Lance hadn't eaten in ten or eleven hours, and his body burned who knows how much energy during the metamorphosis. He said, “Dang, I'm hungry. McCain mentioned food, I think that’s our next stop.”
Stephanie looked up at him. “Me too. We probably haven't eaten a full meal in twelve hours or more. Not that I've been that active for most of it.”
“Sure you have, your body gained muscle from the change. Not a lot, and it didn't seem to change your body shape much, but I could see the effect a little on your biceps right after the explosion. Your skin didn't split or anything from such dramatic muscle additions as mine did though.”
“Hmm, I can barely see a change.”
“That's okay, you look better without being a muscled brute. The one serious physical change I can see is your hair, and that looks beautiful.”
“You’re mom’s a brick, and she’s beautiful, Lance.”
“Well, she’s in great shape. Huh, now that I think about it, you’re probably right. Whatever, you look good a little softer.”
With other people further away, Stephanie could hear his mental voice clearly, he thought exactly what he said. He also had a very clear picture of her in his mind as he looked at her. Hey, I'm my own lie detector now. That, and I have a mirror anytime I'm near someone else if I can get their attention on me. How funny would that look, stare at someone to adjust my lipstick. That'd be a humorous sight. She giggled at her own joke. Lance smiled in return. He was happy that she'd recovered from whatever put her in such an odd state in the lobby.
Outside the building, they looked around for Rael. Stephanie called out, “Rael!”
Rael stopped. He heard Stephanie call his name in the distance. Why am I several buildings away from the hospital? I wanted to get away from Stephanie, but oddly enough, I don’t feel the urge now.
He heard her call, “Rael, come here!” He looked around, he couldn't see her. Where is she? She shouldn't sound this near without being seen.
Rael jogged back toward the hospital. After a number of seconds, he saw Lance standing framed in the light of the entryway to the hospital. He looked like a behemoth holding a wisp of a little girl.
He quickly returned to them. Lance marveled at the speed Rael had just jogged through the parking lot. Rael said, “Sorry about that, I just felt this ... need ... to get away from Stephanie. I don't know why.”
Lance replied, “Everyone apparently did. Almost the entire room cleared away from us. It's like someone dropped a horrible gas bomb. And no, I didn't.”
Rael said, “No, it was to get away from her. Just her. That's the strangest thing. Did you try to do something, Steph?”
“No. Well, maybe.” Crud. How do I tell them I wanted everyone to get away from me because I could hear and see what they were all thinking, without coming out and saying that?
“I, uh, was thinking. Crap, how do I explain this?” Better yet, how do I NOT explain this to them?
Rael was watching her closely. That's her face for coming up with something creative. She doesn't want to tell us what she's thinking.
He sighed. “It's okay if you are afraid to bring something up. I trust you, well, barring the running away from you thing.”
Lance studied her face as well. Rael's right, she doesn't want to talk about it. “Let's get back to the house and tickle it out of her.”
Rael understands I don't want to talk about it, but Lance is disappointed I don't trust him enough. Damn it, that's not my intent.
“Listen, being in the crowd felt ... wrong to me. I couldn't think. All I wanted was for everyone to get away from me. I didn't mean for you two, but I couldn't concentrate.”
That seemed to satisfy both of the guys.
Rael said, “My car is over here. I put it near another entrance thinking I'd be breaking one or both of you out of there.”
Stephanie laughed and asked, “Paranoid much?”
“No, well, maybe. But I'd just seen them load the two of you into separate squad cars while unconscious. This was apparently after you guys leapt half a mile.”
He led them to the car, and they arrived quickly. Stephanie thought, I wonder if Rael is going to mention the change of clothing.
Lance set Stephanie down, opened the passenger door for her, and climbed in the back seat. Rael's car shifted noticeably at the weight. “Let’s swing by an oriental takeout place on the way home. We can eat back at the house.”
Rael stared at him a moment, wondering why the car would shift so much at once person getting in.
Rael drove to a nearby restaurant, picked up a variety of meals, and returned home to the house he shared with Lance. He didn't mention the clothing.
Lanced stopped at the entryway to the house. “Strange, the doorway is smaller. Or I've gotten taller.”
Rael looked at him. “You're right; you used to be able to just walk under a doorway without a problem. Now you'll clip it. Better be extra careful for a while. If you are armored and super strong, a few accidents might give us a bunch of damaged doorways as you bang your head everywhere.”
Stephanie glanced at the trunk as she left the car, looked at her two friends, and shrugged. She would see how far Rael went with this.
Chapter 15 – When Mind Meets Matter
Stephanie’s Perspective