CONNECTIONS

by Christina Glass

Larissa unlocked the door to her apartment and dropped all of her bags in the living room. She looked at the table and a small package wrapped in white paper stared back at her. Unable to contain her excitement, she raced to the table and grabbed the package.

She tore through the paper, revealing a small jewelry box. Upon opening the gift, her eyes brimmed with tears. A pendant with an emerald embedded in white gold dangled from Larissa’s trembling fingers. The deep, penetrating green of the jewel matched Larissa’s eyes.

She fastened the gift behind her neck, then dialed a phone number.

"Hello," a masculine voice answered after a few rings.

"Hi, Michael," Larissa said, idly running her fingers through her short, brown hair.

"Hey, Larissa. Welcome back."

"Thanks. I called to personally thank you for the Christmas present. I just opened it."

"Well, I felt bad about you losing your necklace," came the distracted reply through a rustle of papers.

Larissa removed the only picture she had of Michael from a shelf. Her finger gently touched the glass over his auburn hair and his strong chin.

"I'd like to see you, if you have time," Larissa said.

"I have some things I have to do right now. Filling out applications and all. Besides, you need rest after your long trip."

"All right," Larissa said, frowning slightly. "But let's go to dinner later this week. I missed you, you know."

"Why don't we go swimming some night?" More paper rustling echoed in the background.

"Very funny. You know I can't swim."

"It was just a thought. I've got to go."

"Dinner on Wednesday, okay?"

"Sure, I'll see you then."

Larissa heard a click through her phone, then hung up the receiver. Sighing, she looked at her luggage. It was time to unpack. As she threw clothes into her dresser, she failed to notice a very soft glow coming from the emerald.

Oid’s reptilian eyes widened as he watched Korgoff flex his beefy, thick skinned arms and gnarled his tusks. Oid knew he was about to be knocked into the vacuum of space, his Master ignoring the consequences that a hole in the already damaged ship might have.

"Master! No options! Jauglins almost got me! Stone easy to find. Hid on blue planet with stupid, stupid creatures.” Oid slithered around Korgoff, careful not to let any of his arms or legs touch his master. Master didn’t like the feel of Oid’s scales.

Korgoff raised an arm above his head, grunting and growling what Oid knew to be his disapproval.

Oid struggled to stay out of range. “Stone safe, Master! Safe! Hidden with others like it. Paid greedy, stupid creature to keep in shop. Paid with Dregnan. Creature too stupid. Think Dregnan make him rich. Only Master will be rich. When sell Stone."

Suddenly, Korgoff’s hairless and normally green-blue face turned a bright chartreuse. Oid flinched just before Korgoff’s blow landed on his tender trunk, sending pain to all eight appendages as the Master continued his barrage of grunts and guttural sounds.

Oid scurried to a corner of the small, dilapidated ship. “Oid not know!” he cried. “Oid not know Dregnan common on blue planet! Will get Stone back.”

As Korgoff crossed to him, Oid saw a protruding plate from the floor take a bite from his Master’s leg. Then, Korgoff clenched his slave’s thick neck with his strong hands, lifted the small, trembling reptile to his own formidable height, and growled an order.

After feeling Korgoff release his grip, Oid coughed and sputtered for a few moments, thankful to get some air into his lungs. When he could breathe again, he groveled, “Yes, Master! Will get Stone back. Will fix Finder.”

Under Korgoff’s burning gaze, Oid crawled to the room where the broken Finder waited repairs.

Larissa watched as Janet shook her head which turned her long black hair into waves.

"Larissa, he works at a jewelry shop. He probably got it dirt cheap. Then, he goes and makes it look like an expensive gift. It doesn't mean anything. He doesn't treat you right and I don't like it."

Janet was one of Larissa's closest friends. They had done their undergraduate work together, and both had been accepted into law school. After they each passed the Bar exam, they planned to open their own law firm. They agreed on just about everything, except for their opinions about Michael. As she looked over the table at Janet’s olive features, Larissa wondered why they couldn’t just eat their lunch in peace.

"Why do you have to put a negative spin on everything he does for me?"

"It's easy when he doesn't do all that much for you.” Janet took a sip of coffee.

"Isn't it kind of shallow to base a relationship on what he does for me?” Larissa let her sandwich fall on its plate, feeling anger replacing hunger.

