Veil

"Katie, please don't..." Jason's words aren't meant to be harsh, but the lifelessness creates a cool edge as he prevents himself from feeling the sorrow of seeing her distraught.

"I can't do this....not here, not now..." His eyes plead with her.

Struggling, his barrier weakens for a single instant, pain shooting through his heart. But he looks away, breaking his stare to regain control. Reestablishing eye contact after a moment, he cocks his head and moves the fingers of his other hand up a little bit on the glass. "Don't cry..."

Looking deeper into Katie's eyes, he lingers, slowly drawing out a single emotion of warm happiness that emits from seeing her. The corner of his mouth upturns into a gentle, yet subtle smile, conveying that he only wishes he could reach over and wipe away her tear.
To anyone else, it would seem to be the only emotion present, establishing the false assumption that there was nothing else. But to the only one who can see past his efforts, it's but a translucent veil, unable to hide the barrier that lies beneath. The warmth is true...its existence is real...but it cannot make up for what is hidden beneath, kept from view.

Jason knows that his single chosen feeling brings little comfort to someone that knows him so well. But it's all he can offer. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

"Stevenson!"

He turns his head at the guard's sharp call, throwing him a scowl. "What?"

"Out." The guard thumbs to the door.

Jason's eyes widen in irritated surprise. "What happened to an hour?"

"The warden wants to see you about this morning. Now."

Jason looks back to Katie, then back to the guard. "He can wait."

"Now, Stevenson." The guard steps forward, threatening to wield his nightstick.

There was no point in arguing. But Jason couldn't help his disgust. It wasn't his fault Zane had ducked and his fist had landed on that other guard. He returns his gaze to Katie. "I have to go." He lets his fingers remain on glass for just a moment longer before standing. There was nothing more he could do, and he starts to back away. "Live your life, Katie...don't let me stop you."

The guard takes him by the shoulder and forces him around to walk to the door. But before exiting, he throws one last glance over his shoulder, his dim eyes the last thing Katie can see as he disappears from view.


Carson wakes with such a violent start that he sits bolt upright, his heart racing. He'd fallen asleep on Misty's couch, planning to rise and go to the fair with her in just a couple hours. But he hadn't had a nightmare like that in over a month. He leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees, rubbing his hands over his face and trying to shake it off.


"Dang it, Con!"

Con cringes at Leonard's reprimand, suppressing the urge to use force. "Look, it wasn't my fault!" he defends. "Carrie left those palettes there, not me."

"But who's standing here now?" Leonard puts one hand on his hip while pointing with the other. "Get it cleaned up."

Con grits his teeth, fighting to keep his cool. He opts to say no more, and turns around to pick up the stack that had toppled over because they hadn't been put in the corner properly. He had just been on his way out to meet Jamie for a late lunch...now he'd be here for another twenty minutes. His cell phone was dead, and he couldn't call her from work until he'd finished this task... Great.