Caleb's quiet again before finally shrugging. "I dunno," he admits. "Dr. Bright taught me how to balance my ability, but it doesn't always, work. If someone's feelings are overwhelming, or if there are a lot of people feeling the same thing at once, it kind of carves me out."

It sounds violent when he says it like that, and while it can be, it isn't always. Sometimes it's a slow swell, like filling a water balloon to its capacity and then beyond. But he hasn't burst yet. Not that way, anyway.

"Sometimes, I just have to remove myself, like, from the situation," he continues. "If I want to go to a party, I have to make time to be alone. Tea helps. I drink a lot of herbal tea."