“At last!” Jenifer triumphantly held the finished sigil aloft. “With this we can break through the Veil and pull the Melder into our world!”

She paused, eyeing Grace, then chided “Sis, you’re making that face again. Talk to me.”

“Oh. Ah, sorry.” Grace shook herself. “I’m just… being a worrywart. Again.”

“You think this won’t be enough to wake up the Melder?”

“Nooo. That’s… not what’s bothering me.” Grace eyed the ancient, tattered tome with a conflicted sigh. “I just… you know I’m totally behind your goals. The end of all stigma, conflict, and misunderstanding… it would be AMAZING. It’s just, well, this ‘psychic singularity’ isn’t, um, there’s no take-backs, y’know? What if… it doesn’t… work out how we want?”

Jenifer propped her fist on her hip and raised an eyebrow. “Do you have a BETTER idea?”

That was the crux, wasn’t it? Grace didn’t. She’d never had a ‘better’ idea. Just smaller ideas, safer ideas, more worried ideas. That’s why her sister had always had more friends, excelled further, and been more memorable. That’s why Jenifer was the leader of a worldwide cult which was going to change humanity forever, while Grace was just… there.

“…No. And I agree we can’t just leave things as they are, but…” She rubbed her face. Fumbling for words. Desperately trying to manifest the fear gnawing at her soul. “The state of the world is bad. Scary. Depressing. And the Communion… I’m glad I don’t have to try and describe that euphoria to you, because I can’t. I WANT to join you and become one with the Melder. I just…”

She squeezed her arms and shuddered. “What if it goes horribly wrong? What if we turn all of humanity into zombies, or something? Or what if people get lost in that euphoria and sit happy until they STARVE? Will we all be trapped in a dream? How would we even know?”

Silence. Jenifer stared down at the sigil, her expression now tight and pensive. The joy of victory stolen.

“Sorry.” Grace murmured. “L-like I said, I’m being a worrywart, I always am-”

“Well, yeah.” Jenifer said matter-of-factly. “That’s why you’ve never ended up lost and naked in another country.”

“Huh?” Grace stared blankly, then comprehension dawned. “Ohhh, yeah, in your gap year, when you…”

“And you’ve never bought a second hand car which turned out to be in a drug-smuggling database.”

“Oof, that was so unlucky…”

“And you’ve never dated a guy who turned out to be a serial killer.”

“Wait, WHO…??”

“Derek.”

Grace sucked air through her teeth. “Oh god, really? I pegged him as a creeper, but I never thought…”

“Uh-huh.” Jenifer gave a lopsided smile. “If you hadn’t been such a worrywart and insisted on us making plans together, and me having safety measures, and stuff, I wouldn’t be here right now. So… what would make you feel better about this?”

“Ah. Hm…” Grace blinked and rubbed the back of her head. “Maybe… do a trial run? I know we did the Communions, but we haven’t actually seen the effects of the Melder consuming consciousnesses. If… if we get some volunteers, do a SMALL Calling, open a big enough window in the Veil that they can feed themselves to the Melder…”

“Then we can monitor them, and connect to them via the Communion.” Jenifer nodded slowly. “It’s a risk. Even a small Calling with attract unwanted attention, and leave clear marks behind.”

“It IS a risk, but… I think it’s LESS of a risk.” Grace said soberly.

Jenifer smiled and gave her sister a one-armed hug. The sigil held tight. “And you’ve always had a better head for risks, so… we’ll do it your way.”

“You’re sure?” Grace mumbled. “You don’t mind? Nobody’s gonna… be mad?”

“I’m sure, and I doubt it. If you’re this worried I bet some of them have doubts too. And people who don’t can volunteer, so they won’t have to wait for the Singularity.”

“Ok.” Grace relaxed. Somewhat. Her troubled gaze still resting on the tome. “Then let’s… see how it goes.”

And figure out what to do - what COULD be done - if it all went wrong.