mindsc@pe Ch. 05

Lights dim as Jayce takes a noisy sip of Coke. 'Finally' he says, more out of habit than anything else. Bronwyn also takes a sip from her cup as some descriptive text rolls onto the screen. *The scene plays itself backwards through his mind, as he stands surrounded by the horrified faces of those unlucky enough to witness a man shot right between the eyes.*

And the scene does indeed play backwards in slow motion from the very moment his head is flung back, past the warning shot all the way back to him standing at the tills. The scene then slows to a stop, and reverses; playing in real-time and going forwards. One gunshot, then two; but as the second shot meets it's mark, the view becomes different. Now the camera is shooting from a higher angle, no longer from Jayce's point of view; instead up near the ceiling. It doesn''t take long to recognise the scene from the papers; this was the video footage of the incident.

The film continues for another few minutes as the events unfold; a misfiring weapon, the over-eagerness of Security and the eventual arrest of the gunman. Eventually the footage fades out and the credits roll to the tune of "Pumped Up Kicks" as sung by Nick Cave as the lights once again come back on.

The slowly brightening room brings Bronwyn's figure back into focus, her arms still crossed and her brow still furrowed. 'Well,' she starts, taking a deep breath 'I certainly think we have some things to talk about...' Bronwyn turns to Jayce, giving him a stern look.

'If it's about the trailer-'

'It's not just about the trailer.' She interrupts. 'It's... everything...' Bronwyn sighs as she stands 'Can we go somewhere for coffee? I really need some caffeine to think.'

Jayce smiles, grunting as he pulls himself out of his seat 'Sure, follow me.' Leaving the cinema, the two walk in silence; their footseps echoing down the empty halls, just barely audible over the instrumental score being pumped through the PA system. Making their way to the Foyer, Jayce sidles over to the candy bar, heading through the staff entrance to appear behind the counter dressed in the all-black uniform once more.

'How do you take it?' He asks, pulling some milk out of the fridge.

'Capp, light on the froth, heavy on the chocolate, no sugar.' Bronwyn recites the recipe for her perfect coffee as Jayce gets the ingedients ready. In no time he's already got the milk heating up and the grind in the grip; slotting it into the machine as he sets it to a double shot.

The boiler gurgles away happily as Jayce tries to strike up conversation. 'So... yeah. That's pretty much all I remember of the incident.' He flicks up the steam lever 'Plus the extra bit from the cameras; I kinda blacked out after the second gunshot.'

'I think I was more interested in those "trailers" of yours.'

Jayce smiles as he taps out the milk jug, creating a nice creamy froth in the process. 'Figured as much: go to see a movie and the pre-show entertainment is better.' He removes the takeaway mug from the machine and places it on the counter. Milk in one hand, chocolate shaker in the other; Jayce expertly pours them in precise proportion into the cardboard mug.

Finishing the drink with a flourish, Jayce hands the Cappuccino over to the brunette, a smiley face etched in froth staring up at her. She cocks an eyebrow as she takes a sip. Her expression falters as she takes another 'Not bad,' she lies; eagerly downing the hot beverage. 'Better than Clarissa's attempts.'

'It's all in the milk. Others, they burn it or make it too bubbly.' He pours the remaining milk into another cup, swirls it around and takes a sip, sighing at the taste. 'People always neglect the important things; you gotta pay attention and do it just right, or there's no reason to do it at all...'

'An interesting way to view life.'

'Life? I'm talking about coffee.' Jayce smiles, walking back through the staff entrance into the foyer. 'So?'

'SO...?' Bronwyn repeats, taking another sip.

'So, aren't you going to analyse me or something?'

'Or something.' Bronwyn smiles properly for the first time. 'This is completely new to me.' She gestures towards the entirety of the surrounding world 'Being here, inside someone's mind; it's... so... different.' She turns to stop at the exit, a road leading off into a field in the distance visible through the glass doors. Bronwyn faces Jayce as he comes to a stop only a couple of feet away. 'Normally I have to guess what's going on inside a person's head, but here I can ask and you can just show me.'

