Me with my broken arm, and Freck with her leg snapped in three places was bound ta set tongues a waggin' in Burns. We went away on summer vacation with Mizzus Anderton and came back all busted up. I wondered how we were goin' ta 'splaine this without causing her a problem. Daddy fixed it. He said our injuries were 'cuz of a train accident. He tol' ever'bodythat it was a miracle Mizzus Anderton escaped intact. It was a right good thing too 'cuz she was a hero, helpin' other passengers ta safety after takin' care of us. Mr. Ashe, publisher of the Burns Gazette, interviewed her personally. The very next edition included her photo and a headline on the front page saying Our Hero Emma Anderton. Our unusual transparent casts were explained away as some new medical advances in Belgium.

The only other problem is that we haven't actually been ta any of the places like the United Kingdom, France, or Belgium. Gee helped us with that. He coached us just like he did for spelunkin'. In less than a week we had a passable knowledge, just in case we was asked uncomfortable questions 'bout our trip. We sure as heck couldn't say nothin' 'bout goin' down inta Mammoth Caves lookin' for Hollow Earth. They'd think were we were kooky, crazy, nuts, soft in the head, all rolled up in superglue and dunked in sassafras.

The parents decided that we wouldn't go back to the Kingdom this summer. Normally being laid up would be dull as a basket of dead caterpillars. Not this summer. We kept up our meditations. We practiced mind-readin' so hard our heads hurt. We didn't have to be together for meditation, but like Ren told us 'bout mind-readin' it's better if yer close. As distance increases there's interference by universal mental clutter.

We talked ta Gee ever'day. The trouble that caused him to mind-mesh with the council warn't as urgent now. But he said that it was still volatile and could flare up at any moment. There was a couple of small earth quakes accompanied by the mysterious purple/green streaks in the sky. The Keepers were astro-projectin' themselves inta other in-worlds for lookin' for answers.

It was decided that for the time bein', Gee should stay in mind-connection with us. Our trainin' was deemed the top priority. They keep tellin' we's special and that our yet to be released abilities was needed Topside, and also in the Kingdom. We accepted it, even though we didn't understand it. If both worlds needed our help we was goin' ta do what we could.

Freck asked Gee, "Wishes and I are tryin' real hard to get this mind readin' skill down and Ren said we was very close. What else do we need ta do?"

Gee's answer was, "Stop trying."

"Stop tryin'?"

"Yes. Stop. You cannot force it. You will only be able to achieve it with perfect harmony of body, mind, and soul. That is why you are doing two hours of daily meditation. When it comes it will not be in a dramatic way. It will be as gentle as a downy feather."

So we stopped tryin'. A week later I plainly heard Freck say, "I suppose I'll read somethin'. Maybe a good adventure story."

I mind-spoke to her, "Why did ya tell me that?"

"What?" She asked.

"Why did ya say you wanted ta read a book?"

"I didn't say that." She sounded a bit miffed.

"Did ya think it?"

"Yes I did! Wishes can ya tell what I'm thinkin' now?"

"Yer thinkin' that it's too warm outside for peddle pushers and yer goin' ta change inta shorts."

"That's right. Ya think of sumpin' now and I'll see if I can read yer thoughts too."

"I see yer lookin' at yer baseball mitt, and bat, and wonderin' if there's a game goin' on at the park." Am I right?

"Yer right as rain!" We did it. Without even meanin' ta we learned how ta read each other's thoughts. I was so 'cited that I ran over ta her house. I crashed. through her front door and shouted, "We did it! We cracked the barrier."

She would've been jumpin' for joy if it warn't for her leg still bein' in the cast. The look on her face did all the joy jumpin' for her. We spent the rest of the afternoon thinkin' thoughts and askin' each other if'n we was right. We had it. At least, we could read each other. We decided ta see if we could do it with our daddies when they got home.

We let Gee know. I think he was even happier than we were. He kept throwin' out words like, "Amazing, incredible, super, thrilling!" I could just imagine him cuttin' donuts 'round Grandma Chrys' big white couch. Sometimes it is easy ta forget that he's just a great big playful 'ol salamander. He's prob'ly the smartest being in the whole universe, but you'd never know it when he's playin'.

When my daddy come home from workin' at the garage I didn't tell him at first. I tuned into his thoughts and ya know what? He sounded the same from inside his head to outside. Thinkin' is just like talkin' ta ourselves.

Daddy sat down ta remove his shoes. He didn't look happy. I heard, "Next time that old biddy comes in I'm goin' ta tell her ta go somewheres else."

"What old biddy are you talkin' 'bout Daddy?" I grinned as I said it.

"Mizzus, dumb as a bag of hammers, Rogan." He paused. Looked at me. Shook his head a little, and looked again. It was all I could do ta keep from snortin' through my nose. "Did you just . . . naw . . . maybe . . . did I just say, out loud, what I was thinkin'?"

"No you didn't Daddy. I can read minds," I said proudly. "Freck can too!"

"Well imagine that...my son readin' minds just like a Keeper in the palace. I couldn't be more surprised than if a lamb bit me!"

