Novel Ideas - Part 4

It's been a bit long in the tooth here getting this out but hope you enjoy the next installment! 

“It’s similar to the meditation we will be learning this week, only there training will be more intense.  I thought that this might get me through it,” Jack hadn’t even looked at him yet, but had seemed to look through him.

“It’s been an amazing two weeks, I can’t imagine what it will be like in six more,” Ward wasn’t what else to say.

“I probably won’t make it all the way through,” and before Ward could say anymore Jack raised a hand, “That’s just fine, my ancestors believe I’m here for another reason,” and with that he was quiet.  Ward sat there for a few minutes.  He realized that the fire was less of a fire and more like incense.  Taking a deep breath he focused on the scents coming from the sticks. 

“Nice,” Ward couldn’t help it. He sighed as breathed out and relaxed. 

“It’s going to be a hard week for all of us, but for some of us,” and Ward knew instinctually who Jack was talking about, “we will see hell.”

“A little over the top don’t you think?”  Ward couldn’t help himself as he closed his eyes and took in the spicy sweet smell again.  It seemed to take away the stress, doubts, and draw out all of the fear and tension as if expelling puss from a wound.

“You’re welcome to join me in the mornings and then you can tell me if my statement was exaggerated on Friday,” and with that the conversation was over. 

By Thursday Ward was beginning to understand.  They had sat in class after class, hour after hour on how to meditate. Then they had been put in a room for increasing times each day.  He wished he could tell someone what the room looked like inside, but he had been blindfolded on the way in and then once the door was closed it was darker than the dark side of the moon inside.  Temperature was under someone else’s control, as well as the conditions inside the room like fresh air.  After a few minutes to assess what the situation was he came to the conclusion that this was some type of sensory deprivation room.  They were supposed to put what they learned to work inside the room.  He had tried to sense to see if anyone was near at first and found nothing and no one so he got busy meditating.  At first it was easy, then as the time in the dark room increased it got harder.  Today, tomorrow, and Saturday there were no more classes.  In fact, at eight this morning they would be locked in what he now called the dark room to six in the morning on Sunday.  Ward was beginning to think that this was also some sort of modified SERE military training.  It was no secret that if they were able to read minds as promised, then the types of training they would need would be endless.  Today’s activities were nothing more than separating those who could and those who couldn’t use the meditation skills to survive.  Better they do this now than to get create a bunch of mind readers they couldn’t use. 

Novel Ideas - Part 3

Sorry this has taken so long.  I have been busy doing 2 or 3 different jobs for the past couple of weeks.  I hope it has been worth the wait!

  Two weeks later Ward was pretty sure that all the promises his handler had made were possible.  His tent-mate and now his friend, Bobby, had been as driven as he was and they had taken their training into their own hands even during the their few precious hours of recoup time daily.  It wasn’t above-board but they had gotten good at reading each other’s emotions and predicting each other’s movements.  It was, if one would excuse the pun, mind blowing, what they had achieved.  If all this could be accomplished in two weeks then it was hard to imagine what the full two months would bring.  Ward had noticed though that not all the candidates were having the same success.  Most seemed to be progressing as expected, but there were a couple that he knew had been put on a watch list.  This new week was going to bring new challenges.  Not only were they honing their empathic reading skills they had been trained in, not something that would be hard for Ward as he hadn’t waited to do that, they were focusing on mediation techniques to rest and rebuild the mind.  

Ward woke at dawn already sweating as the heat had reached an uncomfortable temperature.  Throwing his pillow at Bobby he yelled for him to get up as Ward moved for the door and flung the flaps open.  There out on the edge of the camp sat one of the men he had rode in with, Jack.  They had spoken a few times and he was one of the men on the watch list.  He had his back to the camp and their seemed to be a small stream of smoke drifting off above him.  As smoking and drinking were taboo this made Ward even more curious.  As he walked toward him he tried to get a read on his feelings.  If they were going to train you to do this they had to expect you would use the skills.  Jack seemed at peace, calm in a way that Ward had never felt.  Ward was about to doubt his read when Jack spoke.

“Come and sit and join me, it will help you get through today.”  The idea that the people here knew you were there before they could see you was becoming more normal for Ward, so he sat.  He saw that the smoke emanated from a small fire pit Jack had made on the ground.  “Old prayer ritual to my ancestors, tribal beliefs that my mother taught me.  I keep this one up mostly because it focuses me on what is important.”  When Ward didn’t say anything he continued.