Level 3 Stimpac

  Once in a while I'll do a whole night of the Delmonicos. They are cosleepers, and as such are the most difficult stop on my route. Three kids and two adults crammed onto a California King.  Hard to get everyone without waking someone up, so I suit up and bathe in softener and loop in again and again and again. It's like swimming through gel, but once you acclimitize to it, it's easier than going in and out.

  This time, when I get back to the hub I'm pale and shaking. The dutymother brings me tea and wraps me in a blanket. When I finish my tea she scans me and sends me off for a hot shower.  The Delmonicos is a double duty night. I nap for a half hour before looking at their numbers. Everything looks fine until I get to Jane.

  Jane was aware of me. I can hear her, "Mummy the lady was floating on our bed." and a week later "Dad did you see the lady put her hand on your head?" and finally two weeks later "She's an angel blessing you." Thank god for the Catholics. I take note of Jane's ability, for she surely was asleep every visit, eyes closed, the softener doing its job. I look back at her parents and see a numb disarray of attention, like most adults. I fill out the redtape and when I head back into the staging area the dutymother looks surprised.

I don't know if I should clear you. You didn't look very good when you came back in.

This kid saw me through a layer of softener, and I need to verify why. I've applied for a stimpac.

  She makes me a bowl of stew and another cup of tea. I eat while she waits for my application to come back. When it does she raises an eyebrow and pulls out a high level stimpac. The dose is good. It's been ages. Oh god. Why can't I find an anomaly like this every day?

  No softener now. I'll have to watch carefully. It's not difficult with the stim coursing through me.  I sit in the shadows, watching them breathe and fart and roll over each other like puppies.  Jane sleeps, too. Her remarray is strong.  Since I am right there with her I can connect directly, but I am wary since she was able to catch me with the softener on.

  I go in slowly, hoping to hide in the shadows there, too. But no. She's looking at me right in the eyes, even though I should be almost fully transparent. Damn creepy kid. But this stimpac is so good I can't even be annoyed. She was ice skating but now that her attention is on me, the background fades away and we stand in crisp air.

You're the angel that blesses my mummy and daddy.

And you, Jane. I bless you, too.

Do you know my grandpa?  [I keep up with my files, yes.]

Your Grandpa Charles is with God. I watch over your family on his behalf.

But you're not always here. [Perceptive. Still creepy.]

No, Jane, not always. I check in when I can.

  I've heard enough. I draw her attention back into her dream, and I fade out, and in their bedroom she rolls over and laughs, and I scurry through my tunnel back to the hub. The dutymother has changed. It's the redhead. He looks concerned and berates me while wrapping me up.

This was reckless of you.

I needed to know why.

  He hands me a cup of tea and takes the record, turning to read it. I feel cold. I take a long sip of the tea, I feel its warmth in me. It makes me feel colder. The room seems dim.

There you are. You fainted.

I what?

You heard me. I've scanned you, and your files from this excursion. You're not sick. The kid did it to you, twice. She drained you dry of a level 3 stimpac.

She's something. I.. I thought it was the softener the first time. The softener is difficult to work through.

I've filed everything. You're under observation here for the next (24). You might as well sleep, you need it.

I take his recommendation. I close my eyes and I can feel him draw the blanket over me. I like how he smells.