Evelyn woke up on the couch at Tommy’s house. It wasn’t a restful sleep. In fact, even though a dim, diluted sun shone through the window, she felt just as exhausted as she had when she had decided to try to get some sleep.
At least that much was going for her. In this alternate plane, at least she could actually sleep. If she had shared Tommy’s consciousness, all she’d be doing was simply a deep-dive into his psyche while he slept. Either that, or she’d get kicked out of his mind altogether.
Psychic connection was often unpredictable.
She sat up and looked around at the dank and depressing house. There were still remnants of a once-happy family. Photos around told stories of the past: a mother and a father. A happy and joyful Tommy as a child. The wall contained a growth chart for him at each birthday, with dates and measurements penciled on plaster.
It was sad to see how far a family could deteriorate over time. Worse was the fact that until the psychic connection, Evelyn had no idea that this was the life that Tommy lived. She made a vow to herself that if she ever got out of this that she was going to pay more attention to the people around her.
The bedroom door opened and Tommy shuffled out. His hair was matted in places and standing up in others. He wore wrinkled pajamas that seemed frayed at the seams. He disappeared into the bathroom, and only the faintest sign of the phantom trailed behind him.
Even without Hecate’s magic, this is a terrible existence, she thought to herself. All alone. No family. No friends. Evelyn wished that she could let him know that she was there somehow. If, for no other reason, than to let him know that he wasn’t alone.
After Tommy emerged from the bathroom, he went into the kitchen and fixed himself some toast. There was a sluggishness about him that struck Evelyn as more than just early-morning grogginess. It was as if his very spirit was slowly dying. His will to live was withering away.
In fact, Evelyn felt the same hopelessness in herself. She did her best to fight off the unwanted thoughts, but still they persisted. She feared that the longer she spent in this alternate plane—subjected to the phantom tormenting Tommy and being helpless to do anything about it—that she would lose herself as well. And, as more time passed, that’s exactly how she felt.