Stolen - Nhys Glover Page 0,50

without speaking?’ she finally asked into the eerie silence.

‘When a pod is in danger it develops the ability to Mind Speak. It’s another means of assuring survival during dangerous times. It hadn’t happened for thousands of years until our familial pod formed. I guess because no one was ever in real danger once we moved to Varga. Although, you’d think the Vargeez attacks would have done it.’

‘Do people normally survive an attack by the Vargeez?’ Jenna asked.

Someone must have told her about the horrendous bat-like creatures that inhabited the southern continent of our planet. They regularly raided our territory, killing the farmers along the border. There were patrols that helped keep them in line, but they were becoming more and more of a problem. The storm had provided them with the perfect opportunity to attack, and word had already reached us at HQ that raids had intensified in the wake of the storm, hindering the relief efforts.

‘Few farmers did in the past. They weren’t skilled enough to battle the monsters. Savannah and her pod have been working for years now, training them in fighting techniques that work well with the creatures. Mind Speak is appearing between podmates during those attacks.’ I paused before adding. ‘It doesn’t require the mating frenzy to initiate it. Sex between individuals will do it.’

‘But how did we develop it when you aren’t a Danan anymore?’ Jenna asked, as confused as I was.

‘I have no idea. This is all new territory. But as it is Mind Speak, and I still seem to have a mind, even if I don’t have a brain, that might be enough.’

Charsus had fallen silent as we talked. I looked for him. His mind was quiet, as if he slept. But I knew that couldn’t be the case. Was he spirit-walking? He hadn’t done so in all the time I’d been in his head.

‘Spirit-walking? Like your father does?’ Jenna asked, picking up on my thoughts.

‘Yes. Anyone who can move into Fourth Density is said to be a Spirit-Walker. But each person has unique skills. Charsus shepherds souls across to the next level. Maybe there’s been a build-up and he’s been called to take care of them.’

‘So we’re alone, huh? That makes me feel like a teenager whose parents have gone away for the weekend. I want to cry, “Party!” and invite everyone over.’ She giggled at her own silliness.

‘You’d be partying alone, because I’m not in control of this body right now. He might be gone, but he’s still got the keys to the car.’

She laughed aloud into the silence. “I like it that you know so much about human society. I guess your Mom talks to you a lot about Earth, huh?”

‘Yes, while we were growing up. Though she never wanted to go home, she feels homesick sometimes, especially about her farm. Her Mom died when she was ten, but until then she had a pretty good life.’

‘It feels so far away. Earth. Like my life there was a dream.’ Her tone was melancholy.

‘You’ll have a good life with my brothers, I promise you. Once this is all over…’

I felt her pick up my sadness. ‘But not with you?’

I shrugged without shoulders, knowing she would sense the gesture. ‘Probably not. I’m a guest in this body. And even if I weren’t, I’m no longer part of my fraternal pod. Your pod.’

‘Then why does it feel like you are?’ she challenged angrily. ‘How did this Mind Speak activate if you aren’t my podmate anymore?’

I shook my head. ‘I wish I knew. I think we’re traveling blind with all this.’

A sudden thump on the side of the ship had us both jumping in fright. Oh, shit, the thing was back, we had no way to get away from it, and I had no control of the body I was inhabiting. I couldn’t even attempt to fight it off. This was bad. This was really bad.

A huge eye appeared on the forward viewing screen. Not as large as the last one, but large enough.

It was all over, then. I’d failed. My only hope now was that I could go with Jenna and my brothers to the next level of existence, whatever that was.

“Oh!” Charsus exclaimed, desperately studying the console for some way out of this.

It was good to have him back, but it felt like it didn’t much matter now anyway.

The ship jiggled a little more and Jenna had set up a silent mantra of, ‘Oh, God, oh, God, oh God!’

In the next instant,