"All I’m saying is this ‘relationship’ seems one sided. I can tell how you feel about him and so can half the world. But I don’t think he feels the same way and he's stringing you along for a big fall. Look at the facts, Rissa. Who calls who in this little relationship? Answer me that. Who sets up your outings?"

"He could always say no."

"You didn't answer the question, Counselor. Can't you see a pattern here? A one way pattern."

"Look," Larissa said, in a harsh voice, "We enjoy our time together, he cares about me, and that's all that matters. This subject is closed."

Janet sighed. "If you say so. Rissa, you know I wouldn't even broach the subject if I didn't care. I just don't want you to get hurt . . . again."

Larissa let her anger subside. "I know. And I'm sorry I raised my voice. It's just a touchy subject. Let's plan our study schedule after I go to the bathroom."

"Sounds good."

Larissa got up from the table and made her way to the nearest restroom. While she washed her hands, she looked up in the mirror and saw the emerald faintly glowing.

“Entering sector Beta one-four-one-one,” announced Four of the Jauglin complement.

“Any signs of our quarry?” asked One, standing from his designated chair on the meticulously clean ship.

Two glanced at his information screens. “Their trail leads to a star system with nine planets.”

“Any with life?” One stood by his subordinate, Two, and awaited an answer.

“Only on the third from the star. The Finder is picking up a faint signal from the Stone on that planet. And, One,” Two said, turning to the leader, “it has Lower Sentients.”

One straightened his Jauglin uniform. “Activate Protocol for Lower Sentients,” he commanded. “Send a report to Headquarters alerting them of our situation, but continue with the mission unless ordered otherwise.”

“Understood, One.”

Three entered the cabin. In one fluid motion, he replaced Four at his station while Four made his way to the sleeping chamber.

Two was about to brief Three on the happenings of the last shift when One interrupted. “I’m going to take a short rest, Two. Make sure you do the same when you can. We’re going to need it.”

One marched to the sleeping chamber, possibilities swimming in his mind. If a Lower Sentient possessed the Stone and found a way to use it, the situation could end unfortunately. One now would carry out his mission with a new sense of urgency.

After the glow of the emerald and the initial shock the event faded, Larissa went back to the table and excused herself from lunch.

“Why?” Janet asked.

Larissa picked up her belongings. “I’m really not feeling all that well. I think I’m going to go home and lie down.”

Before her friend had a chance to ask any more questions, Larissa turned and hurried to her car.

In a burst, she entered her apartment and threw her books across the coffee table. After quickly sitting on the couch, Larissa removed the pendant so she could observe it more closely. She stared at the emerald, waiting for it to glow again. She felt the minutes tick by, but nothing happened. When an hour had past and the stone still showed no sign of life, Larissa finally replaced it around her neck.

She sighed and opened one of her text books. She yawned and was about to rest her head on a couch pillow when she noticed the emerald shining again. She grabbed the jewel.

Like a scene switch in a movie, her setting changed. She was no longer in her apartment studying. Glass cases filled with rings and bracelets surrounded her. As if the gem had burned her hand, she quickly released it. Once again, she returned to her apartment.

This can't be happening, she thought to herself.

She looked at the emerald, which still glowed teasingly. A part of her wanted to rip the necklace from her body, the part that warned her of unknown danger. But curiosity prevailed and she shook the doubts from her mind. Larissa brought her hand up and held the emerald.

As before, the scene changed. Larissa recognized it as the jewelry shop where Michael worked. From her peripheral vision, she was aware of someone moving. Larissa tried to focus her eyes on the movement, but discovered that she couldn’t.

"Just give me second, Mrs. Lavery, and I'll have your ring cleaned for you."

The voice resounded inside Larissa’s head as if it originated from her mind. And she recognized the voice. It was Michael's.

Her view changed as if she was seeing through a video camera. The room spun until a doorway became the center of the picture. The doorway bounced toward her and she entered it. Various machines were scattered throughout this new room. A hand and arm came into view. This appendage, too, belonged to Michael. The hand gently held a ruby ring between the first finger and thumb.

"Michael, there is someone out here to see you," someone called from the main room.

"I'll be right there," he replied. And Larissa released the emerald.

Her vision clicked and suddenly returned to the apartment. She fell back into her chair, heart pounding, realization crashing over her consciousness like a tidal wave. Somehow, this jewel allowed her to see through Michael's eyes, literally.

Larissa’s mind raced. Careful not to touch it, she lifted the emerald to eye level, as if she could find answers to her questions in its body.

