Free Beasts and Burdens by Felicia Jedlicka Page B

“That was when he realized electricity was the key. She needs energy to do what she does.”
    “You mean like the time bubble? Wait does she...” Cori saw the tiniest smirk on Belus’s face. “She’s the entity that controls the time bubble too?”
    Belus rocked his hand back and forth. “To some extent, she is the time bubble. You see when this place was originally built, it was meant to be a factory. They built the building around her. At that time, the edges of the bubble were in constant flux, and far from identifiable. Considering that stepping through the bubble puts you in an entirely different place, you can imagine how long the construction process took.
    “Over the years of feeding the bubble with energy, she has offered us more exhibitions of her power: the elevators, the office, the house. I imagine they would have continued to increase her feed, if they hadn’t discovered in the 1920’s that she can inhabit minds. Some connection between artificial sound waves and brain waves, but we really don’t understand it all that well. In 1923 the first moratorium was placed on electronic media devices. That of course didn’t mean everyone was going to listen though.
    “It took a few decades and a few deaths, but they finally figured her out. She’s an explorer. She’s in a fixed position; peeking through a hole into this world, and she desperately wants to interact with us, but since we are organic she can’t do it the way she wants to. She doesn’t copy things anymore, that parlor trick is old hat to her. She creates new surroundings based on what she discerns from us. She is perceptive to a fault.”
    Cori hadn’t realized it, but they had gravitated toward the house. She doubted the house would come alive and eat her, but she was very reluctant to get any closer. Belus stared at the house for a long moment before turning back to head home.
    “You seem fascinated by her,” Cori commented after they were back behind the prison.
    “She communicates with us empathically. Strong emotions she understands, but it’s hard to communicate to her the small ones. She doesn’t understand when she’s doing something wrong until it’s already done. Somehow Danato has to express to her that she can’t hurt you.”
    “How do we do that?”
    Belus frowned. “I have one idea, but Danato isn’t going to like it.”
     
     
     
    23
    “Absolutely not,” Danato grumbled across the small table from Belus. Cori looked between them, as did Marissa—a rather young, attractive nurse, with a robust hourglass figure, who didn’t get the message that her dinner date was canceled. She would have been more than happy to have left without dinner, but Cori insisted she stay, much to Belus’s dismay.
    “So, Cori’s moving in indefinitely, then,” Belus suggested.
    Marissa looked up sharply, apparently dismayed by that idea. Cori found a sudden need to itch her nose which conveniently covered the growing smile on her face.
    “No.” Danato glared at Belus for forcing him into a corner with reverse psychology.
    Belus was just as frustrated by the conversation. Cori knew they were both trying to protect her, but Danato’s instincts were to squirrel her away, while Belus’s were to face the problem head on. Danato was usually brave enough to take action, but the threat against her was making him freeze.
    “So, what, abandon the house altogether? She won’t find that insulting as hell.” Belus violently scooped another helping of mashed potatoes on his plate, but didn’t touch them.
    Cori wanted to mention that she didn’t want to give up the house, but at some point she had become unnecessary to the conversation. “How long have you been seeing, Belus.” She smiled warmly at Marissa and stuffed her mouth with grilled chicken and mango salsa.
    “Oh, we aren’t…” Marissa stammered not sure what to say regarding their relationship.
    “Cori,” Belus cautioned her quietly, but she just shrugged.
    “We can