Mind Games

“Ok, now I just want you to relax. Lay back, close your eyes...yeah, just like that.” Ira helped Kelsey position her head so it was straight on the pillow. “Are you comfortable?”

“Um, yeah.” Kelsey sounded nervous, but Ira did his best to soothe her.

“Look, before we get started, let me just reiterate a couple of things, OK?”

“Sure.” Her lower lip trembled, and Ira adopted a soothing tone.

“First off, this isn’t going to hurt a bit. I know these headaches have been brutal...” He waited for her to respond.

“Yeah. They’re pretty miserable.” A tear slid from behind the blindfold, staining her pale skin with running eyeliner. She reached a hand to wipe it away, but Ira beat her to it. He wiped the dark smudge away and watched Kelsey flinch under his touch. He frowned, wiping his hand on his jeans, but continued in a gentle tone.

“Hey – it’s OK! Nothing to worry about, I promise.” Ira felt tense, and had to remind himself that he was in control here.

“Now,” he continued, “the second thing is this: you’re going to be awake for the whole thing. And John is sitting right over there by the desk. Say hi, John.”

“Hi!” John’s voice held it constant cheerful tone. Kelsey gave a little smile at this, and Ira relaxed.

“Finally – and this is the most important thing – when I’m done, you will never, ever get another migraine. Sound alright to you?”

Kelsey broke into a huge grin, dazzling the two young men. God, she is beautiful. Ira was mesmerized. He shook his head, willing away the distraction.

“OK Kelsey, I’m going to put my hands on your head now. Just relax – it’s all going to be over soon.”

Ira splayed his fingers wide, placing his fingertips across Kelsey’s head at various points. The whisper of her fine auburn hair sent a twinge of excitement up Ira’s arms. He muttered to himself, again reorienting his thoughts. Get it together, Ira. He closed his eyes, took several deep breaths, and went to work.

Ira had tried to explain to his friends what he did, precisely, when he probed somebody’s mind. It was hard to explain, but he always attempted to walk them through the visual experience – much as it happened now.

When Ira first made contact with a person, he could feel the current of energy coursing through them. It was like a river of pure electrical power, humming beneath his fingertips. It came alive under his touch, like a static electricity ball that would follow the movements of your fingers as you traced them along the glass. Ira found that as he traced his fingers along the outside of a person’s skull, the current of electricity under his fingers would follow, drawn magnetically to his caress.

He would follow these mental power lines as they wove through the mind, becoming stronger as they neared the source of origination. It was their hub, the birthplace of their power.

The brain.

Ira was fascinated by the power of the mind. It was like a computer whose code could never be cracked. It held the power to light a million candles, a thousand worlds, and yet it sat encased beneath thick layers of tissue and bone, protected from outside harm. It could not be seen, could not be altered, and it could not be touched, by anyone.

Almost anyone.

What Ira saw before him now was another variation of stunning design, wrapped in pulsating light that sparked beneath his touch. The currents swirled and surged, ready to be harnessed to his will. It was a blanket of colors, masterfully woven strands layered one upon another in a tapestry of majestic design. It was, simply put, beautiful.

To his mind’s eye, the brain itself did not have much form, but the strands that represented aspects of the human existence did. They were bands, thick and colorful, wrapped around the mind. Each demonstrated various aspects of personality, temperament, thought, and many others.

Ira couldn’t specifically cure the headaches, per se. What he did do, however, was manipulate the existing strands, making adjustments that either stimulated certain expressions – fear, for example, which shone a dazzling emerald hue – or curtailed those feelings. Often times – such as with Kelsey now – there were tangles and overlaps that caused pressure or discomfort. It was Ira, and Ira alone, who could reach out, make certain modifications, and completely change the dynamic of the sensory construct.

In Kelsey’s case, he found the predominant strand – a deep crimson, for pain – and saw that it had been snarled near the stem of her brain. It was tangled somewhere near where the spine met the base of her skull, and Ira quickly located the cause of her pain. With a practiced touch, Ira gently wove pulsating threads – mental extension of his fingers – through the thick knots. He felt Kelsey’s body shudder beneath his touch, but not from pain. It was relief, and it was palpable. Ira’s touch was deft, and in just a few minutes, the thick red cords that had generated the massive pain in Kelsey’s skull were diminished to thin, pulsing strands of pink, roughly the thickness of shoelaces. Admiring the tapestry of energy for a final moment time, Ira removed his hands from her head, and the link was broken.

Kelsey gasped and sat up. She ripped the blindfold from her head, cautiously rolling her neck from side to side. Tears ran freely down her face now, and she beamed with excitement.

“Ira – you did it. It’s gone...my head doesn’t...oh my god!” She threw her arms around Ira’s neck, and he stiffened with embarrassment. John shot him a thumbs-up from the corner, but Ira gave his head a slight shake. He gently disentangled himself from Kelsey’s embrace, grabbing her by the shoulders. He peered intently into her eyes, first one and then the other. Eyes that sparkled, Ira couldn’t help but notice.

“So you feel better then?” Her squeal affirmed this, and he once again had to pry himself from her hug. “OK, good. I’m glad.”

“How do you do that? Seriously, how does it work?”

“Yeah, Ira,” John piped in. “How does that work?” His grin was infectious, and Ira couldn’t help but smile too.

“It’s hard to explain, really.” He ran a hand absently through his hair as he talked. “It’s like...well, imagine trying to untangle a yo-yo, but this yo-yo has about a dozen strings, and they’re all different colors.”

“Um, well, OK.” Kelsey’s excitement was fading, and Ira couldn’t blame her. This kind of science wasn’t really her thing – or anyone’s really – and he wasn’t sure he really understood it either.

Kelsey grabbed her jacket from the hook by the door, and was getting ready to leave. Ira softly cleared his throat, glancing at her purse hanging from a chair at the table.

“Oh! Right, sorry.” She retrieved her billfold from her wallet, opened it, and proceeded to count out five hundred dollars in twenties. Ira pocketed the cash, and thanked her.

“Are you kidding me? Money well spent! I just can’t believe they’re gone. I’ve had the most terrible neck pain for years, and headaches. But now it’s gone!” She leaned in close, kissed Ira on the cheek, and walked out of the apartment. The door clicked shut behind her, and Ira turned to John.

“Tell your friends!” John called after her. Ira burst into laughter, and John joined in.

Ira pulled the cash from his pocket and peeled off five twenty dollar bills, handing them to John. “Finder’s fee,” he explained.

John took the money, crumpling the bills in his hand. He stared at the door for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, he spoke. “What do you think would happen, Ira? If they ever found out what actually caused the headaches?”

Ira pursed his lips, choosing his words. Eventually, he shook his head. 

Some secrets are best kept forever.

“I don’t know,” Ira finally responded. “But let’s hope that never happens.”

John nodded. “What now?”

Ira held up the rest of the cash. “Time for these guys to make some friends.”

John cracked a huge smile. “Excellent.”