Sixth Sense

In today's story, Sixth Sense, coworkers at a university library have a late-night chat about ESP

Today's prompt was inspired by a recent newsletter topic. If you'd like to sign up for the Grounded in Reality newsletter, find it here: Grounded in Reality with Susan Quilty

If you have a suggestion for a writing prompt, please let us know! 

More about Susan Quilty

Susan Quilty mainly writes novels, including two standalone novels and her YA series: The Psychic Traveler Society.  Susan's short stories for Freely Written are created during quick writing breaks and shared as a way to let go of perfection and encourage writing for fun.

Website:  SusanQuilty.com
The Freely Written Book: Freely Written Vol. 1
Freely Written merch: Bitter Lily Books Shop

Instagram: Susan.Quilty

Facebook: SusanQuilty.Writer

Transcript

Below is the transcript for Season 1, Episode 162 of Freely Written, a podcast by author Susan Quilty:

Welcome to Freely Written, where a simple prompt leads to a little unplanned fiction. 

[Light piano music]

Hi, friends! I’m Susan Quilty, and today’s prompt is Sixth Sense

When I’m not writing novels—or these quick podcast stories—I teach yoga and meditation. Sometimes those interests cross, like when I write and lead guided meditations or in my Grounded in Reality Newsletter. Which you can find with a link in the show notes or on my website: SusanQuilty.com

In a recent newsletter, I wrote about our eight senses, expanded on the five senses you likely learned about in school. That idea was still in my mind when I sat down to write today’s story, so I decided to use Sixth Sense as a writing prompt. 

I have a vague idea that it will touch on those extra three senses, but I’m not sure how. As always, I’m using my Freely Written process, where I sit down with a prompt and write whatever might come to mind, with no planning and very little editing. Then, I record the story and share it with you. 

Here’s how that played out today:

Sixth Sense

Wind howled beyond the darkened windows. There were few people in the library this late at night, and the lights were kept low. Lamps created pools of light over occupied study tables, and motion sensors allowed gentle strip lights to glow in the occupied stacks. 

While the library’s large windows allowed ample natural light during the day, they were now glossy oblongs reflecting the scant interior light. 

Shanna and Elaine walked softly down a narrow aisle. Shanna pushed a book cart. Elaine chattered away, her voice pitched low out of habit. As they passed the stacks from Social Sciences into Language, Elaine stopped short with a soft gasp. 

“Did you feel that?” she whispered intently, causing Shanna to pause and look back. 

“Feel what?”

“The chill,” Elaine explained, her eyes wide as she scanned the area. “Like we’re not alone.”

Shanna tried to hide her impatient sigh as she turned back to the book cart. Elaine was always feeling something or, as Shanna saw it, looking for a distraction from work. 

The row lights in the stacks were dimmed. A soft white glow filtered in from the streetlight outside a nearby window, while a warmer glow came from the study area to their far left. 

“I don’t see anyone,” Shanna replied casually. “And neither do the motion sensors.”

She checked the cart, then turned between the stacks, looking for the correct locations to shelf a book on linguistics and another on the history of Old English. As she moved between the shelves, lights on either side bloomed, illuminating the titles. 

“What if the presence can’t set off the motion sensors?” Elaine persisted. There was a tremble in her voice as she continued to look around in alarm. 

“Then I doubt it could hurt us,” Shanna answered dryly. 

Elaine crossed her arms and frowned. “How can you be so… flippant about this? There are things in this world we can’t explain.”

Shanna found the spot for the book on Old English and moved farther down the row to shelve the second title. 

“I have a sixth sense about these things,” Elaine went on. She then spotted the right place for the second book and shelved it while Shanna shook her head. 

“We all have a sixth sense,” Shanna told her. “It’s called proprioception.”

They pushed the cart to the end of the row and turned, heading toward the section for Natural Sciences and Mathematics. 

“Proprio-what? Is that like premonitions? Seeing the future?”

“No,” Shanna chuckled. “Proprioception is your mind’s ability to know your body’s physical position in space. It uses data from your vision and from receptors throughout your body.” 

Elaine blinked at her. “Who says?”

“Science,” Shanna answered shortly. She was pre-med and knew a lot more about the human body than Elaine had learned in her studies.

“Since when?”

“Since when?” Shanna repeated, looking at Elaine quizzically. 

