Touch

By Steven Benoni

Is based on a young girl with special powers...through her life, she tries to hide her abilities from others but eventually, the world is prepared to accept her. Genevieve is a normal child with the ability to transfer thoughts and skills from others as a conduit. This was made aware to her parents from an early age from incidents at primary school to learning a new language in an instant whilst conversing with the concierge at that Swedish holiday resort. These incidents continued throughout her adolescence such as passing on a famous neurosurgeons ability to her friend’s uncle so as to save his brother’s life. Her family has to leave their ideal home in their ideal village due to Genevieve being recognized.  They move to Leeds where her father now works as the curator of the Leeds Art Gallery, however, their troubles aren’t over and their nightmare eventually finds them. Soon they will have to make the biggest decision of their lives.

As an art student, however, her life takes a turn for the worse and surrounding herself with the wrong crowd didn’t help the situation at all. Her abilities, however, were not unnoticed and soon she finds herself thrown into the limelight undertaking many dangerous roles as she tries to convince the world of its potential capability for peace within the middle-east. The world governments respect her ability to have countries converse with one another under an umbrella of hope and understanding and soon she climbs the echelons of government and even the prime minister can’t control her decisions, finding out personally that Genevieve cannot be used as his own personal pawn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steven Benoni
• Release date: Jun 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386238140

Book preview

TOUCH

Alicia had dreamed of this day for a long time and the feeling of pain only meant the beginning of a lifetime of joy. Alicia like her mother kept her emotions untethered, she cared little for gossip and judged people as she saw them. Her moral attitude meant she would only surround herself with people she could trust wholeheartedly. As she lay there, she could feel the sense of empathy and pride emanating from her husband Johnathan. He was a good soul and had encouraged every choice she made in life and this was no exception. He wanted a child just as much as she did, talking about its future and how they would share their knowledge and joy of life. They were truly in love.

‘I’m sorry but I think we need to make more room for the immediate parents, you’ll be informed as soon as the baby is born. In the meantime there’s a waiting room just down the corridor, thank you’. Said the nurse. A professional approach thought Alicia but at this moment in time, all she could focus on was Genevieve.

‘That’s it keep pushing, we’ll soon have a bouncing baby’. Said the nurse encouragingly.

It felt incredible, she could feel Johnathan’s’ hand softly caressing her whilst he looked into her eyes. Then suddenly she heard the cry and knew everything was alright. The nurse immediately placed Genevieve against her chest for all to see and stood back smiling at her accomplishment.

As Alicia looked down at her child and whispered softly a song her mother would sing to her to comfort Alicia when she was a child. The song made her feel safe, secure but most of all loved. She missed her mother immensely and wished she could share this wonderful miracle with her. Somehow she felt, no knew, her mother was watching, smiling proudly down at her. Johnathan had only known her mother for the last five years of her life. He’d become a close friend of the family through a business venture with her father before falling deeply in love with Alicia. Her mother loved him and would often speak about how wonderful her son in law was to friends and family. It seemed he’d been in Alicia’s life forever and they were meant to be together which was also encouraged by both parents on either side. All Alicia knew was that she was happier than ever and at this moment all her aspirations had combined into this one life-force Genevieve.

It wasn’t long before the room was again filled with family and friends congratulating them and praising their wonderful child bringing cards and gifts until they eventually left the hospital and returned home.

As she placed Genevieve in her cot in their new home for the very first night, she once again sang the song whilst Johnathan smiled sitting next to her.

‘She’s a brand new life and she’s ours’. Alicia said, sharing their precious moment together.

‘I know, I can’t believe it, it seems so surreal, and we wanted this so much’. Then without warning, Genevieve began to cry. Johnathan gently twisted his small finger around hers and gave her a reassuring smile as if to say everything was going to be ok. This was a side to Johnathan she loved, like her, he wore his heart on his sleeve. There was nothing they didn’t know about each other and at that moment she loved him more than ever.

