I got comfortable on my bed and tried to clear my head.

Shutting out all thoughts of Jolie and our evening together wasn't easy. Holding her warm body against my side as her fingers traced patterns on my shirt. Her hair tickling my chin as her head rested on my chest. The way she'd stretch up to press her lips to my neck when she snuggled closer.

I could listen to her talk about anything and be completely content. I love getting to feel the way she cares so much about everything. I don't think I'll ever be immune to the pull she has on me. I don't know what I did to deserve her, but I'll do anything to protect her and everyone she loves.

I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. When my mind was finally clear and able to concentrate, I searched for the feel of Toby's emotions. The way my skin crawled with nerves when he tried to get Richard to leave. The taste of the air around him when his fear spiked.

This was so much easier when I could see the person but after some searching, I found what I was looking for. I held onto the thread of his emotions and followed it to his resting mind. He hadn't been asleep long. I dragged him deeper and allowed him to dream.

We were somewhere loud and crowded. A football game was playing on several screens around the room and as the crowd cheered, Toby was happy. I wiped the scene away with a thought, leaving only Toby and me standing in the middle of nothing. Plain white emptiness and silence surrounded us as he turned and saw me.

His mouth fell open and confusion filled him. "I...I don't, I mean I left, I didn't..." fear was beginning to take over some of the confusion.

"I know. I want to know why you were there, to begin with. Why would you want to hurt Mark?"

"I don't," he shook his head emphatically.

I knew he was telling the truth. "Then why were you with Richard?"

"I was just supposed to watch the door."

"Why would you do that?"

"I just want him to be my friend."

I felt sadness and disappointment take over his emotions and gave him a mental push to keep talking.

"I was tired of being nobody. I spent my entire life going through school with the same people. Most of them still had no idea who I was. Then, when I worked up the nerve to ask Clara out, I was known as Clara's boyfriend."

"And you didn't want to be her boyfriend?"

"I did! But what about when she realized I was a dork and dumped me? I'd be back to being no one."

"Maybe she liked who you were."

He scoffed, "Well, that doesn't matter now because I ruined it. She hates me. Now, if I don't do what Richard wants, he'll hate me too and he wouldn't just ignore me the way Clara does." He was disgusted with himself and embarrassed of who he'd become.

"If this isn't who you want to be, fix it. Human life is too short to spend it being someone you don't like. Be someone you can be proud of."

He stared at me silently and I could feel him contemplating my words. A sliver of hope broke through the gray cloud of his thoughts.

I stepped closer, "I think you have the potential to be a good person. Prove me right. If I have to come here again, it won't be a pleasant visit."

He gave me a shakey nod and I gave him back his dream. The crowd was there to watch football and Toby looked around in confusion. Before I left, I felt his mind settle into the scene around him.

Opening my eyes, I stretched and took a deep breath. That went well. Now, for Richard. I closed my eyes and tried to relax as I searched for him.

He was easier than Toby, his feelings were strong and uncomplicated. Anger and hate.

I thought about the way his hatred made my skin heat uncomfortably. The way the fog of rage that was his constant companion left a sour taste in the air. I found the string that connected us and followed it into his dream.

I was surrounded by color and sound, flashes of light. There was nothing substantial to hold onto, so I wiped it away the same way I had Toby's dream. Richard and I stood in a vast, soundless, nothing.

He turned toward me and his lip curled with dislike, "What do you want?"

"I want to be sure you'll stay away from my friends."

"I'll do whatever I want. You can't be around all the time," he looked surprised that he'd said that out loud.

"There's no lying here. The truth will come out whether you want it to or not."

"I'm afraid of you," his eyes widened and he jerked back from the truth that spilled from his mouth.

My answering smirk made him angrier. "I know. That's why I'm giving you this chance to change your mind. Leave Mark and everyone else alone. Be a better person."

He scoffed, "How would leaving that queer alone make me a better person? Someone needs to let him know we don't want him around."

"Who's we? What gives you the right to make that decision?"

"His own damn family doesn't even want him around!"

That was when I knew there was no reasoning with him. He felt like his hate was completely justified; righteous even. There wasn't a single decent or empathetic bone in his body.

"You enjoy making people nervous. What are you afraid of?"

He shook his head with contempt, "Why the hell would I answer that?"

"Tell me now," I pressured his mind to answer me and watched his eyes widen.

"I'm afraid of heights," he choked out through clenched teeth, trying to stop himself.

"Perfect," I grinned at how easy that was.

I decided on a setting from one of the movies Tate likes. A second later, Richard and I were standing on top of a sky scraper in a crowded city. Confusion and fear filled his mind as he tried to move toward the center on the roof, but I stopped him.

With my hand on his back, I pushed him toward the edge. The sound of the cars below was no more than a hum from this height. I shoved him forward until he was leaning over the side and could see the tiny people on the streets and sidewalks going about their day in his dream world.

"I tried to reason with you, but you don't know how to be reasonable. Fear and intimidation seem to be the only things you understand. Maybe this will convince you to leave my friends alone," I grabbed his wrist and lifted him into the air.

He screamed, "No!" As he tried to hold onto the edge of the building and it scrapped the skin on his forearm drawing blood.

His fear turned into terror as his feet left the ground and he began to panic. I stood on the ledge and dangled him out over the side. He reached for my arm trying to hang on, and smeared blood on my shirt. I almost felt bad for him.

I searched his mind and I wasn't surprised by what I found. He's never felt bad about any harm he's caused, so why should I care about him?

"If you bother anyone I care about again, I'll come back. Next time, I might not wake you."

I let go. As he fell, I felt the all consuming horror that filled him. A second before he could hit the ground, I said, "Wake, Richard."

I was in my bed, and the house was still quiet. With a deep breath, I opened my eyes and found Tate sitting on the top of my desk watching me with concern.

"I'm fine," I sighed.

"Physically, or mentally?"

"Both."

"There's blood on your shirt."

"It's not mine."

"Who were you with? How are they?"

"I visited Toby, first. He's fine. I don't think he's a bad person, he's just made some terrible choices recently."

Tate made a sound that meant he wasn't sure he agreed with that. "What about Richard?"

"He is a bad person, and he doesn't seem to want to change that."

"What did you say to him?"

"Talking wasn't working, so I dropped him from the top of a building."

Tate gasped and I rolled my eyes, "I woke him before he hit the ground. It was just a warning, I didn't mean for him to get hurt."

"But he was."

"Just a scrape on his forearm."

"How will you explain that?"

"I won't," I shrugged. "He's not going to ask me about his dream. Maybe it'll be enough to encourage him to treat people differently."

"Umm, I'll believe that when I see it." He stood from the desk, "I'm glad you're alright."

"You didn't have to check on me," I smiled at my friend.

"I was worried. Besides, it was time to get up anyway. We leave for our hike in thirty minutes," he grinned and left the room.

I looked at the window and groaned at the sunlight that was starting to stream in. Dream walking was exhausting and now I had to go on a hike with a group of emotional humans. At least Jolie would be there. I'd do anything if it meant spending the day with her.

Thank you for reading! 💜
My sweet friend _iheartcoffee_ wrote her first short story and it's awesome! Go to her page and check out the very quick read, The Field. I bet you won't see the twist coming!