Firefly Glen the finite and the infinite

'How come?' 

Her voice was soft and kind. She really did have a remarkable gift for speaking with others. There had to have been something in her that allowed her to empathize well without losing her cool. It was a gift that would have likely done Atlas well. Instead, her question pressed against his mind with a force that had not been applied by her. His own head seemed to twist her words and make it seem as though she was impatient with his failures and his issues. 

"No, no, no, no, no... I can't, I can't, I can't... I can't do it, no, no, no..." 

Atlas seemed to be slipping as they went on. He shook his head repeatedly, feeling heat rise into his cheeks and fill his head. Tears welled into his eyes and he turned his head away from her, shame burning hot in the pit of his stomach. He felt so angry with himself but he had no means of explaining this to the young girl. Panic and rage had spilled into his head and created a toxic sludge. He was scarcely a man in that state.