Johnathan was a strong, tall, passionate man, who hated injustice of others and would often go out of his way to assist those in need, sometimes risking his life to ensure the safety of complete strangers. Once she found herself totally petrified and helpless as her husband struggled with a man who had attacked his wife in a public square. Without care of his own safety, Johnathan ran towards them and grappled with the man until others came to assist him. But that was in their earlier years together when they lived in Leicester and like many young couples looked for the excitement and that certain Zen in life. Now they lived in Warwickshire and had done so for the past seven years, in a village called Ashby Magna. A quiet parish with the usual village fetes and agricultural shows, indeed, a piped water supply hadn't arrived here until the 1960s! It was the kind of quaint village that could attract visits from excited Steam-Punks with their Victorian contraptions and moulded iron ware. Ashby Magna was a place where time literally stood still as confirmed by the church clock, which had broken down ten years earlier. Which was most confusing to the visiting tourists as they stood beneath its face, checking their watches, like gathering pigeons waiting for the sweet old lady to throw them their daily morsels of bread crust. Their three bedroomed cottage was ideal and converting the large garage into a studio was perfect for Johnathan’s needs. Space was essential in his line of work, but now they’d have to share it with their new bundle of joy, an addition that would change their lives forever.

As Alicia looked down into her baby’s face she wondered what Genevieve’s personality would be like. Would she feel safe, secure, and happy? She didn’t care if she became a doctor, teacher or leader of the Red Cross as long her daughter was content and committed to her beliefs in life and at least shared some of the passions her parents had. Alicia was an accomplished cellist, a serious obsession passed down from mother to daughter and Genevieve would be the next of her generation to pass it on. Johnathan would also play his part in developing her senses. He was a well-known artist in the countryside where they lived. Often selling his work for thousands of pounds, whether it was an abstract or a figurative painting, his books were always full with orders six months in advance. Her job would often take her abroad for a number of weeks but they would constantly keep in touch. Skype was a saviour in their relationship it also kept them in contact with close friends who’d moved abroad, especially Margaret, who had moved to Australia only a couple of months previously. Margaret was her best friend, someone she had confided in all her life, one of the few people she could truly trust. She missed her a great deal and wished she could share in this moment of joy. She heard the bell on her laptop ring with that familiar tone. It was Margaret, she’d felt her thoughts. They were like twins joined at the hip and would on occasion finish off each other’s sentences.

‘Hiiiii’. Said Margaret enthusiastically

‘Hi’. Alicia responded with the same zeal as her friend.

‘How’s she doing’?

‘Ahh she’s........amazing, just lays there without a care in the world’.

‘Go on then show me’ asked Margaret pushing her face closer to the screen. Alicia lifts up the laptop and carries it across the room and holding it over the cot. ‘Ahh, she’s beautiful, wow, my wonderful god- daughter. You’re so blessed,’ said Margaret, gushing.

‘I know. I’ve been crying like mad at how lucky we are. She’s so special’.

‘I can’t wait to hold her,’ whispered Margaret.

‘Me too. When does your flight arrive’? Asked Alicia eagerly.

‘Next Wednesday, I should reach you around 6 pm. I can’t wait. Anyhow, I’ve got to go, work and all. I’ll give you call tomorrow... see more of beautiful Genevieve’.

‘Ok talk soon,’ Alicia said, reluctantly closing her laptop then turning to see Johnathan return to the room covered in clay.

‘Who was that?’ he asked.

‘Margaret, says she’ll be here next Wednesday,’ she replied excitedly.

‘Great, she’ll be gobsmacked, you know how emotional she is’.

‘Look who’s talking, you big softie,’ punching him gently on his arm.

Johnathan begins to flex his muscles - ‘All man!" grinning.

‘I’ll be needing those, later on, to move some boxes into the attic’. She said whilst placing the laptop carefully upon the dining table. ‘Your wish is my command madam’. Says her husband as he pulls her around and lowers her as though it was a typical tango movie pose. ‘Then I demand a kiss’. Genevieve pulls him closer and places her lips on his, holding onto the moment.

