"What's this one called?" Adriana pointed to the enormous golden colored pointed crystal.
"That's a citrine," the woman in the crystal shop answered and walked over. "Beautiful isn't it?"
"Yes," Adriana said and looked through the one of the transparent ares in the warm yellow stone. "I'm looking for a gift for a friend."
"A birthday gift?" the woman asked.
"Just a thank you gift," Adriana answered. "I think she would like this..she has other crystals. I didn't see one like this though."
"Crystals make lovely gifts of gratitude."
"How much is this one?"
"It's $1200."
"Perfect," Adriana answered, still feeling like she needed to get more for Sidi, even though she only met her once. She had done so much for her. "It looks really heavy."
"It's 14 pounds," the lady said as she walked away. "I'll get a box for you."
"Thanks!"
.
.
"This..really is something," Sidi said as she looked into the box and began to lift the crystal. "Ahh, a citrine."
She sat the massive crystal down with ease.
"You're very strong," Adriana said, watching how easy was for Sido to lift and move the crystal. "I was dying carrying that box."
"That's because you're too skinny," Sidi replied. "Citrine is good for this time of year, transitioning into winter."
"I didn't know that."
"Beautiful clarity..must have been expensive," Sidi said.
"I got a good price for it," Adriana added. "I wanted to get it to thank you, for what you did. I feel so much better."
"You're welcome," Sidi added admiring the stone. "But you know, it will not last forever."
"What do you mean?" Adriana asked with a bit of anxiety.
"The ritual was not done properly," Sidi said, still looking at the crystal. "The elixir I gave you should not be consumed at one time and not in the quantity you took. There were also other steps which we did not have the opportunity to complete. Have you noticed any changes so far from when you left here last?"
"Well," Adriana sat on the couch and tried to think. "When I first left here it was really hard for me to pick up anything without trying very hard..it's much easier now. But I can control it..I mean I can choose when to hear and see thoughts. I have to actually try to see them."
"So it's becoming easier," Sidi said and sat beside her.
"Yeah, I would say so.." Adriana answered. "I've been sleeping amazingly well, also."
"Your gift may revert to it's original strength at some point, and eventually grow most likely," Sidi said. "And in a different way. These things are unpredictable. Your gift could come back even stronger."
"Wait, what?" Adriana said. "No, no..No that cannot happen. Stronger... that's impossible!"
"Which is why you should have waited for my instructions instead of swallowing the elixir all at once," Sidi said in a reprimanding tone.
"I'm sorry.. I was desperate.." Adriana said looking down.
"I know," Sidi said. " Perhaps that was my fault. I should have divided the elixir instead of placing it all before you. We can fix it, but it will take a while."
"Fix it how? Another potion? I will listen to your instructions I promise..I will pay whatever you want..I just can't have it come back worse.." Adriana said struggling to see how hearing thoughts all day and night could get any worse.
"We can't do it now," Sidi said. "We must wait for some time before you can ingest it again. Also the harvesting season for the herbs is not for a few months. I am trying to get in touch with someone who may have more of what I need. Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't get sick or worse. A few of the herbs are poisonous when taken the way you ingested them."
"Seriously?" Adriana asked. "How long do you think it will be before things get worse.."
"If they do progress and you have more intense awareness of thoughts and memories.." Sidi said, touching her gold necklace lightly while thinking. "I would say it will be about one year."
"Oh," Adriana sighed. "That's enough time for me to wait for..whatever poisons are in there to clear my system I guess. What do those poisons do?"
"Some of them are cleansing..they can reduce the potency of any medications you take," Sidi said. "Other are just generally neuro-toxic. Which is why it is done slowly in combination with other things..unlike what you did. The binders I would have given you only work when taking at immediately after the elixir, but you passed out. Your breathing could have stopped, your blood pressure could have dropped..which I'm assuming it did because you fainted. Your pulse was fine though. After you fainted I could tell you were okay, you were just sleeping. You must have been exhausted to fall asleep at the first moment of quiet in your mind. Though, part of the reason why I wanted to you to follow along with that letter you had was because you would be going into a hospital. You seem fine though for now..we will wait and try again in the future."
"How long until we can try it again?" Adriana asked earnestly.
"I would say.." Sidi looked up. "In about three years."
"Three YEARS!"
"Yes," Sidi shrugged. "I am trying to be responsible here. I can secure the herb. It is dried and lasts for very long. But I would keep it on hand for you in case of emergency if we need to do it sooner."
"But you said in one year things could be worse than they were before."
"Yes," Sidi sighed. "Some of the things in those herbs will take years to clear from your body. I would only try earlier than three years if I thought your life was in danger from it.."
"From my abilities?" Adriana frowned. "How is that possible? I mean..other than contemplating suicide.."
"Things can happen," Sidi said seriously. "I have seen it. When I was child my mother helped a woman..similar to you. She could not only see and hear but feel..she would get welts on her body. From beatings that she never took. Another woman waking with fevers after having visions of being burned alive."
"I don't understand.." Adriana struggled. "She heard someone's thoughts about being beaten and-"
"This woman would not hear living people's thought's and memories," Sidi said sounding as if she wanted to end the discussion. "She lived in an area where there was slavery. She would wake from dreams of being whipped with bleeding lashes on her body. My mother had to help her when she was beaten so much that she could not move. Visions and memories of the dead."
"This isn't real," Adriana said. "Not possible. Dead people's memories?"
"I assure you it is," Sidi said. "I'm sorry but I must be honest with you. I doubt you will have anything like this happening to you. Gotham is a horrible city but if you stay away from people with a horrible past..you will likely be okay. Three years."
"This is horrifying."
"Don't be afraid," Sidi said. "If something like that happened we wouldn't let it go that far. If it ever did I would help you. We will eradicate your gifts before three years has passed if anything of the sort begins to happen."
"Alright," Adriana said and relaxed a bit.
"You need to eat," Sidi said. "You are bony. I'm making gumbo."