Blind Sight

After spritzing the round table, she cleaned the top and finally made the circuit pushing chairs into their proper places. Glancing down, she saw a cup that had been left on a seat. As if in slow motion, it toppled off the edge. Without thinking, she caught it—then remembered she'd forgotten to replace her gloves.

The vibration crashing through her was like thunder from a colossal drum, quaking long and hard and painful, deafening her to the sounds going on around her. A brilliant flash stabbed into her eyes and, as her irises contracted painfully, she nearly collapsed to her knees.

The bookstore disappeared.

Her body shuddering in the cool air of night, Cassaundra smelled dust and rain on the breeze. A feeling of devout piety stole over her as her heartbeat slowed to a sluggish thud. Casting her gaze downward, she saw a young woman, her face white and still as if it had been carved from alabaster, lying near the edge of a rocky crag. With hands that were not her own, she crossed the girl's stiffening arms over her cold, unmoving chest, then straightened her skirt, pulling it to her knees.

As gently as if she were putting a child to bed, she slipped the body over the precipice where it crashed helplessly into a tree, flipped almost completely around, hit the ground and rolled down the steep slope until it rested brokenly against a jagged boulder.

Stomach heaving at the shock of the vision, Cassaundra leaned heavily against the table to stare at the broken cup lying at her feet.

"My God, Cassie. Are you all right?" Keegan demanded as he hurried toward her from across the room.

"Yes. No, honestly, I'm fine. Just a little light headed." Hoping to save herself from the experience of having Keegan touch her so soon after the horrifying scene, she collapsed into a nearby chair.

"Why don't you get her a glass of water? When I was married, I found that usually helped ladies when they were, er, unwell." Vernon looked embarrassed at his own words.

She shook her head. "Honestly, guys. I'm fine. I've just had too much caffeine, and not enough protein today."

Looking relieved, the men nodded. "That'll do it every time. You need to get this young woman a hamburger," Mack said with a pat on Keegan's back.

Keegan nodded. "Just as soon as I clean this up."