“I learned about the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. And the sixth sense is ESP. Everyone knows that. So, is this, like, some new theory?”

“Well, not new exactly,” Shanna answered, turning the book cart into the next section. “If I remember correctly, the study into senses beyond Aristotle’s original five started about 100 or 150 years ago. They’re sometimes called the hidden senses.” 

They looked over the titles in the cart, noting that someone had returned multiple books on Euclidean Geometry. Elaine picked up a book, still pondering Shanna’s answer. 

“So, these hidden senses are different kinds of ESP? Telepathy, premonitions, and so on?”

“No,” Shanna said decisively. “I already told you about the sixth sense, proprioception, to recognize where your body is in space. Then there’s vestibular, which is about balance and the position of your head in space. And finally, interoception, which covers your internal bodily sensations, like hunger, thirst, and emotions.”

“Okay…” Elaine drew out the word, processing this new information. “Then that makes ESP the ninth sense? That sounds weird.”

Shanna closed her eyes for a moment, gathering patience. 

“What does ESP mean?” she asked in a neutral tone.

“Um, I already told you,” Elaine reminded. “Telepathy, premonition, being a medium who can commune with spirits. All of the psychic abilities.”

“Right, but do you know what the actual acronym ESP means?” After a pause, Shanna answered her own question. “It means extrasensory perception, as in sensory information that comes from outside of your own body. And there’s just no scientific evidence of that.”

They shelved a few more books.

“Then why are there so many books on ESP?” Elaine asked. “There are a bunch back in Philosophy and Psychology.”

“Yeah, along with the other books on parapsychology, spirituality, and occultism. Writing a book doesn’t make something science.” 

A gust of wind whistled past the nearby window, causing the pane to rattle slightly. 

“Well, I don’t need science to tell me what I know,” Elaine decided. Shanna shook her head, letting go of the argument as she looked at the last few titles on the cart.

“If you want to get out of here, I can finish up on my own,” Shanna offered. “There are only a few books left, and you have that party to get to.”

Elaine looked over in surprise. She’d crossed her arms over her chest and had been peering into the shadows below the windows. 

“I’m not leaving you here alone,” she declared, bringing a laugh to Shanna’s lips. “Oh, you can laugh at me all you want, but I’m not leaving you here in the dark. Not with that wind and a full moon.”

The indignant set of Elaine’s shoulders softened something in Shanna. She didn’t have to share Elaine’s paranormal beliefs to be touched by her concerns. 

“Well, thanks,” Shanna said as they rolled the cart toward Geography and History. 

The lights in the stacks behind them dimmed as they moved on. Shanna had always liked being in the library at night. She liked the coziness of the soft light and hushed whispers from those who studied in pairs or small groups. 

“What are you doing tonight?” Elaine asked abruptly. Shanna paused, thinking of the notes waiting for her back in her dorm room and the test she had on Friday. 

“Come with me to the party,” Elaine invited, leaving no room for objection.

“Well, I…” Shanna looked away, tempted as she thought of Roger, one of Elaine’s friends who she’d met after work last week.  

“Come on,” Elaine pushed, adding, “Roger will be there.”

Shanna’s face flushed, and Elaine laughed. 

“Oh, I knew it! I sensed that chemistry between you… That’s my real sixth sense. No, wait, my ninth sense.

 “You know that’s not ESP,” Shanna blurted nervously. “That’s just regular perception. Noticing things like… Wait, you really think we had chemistry?”

Elaine smiled knowingly. “Come to the party, and we’ll find out.”

Shanna looked around the dimly glowing stacks, considering, then agreed, telling herself it was an experiment. For science. 

The End 

Thanks for listening. When I started writing, I thought I’d veer into a ghostly theme, but I guess my subconscious wasn’t feeling that today. I think I’ve been craving stories with kindness and social connection lately. At least, that’s what’s been coming up when I free-write. And that’s part of the joy of writing without a plan. When you let the words flow, you sometimes learn a little about yourself and your current state of mind.

If you’re enjoying Freely Written, please share your favorite stories with your friends. I would also love for you to check out my—carefully planned and edited—novels and other books. Learn more by visiting my website, SusanQuilty.com, or by searching for “Susan Quilty” wherever you buy books. There are also links in the show notes. 

Until next time, try a little free writing of your own. Let go of any planning and see where your imagination takes you. 

[Light piano music]