See, there’s something else I haven’t told Roe yet. Last night when he left for his shower I came out of the water and went Under. I was holding a towel and that went invisible too. It only lasted about five minutes, but it made me realize something amazing: when I’m fully saturated I can make things invisible. Which means he won’t be able to see me either.
Insert evil laugh here.
I turn on the tub and lie down. The water fills around me. I go Under and feel my body absorbing the moisture. I’m a sponge. Even if I can’t do anything more than freak out Roe, this will be worth the wait. Once the tub is full, I completely submerge myself. I go invisible even to my own eyes. No hazy outline, nothing. I watch myself disappear.
I lie there for a minute longer and when I look around me, the tub is half full. Apparently, I’m an optimist. I know I’ve left Roe way too long, so I hurry out. The extra droplets soak into my skin. They evaporate into nothing.
“Incredible,” I whisper.
I make sure my hair isn’t dripping too much, though I do feel it running down my back a little. I imagine it’s being absorbed too. With a glance over my shoulder, I tiptoe out of the bathroom to make sure I’m not leaving a trail, but it’s clear my body has absorbed any extra moisture. How long does this mean I can stay Under? Just when things are looking up, another obstacle. The door to the room is closed.
Shit.
At that moment a cackle of obnoxious laughter meets my ears. I use that as my opportunity to open the door and slip in. The breath I’ve been holding whooshes out when I see the room is barely lit and nobody registers my arrival. They’re too busy glaring at the laughing Viktor. The men are all crowded around the table, jaws hanging open. Except Roe, who has angry eyebrows, and Zebulund looks like he’s about to whip out a .45 to cap Viktor.
I creep past Roe but he doesn’t see me. I wave a hand right in front of him. His gaze flicks to each person around him but never on me. Ha! This is too amazing.
There’s a gap between Viktor, who’s still leaning back laughing, and the lawyer guy, Craig, who’s leaning to the other side, covering his mouth. I slip between them and grab the planchette.
The piece dances around but nobody notices because they’re all so focused elsewhere. Roe starts to speak, always the peacekeeper. I blow softly on Craig’s face. He pulls back and his eyes drift down. I can pinpoint the second he sees my actions because his entire body stiffens and the color leaves his face.
“What the fuck?” Roe stares at the board.
A second later all the men fixate on the board with similar masks of horror and confusion. I scramble the piece around a little and bring it to the bottom. Maybe they’ll understand that I’m trying to say something.
“Don’t touch it,” Roe says. “She’s here.”
“Like I’d fucking touch that,” Craig whispers.
“Jesus.” Kyle runs a hand over his goatee.
Viktor looks like he’s seconds from throwing up. None of them move toward me.
The planchette slides to the first letter. “Y.” I have to sort of flick the piece jerkily, to avoid it disappearing with me. I can’t control that yet.
“Y,” Roe says. Then, “O,” “U,” “R” and “E.”
I still for a moment.
“You’re,” Viktor croaks unnecessarily. He’s far from laughter now.
I glance up at Zebulund. He’s stock still as sweat drips down the back of his buzzed hair into the soaked collar of his dress shirt.
“N,” Roe continues to translate as I move the piece. “E,X,T.”
I freeze again.
“You’re next,” Kyle says.
“Who?” Viktor asks.
Roe’s focused on me now. I give him a questioning look. Am I visible to him now?
“I can see her.” He points to where I’m standing.
So, that’s a yes.
All heads whip toward me but none of them see me, so their gazes go back to the table. So what was that? Maybe five minutes of being totally invisible, even to Roe. I rest my hand fully on the game piece but it doesn’t go Under with me. Any of the clear feeling the tub gave me is already starting to wear off.
