Read Thirst No. 5 for Free Online Page B

woman has the patience of an Easter Island stone head.
    “John warned Seymour and Matt to stay away from the game,” Paula says when I’m finished.
    “Did he speak to Matt directly?”
    “Yes. I was there. Why does Matt keep playing it?”
    “What can I say? He’s determined to beat it.”
    “Matt can’t beat the game. Nobody can.”
    “John acts like he can. Your son plays it half the day.”
    “You know John has his own reasons for doing what he does. I don’t even ask him to explain what they are. But I know he sees something in that game that the rest of us should avoid.”
    “The damn thing’s on the Internet. Millions of kids could be playing it for all we know.”
    “John says the number, worldwide, is over ten million.”
    “There you go. Are we going to have millions of zombies on our hands soon?”
    “You assume it’s targeted at all those people. It might be that only a few are susceptible to its influence.”
    “Would you care to elaborate?” I ask.
    “I’ve never played it. John has said to stay away from it and that’s good enough for me.” She pauses. “Did we lose Umara?”
    “How did you know?”
    “I sensed her leaving. A pity.”
    “She sacrificed her life so I could get to the Telar.”
    “I’m not surprised. She was a great woman.”
    “Yeah. We sure could use her now.”
    The conversation seems to run into a roadblock. Paula lapses into silence. Like Seymour said, she has the gift of prophecy, like Suzama of old. That’s the main reason I’ve called hertoday, not to talk to her about the game. She’s the only one I have told about the Veil of Veronica, back when she was living at Lake Tahoe. I have reached out to her with the hope she’ll tell me something that will help me find it.
    Yet when I bring it up, she practically cuts me off.
    “Sita, stop. I told you that day we were sitting by the lake that the riddle of the veil will be revealed to you when the time is right.”
    “I know that’s what you said back then. But things have changed. The people, or creatures, that we’re combating have discovered it exists. I’m afraid they might get to it before I can.” I pause. “I need your help, Paula.”
    “I can’t help you.”
    “Then let me talk to John.”
    “No. You can’t involve him in this.”
    “Why don’t we let him decide.”
    “I’m sorry, Sita.”
    “Are you? It must be pretty cool being you. Having a sixth sense that allows you to stand on a tall building and see miles away while the rest of us stumble around in a dark alley.”
    “You have your own gifts. Be grateful you were able to reclaim your original form and can still use them.”
    Paula is referring to the time I was trapped in Teri’s body. She and her son were present when Umara put me back in my old body. Of course, with John around, it was always hard toknow who was doing what. The kid can just sit in a room and make it feel wonderful.
    Still, his mother’s attitude pushes my buttons.
    “Hell, I’m grateful. But you know the only reason I’m back in this body is to help you and your son and the other seven billion souls on this planet. I could be with Krishna right now, but I chose to come back.”
    “Then be happy with your choice, and finish your task.”
    “I’ll do that just as soon as I figure out what it is.”
    “One hint, Sita, then I’m going. All right?”
    I hesitate. “Okay.”
    “Since the last world war, everything you’ve done for mankind has been amazing. Yet it all would have been unnecessary if you hadn’t failed at Auschwitz.”
    Her words hit like a blow to my solar plexus. I have to struggle to respond. “How dare you. I was lucky to get out of that hellhole alive.”
    “Yes, you were,” Paula says, and for the first time there’s warmth in her voice. But it’s small comfort because a moment later she practically hangs up on me. “Good-bye, Sita.”
    She is gone. I’m left alone with a dial tone.
    “Bitch,” I say.
    Frankly, I have no