stopped the smaller Hermes before the first touch,” the Titan responded.
    “Oh, are you a Hermes?  I have in my records that you’re a Prometheus,” the teacher asked Jay. 
    “No sir, your records are correct, I am a Prometheus ,” Jay responded.  He did not like that the whole class was watching them.
    “Is it true that the Hermes did not get any touches on you?” the teacher asked.
    “NO!”  The Hermes chimed in, before Jay could