Moon Mirror Read Free Page A

hour.
    It was so quiet and then came the soft whirr of a fan. Miss Carmichael must have turned that on. Sue tried to think. She had to get away, only she was so sick she felt as if she could not stand up.
    “Drink this, dear.” Miss Carmichael was back with a paper cup of water. Sue drank. She must get up, go— There was the bus—only now the walk to the station loomed in her mind as an endless journey.
    Miss Carmichael sat down in her own chair behind the desk which was so covered with piles of papers, books and magazines that these formed a wall between them. Only Miss Carmichael's direct gaze, her obvious concern breached that wall.

    “Can you talk about it, Sue?” She was not demanding an explanation, she was offering to listen. Sue understood that. But if Sue told her the truth—how quickly would Miss Carmichael change?
    Words choked her, she felt so under pressure she had to talk. Well, why not say the truth? Learn right now what would happen to her when she told?
    “I'm—I'm going crazy!” She blurted it out.
    However there was no change in Miss Carmichael's expression. She did not look afraid, or lose that concern which reached Sue.
    “Why do you think so, Sue?” Her composure had a calming effect. Sue straightened a little.
    “Because—” Then, as if she could no longer contain her fear and misery, it all spilled out. The accident, the headaches, that terrible time in the park, and what she had seen when she picked up the harness.
    “It's all wrong,” she almost wailed. “I never saw a cat the that way, I don't even know anyone who has a Siamese! So you see—I must be going crazy. And I've got to get away. Crazy people do terrible things. I might even—even try to hurt Jerry, or Mom, or Dad—”
    “Sue,” Miss Carmichael's saying her name in that tone was like a quieting hand laid upon her lips. “Listen to me. You are not in the least insane.”
    “But the cat—and being out of my body—and—”
    “Listen to me carefully, Sue. Have you ever heard of psychometry?”

    “You mean—like sending me to a psychologist? See, you do think I am crazy!”
    “Not at all, my dear. Now try to use that good brain you do have and listen to me instead of your own fears. Over the past years men have begun to realize that there are indeed talents which can not be measured by the usual standards— paranormal gifts. Psychometry is one of these. Sometimes people are born with such talents. At other times these suddenly develop as the result of illness or injury. It is very true that we use only a small portion of our brains, as if sections are closed off from our control. Illness or injury apparently can break down the barriers between these closed sections. Can you understand me?”
    Sue stared at her. “You mean—because I was hit on the head and then had all those headaches—that opened some part of my mind which didn't work before? But why me?”
    For the first time Miss Carmichael smiled. “I imagine that particular question has been asked a good many times, Sue. And there is no answer one can give. But now I want you to know this—neither experience you have had (and that those were very frightening for you I can well understand) is unknown. The sensation of being out of the body, able to look down on one's self has been reported many times. And psychometry—the ‘reading’ of the past history of an object —is relatively common. What you must do is understand fully what has happened to you and learn how to use and control your talent.”
    “But—how can I be sure—?”

    “There are ways of making sure. For the moment you can take refuge in this thought—you are not alone, there are others with the same abilities. Now,” she opened the desk drawer, took out a booklet, and flipped over its pages. “There are tests for such talents. You must remember, Sue, that those who develop these gifts are not to use them foolishly, and, if they are not taught how to control them, they face many