Page 149 of Into the Mist (Into the Mist 1)

Karen nodded. “Yes, even though they didn’t have any prayer paper.” She drew a deep breath and continued. “And it happened two more times. One was when Gemma was healing Mercury. Both of them glowed green—the same color as the fog.”

“Oh! Sorry to interrupt, but that just reminded me,” Mercury said. “Gemma, your eyes were green after you healed me.”

Gemma pointed to her eyes. “They’re always green.”

Mercury grinned. “No, not your normal greenish eyes. They were emerald—just like the fog.”

“Huh,” said Gemma.

“When was the second time?” Stella asked Karen.

“It was while Mercury and Gemma and Stella were dancing in the rain.” Karen’s eyes widened and she hastily added, “I wasn’t, like the kids would say, creeping on them. I was just watching the rain. Then something bright caught my eye. I could barely see the three of you through the trees, but as you twirled and danced, green light glowed all around your feet.”

“But the wildflowers were yellow and purple and orange, not green,” said Gemma.

Mercury smiled at Karen, “She wasn’t seeing the flowers. She was seeing whatever it is that gives us the ability to make them grow.”

Stella clapped her hands and grinned. “Mercury’s correct. Ladies and gentleman, Karen has been changed by the green fog. She can see the energy of the spirit realm. That’s really all our spirits, our souls, are—energy. Congrats, Karen.”

“But my blood doesn’t make anything grow,” Karen said.

“Well, it didn’t,” said Gemma. The teenager got up and went to the neat pile of clean dishes they’d stowed in a natural ledge of the curving cave wall and grabbed a knife. Then she took an apple from a brown bag full of them and returned to Karen. “Here ya go. Test your blood now and let’s see what happens.”

Karen handed her the wine bottle and shakily cut herself below her thumb. She smeared some blood on the apple and then held her hand out to Gemma. “I’ll take the wine again, please.”

They didn’t speak as they passed around two bottles of the excellent cabernet and stared at the apple.

Nothing happened.

Karen blew out a long breath. “Well, it seems I still can’t make things grow.”

“But it’s undeniable that you’re seeing spirit energy,” said Stella.

“I just don’t understand.” Karen looked at them helplessly.

“None of us really do,” said Mercury.

“There are no rules to follow for what’s happening,” said Ford. “I think all we can do is to accept that we don’t know the extent of how and why any of you have changed.”

Stella nodded. “Or at least not yet we don’t.”

“Oh Lord.” Karen looked dazed. “What do I do now?”

“About what?” Mercury asked.

Karen’s face was red and blotchy. She pointed at herself and grimaced. “This! Who I am now!”

Stella met Karen’s panicked gaze. “You have the same choice the rest of us have. You can accept the changes or let them frighten and repulse you, so you’ll be miserable for the rest of your life.”

“Not to mention the fact that you’ll never reach your full potential,” added Ford.

Gemma sighed, “I sure hope there’s another choice.”

Mercury sipped from the bottle of wine before she nodded and said, “Oh, there definitely is.” She turned to face Karen. “You can accept yourself for who you truly are, without judgment—and appreciate your uniqueness—and also practice being kind to yourself and others for the rest of your life.”

Karen nodded and then slowly said, “I can see the spirit world.”

“Here,” Imani handed Karen a tightly rolled joint. “This’ll help.”