Mind Strike by Viola Grace Page B

as they were up at full strength once again, he would breathe a little easier. His life depended on keeping things static.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Skiria didn’t know how long she had been floating above the bright mind beneath before she began to hear it singing. Other minds joined hers in the layer above the brightness, but Skiria didn’t mix with them. Her focus was for the mind of the world and its song
    Finally. I can finally speak to you, daughter.
    Surprise gripped Skiria. You can speak?
    Laughter rippled between them. I can. Do not worry; the others can’t hear this.
    I wasn’t even thinking about this. How is it that I am not driven mad?
    I am whispering.
    Skiria’s mind dissolved into giggles. She felt the rings surrounding her mind being held still with only the pinhole open to the touch of the planet. How are you doing that?
    I can melt the surface and you ask how I am holding your mind? Really, Skiria.
    What may I do for you?
    You are not meant to be here. You need to be somewhere else for what is coming. I wanted to prepare you.
    Prepare me? For what? Skiria looked around at the other minds hovering nearby. They glowed brightly and cast webs to hold the planet in, but what Skiria now realized was that Resicor was contained by its own will, no one else’s.
    My dear child, you are going to die, but before you go, I need to give you something.
    Bright pain seared into Skiria’s thoughts; her mind glowed white hot before it was smothered in darkness. It was anticlimactic, really.
     
    * * * *
     
    “She’s arresting.” Noma Sheewah looked to her sister as they moved to work on their patient.
    Trala nodded. “Right. Let’s get her to medical as quickly as we can. Prepare to detach.”
    Together, they unlocked holder five from the grip of the chair and the tubing that had held her for ten days.
    “Well, Noma, you were right. She didn’t have a lot of stamina.” They moved in concert and lifted the thrashing body of holder five.
    “Sometimes I wish I wasn’t right about them.” Noma didn’t let up on the pressure that she was keeping on number five.
    Once on the gurney, they attached her to life support, but her body was completely supressed. In a matter of minutes, there was nothing left to save.
    The administrator skidded in and stared at the dead body. He grimaced. “I thought she was stronger than that.”
    Noma blinked.
    Trala said, “We don’t know what she was facing. The project may have taken exception to her.”
    “Well, if she wants her, she can have her. You know what to do.” He nodded, turned on his heel and left the med centre.
    Trala nodded, uncoupled number five and Noma helped her lift the gurney as they walked it to the edge of the crevice.
    Trala sighed and reached out to close five’s eyes. Noma pulled up on the darkness, and as they tipped five into the crevice, Trala let in the light.
     
    * * * *
     
    Skiria gasped as she woke in freefall. She was too far from the edge of the crevice to grab the stone and too far down to call for help. She fell endlessly, turning end over end toward the distant glow at the base of the slash in the skin of the world.
    To her shock, she slowed and there was an upward pressure of wind against her cheeks. The pressure turned into a column, and she was pulled toward the cliff face, slowing until she could be yanked into a nearly invisible cavern wall.
    There was still no one around her as the wind pulled her through the rough passageway. Flying had never been a fantasy of hers, but it beat falling.
    She felt secure, so she closed her eyes. There was no light, so she was counting on her senses to tell her where the walls were and she really didn’t like how close the channel was to her body.
    Time ceased to have meaning in the strange means of transport. She couldn’t tell if she had travelled meters or kilometers underground.
    Light prickled across her skin, and she opened her eyes to see a mechanically created light streaming out of the