The next few months seemed to pass so quickly, Alicia tried to remember and absorb every moment, often writing down funny incidents. One incident involving her husband, whilst it was his turn to watch over Genevieve, often made her chuckle out loud. He’d found himself shattered after working for three whole days on a commissioned statue, although small it was intricate in design and perfection was something Johnathan prided himself on. Tired or not he knew it was his turn to watch over their one-year-old whilst Alicia got a well-earned sleep. However on this occasion as soon as he picked her up, he immediately sat down and fell asleep on the couch holding her tenderly in his arms, only to find himself, a few hours later, awoken by an uncomfortable feeling. Slowly he lifted Genevieve only to discover a wet patch on his thigh! And worse, it was not wee but runny smelly poop. Immediately he placed Genevieve on the floor and quickly removed his jeans, rushed to the kitchen to collect some cleaning gear and returned to wash the couch down. Immersed in the task he continued to endeavour to remove the stench emanating from the leather and cared little for Genevieve now climbing slowly up his back smearing the poop generously over his t-shirt. A split second later Genevieve reached her fingers into his mouth like many times before. The vile taste of baby poop suddenly filled his mouth and nostrils causing him to spit frantically onto the couch he had just cleaned. Genevieve laughed with joy as he spun her round on his back. Alicia couldn’t stop laughing at this tale and immediately wrote it down in her diary entitled ‘Poopy Sleep’. Such names conjured up an immediate picture in her head. She’d use this technique when trying to remember the emotional context within her music, such as ‘flowing river hitting a wall’ to represent a crescendo.

Genevieve had grown into an inquisitive child, playing for hours with her toys, building, smiling, oh and pooping. Alicia couldn’t wait for toilet training to begin but for the time being letting Genevieve express herself in any way possible and not confine her, which Alicia felt was key in helping her develop her own personality. When potty training did commence Genevieve took to it like a duck to water, unlike their cat who had persistently found interesting places to relieve himself. Though when she thought about it, Alicia could swear that their itinerant moggy had also begun to use its litter tray. Despite Genevieve’s smooth transition from nappies to the potty or crawling to walking, she seemed reluctant to form words the way they had noticed other toddlers doing. Genevieve was always touching her parents, they felt it was her way of communicating. Little did they know it was the other way around? Genevieve would absorb their thoughts and react accordingly.  They began to notice how easy things in their life seemed as soon as they held her. It felt like a blanket of well-being, but this wasn’t her only talent. Could she have the ability to read their minds? Alicia thought she was just being silly having these thoughts but sometimes it really did appear that Genevieve could read her like a book. Take yesterday for example, as Alivia was cleaning the dishes she was aware of  Genevieve out of the corner of her eye being her inquisitive self but this time she’d caught her dangerously swinging her toy pram around in a circle. Alicia simply touched her shoulder and Genevieve immediately placed the pram down onto its wheels. Alicia found this response strange at first but both her and Johnathan began to use this action more often. Sometimes it was easier to touch her than speak. They began to wonder if they were, in fact, slowing her development down but their worries were soon proven to be unfounded when she excelled at the nursery. Genevieve formed friendships easily, engaging both staff and peers in conversation and her warm nature would always bring a smile to the saddest face. The staff was smitten with her, some even saying she brought a relaxed atmosphere to the nursery. Just as she did at home. In fact, Alicia couldn’t remember ever scolding her for misbehaviour. They’d noticed that she was different from other children. She was advanced for her years but Alicia put it down to both of their personalities being a positive influence on her character.

By the time Genevieve had reached her seventh birthday things about her became more evident, they noticed how everything seemed easy to her. Her reading age was well above normal and her love of maths was something totally unexpected. The teachers would have to set work for her that was five levels above her peers and yet she maintained positive relationships with those around her.