Oid made a few more adjustments to the Finder. He knew that his repairs would only serve as a temporary fix to an ancient piece of equipment. He would have to use the Finder efficiently before it became irreparable. The reptile shuddered to think what would happen if the Finder broke before they located the Stone. He pushed the unpleasant thoughts of being caught by the Jauglins and of his Master’s wrath from his mind. He picked up the Finder and made his way to the main cabin where Korgoff worked to land the ship.

Oid slithered just within Korgoff’s hearing range. "Ready, Master! But must hurry. Running out of power for Finder.”

Barely turning his massive body, Korgoff grunted a response to his slave. Then, his Master made throaty sounds that Oid knew to be laughter.

He cried out. “No, Master! No leave behind! On stupid planet with stupid creatures! Oid find Stone. Master be rich. Please, Master!”

While Korgoff ungracefully thrashed his arms in the air, Oid responded by frantically grabbing a belt and the Finder and leaving the ship. Outside, he wrapped the belt around his trunk and twisted a dial. His outward appearance changed to that of one of the stupid, bipedal creatures on this planet. He glanced toward the direction of the ship, currently invisible to the naked eye. More precious power being used to cover their tracks. He activated the Finder and rushed toward Stone’s signal. Time was running out.

The morning after their night out, Larissa began to feel guilty. She knew that she should tell Michael about the power his gift had and she had thought about telling him, but last evening's events went perfectly and bringing up such a serious matter would have ruined the mood. Ultimately, she rationalized that it would keep.

However, that argument seemed very weak today. She looked down at the emerald and sighed. Larissa picked up her phone and dialed.

"Hello," answered a sleepy voice.

"Hi, Michael," said Larissa, absently running her fingers through her hair.

"Hey, Larissa. What's up?"

The emerald began to glow.

"What in the world . . . " Larissa lifted the chain that suspended the emerald, being careful not to touch it.

"Did you say something?" Michael yawned.

She brought the jewel to eye level. "Michael, we need to talk."

“What about?”

"About my necklace."

"What's the matter? You don't like the color?"

"Where exactly did you get it?" Larissa insisted.

"From the shop, of course. Where else would I get it? If you are in doubt of its authenticity, it does happen to be a real emerald," Michael said.

"No, no. Michael, I'm sorry. It's just that this emerald is doing some, well, rather unique things. Are you sure there isn't anything you aren't telling me?" The emerald’s glow increased, its color turning from green to white.

"Rissa, what is going on?"

Larissa didn't answer immediately. After a few moments, she confessed. "Michael, this emerald gives me the ability to see what you are seeing."

Silence engulfed the line.

"What? This is a joke, right?"

Larissa let the emerald fall to her chest then clasped it with her free hand. She saw Michael's room.

"No joke. Humor me for a second, will you? Put the phone down and go do something. Anything. When you get back to the phone, I will describe everything I see."

"Uh, sure. Whatever."

Larissa waited for the view to change, but all she saw Michael do was lie down in his bed and put the phone on his abdomen. After a few moments passed, he picked it up.

"Okay, I'm back."

Larissa fought to contain her anger. "What do you mean you're back? You didn't go anywhere."

"How did you . . ."

"Michael, take me seriously for once, will you? I don't know what's going on, but when I hold this emerald, I can see through your eyes and hear what’s going on around you. I'm doing it now. You're in your room lying on the bed."

"Lucky guess."

"Let me prove to you that I'm telling the truth. Go do something. Just make sure that there isn't anyway I could see what you are doing from outside."

She saw him set the receiver down and head for his basement.

Good choice, Larissa thought. No windows for someone to peek through.

He flipped a switch. Once light flooded the room, he walked toward some shelves on the far wall. Michael picked up a can of peaches from one shelf, a jar of applesauce from another and switched them. After turning off the light, he went back to his room. When he grabbed the receiver, Larissa described in detail everything he had done.

She released the emerald. "Scary, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Larissa, I want to try this necklace, too. To see if it works both ways."

"Good idea. Where do you want to meet?"

"Just come to my place. And Larissa? Please don't use it anymore without my knowing."

Larissa immediately felt ashamed. “Of course. I’ll see you in a few.”

Oid stopped in a place that sold sustenance. He wasn't hungry, but he had to use the Finder in a place where he wouldn't draw attention to himself. He sat in a booth, waited until no one was watching, and then pulled the Finder out of his pocket. He read it and knew the Stone was close. Very close. With any luck, Oid would possess the Stone soon and present it to his Master.

