down at his hands. “I wouldn't exactly call it pain. More like slight discomfort.”
I look at him, waiting for more of an explanation. When one doesn't come, I'm forced to ask. “Can you elaborate?”
“Your muscles feel tight—almost on edge. As if you need to get up and run. Your mind feels much sharper, much more on task. Your focus increases greatly, but it comes with an almost nervous energy. Adjusting to it takes a bit of time, but once you do, the discomfort fades and you are able to do what you intend with greater intensity and energy.”
“How long does it take?” I ask.
“It’s different with everyone. For me, it felt like just a few moments. There were others who said it felt like a few hours. Of course we have no real way to track the time. Perception is all we have to go on.”
I stand up from my chair and walk the few steps to the window. Paul's gaunt face feels as if it glares back at me, begging for help.
“I’ll do it.”
22. TIME TO GO
“Your pods have been prepared. Are you ready to begin?”
Zoë and I look at each other. I sigh deeply. “We’re ready,” Zoë answers confidently. I nod in agreement.
Dr. Milton leads us to the main entrance of the pod room. “This is the last time we will speak, I’m afraid. Once I turn you over to Dr. Edwards and Dr. Nolan, our relationship will come to an end.”
Dr. Nolan stands on the other side of the glass doors smiling broadly at us. He presses a few buttons on the security keypad and the doors slide open. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
“We had some last minute business to attend to,” Dr. Milton replies, “but they are ready to begin.”
“First let's get you changed into your pod gear.”
As we begin to follow Dr. Nolan to a dressing area, I turn back to Dr. Milton and give as brave of a smile as I can muster. His eyes look like they are welling with tears as he nods goodbye. The glass doors close in front of him and I turn back to Zoë and Dr. Nolan.
“Here are your gowns,” Dr. Nolan says as he hands us two folded gray hospital gowns.
“This is what we're wearing?” Zoë complains.
“I know, I know. They’re pretty awful. But they give us the access we need to keep you healthy while you're out there saving the world.”
We both smile at his jovial demeanor. “Go ahead and get changed and then I will take you to your pods.”
“I can't believe this is really happening,” Zoë says as we head toward the changing rooms.
“I know. It always felt so far away even though we're right here in the middle of all of this. It's so real now.”
“Are you nervous?” she asks me.
“A little. You?”
“Yeah. Maybe more than just a little,” she replies.
“We never finished reading the written journal,” I say suddenly as the thought pops into my head.
“I read it while you were asleep last night. Most of what was covered in the parts we didn't get to, the pendant showed us. We'll be okay. We have the pendant to guide us if we need help.”
We pull back the curtains to our changing rooms and step inside. Folded inside of the hospital gown, are a sports bra and a thick pair of fuzzy, warm socks with rubber strips along the soles.
After sliding the knee length gown over my body and snapping the shoulder closures, I realize just how final and medical all of this is. I'm not just crawling into bed and going to sleep for the night. I'm turning my body over to this team of highly trained medical professionals to take care of me while my soul wanders a different world.
I am entrusting them with my life. Giving up control of my body is not going to be easy, but I need to remember the big picture. I came here because I knew it was the right thing to do. I can’t lose sight of that. If I do, panic will take over and I won’t be able to complete this journey.
I slip the key to our room out of the pocket of my pants and decide against hiding it in my bra. I'm guessing an electrical charge and a metal key won't mix well.
“Em, are you done yet?” Zoë’s muffled voice rings through the wall of the changing room.