I turned and stepped away from Grandmother. Diamond dust was liberally scattered across the moonless night sky. The breeze brought with it the northern chill: I burrowed more deeply in my coat. The stars slowly winked into blackness, obscured by gathering clouds.

I was tired of running, tired of being pulled in every direction against my will. I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to act. All I wanted was to simply be.

After what seemed like hours, I gathered myself and pushed out in all directions, lightly linking with distant minds, using them as springboards to reach even more distant minds, spreading myself thinner and thinner throughout the net. Thoughts not mine washed over me and were gone like gentle surf on sand.

What you’re doing is ill advised, child.

But it felt so right. I kept going, attenuating myself to my limits, Grandmother becoming increasingly agitated. With a final push, I suddenly found myself bodiless, sustained by the net alone.

I barely heard Grandmother’s No!