This interview takes place some time in the two weeks following the events in Quickened. On a chair, scribbling notes on a yellow pad like she’d never have the opportunity again, a woman stopped her work for a brief instant, suddenly reminded that she wasn’t alone. Seated across her little coffee table in a black leather seat a young man not more than sixteen fiddled with the zipper on his jacket. He was a good looking kid, tall for his age, dark eyes and darker hair. Lines around his eyes and a web of red in his pupils hinted that he wasn’t getting enough sleep. “Is that why he’s here?” She asked herself, and made another note on her page. Finally ready she put down her pen and paper, noting that the young man wouldn’t make eye contact with her. She began as she always did.
Q: So tell me about yourself.
A: How long will this take? I’m not really into talking about my deepest feelings.
Q: It will take however long you would like it to take. Remember, these sessions are for you. So, being that this is your first time with me, please tell me a bit about yourself.
A: Shouldn’t I lay down on a couch or something?
Q: No, that is a bit of a cliché. You can remain in your chair. Now, about yourself?
A: All right. My name is Tommy Travers, I am six feet tall. I just turned fifteen a few weeks ago and oh yeah, every time I read a book I get sucked inside and become the main character.
Q: So you have a very vivid imagination. That is excellent.
A: I forgot to mention that I’m not an idiot either. I know you don’t believe me. I wouldn’t believe it either if it didn’t happen to me.
Q: So has this happened more than once?
A: Yes. It has happened several times. Does that matter?
Q: Well, I just want to figure out how often you have these, experiences. How about you tell me about the first time it happened.
A: Okay, I guess. It started the night of my fifteenth birthday. I was in my room trying to decide what to read. I guess you could say I’m obsessed with reading. Ever since my Dad disappeared when I was six I’ve pretty much spent all my time with my head buried in books.
Q: Very interesting. Now continue.
A: So like I was saying. I was in my room reading one minute, the next I was inside the World of Books.
Q: What exactly is the World of Books?
A: It’s what the Gifted call the place where stories really happen. It’s like a whole different world but just as real as our own.
Q: Okay.
A: My first book was about this primitive tribe of people who live on the plains and are friends with wolves. It was cool in a lot of ways until the battle.
Q: You were in a battle?
A: Yea, and it scared me enough to consider giving up reading altogether. See, I’ve read about hundreds of battles and secretly I kinda thought it would be cool to be in one. But when arrows are flying around you and people are trying to stab you it isn’t cool at all. It’s terrifying.
Q: I would imagine. So do you really believe this happened?
A: Of course I do, because it did. Take a look at my arm. See that?
Q: Yes, that’s a nasty scar. I suppose you got it in the Book World?
A: World of Books.
Q: Oh sorry, World of Books. So what happened in your next book?
A: Well in that book I became the leader of a group of travelers on a quest to seek the power of Midas.
Q: You mean King Midas?
A: Yes, although in my story he had long since died. But he left behind a gauntlet that could turn anything to gold. The only problem was that it had a curse. When we finally got the thing I didn’t know it was cursed or I never would have put it on. I certainly wouldn’t have brought it with me to our world although that was more of an accident. I didn’t even know you could bring anything from the World of Books to ours.
Q: So you brought the glove of Midas back with you?
A: Yeah I did, but like I said, it was an accident.
Q: Could I see it?
A: Well it kinda got stolen.
Q: Stolen? So where is it now?
A: Sorry, I can’t tell anyone where it is.
Q: You mentioned the Gifted. Who are they?
A: Well I’ve only met a few of them but they are part of a group that agrees to train those who are Quickened like me.
Q: Quickened?
A: That’s what they call it when the Gifted breach their first book.
Q: So why do you think you are here?
A: I don’t know really. I’m a pretty normal kid in spite of everything that has happened. I guess my mom was worried about the nightmares.
Q: Would you like to talk about your nightmares?
A: No.
Q: That is okay, perhaps another time.
A: Maybe. I’ve heard when you see somebody die it scars you for life.
Q: It will certainly affect you but I don’t know about scars. Eventually you’ll get over it as the memory fades. Who died?
A: I don’t want to talk about it.
Q: That’s fine. Maybe in our upcoming sessions you will feel more comfortable.
A: Maybe. So now that we’ve had a session what is your opinion of me? Am I nuts?
Q: Oh we don’t use terms like that. In technical terms I would say you suffer from paranoia and perhaps delusion stemming from a psychotic break.
A: So you’re saying I’m nuts.
Q: Yeah, pretty much.
Please click on the links below to find Quickened on the following formats.
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