Life had been virtually idyllic but Alicia was gradually becoming aware that her husband was less involved in their lives, it wasn’t immediate at first but over time their relationship with one another became more strained. She would watch him grapple with problems he wouldn’t want to discuss. This was different she thought, maybe it was work. He wasn’t his usual self and his lack of contact left her feeling worried and for once vulnerable.   The atmosphere in the house just wasn’t the same and she felt Genevieve was picking up on this change. Meal times as a family stopped being the norm with Johnathan finding excuses to eat alone in his studio. Even passion had left them, it had been three months since they last made love, and without that physical bond, the distance between them expanded. But for now she felt it best to give him his space, she hoped he would work it out for himself eventually but in the meantime, her focus was on Genevieve.  If she could hide this from her for a little while longer hopefully Johnathan would eventually come around and talk and things would be like they were before.

However, this comforting belief was shattered when she realised he seemed utterly lost and she needed to know why. Six months was too long and Alicia wanted answers. Was their relationship worth saving? She patiently waited for Genevieve to go to bed and quietly walked to the kitchen returning to the sitting room where Johnathan sat watching his favourite programme Grand Designs.

‘Johnathan we need to talk’. Said Alicia.

‘Not now’.

‘Then when? You tell me!" she retorted more incisively.

‘I don’t know, please this is important’. Came his reluctant response.

‘More important than us’.

‘Please don’t pressure me, I can deal with it’. Realising his admittance of some form of failure, he sat waiting nervously for her response.

‘Deal with what?’ Alicia asked with even more determination in her voice.

‘It’s not your problem’. He answered more assuredly

‘So now it’s just you’. Came the terse response from Alicia

‘I didn’t mean it like that’. He replied, reverting back to a firmer voice.

‘But your actions show me the opposite. I don’t know you anymore. This person, so closed off, what’s wrong, is it work?’ she asked, with obvious concern on her face.

‘Back off’ he screamed violently in her face, then realising his actions, quietly looked down, then pretending it never happened continued to watch the programme. He’d never shouted at her before, never, whatever was bothering him was more serious than she thought. She needed to know, their finances seemed intact, and he still worked in his studio as far as she knew. Genevieve didn’t bother him nowadays as he had become more private.

‘Look all I know is that we have grown apart. Do you want to leave us’? Holding herself together. He turned quickly towards her ‘No, yes oh I don’t know’. Came the confused response from Johnathan. Holding her breath she quietly asked him the question she’d been dreading to say out loud.

‘Is there someone else’? There it was the first sign of mistrust, of all the things she felt for him this was something she never ever thought she would say. And she knew by the disgust on his face she’d said the wrong thing. He leapt to his feet, staring back at her squarely in the face. ‘How dare you accuse me of sleeping with someone else’?

‘Well you don’t with me, what do you expect?’

‘A little bit more understanding, not accusations’, lowering his voice slightly.

‘How do you expect me to react, we don’t touch like we use to, you even spend less time with Genevieve’, said Alicia, regretting the words as they left her lips.

‘Don’t you dare say that’ he retorted.

‘’but it’s true, you spend more time in your studio, I don’t even see your work now, you were so proud of it, but now it’s like I don’t exist’, said Alicia.

‘Sometimes I wish you didn’t’. Once again his hands cover his face with regret ‘oh just fuck off will you’.

‘Dad’...both of them turn to see Genevieve standing there looking at them with tears in her eyes’.

‘Go to bed darling, we’re just talking’. Said Johnathan embarrassed.

Slowly she walked towards them and placed herself in the middle, then gently held both of their hands and smiled. Suddenly they could see their past relationship in front of them, how they met, how their friends made them happy, how they made each other glow. Images began to appear of how Genevieve now witnessed their lives, showing them how she saw all the negatives that now surrounded them. Then she began to share their fears, images of Johnathan struggling to tell his wife that his business was failing, how he’d taken out loans which he was unable to pay back, how he had been hiding all these issues from Alicia. Genevieve began to smile again and suddenly Jonathan’s mind was aware of how his wife felt, her fears, pain, and anguish over their lives. Eventually, Genevieve showed both of her parents how she felt, how their actions had impacted on her, the things she missed until all had been revealed. Both of Genevieve’s parents sat in silence and looked at her with shock.

