Change

5

IT WAS ALMOST noon when the phone rang Sunday morning. I looked at the screen as I picked up my PCD, checking to see who it was. The picture and the name on the device told me it was Brandon. I wished for a moment I could stay mad at him, but I'd never been able to manage it for very long. I touched the button to answer the call.

"Hello?" I asked, lifting the small device to my ear.

"Hey, Nickie, how're you doing?"

"Pretty good, all things considered. I have the occasional moment of thinking I've dreamed it all, but I know better. There are some things I just can't deny, even to myself..." He laughed on the other end of the line, and I continued, "it certainly doesn't help things that there's no trace of the bite left."

"Really? Already? No scar, nothing?" he sounded surprised.

"Nothing at all, they were gone by bedtime that night."

"Wow. Does the Anikitos know?"

"Yeah. I told him when I talked to him yesterday. You know, the way you're calling him the Anikitos is bizarre. He's always just been Bill to me."

"You'll get used to it. Most of the pack calls him either sir or Anikitos, only a few people have permission to call him by name."

"I guess, it's just weird."

"I'm certain it won't be the weirdest thing you'll encounter now that you know about us," he said with a laugh.

"I'm sure that's true, but let's not rush things. Let me get used to what's on my plate right now before you throw something even weirder at me." I laughed back. "I'm just going to say it, I'm not happy that you kept it from me. I understand why, so you get a pass on this one. But no more big secrets. Got it?"

"If you say so," he said, then changed the subject. "Have you noticed any other signs that you're adjusting?"

"Yeah, I keep picking up odd scents," I replied, accepting the change of subject. "Sometimes they're strong, sometimes they're just something out of place. I've started noticing that everyone has a unique scent, one that no matter what they've done, what scent they might wear, they always have the unique scent as well."

"Yes, everyone has their own personal scent, and eventually, with practice and repetition, you'll learn to catalog and sort the different scents and then you'll just automatically know whose scent it is when you smell them."

"I'll keep that in mind. While we're talking about senses, what about hearing? Oh, my word! I sometimes wonder if it's going to make me crazy being able to hear what they're saying in the next apartment or the one on the other side of that, even the one below me. When I first noticed it, I thought I was imagining it, but Bill told me I probably wasn't."

"Probably not, but you'll get used to it. It'll take some practice but you'll learn to tune out or focus on something you don't mind hearing. You might want to consider finding a different place, something not in a shared building."

"I don't want to, if I can help it. I love this place, I don't want to give it up if I don't have to. Besides, it would raise a lot of questions with my family and most of my friends if I suddenly move for no reason."

"True."

"I'll do what I can to learn to ignore it and continue with my life. It's odd, though. There have even been a few times I would swear I was hearing not only what people were saying but what they were thinking too, but I know that's impossible."

"Actually, it's not. It's possible that you're telepathic. You need to let the Anikitos or the Alekto know next time you talk to one of them. They'll have someone teach you to shield. That'll help you keep from hearing random thoughts."