'I think there are some things better off left unseen.' Jayce comments, a worried look on his face.

'I don't doubt that, but my agreement with the hospital says otherwise; not specifically of course, but I have to give you a full evaluation. So if I ask you something, I need you to be completely honest and help me as best as possible.' Bronwyn finishes the coffee and tosses it towards the bin, landing the shot with a netballer's precision. 'Will you agree to that?'

Jayce looks her dead in the eye, trying to see if Bronwyn really means what she says. 'Okay.' He says, resigned to her determination. 'But I have to prepare you properly for some of the darker places.'

'As long as you let me know if you're going to turn "Path" on me.' she says, referring to the creepy trailer from earlier.

Jayce sighs. 'A friend of mine was having a dream about being raped, I tried to shake her awake and instead got sucked in.' He walks past the Doctor and through the exit, holding the door for her. 'Whomever's mind is being used as the "stage" is the person in control of everything, but sometimes the subconscious can be more powerful. I was placed in the body of the rapist...'

'You, you were raping your friend in her own dream?' Bronwyn says in open-mouthed astonishment. 'Couldn't you stop?'

Jayce wipes away a solemn tear rolling down his cheek. 'No. I couldn't.; Both figures through the doorway, Jayce lets go and continues to walk down the path; the sky seeming to darken the further from the cinema they get. 'It wasn't good; I screamed and screamed, but nobody heard me. I had to endure the whole thing. I think I made her wake up when I-He came.'

'YOU came?' a brief look of revulsion flashed across Bronwyn's face.

'I felt everything that fucker did.' Jayce spits the words out, disgusted by the notion of feeling pleasure at someone else's pain. The landscape had progressed past the sunless-sunset and into night, stars made of thought glitter in the sky; the figures lit as though a full moon were out. 'I wished so hard to leave, but she wouldn't let me.' He whirs around to face the Doctor. 'Maybe- Maybe she knew I was there and wanted me to see everything?'

'Jayce...'

'What if she knew I could see and thought maybe I would do something?'

'Jayce...'

'What-' He stammered mid thought, his eyes darting back and forth looking for the rest of it 'What if I'm supposed to help her?'

'Jayce!' Bronwyn's subconscious takes over momentarily and slaps him. Immediately recoiling and stifling her compulsion to say "Sorry", the redhead regains her composure as the sky bursts into daylight again. 'You are not some superhero. This-' she grabs the sides of his head, facing his hysterical stare in her direction, '-is a Gift. But that does not mean you should share it with others.'

Jayce looks at her, then down at the ground. 'I just...yeah...'

Bronwyn looks over the deflated man, removing her hands from the sullen figure. 'I think perhaps this is enough for today.'

Jayce holds out his hand palm up 'Okay' he mumbles as she meets his touch, the world exploding into light as their forms touch.

Blinking awake the two find themselves once again sitting in chairs in the doctor's office. Bronwyn takes a quick glance at her clock; no discernable time had passed at all.

Jayce looks a little dishevelled as he stands. 'When should I come back?' he asks, sighing as he pushes the chair back to where he grabbed it.

'No need to be a sad sack,' the Doctor says, rising as well. 'I just think it was getting a little intense, thought we could both do with a little bit of the real world.' She tries to smile comfortingly, but Jayce grins and nods, ignoring it. 'How about next week on Wednesday, same time?'

'Sounds good.' Jayce says politely as he pulls his wallet out, looking for the green medicare card for the office lady outside.

'And Jayce,' He turns around at the unfinished statement, met by an outstretched arm; the hand at the end of it holding a business card with a phone number scrawled on the back. 'If you ever need someone to talk to, give me a call.' He looks at the card suspiciously. Bronwyn sighs, stepping forward to put the card in his shirts chest pocket. 'Just in case.'

'Thanks.' Jayce says as he nods to the redhead, turning to leave and closing the door gently behind him. The receptionist looks at the clock, back to him, then once again to the clock. Shrugging she takes his Medicare card and begins the paperwork.