Then we both split a gut. I don't believe that we've laughed that hard since I was little. Daddy used ta pretend to be the giant who lived way up in the clouds. I was Jack who grew a magic beanstalk so tall it reached all the way inta those clouds. I climbed the beanstalk. Sittin' on top of the clouds was the giant's castle. I slipped in through a crack in the door. Daddy, the giant, sniffed the air and growled, "Fee, fie, foe, fum. I smell's the blood of an Englishman." Then he'd stomp around lookin' for me behind couch cushions, inside drawers, and under chairs. He pretended he could never find me on account I was so little. After tuckerin' himself out in a fruitless search, he'd sit down and snored real loud like he was asleep. That's when I'd climb up onta his lap. All of a sudden-like he would open his eyes, wrap his giant arms around me, and give me the biggest hugs and kisses anyone ever got. Then he'd tickle me and we  would laugh to beat the band.

"This is great news. I couldn't be happier for ya. Have ya told yer Momma?"

"I was waitin' ta make sure I could do it with more people, not just between me and Freck. She's testin' it out on her daddy too. We did tell Gee though, seein' how's he's our teacher and all."

"Of course. Let's contact her right now."

I sent out a mind-signal askin' if she could talk then. She said she was in a good place. "Me and Daddy want ta tell ya sumpin'."

"You have my full attention. What is it son?"

"Momma, Freck and I learned to mind-read today!"

She couldn't contain her excitement. It sounded like she was doin' loop-the-loops or back flips. "You aren't flying right now are you Momma?"

"Not now," She said, "but I feel like going down to the solvers docks, climbing into a flutter-by, and spreading the word all over the Kingdom! My son,Wishes, has set a record in learning to mind read!"

"You should tell them 'bout Freck too."

"Of course I will, but right now all I can think about is you."

◽️◽️◽️

Lucky for mind-readers like me and Freck, we ain't comstantly bombarded with everyone's thoughts. Mind-reading takes concentration. We have been practicin' every day now and have learned a thing or two. Some minds are so jumbled you couldn't get anythin' outta them. Others don't seem to have no thoughts at all. Some are so filled with hate that ya feel like takin' a bath after. The best ones are those who are genuinely happy. It's fun ta read their thoughts.

Then there are those who speak in different languages. It don't do any good ta read their minds if'n ya cain't understand 'em.

I mind-spoke to Gee, "Now that we's learned ta mind read what's next?"

All was quiet. Nothin'. No response from Gee. Oh, oh. He must'a been called back into a Keepers Council mind-mesh. That meant sumpthin' big was goin' on. A second later I was knocked ta the ground. It felt like the world was a speedin' freight train that ran smack-dab inta an elephant-sized boulder. Slam! All forward motion stopped sudden-like for a millisecond. Then the recoil. Everythin' went backward. Then forward. It was quick, real quick, but sharp like a whack on the head with a big stick.

I went ta the front door and tried ta step out onta the porch. Our poor old porch had pulled away from the house. It was tilted at a crazy angle. I had ta kinda leap from the doorway ta grab the rail just ta keep from slidin' down it. I carefully inched my foot over the steps which seemed okay at the moment. I stood outside on the lawn and looked up and down Elm Street. Most of the old crooked trees had fallen down. The road was rippled like some giant squeezebox. Freck was outside doin' the same thing. Neither of us had ta say anything'. By the look on her face, eyes wide open, eyebrows arched, her left hand on her head, I could tell that her mind was swirlin' a hundred miles an hour tryin' ta find her balance. Mine was too. I was too shocked to even know what ta think.

It was mid-afternoon. The grownups were at work. I hollered, "Freck" . . .she didn't hear me I guess. "Freck, are you all right?" I said as I picked my way over the chunked up sidewalk, avoiding holes caused by fallen trees, and roots trying to reach out and snag me. "Freck?" She was dazed. Kind of with us, kind of not.

I had the thought, at least she can move better now the darn cast is off.

In a chocked whimper she said, "Wishes . . . what . . . what happened? Was it an earthquake?"

All I could do was shake my head and shrug. I didn't know. Freck started to cry. There was only one thing to do. I put my arms around her, held her, and let her sob it out. I tried to reach Gee again. Nothin'. Gee and I can usually connect wherever we are. Not now. "Momma, can you hear me?"

To my surprise she said out loud, "Here I am." I whipped my head 'round and there she was standin' full-size right b'side us. It looked like an angel come to save us. I was so relived that I cried. Momma held out her ams ta pull us inta the safety of a mother's lovin' hug. After a bit we sat down on the ground. We gave ourselves some time ta get centered. When emotions take over ya cain't think worth a darn. It's best to let 'em settle b'fore gettin' up and doin' anythin'; otherwise ya'd look like a scared chicken runnin' this a way and that.

For awhile everythin' was quiet as the grave. Mothers holdin' babies and kids came out of their houses to see what was goin' on. Even little kids was shocked at the carnage. Everyone, as far as I could tell, was tharned. Tharned is a word I picked up from readin' "Watership Down."

Momma said, "We have work to do. Now that you two can mind-read we need to patrol the area to see if we connect with anyone who might be hurt or trapped indoors. It will be awhile before any emergency help can come. It is up to us to do what we can."