Special abilities division

"It's time" I say, and with an exhale I enter the Testing Office. My doctor, a pleasant woman is raising from the chair and stretching out her hand for a shake. She looks handsome- broad, round shoulders, thick eyebrows, full lips, but no lipstick. "Androgynous" the word pops into my mind and I lightly shake my head to rid my thoughts of it. She isn't really MY doctor. She isn't anyone's. She works for the precinct as an independent consultant, and, maaan, she knows everything.

I shake her hand. She asks me how I feel today. I take a seat on the couch and say: "not bad, I think I'm ready." Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise and she grabs the notebook. She calls for Sergeant D. to join us. He has a funny belly. "Pot belly, jelly-belly, belly bomb" My mind starts spinning. "Stop it" I whisper to myself angrily and dig my nails into my hand. "Breathe, T." the doctor tells me gently and I inhale. The Sergeant is seated and we proceed. Sergeant D. gives me a few pictures to look at, men's bracelet. A man is on those pictures is smiling but his eyes are sad. I cover the bottom part of his face with my hand and, indeed- they are sad. I twirl the bracelet around.

"Anything?" Sergeant asks impatiently.

"A fugitive" I say

"A fugitive? Doll, We are at the police department, all we look for is fugitives." He is agitated "Can you do anything to speed this up?" He addresses Doctor M.

"Would you like to try it, T.?" She looks at me with her stone-gray eyes. What a beauty..

"Let's do it" I say.

I lie down and close my eyes. She guides me through a breathing exercise asks me a few leading questions and the images started appearing in my mind's eye. "A barn" I narrate and in a haze I hear Dr. M's pen's dry scribbling. "Dry scribbling.. Dry scribbling.. scratching the paper, scratching the skin, the skin scratched on the rusty nail" the images are pouring and my heartbeat accelerates.

"-What are you seeing T.?" Her voice, calm and low..

"-Uuh I see inside a dark barn."

"-Breathe through it"

A deep breath and a splash of vivid color completes the picture in my mind: Golden field, contrasting with heavy lead storm clouds and a bright red dollop of barn. This old, tall barn with a silo attached. The man is hiding there!

"-Where is it T.?"

"uughh" I try "zoom out" as Dr. M taught me, and the picture expands, draws me in with the intensity of a freight train.

"She is inside the barn... I see a blur of a dog.. I hear the chain clanging.."

"That is not enough!" Barks the Sergeant "Go deeper!"

"Sergeant!" Dr. M cuts him off

"GO DEEPER!"

And I see the whole farm now, the rusted blue truck, tarp flapping in the wind. I see a German Shepherd dog, chained. I zoom out more and I see a dirt road, I search it, I fly through it. The farm sits at an intersection. I feel the sweat beads forming on my forehead, my hands are ice-cold. Another breath- I see a billboard!

"A billboard" I exclaim "it has a family diner ad on it!"

"Direction?" Growls the Sergeant

"South-East of Branson!" I say unexpectedly for myself and suddenly I feel the intensity in the room dissipate. I open my eyes and turn my head. The inspector is smiling contentedly, leaning back in the chair.

"Consider yourself hired" He searches my face. "Amazing, how these pills gifted some of you.. and killed the rest" he adds the second part quietly.

"Sometimes I think I rather be in that second group, with the visions I have.." - I answer embarrassedly

"Now-now" He says paternally "Dr. M here will teach you how to navigate these stormy waters" And with a heavy "OOMPH" he gets up. I see a halo above his bald spot as he leaves the room. Dr. M and I look at each other in silence.

"Do you see his halo too?" I ask her

"Nope, but I can hear his thoughts and I wonder where that halo comes from"