Hunted – 29

For the next two weeks, Logan and Brice spent almost every night in the Woods. Then Brice was called back to the show. The publicity surrounding his character’s death, and the viewers’ reaction to it, had worked beyond the producer’s wildest dreams.

“I should shift during one of the scenes for real,” Brice had commented with a grin, the night before he was due back at work.

Logan chuckled. “Oh that would go over well… Not.”

“I’m going to miss this.” Brice looked around, his expression wistful.

“Why? You can come here, or go to any of the large parks around the city, any time you want.”

“Is that what you do?”

Logan smiled. “Not until I met you. But then, before that I had other things I had to do, like work. I didn’t have time to find a park, so I could come back to it later.”

“The teleporting thing.”

“Exactly, but now that I know about this place… You can do that too you know.”

“I know, but…” Brice chuckled wryly. “I have this vision of ending up somewhere entirely different from where I planned, so I think I’ll pass. My car gets me places just fine.”

“Concentration, Brice. You have to focus and you’ll be there. Picture the destination and wipe your mind clear of everything else.” They were, at the moment, beside one of the small ponds that were scattered through out the Woods. “See the large tree over there with the lightening blasted branch? Focus on it and then try to end up there.”

“On the branch?” Brice asked with a grin.

“Hey if you can, sure, although I was thinking more just by the tree.”

Brice stared at it for a long moment before he closed his eyes. He opened them seconds later to find he was right beside the tree. He cheered, closed his eyes, pictured his point of departure and instantly was standing next to Logan. “I did it!”

“Told you you could. It’s all in the concentration. If you wanted to, you could think about your living room and you’d be there, or anywhere else. Just don’t let your mind wander.” Logan chuckled. “I remember once when I was a kid. I was in our territory and needed to get back to our house in town. I thought about my bedroom, but just as I was about to teleport there, the idea of an ice cream cone and how good it would taste flashed through my mind. Thank goodness Mr. Tambor was busy filling one of the cases and didn’t see me arrive. As it was I gave him a real shock when he turned around and saw me standing by the counter.”

“Dressed, I hope,” Brice said, laughing.

“Instantly,” Logan replied. “But that’s what I meant about not loosing focus. As long as you’ve been some place and can picture it, you can go there.”

“Okay. I think I’ll stick to short hops until I’m comfortable though, and use the car for longer trips.”

“Probably a good idea, for now.”