Free Whispering Minds by A.T. O'Connor Page A

“It’s nice to finally meet you.”
    The scent of stale smoke filled the air. “Where are we?”
    Daisy giggled and shrugged. “We thought you would know.”
    I looked around, this time focusing on the room instead of the Dozen. The walls were pale yellow. Heavy drapes covered the only window and matched the blue and red striped bedspread. A dream catcher hung from the ceiling amidst the glow of green plastic stars. Toy baskets lined one wall, filled with an assortment of trains, dinosaurs and stuffed animals. “It’s a bedroom.”
    “Nice job, Einstein.” Einstein grinned at me from a child-sized recliner.
    “We were wondering whose, though.” Indie paced in front of the window. She wore tight jeans and a tighter v-neck. Her hair hung over her shoulders and just brushed the top of her barely covered breasts.
    A rocking chair squeaked from a corner of the room. Rae’s knitting needles clicked as a single strand of blue yarn trailed up past her feet into the flurry of needles and came out the other end as a scarf with nobbly bumps. “I’m not sure it matters where we are. Only that we’re finally together.”
    From her post by the door, Fell 1 nodded her agreement.
    “You two always agree,” JayJay said from the floor. His intricate train track wove throughout the room. A caboose clacked past the Poet, who sat in the corner hunched over a notebook. His pencil flew across the page, scratching out words.
    “Can I ask you something?” I directed my question to Fell 1. She nodded, and I continued. “I’ve always wondered, what does your name stand for?”
    “Felicity?” This came from Daisy.
    “Felicia?” Angel guessed from her perch on the edge of the bed.
    “Fell-atio.” Indie snickered and lifted the corner of the curtain.
    “None of those,” Fell said and turned to Indie. “And none of that. You know better.”
    “Know what?” I whispered to Luna who suddenly appeared beside me.
    She shrugged her thin shoulders sullenly, giving the impression she was mad at me. I shook off the feeling and reminded myself this was just a dream. Bizarre as it was.
    Luna leaned back against the wall. “One Fell Swoop.”
    Rae nodded at Luna and checked the scarf for length by wrapping it around her neck.
    “Nice guess, Luna.” Brutus stretched out on the bed. I’d missed him the first time around. I’d always pictured him big, and he didn’t disappoint. His broad shoulders nearly took up the entire bed. No wonder Angel looked ready to fall off the mattress.
    I did a head count. “Where’s James?”
    Bach twanged on a toy piano, covering the sound of silence from the others. One by one, their images faded into blackness leaving me alone, swinging on the front porch, reading books with the ghost of Granny. Bach’s music floated up and over the hum of an engine. A gentle hand shook me awake to the inside of Trav’s truck.
    “Did you have a nice catnap?”
    “I think so.”
    Travis shifted in his seat. His thumb worried the steering wheel. “About what happened earlier. I’m sorry.”
    I yawned to cover my confusion. We never fought so it couldn’t be anything serious. I shrugged. “No big deal.”
    “It is a big deal, Gem. Huge. And something you have to deal with. You can’t just ignore what’s happening to you.”
    I’m not ignoring it. I just can’t remember! I can’t even remember what you’re talking about.
    But I couldn’t say that, because then I’d be a freak. Maybe I was one now. I sought out Trav’s face for reassurance that he still cared for me. He kept his eyes on the road and didn’t return my smile. His next words stabbed into me. “I think it’s time you see someone.”
    “I’m fine, Travis.” Even to me, my words rang false, so I leaned in and kissed his cheek. He was the last good thing in my world, and I had to make things right between us.
    The truck jerked to the side then straightened as he recovered from my touch. His fingers clenched the steering wheel. When he