27) Faerie Tale by Raymond E Feist

Author:Raymond E Feist [Raymond E Feist]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-08-07T23:00:00+00:00

Dr. Bergman said, "I'm tempted to spout the old saw 'Where there's life ..." but . . . I'm afraid all I can say is we don't have the faintest idea. We just don't know."

"What now?" said Gabbie to her father.

"We go home, tell Gloria what's going on." He paused, looking at his daughter and future son-in-law.

"And we make some plans." Jack nodded, knowing that he was talking about long-term care for Patrick. Phil forced himself to smile. "Come on. I think I could use a day off from here." Without further words they walked toward the outside door.

Latham turned to Wingate and said, "Teddy?"

The usually talkative Wingate had been unusually quiet since returning from the psych ward. "I didn't want to say anything in front of Phil, but have either of you noticed one other odd thing about our little patient?"

"Just what I said," answered Bergman. "I thought I saw something in his eyes."

"That's it," said Latham. "Sometimes he's looking at things like he knows what's going on. Is that what you mean?"

Wingate shook his head as he began to walk off. "No, not that, though I get that feeling, too. It's just that being around the kid more than a few minutes gives me a most unprofessional case of the creeps."

Latham and Bergman exchanged glances, but neither commented on Teddy's remark.

18

Patrick stood in the center of the circle, his eyes un- focused and glazed. Around him moved figures of dark aspect, things that defied the eye's attempts at definition. Sounds were muffled by a dark fog, and, above, faint lights pierced the gloom. Then a presence manifested it- self, something so terrible it could not be endured. Pat- rick turned slowly to look at the approaching horror, and his eyes remained blank. Then the terror was upon him, sweeping him up and carrying away.

"No!" shrieked Gloria, sitting up in bed. Her heart pounded and she swallowed a sob. She glanced around and saw Phil's side of the bed empty. She knew she'd find

him asleep on the couch in his study, the television going as he slept through some cable news show or another.

Then the sound of Sean's voice intruded. "Mommy!"

Gloria ran to her son's room. He was sleeping in Pat- rick's bed, as he had since returning home. Gloria sat on the bed next to Sean, gathering him to her. He cried, a pitiful, aching sound. "I had a bad dream," he sobbed into her shoulder. "About Patrick."

With her tears mingling with his, she said, "I know, baby. I know."

Gloria held her child as Gabbie appeared in the door. "Is he okay?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes," said Gloria, her voice strained. "Go back to sleep, honey."

Gabbie hesitated an instant, then trundled back to her room. "Can I sleep with you?" asked Sean.

Gloria barely spoke agreement as she led Sean back to her bedroom. The boy climbed up into the bed shared by his mom and dad and snuggled into Phil's pillow. Gloria got back in, missing Phil terribly, but knowing that, once wakened, he'd be all night getting back to sleep.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.