Oid replaced the Finder and left the booth. He went outside and hurried to the coordinates where the stone was located. If Oid had been paying closer attention, he would have noticed two figures following him.

"Let me try it on."

Larissa arrived at Michael's house. She had hoped Michael would have greeted her more warmly, but he didn’t focus on her. The object around her neck captured his attention fully.

He's just shocked over the whole situation, Larissa rationalized. After all, he did give me the necklace. He does care about me; he just has a hard time showing it.

Larissa undid the clasp and removed her necklace. She winced from the snap of the chain on her hand as Michael immediately took it from her and put it around his own neck. The emerald's glow disappeared. The stone looked dark and cold in the middle of Michael's chest.

"How does this thing work?" he asked.

Larissa looked at the lifeless stone. She knew this wasn't right. "It usually glows. Then I hold the emerald in my hand and my vision changes to what you see."

"Go on to the basement. I'll wait here and see if it starts to glow."

As she made her way to the windowless room, she felt a dull ache grow in the middle of her stomach. It wasn't going to work. Larissa tried to push the negative feelings away.

She stood in the middle of the basement among rows of shelves. Her eyes caught the two containers of fruit that Michael had interchanged. Without thinking, she replaced both to their proper shelves. Then, she waited for Michael to come running down the stairs to tell her it was working; that he, too, was seeing through her eyes.

It didn’t happen. After ten minutes, Larissa climbed up the stairs and went to find Michael. He was sitting in a chair in the kitchen, dangling the emerald in front of his face.

"It's not working, is it?" she asked softly.

He didn't answer. He simply removed the chain and handed it to Larissa. The moment she let the emerald fall to her chest, it began to glow. Michael reached for the jewel. He jumped back with a yelp.

"What happened?"

"That damn thing burned me." He showed his hand to her. His fingertips were red and two of them were beginning to blister.

"Come on. Let's run some cold water over your hand."

They made their way to the sink. Larissa turned on the faucet. While gently rubbing his fingers, she ran the cool water run over them.

"I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't know that was going to happen."

"I know you didn't. Listen, maybe we're approaching this thing the wrong way. Let me wear it for a few days. Didn't it take awhile before it started working with you?"

"Michael, I don't think that's such a good idea. Look what the emerald just did to your hand."

Oid made his way to Michael's house. His fingers itched as he approached the brick structure and he could feel the Stone in his hands. He imagined all of the wealth that would be acquired once his Master sold it.

He had reached the front door when he felt strong hands grab his shoulders and pull him back. In the struggle, Oid dropped the finder. One of the two men tried to grab it, but he was too late. It landed on the walkway and shattered.

The other man quickly injected Oid with a sedative to keep him from struggling. "We really could have used that Finder, Two."

"I know, Four. We'll just have to wait until ours is charged. At least we've got Korgoff and Oid now. I'll pick up all of these pieces. We can’t leave this planet with any evidence of our presence."

Larissa let her body fall limply onto her couch. Although she had an exam in a couple of days, she didn't feel like studying. Convincing Michael that she should keep the necklace had completely drained her.

Larissa felt an uncomfortable sensation around her neck. The chain had caught on her clothes and was now slightly strangling her. Larissa grabbed the emerald to adjust the necklace and stop the pain.

"Yeah, giving her that emerald was the smartest move I've made."

Larissa almost released the jewel so as not to break her promise to Michael. It wasn't right to eavesdrop. But the words she heard came from him and were obviously about her. Michael was talking to one of his friends. From what Larissa could tell, the two men sat at a bar. The empty glasses on the table indicated to Larissa that they had been there for awhile.

"Mike, I don't get it. Why did you get her a necklace? I thought you were seeing that blonde you met at my party.”

“That’s Denise. Yeah, I see her every once in awhile. But Larissa is my ticket into law school. She might be on the admission committee. They always have at least one of the law students on it. And it never hurts to stack the deck in your favor.”

Larissa released the emerald. She couldn't bear to hear another word. Janet was right. He had no feelings for her. All the time they had talked and spent time together meant nothing. Being angry with him would be futile. Before she had seen what she wanted to see, believed what she wanted to believe about him. Now she knew the truth.

