“What about Lydia?” Seven cried. “I should get back to her, shouldn’t l?” But there was no reply, and in any case it was too late; Will stood in his dream body, eyeing Seven.

“Well, I’ve done it again,” Will said sheepishly. “You’re here, and you’re one of my most exasperating trips.” Actually, he felt quite satisfied with himself for the moment. He knew he was tripping, but he’d decided Oversoul Seven was some kind of symbol that meant he was safe, or nearly. In fact, for no reason at all, he felt cocky. “If you’re a figment of my imagination, I’m pretty good,” he said to Seven.

“I’m sorry I can’t return the compliment,” Seven grumbled.

“How come I feel so great?” Will cried.

Seven answered, “Cyprus gave you additional energy; but then you probably wouldn’t remember.” He himself felt quite glum indeed, and his mood didn’t improve as Will ran up and down the room, shouting, “I’m out of my body, I’m out of my body!”

“You’re strung out on drugs too,” Seven cried angrily, “and if it wasn’t for me, who knows what trouble you might be getting into.”

“So what?” Will shouted happily. “I’m out of my body and you’re here, and for once we aren’t in a classroom. Is my wish your command, by the way?” Will eyed Seven speculatively and added, “Because on my last trip I had a terrible experience about an insane god or something, and I don’t want to do that one again. But if you’re like a genie, well, I can go where I want to.”

“I’m not like a genie,” Seven said.

“Well, anyhow. God was miserable. But let’s take a trip to see his mother,” Will declared.

“Whose mother?” Seven asked, uneasily.

“Why, Christ’s. She’d know all about him, wouldn’t she?” Will replied. “After all, who knew him better?” Will started giggling.

“Forget it,” Seven said. “And anyway, why Christ’s mother?”

“Why not?” Will said airily. “If I’m tripping, well, it’s my trip, isn’t it?” He grinned brilliantly and added, “And somehow, I seem to have you where I want you for a change.”

“That’s what you think,” Seven muttered to himself, but there was no doubt that he had to stay with Will for a while, and he didn’t like the new turn of events. How much bleed-through was there, actually, from one personality’s experience to another’s? Without knowing the details, was Will somehow aware of Lydia’s search for the gods, and its so far unhappy results? He must be, Seven thought, staring at Will; otherwise, Lydia and Will wouldn’t have been involved in the same awful nightmarish experience.