Knock, knock... by Dale Mayer

stepped back into a memory as she had, it was easier to deal with others' energy than if she were in real time. Like watching a movie instead of participating in a play. She could also apply a filter of sorts and focus acutely on what caught her attention.
     
    What people didn't realize was that energy didn't tell lies, whereas words could. But the energy behind lies was obvious – to her.
     
    One woman was speaking about her coworker's new hairstyle. Shay could hear the disembodied words when she spoke. "I love it. It makes you look so much younger." Those were the words. Nicely delivered. Just the right tone of warm appreciation. Yet the energy, on which the words were delivered, was ragged, shaky, vibrating with something else. Jealousy, maybe even anger. The energy that moved from the first woman to the second was spiteful, and the sentiment was reflected in sickening gray to black energy waves.
     
    The first woman hated the second. But the work environment demanded that they get along in a manner that was acceptable to all. But did any of this have anything to do with David's death? She searched the colors, the smoky clouds and the heavier and lighter energy to sort through recent layers then moved down to the older ones.
     
    To sort through the nastiness to find truly authentic emotions, she had to look deeper.
     
    Not an easy thing to do. She spun away from the multiple people working in the busy office and focused on David. His aura resonated with goodwill and a pleaser personality. A definite media type. But what was underneath it?
     
    Shay moved around him and studied David from the different angles. He couldn't be this happy and friendly all the time. No one was. He stood up to get a file from the table across the room and she saw it.
     
    There was a black circle, small and almost hidden under his good cheer. It wasn't at the heart chakra; it was centered on his third chakra. She studied it, a frown coming to her face. It could portend a health issue, but, it was almost too perfect. Too round.
     
    She had no doubt the circle was a man-made.
     
    Planted. It was a marker. Someone who understood energy work had planted it there.
     
    Shit. And once she understood that, her mind spun endlessly. Why? Who? How?
     
    "Shay?"
     
    A pounding on her own office door broke her altered state of consciousness, snagging her attention away from the scene playing out before her.
     
    Damn. Rotten timing.
     
    "Shay, are you in there? Your light is on but I can't get through on your phones." After a moment, Jordan's voice came again, higher and louder. "Shay, you're scaring me."
     
    Time to return to her normal reality.
     
    Shay closed her eyes and forcibly disconnected from the memory. Her consciousness slammed back to her office chair, with bile climbing the back of her throat. Shit. She hated coming back from a trip so suddenly. The hard landings always made her stomach revolt.
     
    "I'm here," she croaked. She cleared her throat several times, and then managed to get up off her chair. She let the changing energy ripple through her, letting it settle and ground her.
     
    Making her way slowly to the door, she struggled with fingers still not feeling quite normal, to unlock and open it. For Jordan's sake, she put on a sleepy smile and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry. I locked the door to have a nap."
     
    "You scared me shitless. At least leave me a note." Jordan stormed into her office, turned around as if to satisfy herself that all was well, and then came to stand in front of Shay. Her gaze narrowed. "You need coffee."
     
    Shay rubbed her eyes. "Thanks. I could really use a cup."
     
    "So could I. This time, I'm going to lace it with something much stronger."
     
    Shay had to smile. "Feel free. I'll take mine black, thanks." She watched Jordan walk over the side counter and set up a fresh pot of coffee. The whole time the young woman muttered under her breath.
     
    But her energy only showed relief and concern. Caring.