But what was she to do with it? Her sensible side told her to be rid of the necklace that lost its meaning the moment he uttered those hateful words. The truth about him shone crystal clear, and this time she couldn’t rationalize it away. Still, she didn’t want to give up the emerald. She felt there was something special about it that perhaps could be used in some positive manner. Maybe she would find someone else and perhaps with him the connection would be two way. Larissa could only hope.

With the weight of the world in her chest, Larissa slowly made her way to bed. She had ended relationships with other men before, but this one cut deeper than the rest. She thought she had found a man who understood her, who saw the world as she did. That reality had shattered into millions of little pieces. Those pieces danced around in Larissa's mind and kept her from finding sanctuary in sleep.

"This guy is awful," Larissa whispered to Janet.

Janet and Larissa sat in a classroom, listening to a droning lawyer.

"We've had worse lecturers," replied Janet, madly taking notes.

"Not much worse," Larissa complained.

Larissa knew she judged the professor too harshly, but after a sleepless night, not much was going to please her. Barely paying attention to what was being said, she took notes sporadically.

Larissa was about to nod off when the scenery changed.

Tables with people eating and chatting surrounded her.

"May I take your order, sir?" asked a voice inside her head, the lecturer pushed to the background.

The scene shifted to focus on a waiter.

"No, thanks. I'll wait until my friend shows up."

Larissa panicked. It was happening, but without any initiation from her. She shook her head back in the classroom. And her vision returned to there.

Janet elbowed her. "Larissa, you might think about using less conspicuous ways to wake yourself up. Hey, are you okay?"

Larissa wasn't okay. She was scared. She looked down at the emerald. No glow. Impossible. How could she connect with him when he obviously wasn't thinking about her and the stone was dark? Maybe she just needed to get some sleep.

"Janet, I'm not feeling so well. I think I'm going to go home and rest. Could you fill me in later?"

"Sure. Listen, if you need me to do anything . . ."

"No, just take notes for me and I'll get them from you later today. Thanks."

"No problem. I'll talk to you later."

Larissa left the school and drove herself home. She entered her apartment and convinced herself that relaxation would help when her vision changed back to the restaurant.

"Michael, I don't want you to pay for this. You paid last night so let me buy lunch." One of Michael's friends looked straight at her.

Larissa closed her eyes and shook her head violently, but to no avail. The connection to Michael held. Although she saw through his eyes, her hands made it to her own neck. She ripped the chain from her body and threw it across the room. The connection broke. She collapsed in her living room. Fighting against it drained her now. No matter. With the emerald gone, there would be no more of this nonsense.

She was about to go to bed when she heard a knock at the door. At first, she decided not to answer it, but a voice inside her head urged Larissa to reconsider. She opened the door to be greeted by two men in suits.

"Are you Larissa Johnson?" one of the men asked. His attire of dark clothes and sunglasses hinted that he represented a government agency.

"Yes, I am. Is something wrong?"

"We hope not," the other man smiled. "I'm Jack Smith and this is my partner Howard Thompson. We are here about a stone that you might have."

Larissa looked back and forth between the two men.

"Don't tell me. It was stolen." Larissa figured the two men were FBI agents tracking down a stolen emerald.

"Actually, yes. We need to have it as soon as possible. Have you been wearing it?" The man named Thompson seemed a little worried.

"Yes, I have. Is that a problem?"

The restaurant surrounded her. "For the last time, I'm paying," Larissa heard Michael say.

Larissa clutched her head. No, no, no! she screamed inwardly. This can't be happening. I don't even have the necklace on.

"Please, I'm feeling terrible dizzy. I'll find the emerald and give it to you later."

Larissa felt a hand take her arm, but the sensation didn’t coincide with the signals her eyes sent to her brain. She saw Michael and his friend walk out of the restaurant.

"Ms. Johnson, do you see me?" The voice could have come from either of the men. Larissa couldn't tell. "Don't lie to us. We aren't what you think. We know about the stone and what it can do. Are you seeing through someone else's eyes?"

Tears now flowed freely from Larissa. "Yes, I am. Can you make it stop?"

Finally, Larissa's view returned to the men. They looked very sad.

"No," Thompson said. "We can't make it go away. May we come in?"

"Yes, of course."

Larissa showed them to the couch and asked them to please sit down. She took a chair for herself and told them everything. During the time it took to relate her story, Larissa's vision changed a couple times. It scared her, but she controlled herself in the hopes that these people could help her.

When she finished she asked, "If you can't make it go away, who can?"

"May my partner get the stone?" Thompson asked.

