ALICE Ch 288

“You breathe, but you don’t think about breathing,” Meri says.

“Shut up. She’s trying to talk,” Colby cuts her off.

They sit cross-legged on the floor by the bed. Between them is Colby’s phone, which is speaking in a soothing voice. “Consider the sky. Picture it. Do not think about your breathing, but be mindful of your breathing...”

“Wait, what does that mean?” Colby snaps, opening her eyes.

“Let the phone talk,” Meri says.

“Ugh. Talk.” Colby glares at the phone.

“In and out. In and out. Above it all, the blue sky.”

Colby groans and drags her hand over her face.

“Baby, we’re trying to relax,” Meri reminds her.

“Did you see how Ingrid was walking earlier? Like bent forward? I know a lower back injury when I see one!” Colby clutches at the air with her empty hands. “I’m so fucked!”

“Her back hurts because she’s like an F-cup. Listen to the phone,” Meri says firmly.

“We don’t want to stop thinking. The thoughts will come. That’s OK. Let them come. The key is not to let them take you away,” the phone goes on.

“I’ll take you away. And drop you in the toilet,” Colby points a finger at the phone.

“Babe!”

“Sorry.”

“Do the thing with your fingers. And keep them this way.” Meri resumes her meditation pose. Colby rolls her eyes and does the same.

“Each breath moves you forward in time. Each second you spend focused on the breath is a second not spent on negativity.”

Colby throws her arms up in defeat. “And every night not getting gangbanged by Amazons is a night… not spent getting gangbanged by Amazons!”

Meri frowns. “That’s oddly specific.”

“Fuck this.” Colby grabs the phone and kills the meditation app. “I’m gonna go for a walk or something.”

Meri scrambles to her feet and grabs Colby, squeezing her tight.

“Babe. It’s OK. They’re going to be fine.”

“No, baby,” Colby moans into Meri’s bosom. “They are not.”

“Baby. Peace. Calm. Breathe. Everything is fine. Everything is peaceful.”

FF1

“Norris and Verstappen collide in turn four!”

Metal and plastic fly. Engines shriek as Lewis Hamilton saves Fernando Alonso’s life by running him off the road to miss Lando’s spinning chassis.

“Oh, dear me! Charles LeClerc has hit debris! He’s pulling off! Bottas is through! And there is the flag! Only the tenth lap and things are looking rather warlike in Belgium today!”

FF1

“Alice!” Glynda sounds shrill.

“Keep your shirt on,” Alice says, slowing down to fall in with the others. “Who was it?”

“Max and Lando.”

“Oof. Is Val OK?”

“She’s out front still. Alice—”

“What about Mio?”

“Alice, you have to mind—”

“What about Mio?”

“Alice—Forget about Mio—Alice, you have,”

“What about Mio?”

“Alice! She's not in the race!”

“What, Glynda?” Alice shouts. There’s silence for a moment. Alice follows Danny at a sedate pace, keeping the tires warm. “What? What? I’m listening. You have my full, undivided attention. I’m like a sponge and you’re a bubbling fountain—”

“Never mind.”

“No, really. Seriously. Jokes aside. What are you gonna tell me?”

“All right,” Glynda begins.

Alice immediately cuts her off. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what about Mio?”