Venessa: How did you ask questions if you couldn’t speak?

  Felandrul:(telepathically) Like this.

  Venessa: Oh, okay.

  Annelise laughs.

  Venessa: Do you still “talk” with the Vast?

  Felandrul nods: I do, but we’re allowed to speak normally now. I haven’t been able to find the courage, though.

  Annelise rests her hand on Felandrul’s: Don’t worry. I do it all the time.

  Venessa: What?!

  Felandrul smiles: Well, you haven’t lived in the Bridge.

  Annelise: You’re right, I haven’t. But I know that the Vast hasn’t hurt you, and I doubt that will ever happen.

  Venessa leaves the room with her hands up in surrender. Felandrul laughs.

  Felandrul: How do you do it?

  Annelise: Do what?

  Felandrul: Feel…what you feel. How can you handle it? How has it not killed you?

  Annelise: I don’t know. There was a time when I thought that my gift might kill me one day, but that day never came. I doubt I feel the brunt force of Beyond’s emotions, though. I don’t know what would happen if I did.

  Felandrul: How is he feeling right now?

  Annelise: A bit anxious and sad, but still content. I think he’s a bit shaken by what almost happened to Venessa yesterday.

  Felandrul: Why is he sad?

  Annelise sighs: Venessa thought he was gonna kill her after she got close to giving Wyverna her blood. I don’t know how to get her to understand…

  Venessa is back and standing in the doorway.

  Venessa: Can you please tell me where the vending machines are?

  Annelise laughs: We don’t have vending machines. Plus, you don’t have any money to buy food with. I hope you weren’t planning on rigging the vending machine to get free snacks.

  Venessa: I…uuum…Why does it matter if there aren’t any vending machines? I’m starving!

  Annelise: We had breakfast an hour ago. I’ll head home and bring you back some food in a couple of hours.

  Venessa:(unenthusiastically) Alright.

  She heads to the first floor and lies down on one of the couches, staring at the ceiling with a blue sky and galaxies above it. Venessa is suddenly transported somewhere else and catches glimpses of past or maybe future events. She sees Annelise crying with joy and Cory hugging her. Annelise is holding something white in her hand.

  Annelise: Oh, Cory! I’m so happy! I never thought…

  Cory’s face falls: But what if…

  Annelise nods: I’ll go see him right now.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Venessa:(mentally in the background) What the heck?!

  There is a flash of light, and Venessa is watching another scene. One of the people she recognizes as Annelise, but she can’t see the other person very well. She only catches glimpses of each of them.

  Stranger: Annelise, come in.

  Annelise: If you grip the armrests any harder, you’ll break them.

  Venessa’s mind is now filled with images of people in a European country crying over their lost loved ones and air raid sirens going off. Somehow, Venessa knows that what’s happening isn’t an air raid. Then, her vision shifts back to the glimpses of before.

  Stranger:(to Annelise) You are with child.

  Annelise nods: That’s why I came. I…please, stop whatever it is you’re about to do. I don’t want to lose the baby.

  Stranger: Lose her?

  Annelise: I think that if…I might miscarry.

  The stranger lets go of the armrests. Venessa looks around, wondering what’s happening.

  Annelise: Her? So, it’s a girl?

  Stranger:(brokenly) Yes, a girl. A beautiful, strong little girl.

  A tear rolls down Annelise’s face: Please! When is what you’ve seen going to take place?!

  Stranger:(somewhat irritably) In eight months.

  Annelise: Then, I beg you! Hold off! Just until she’s born! Don’t take your anger out on another Hostility to release it for now!

  The stranger sighs: I will hold in my fury for as long as I can. Believe me, I want to see your child alive and well as much as you do. You know of this, correct?

  Annelise nods and wipes the tears from her eyes: I know. I just…I wasn’t expecting this. *she laughs* Cory and I, we’d been wanting to have biological children for a long time. And we found a place to fill that hole in our hearts with you years ago, and now the foster children. This is just…such a surprise! Such a gift! I…

  The stranger smiles: You don’t have to explain. Annelise, are you alright? You seem to be breathing shallowly.

  Annelise laughs: Am I?

  Stranger: I was not using my abilities, and I could tell only from outward appearances.

  Annelise: Well, my uniform is…getting to be a bit tight.

  Stranger: Do not worry about that. I will have it adjusted for you as time passes.

  Annelise smiles: You don’t have to do that. I could just…

  Stranger: No, I insist. I want you to look beautiful. That is why I had your uniform made to look more intricate than the other Keepers.

  Annelise: Thank you so much.

  The stranger nods: I am very proud of you,...

  Annelise: And I’m proud…

  Venessa: Oh no! Nah! Not this again!

  A light flashes, and Venessa is back in the Resting Bay in the present moment. Annelise is sitting beside her on the sofa.

  Venessa jumps: What is it with you people and appearing out of nowhere?!

  Annelise laughs: I’ve been sitting here for ten minutes waiting for you to come out of your trance. Oh! And I brought lunch.

  She pulls a clear Tupperware container out of her large bag. It’s filled with the leftovers of last night’s dinner.

  Annelise: Since you slept through dinner last night, I thought I’d save a portion for you.

  Venessa: Thanks.

  Annelise nods: There’s a table over there that you can eat at.

  Venessa walks over to the table and begins to eat her lunch. Annelise stays on the couch with her hands pressed firmly against her chest, breathing in and out slowly. She seems to be in pain. Venessa looks over at her and wonders if this is related to the conversation she overheard last night. Annelise walks over to the table and sits in the chair opposite Venessa’s.

  Annelise: So, what did you see?

  Venessa: What did I see?

  Annelise: You were having a vision of some sort.

  Venessa: Well, you were in it. You’ve been in a lot of my visions lately.

  Annelise: Really?

  Venessa nods: Yeah, all except a dream I had about my childhood.

  Annelise: What do you think it was telling you?

  Venessa shrugs: I don’t know. Sometimes it’s clear and sometimes it’s not.

  Annelise nods. She presses her hand against her chest again.

  Venessa: You alright?

  Annelise: I’ll be okay.

  Venessa: You sure?

  Annelise: Yeah.

  Venessa: I…am I causing this?

  Annelise sighs: It’s my own emotions causing this. Don’t worry.

  Venessa continues eating her lunch.