"I don't know where it is. I threw it."

"Don't worry. He'll find it." Thompson motioned to Smith, who stood up and turned away from Larissa. She thought he pulled some machine from his pocket, but after picking up the necklace, he replaced it too quickly for her to see clearly.

Thompson seemed a little uncomfortable. "I wish we could be as honest with you as you have been with us, but I can't. I also wish I didn't have to tell you that your condition is irreversible."

Larissa jumped from her chair. She clutched Thompson's arm. "Please," she cried. "I'll do anything if you make this stop. I can't take much more."

She half expected Thompson to remover her hands, but he didn’t. Instead, he continued, "Ms. Johnson, things are going to be worse. Soon, you will not see your own surroundings anymore, only those of the other one." She noticed him stir uncomfortably as Smith joined them. "Smith, you are not to repeat what I am about to say to the others."

"Yes, sir," came the reply.

"Ms. Johnson, that stone was made so that blind people can see through a seeing person's eyes. The blind person wears the stone and is a close companion of someone with full vision. After a time, the transformation begins. It is exactly as you described what is happening to you. We can't stop it because it was never made to be stopped. Before now, there has never been a need to reverse the process because only blind people wear the stone."

A thought occurred to Larissa. “And if this close companion dies, then what?” she asked.

“The wearer of the stone is blind again and usually finds a new companion.”

Larissa removed her hands from Thompson. "Then it's over."

"Perhaps there is hope that we could get someone to reverse the damage and . . . "

"No." Larissa said fiercely. "Don't barrage me with a shower of false hopes." For Larissa, the scene changed again. She felt her way to the chair. Closing her eyes did no good. She still saw what laid in Michael’s field of vision. For all practical purposes, she had contracted a chronic disease. And there was no cure. "Please go. Take that bloody stone and go back where you came from."

Smith spoke. "Ms. Johnson . . . "

"I said GO!" Larissa shouted. "Before I call the police. I don't care who you are. You got what you came for, now leave."

Quietly closing the door behind them, the two left the apartment.

In the hallway, Thompson shook his head. "You know, Three, sometimes, I really hate this job."

"What will happen to her now, One?"

"I don't know." Thompson looked at the Stone which showed no hint of life. "Let's get the Stone back to its owner and close this case."

One and his Jauglin complement left the third planet. With Korgoff and Oid in custody, he ordered his crew to set a course for their own sector to return the Stone. In his report to Headquarters, the leader of ship #23 reported a successful mission. However, One knew better.

Larissa sat on the small bed in her equally small room. She knew that this ward of the hospital had simple accommodations since anything more would hurt the patients more than help them. As if physically trying to hold herself together, Larissa clutched her folded legs to her chest, and she subtly rocked back and forth.

“Is there anything I can get you, Rissa?” she heard Janet ask.

Larissa allowed her friend to visit her in the psychiatry ward and no one else. She couldn’t bear the thought of her family seeing her like this, in this place. To them, she thought, I should already be dead. And she decided from the start not to tell Janet all that had happened to her. Even if Janet believed her, there was nothing she could do. There was nothing anyone could do.

“Nothing that I’m allowed to have,” Larissa droned. “You’ll need to go in a minute since I have another visitor coming. I’m only allowed one at a time.”

“Then I’ll see you soon.”

An unexpected shift in her bed’s mattress startled Larissa. After a quick recovery, she realized that her friend must have sat on the bed next to her. At least, that’s what she assumed.

“I’m sorry,” Larissa heard the pain in Janet’s voice. “I just wanted to hug you good-bye.”

Larissa relaxed her posture and let her arms hang to her sides. “Of course. Thanks for visiting me.”

Hesitantly, Larissa wrapped her arms around her friend. As soon as she sensed that Janet had left, she folded both legs up to her chest and resumed her previous position, slowly rocking on her haunches.

He was coming to see her today. She knew. She always knew what he was doing. The connection was complete. Larissa no longer owned her visual world. She only saw his world now.

As soon as she found out that Michael was going to visit, she made an oath not to speak to him at all this time. For the first time since she had met Michael, she felt she really understood him now. She had painted glorified pictures of him before this whole incident began. Those pictures had been painted over the last few days. Or perhaps, the fake paint had been striped away, and she saw underneath his outward colors. Either way, she had planned on letting him talk, and she hoped that he would leave after she didn't respond to his worthless words.

