Blockage (hiatus)

Chapter One

Something changes during puberty.

For males, it happened between ages 11 and 15. For females, it normally occurred with the first menstruation. Scientists believe the cause comes from changing neuropathways that alter during the growth period. The change began when the partner with the most estrogen began the change and it effected the whole party. Somehow, the connection gets made. That doesn't make much sense. In simple-man's terms, you go to sleep one day with only your thoughts for company and then you wake up with someone else there.

My connection began a few days after my thirteenth birthday. I was in eighth grade and in a middle-class school in Illinois. I like to think I was doing okay. Our family was falling apart at the seams, but things were looking up. Father had just got a new job, Marie was starting high school, and Mother was close to fighting off her illness. Everything was manageable. Until it wasn't.

No one mentioned how terrifying it was. How the voices would override everything you thought about, how they could respond to you, how they could see what you saw. Health classes skimmed over the details and I'd never got the talk from my parents. Even Marie hadn't warned me about the shock of it.

I'd woken up drenched in sweat and my pink coverlet stuck to my chest as I frantically pushed myself up. I couldn't focus. There were voices and they were talking so loud. There were so many! A pale hand came up to rest on my chest as I hyperventilated. I could hear a couple of them yelling, asking me for my name, asking me what was wrong, but I couldn't get my thoughts to work. My breathing got faster and I was about to call for my mother when a smooth voice cut through the jumble.

I understand you're feeling overwhelmed, but you need to calm down, miss.

The potency of the boy's voice froze me. The other voices silenced at the command from the other person. Startled, my hands fisted the covers and a small frown overtook my features. I couldn't figure out how to talk back. There wasn't a course in this... what did I do?

You've got to relax sweetheart, this was a new voice and it sounded kind, it'll come naturally soon.

I heard a faint snort come from another person, She's fucking terrified. None of you guys were this fucking bad!

Hey man, another unknown boy, don't be mean. She's just confused.

What the shit! I'm not being mean!

No really, you're kind of being a jerk.

Like you're any better!

I'm much better, this voice had traces of laughter, At least I don't scare people!

Miss, the first boy that spoke interrupted everyone else, can you speak yet?

I unclenched and clenched my fists to ease my nerves. I felt like I could speak, but did I want to? They were overwhelming me. I didn't even know these people! Who cares if they're my soulmates... there's too many of them. My eyes watered at the realization. What's happening to me?

Hey, shush... the boy with the kind voice muttered and I felt a sense of calm wash over me, your thoughts are really loud. Don't worry about all of that yet, let's just get to know each other. Okay?

Ignoring my fight or flight response, I let out a shaky breath and answered out loud, "Okay."

It was that answer that started everything. It got easier after a couple hours and I was finally able to communicate with the other boys mentally. Hours passed just getting to know the basics about each other. Well... the basics about me. Despite their efforts to calm me down, none of the boys offered any significant details about themselves. They wouldn't even give me their name, no matter how hard I pressed.