Emptying the Mind

This is post 12 of Section V. To begin at the beginning, go here. Section II begins here. Section III begins here. Section IV begins here, and Section V begins here.

Stephen lay down obediently on the worn Persian carpet in the living room, and Lizzy began imitating the recording she knew so well. “Close your eyes,” she began, in a fake, flat, grown-up voice.
Stephen recognized the genre. “Oh God! I can’t see!” he screamed in mock horror.
“ShhHHHhhh!” Lizzy said, imitating the sound of the surf on the CD. “Tweet! Tweet!”
Stephen put his hands over his ears and writhed in mock agonies. “Not the boring nature sounds! No! Please!”
“Relax,” she continued relentlessly, stifling more laughter. “Empty your mind.”
“Oh no! What’s going on? I can’t think! It’s all—a—blank . . . ” Stephen wound down like a broken record player and lay inert. Lizzy collapsed on top of him, her gloating cackle finally dissolving into the long-suppressed giggles.

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