‘How long have you been able to do this’. Asked Johnathan, still stunned by what had just occurred.

‘I don’t know, I just felt I needed to do it and it happened’. Came the quiet response from Genevieve.

‘Have you done this before’? Asked his wife still sitting there stunned.

‘No’. Said Genevieve seeing her mother's concern.

‘Has anyone else seen you do this’. Asked Johnathan almost afraid of hearing her reply.

‘No’. Said Genevieve once again reassuring her parents that only they knew of her special ability. Genevieve could see the fear on her parent’s faces but smiled reassuringly.

‘For the time being, I think we need to keep this to ourselves’. Said her father tapping his daughter gently on her back.

‘Ok, dad’...Genevieve said, feeling happier now that the tension had left the room.

‘Why don’t you go and play in the garden, for now, we’ll call you when it’s time for tea’... said her mother, kissing Genevieve on her forehead. As soon as Genevieve left the room both of them looked at each other, with both fear and joy upon their faces.

‘I’m sorry beautiful, I should never have neglected you like I have’. Johnathan said as he reached out for her hand which made Alicia’s insides rush with emotion. He knew everything about her and she of him.

‘That’s ok. I just thought you needed space’. Answered Alicia with more tenderness.

‘I still love you, you know’...said her husband once again looking into her eyes, just like the first time he had held her, pure love, strong, unbreakable.

‘Well after that incident I don’t think we’ll be able to keep anything from each other’.

‘What are we going to do’... he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

‘How do you mean’...mumbled Alicia

‘Well, we can’t just let it go on like this. You, me, Genevieve’...

‘Why nothing’s happened yet, everyone loves her’...came his wife’s reassuring response.

‘Exactly she’ll get noticed’. He said showing little confidence in Alicia’s point of view.

‘So, we’ll protect her’.

‘You’ve seen how they treat those types of children’.

‘Oh.....like in the movies.....’ came her mock response

‘You know what I mean’ he replied, not swallowing the bait.

‘Now we know all our feelings, emotions etc. what do we do about it’. She asked.

‘Repair the damage I’ve done I guess’ his face reflecting on what he’d just said, then reached forward and pulled his wonderful, adorable, inquisitive wife close to him. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just’....she could see his uneasiness, ‘no need to explain, everything’s out in the open now, we both know how each other feels, let's accept it and move on’...Alicia said knowing that everything she needed to know had been answered.

That night was probably the closest they’d been in the past nine months, all they did was hold each other tight. The warmth of his leg as it lay on her stomach, the smell of peach from her hair, and the aroma of burnt bacon forgotten in the oven emanating across the room. Realising that their lives would eventually change with the knowledge that Genevieve’s talents would soon be evident to others they discussed what methods they must adapt in order to keep this a secret for as long as they possibly could. ‘We need to move’. Said Johnathan, 

‘Why, no one has noticed yet’. Replied Alicia

‘But soon they will, it’s obvious she’s like a walking time bomb and one day she might.....’ his mind was obviously thinking too far ahead she thought as she laid quietly next to him.

‘She might do what....you’re just being paranoid, Genevieve has done nothing but good for others, maybe she was born to do well, show the world their true selves’. She answered

‘But this will bring undue attention, we’ll end up getting complete strangers knocking on our door asking to be cured of their illnesses’. Responded Johnathan slightly mocking his wife’s answer.

‘You’re getting extreme now. You’re beginning to scare me’. Troubled that Johnathan’s reaction was a little overboard.

‘You should be... we don’t know how far this might go... she may develop other powers we don’t know about’.

‘Like what?’ she hadn’t thought about that. Maybe Genevieve did possess other