Page 106 of Switch!

“When you put it like that…” Trixie says with a wince. “Hmm.”

“Maybe I could plant the suggestion without making them do it. Like the thought will occur to them, but they’ll still be free to decide if they want to act on it.”

“Can you do that?”

“I’m not sure, but I’m willing to try.”

“Good! In that case, have them think about the importance of supporting the arts. Make them pay attention to my music first. Getting them to look up from their phones is half the battle. I’ll take it from there. What do you think?”

“You’re forgetting one crucial detail,” I say. “What do we do with Patrick? If I leave this body, he might go berserk and try hurting himself again.”

“Will he even notice while he’s in the black box?”

“He sure noticed when we opened the door to the spare room!”

“True, but there’s a reason that upsets him, even if we don’t understand it. Right now, we’re just chilling in the park. I think it’ll be more like what used to happen when you left your original body. With no one at the wheel, he’ll probably just fall asleep at his desk, so to speak.”

She could be right. Or she could be very wrong.

“We won’t know until you try,” Trixie says. “You can do it the old-fashioned way, if that helps. Stay here and wait until the next frat boy comes sauntering by. Try possessing him and see what happens. I’ll keep the music going so we’re still earning money, but I’ll also watch Patrick in case it gets weird.”

The prospect makes me nervous. And curious. Trixie resumes playing as I size up each person who passes by, and I realize just how brilliant she is. My reason for wanting to trade lives with another man has indeed changed. When a Latino guy and his girlfriend stop to listen, I don’t envy his relationship. What draws me to him is his tidy appearance. His shirt is pressed and his hair is immaculate. Even his shoes are spotless. Appearances can be deceiving, but he sure looks like someone who is in complete control of his life.

That’s the opposite of how I feel lately, so I close my eyes, slip into the void, and ignore the instinct to panic. Instead I will myself to see, and it works, but it also makes things more complicated, because I’msurroundedby light. It’s all around me, white and shimmering. When I notice the glowing outlines of two people—one orange, the other magenta—I recognize what must be the couple. I can already feel myself losing strength, so I choose the orange person and shoot toward them.

I feel impact, the world spins, and suddenly I’m watching Trixie from a new angle. I can’t quite see Patrick, so I assert control and make the man, Alexandro, turn his head slightly. Good thing I had Patrick slump down on the bench and brace his feet against the ground, because his chin is now resting on his chest, like he lost consciousness. Another point for Trixie. I’m curious to see if we can make it three in a row.

I release control back to Alexandro, who resumes watching Trixie while holding hands with his fiancé, as it turns out. I gather a little more background information on him. Then I think as loud as I can,I bet Silvia would like it if I gave that girl some money. Especially if it’s a bunch. Why not? She’s really good!

Alexandro fishes a twenty out of his wallet, making sure Silvia notices before he steps forward to place it in the case. Not bad! Happy with this result, I switch back. The music moves from in front of me to my left ear. I assert control and open Patrick’s eyes, just in time to see Silvia kiss her fiancé before they wander off. I catch Trixie’s eye and give her a thumbs up. At the end of another song, she comes bounding over to me.

“Keep it going!” she says after I tell her what happened. “Twenties are rare!”

“I thought you were after bigger fish,” I say, nodding to the restaurant across the way.

“You bet your ass I am,” Trixie says. “Let’s do this!”

We come up with a plan. Then we sit together on the bench and watch the restaurant, assessing each group of people as they leave.

“He’s way too young,” Trixie says, dismissing a prospect I felt confident about. “I bet he emptied his savings just to take her there. What about that one?”

“He’s skinnier than Patrick! I bet he only works there, or at most, went inside for a drink.”

“Can’t you pop into his head and check?”

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it from this distance. I couldn’t go far before, but that’s when I was still limited by my silver cord.”

“Might be worth finding out before the perfect victim shows up.”

“Don’t call them that,” I say with a nervous chuckle. “Let’s go with unsuspecting donor instead.”

She laughs, and I sit upright, because a man who just left the restaurant has an impressive belly and gray hair, two traits I associate with success, especially when paired with such a fancy suit. I swear I can see light gleaming off cufflinks and a showy watch. The woman he’s with is decades younger and gorgeous, the full-length dress tight against her body.

“I’m going in,” I say. “Start playing!”

Trixie hops to her feet. I stretch out on the bench, as if I’m taking a nap. When I return to the void and will myself to see, I notice something odd. The world across the street isn’t nearly as illuminated. I can see a decent collection of souls milling around in the darkness, each an undefined pillar of light from this distance, but compared to what’s behind me… I spin to face the park and am nearly blinded by the brightness. Oh! I’m seeing more than the life forces of other people. Everything that’s living has its own light! Even the plants. That’s fascinating, but I can already feel my energy ebbing, which freaks me out. Not wanting to die, I reorient and dart across the street, aiming for a large ball of energy with arms and legs. My vision is growing dimmer. I’m fearing that I’ll never reach it in time when…

Impact! The sound of nightlife returns to my ears, a dainty hand gripping my arm. I’m distracted by lights that are merely electric in nature—the lamps lining the street, the streaking red and white trails of vehicles that blow past me—all of them a blur. My name is Lou. I turn to my wife, my head spinning, and say, “We’d better take a cab.”