This wasn't the first time he had visited her. Michael had come to see her once before. She told him about her encounter with Thompson and Smith. Michael thought it must have been some top secret research that had fallen into the wrong hands, but Larissa wasn't so sure. She wasn't sure of anything anymore except that each day was torture and that torture was coming to see her today.

Through his eyes, she saw herself. Her back was facing the door as Michael walked across the room, bringing a chair. She didn't look at him as he approached. She turned so he couldn't see it her head, so she couldn't see herself. He moved as if he was about to set the chair right next to her when Larissa raised a hand and motioned him to keep distance between them.

He sat down and waited for her to initiate a conversation. Minutes passed and Larissa said nothing.

"Larissa, I know you haven't told the doctors what's happened to you," he began. He paused to see if she would join the conversation now, but since she showed no sign of contributing, he continued. "It's probably just as well, I guess. They wouldn't believe you, would they?"

Still nothing from Larissa. Michael let out a big sigh. "I just don't know what to do to help you. Larissa, I can't make it go away. You know, I still care about what is happening to you."

At this point, Larissa broke the silent promise to herself and spoke. "You know what, Michael? You amaze me. I was the one working on the law degree, learning to use words to my advantage in any given situation. But you have a natural talent for it and you didn't even have to go to school to learn."

Larissa abruptly turned to face him. She thought it odd, seeing her own face from this vantage point, but she quickly pushed these musings away. She contorted her face in utter disgust and spoke quietly, each word dripping with hate.

"You don't give a damn about me. Your words are worthless. I was so busy listening to your words when we were together that I wasn't paying attention to your actions. I've been locked up in here for days, Michael, days. Going completely out of my mind because I can't talk to anyone about this. No one but you. You know that, you know that. But do you do anything about it? Do you come to see me any more times than you deem absolutely necessary? I have nothing else but your actions to watch now. They haunt me day and night. You have no idea what I've been going through, and you don't care.

"You only came here to see if things have changed. To see if your life is private again." Larissa broke from her dark mood and laughed madly. "The funny thing is, I thought about that. I thought about how horrible it must be that every move you make is watched by me. I felt sorry for you."

She stopped laughing. All emotions left her face. She returned to her bed and, again, clutched her legs to her chest. "You are free, Michael. The doctors have decided to put me on some new anti-hallucinogenic drugs. These are much more powerful than the others and on the test run, they seemed to work for awhile. I haven't had any side effects from the medication, so they're going to up the dosage and increase the number of times I take it. You are free."

Michael didn't say anything for awhile. Then, he picked up his chair and began leaving the room. Before he walked out, he turned around and said, "For what it's worth, Larissa, I'm sorry."

Larissa never saw Michael again. Her little act had worked just as she thought it would. He never checked with the doctors to see if her story was true. She knew that he wanted to believe they would find a cure, no matter what it did to her. She told him the things he wanted to hear. He had taught her well. Perhaps it wasn't the best way to handle things, but her lies gave him the privacy he wanted. Besides, soon he really would be free. Very soon.

Larissa listened half-heartedly as her doctors announced that could find nothing wrong with her physically. They told her that the pressure of law school combined with the stress of losing Michael caused her to have a psychotic break. When she firmly declared that she was blind, a doctor accused her of malingering since her EEG indicated that the visual area of the cortex was being stimulated, despite her insistence that she couldn’t see anything in front of her. Later, when they performed more tests, the physician reluctantly admitted the mystery of her case because even though bright lights flashed in front of her eyes, her EEG showed no reaction to correlate with the harsh visual stimulus.

Larissa tired of the endless speculation concerning her condition, so she formulated a plan for escape. In her daily interviews and sessions, she acted like the model patient, actively participating in her treatment plan. She allowed her family to visit. She voiced her wish to leave the hospital and begin a new life. They didn't know that she would have told them anything at this point to be released from the hospital. After days of arguing and a promise from Larissa to continue therapy outside the hospital, her psychiatrist finally agreed to discharge her.

Larissa wanted some vacation time, so she went on a cruise with Janet. One night when most of the passengers and crew were asleep, Larissa made her way to the main deck. Like a weary traveler, she rested on the rail and focused her hearing on the waves. If she listened hard enough, they could drown out the sounds of Michael’s life that haunted her mind.

She leaned further over the rail while focusing her attention on the noise from the sea. As if blessed with revelation, she instantly made the decision. Larissa relented. She felt the endless water engulf her body, paving a way to freedom.