Twenty-Sixth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[Ring, ring!  It is 6:00 in the morning and there is someone buzzing at your door.

The day after Thanksgiving, Lucas was awakened by the sound of the telephone.  Upon picking it up, he was greeted by a friendly disembodied voice thanking him for his application as a paper-boy.  He'd be starting tomorrow!

 . . .

The rest of the day was spent in anxiety about what he was going to do.  And seeing as how he was Lucas, he came to the inevitable conclusion that he'd better make the best job of it he could.  This is the reason why your doorbell is being rung at an ungodly hour -- If it's possible for a buzzer to sound polite, it does.  Lucas will wait with a cheerful smile on your front porch until someone shows up to answer the door, after which he'll promptly launch into a speech that sounds as if it has been nervously rehearsed for hours.  In the event that no one does, he will leave after two rings.  Morning people may notice that there's no bike nearby, but there is a table meandering about your front lawn.  The speech runs as follows, though you can cut him off at any time.]

Good morning, [mister/miss]!  My name is Lucas.  We're not acquainted, but I wanted to let you know that I'll be responsible for bringing your newspapers in the morning now.  I'll do everything I can to make my delivery as quiet and punctual as possible.

Thanks very much, and I look forward to serving you!

[In the event that he knows you.]

O-Oh!  Hi!  Um.  Ah.  Oh, I have to change my speech.

Comments

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"You world? Other worlds? So there's more than one?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Uh-huh. Like I said, most of us are all from different worlds. Some of them might already be connected, but most people are from entirely different ones.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"So where you are from there are a few psychics. Other people have magic and other things. So where were you from?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

My home was on the Nowhere Islands. It was called Tazmily.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I'm from New Jersey in the United States. I don't know Tazmily though I don't know all the islands."

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

The United States? I guess you're another person from one of the Earths, then. There are a lot here.

You wouldn't know Tazmily. It's not in your world.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"Oh, oops. So there are a lot of normal people too? That's reassuring. No offense."

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Actually, a lot of the Earths have people with powers, too. There's even one where all the countries are actually people.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"I can believe the powers part but the countries. If they are people where do they stay?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You'll have to ask one of them. I kept getting headaches trying to understand it.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"I can see that. I might have to when I have the time.

Anything else I should watch out for around here?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That depends on how much you know already, but just try to do what they want you to.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"Why?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Well. You can get punished, of course. The droning.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"Droning?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . That's when they brainwash you to act like a drone.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"Like put you in a room and flash lights in your eyes?"

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

No, it's pretty much instant. You can't avoid it at all and it just . . . happens.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"That's... insane. Okay I've said that enough. Still.

Okay. I'll try to avoid things that end with droning."

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Mostly, just remember to go to school and stay in this house, and you'll be alright.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"I think that actually shoots down two of my plans."

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

What were your plans?

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"Avoid my house and hide out some where. Skip school and work on figuring this place out."

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

There's really no need for that. Your house is actually the safest place you can be, most of the time.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

"I usually feel better when I am on the move. I guess the idea that there's no place to run is still getting to me."