Free The Last Girl by Michael Adams

okay-Dan-why-can’t-I—
    I followed with: NOT A DREAM
    ‘Message,’ she said to make the Shades do their thing. ‘What’s happening, Dan? This is so—’
    Even as the speech-recognised words flashed onto my screen I heard her thoughts going elsewhere.
    If-this-was-real-then-Dan-would-know-about-Finn-and- she’d— Jacinta felt sick about going back into Mollie’s party after the paramedics had left.
    Oh, you bitch! My stomach roiled reflexively. I was so glad she couldn’t hear my mind. This was the stupid shit that was spiralling out of control and making people insane. But it was easier for me to take the high road: Jacinta wasn’t in my head and ferreting out that I’d been the one who dobbed her in for smoking last year.
    DONT CARE —I sent the message, fighting to keep focus.
    It appeared on her lenses. Jacinta felt relief—then more guilty panic for agreeing with Emma and Madison that I could be a self-righteous bitch.
    SOMETIMES I AM! I tapped.
    I sent my mind after Emma. Nothing. Her family had gone to Aspen. I couldn’t find Madison. She was in Cairns with her mother. I got the sense this thing was like a wi-fi signal that weakened over distance. Either that or my friends were dead.
    This-is-what-happened-to-you-at-Mollie’s . Jacinta’s thoughts burned helplessly across Beautopia Point. You-you!-You-were- patient-zero-You-infected-everyone .
    ‘Sorry, Dan, don’t mean it!’ Jacinta said and that message hit my screen even as she thought, Why-can’t-I-hear-you?-This- isn’t-fair .
    I called her.
    ‘What’s happening?’ Jacinta cried in a ragged voice. Am-I- going-to-die? ‘I’m so scared!’
    ‘I don’t know!’ was all I could say. ‘I don’t know.’
    How frightened I sounded to her wasn’t helping. This echo chamber could drive you crazy in no time. I tried to avert my mind from hers. Listen only to what she was saying out loud.
    ‘I can’t wake up!’ Jacinta yelled. ‘It’s all too much.’
    She was struggling to hear herself above the torrential updates flooding her head. Her dad wishing he’d never even gotten married. Finn protesting to her and other girls that he wasn’t a user. Mollie screaming at her mum at the rehab resort. The woman next door chanting ‘Begone Satan!’ as she held knives like a crucifix. The old fart downstairs hoping the gas cancelled him quickly.
    ‘Jacinta, focus!’ I said, trying to fake control. ‘Don’t worry about what other people are thinking!’
    Generations of mums had offered it as standard operating advice. It applied now more than ever.
    ‘There’s nowhere to hide,’ Jacinta whimpered. ‘They’re inside my mind! They know everything!’
    ‘Calm down,’ I said. ‘Don’t worry about—’
    ‘I can’t! I can’t! I can’t!’ Jacinta screamed, barely able to hear herself over everything. ‘I can’t take this!’
    She quit the call and disappeared back into her Shades with total blocking enabled.
    ‘No!’ I yelled.
    COME OVER HERE! I messaged.
    I saw it didn’t get through. But I also saw Jacinta was having trouble seeing and hearing Princess Hellbanga. My friend was lost in what everyone else was thinking.
    Leave-me-alone-Rapture’s-not-coming-The-oven’s-on-fire- Gotta-staunch-bleeding .
    She’s-so-scared-Don’t-care-Nothing-matters-Stab-anyone- who-comes-in . . .
    Our-Father-who-art-Petrol-tank-is-only-half-full-Won’t- get-far . . .
    At-least-food-in-fridge-Those-poor-people-on . . .
    Swallow-this-and-it’s-done-Sinking-down . . .
    Might-be-okay-I’m-falling . . .
    No-can’t-let-go . . .
    No-No-No!
    Then Jacinta’s mind went.
    ‘No!’ I shouted uselessly.
    I called. Voicemail.
    ‘Jacinta, please call me, please!’
    I couldn’t get through to her now and I couldn’t get to her place without leaving Evan. All I could do was hope my friend rebooted as fast as I had.
    I tried to find Mum again. Nothing. I called her landline.
    ‘Hello?’
    ‘Mum!’
    ‘. . . you’ve called Robyn.’
    Shit. I waited