Page 26 (1/2)

"Aden," the doctor prompted

"Time-travel is awhen other people are going to die?"

"Yes," he croaked "Where are you going with this, Dr Hennessy?"

"Oh, I’iven you the iht to question me It’s not I ask You answer"

Aden’s hands fisted He’d had a lot of doctors over the years, but this one was by far the worst As condescending as he was, Aden had to wonder if the ree "Better yet, how about if I just don’t talk at all?"

"That’s all right, too," Dr Hennessy replied easily, as if that’s what he’d wanted all along, surprising the hell out of Aden "Silence is better than lies"

They would see about that

One minute ticked by after another, not a word spoken Soon Aden’s eyelids grew even heavier The ceiling began to blur, beco to stay alert, but on and on the soft nized the rown patients But even the voices quieted, listening, falling…

"You’re exhausted, Aden"

"Yes," he found hiht He was floating, the white gone, darkness all around hiood, then He tried to open theether

"You’re relaxed"

"Yes" And he was Lost, still floating No cares No secrets or problems Just…freedom

Dr Hennessy asked him another question, but he couldn’t make out the words They were too jumbled Odd, then, that he responded anyway What he said, though, he couldn’t be sure Again, odd And yet, he didn’t care Such peace

This was heaven, he thought All that black So tranquil So quiet He wanted to set up shop and stay forever Perhaps Victoria could even join him Yes How kickass would that be? Just the two of the

Victoria

He frowned Here was a care A care he liked The thought of her caused the sea to part in a thin line, a little light seeping into his awareness Where was she? What was she doing? When would he see her again? Tonight, he hoped They were supposed to meet up, weren’t they? Except, what if she stayed away, like she’d done at school?

He was talking again, he realized, but again, the words were unclear to him

He should leave the black Victoria couldn’t come here There were no doors, only that tiny line of space Wait If there were no doors, how had he gotten here? And hoas he supposed to leave?

A tiny spark of panic caused the line to widen, and more white flooded that endless sea of black Another care This one, he hated, but still he didn’t want to shake it This wasn’t right So He should recognize it, he thought, panic rising Who was here? He couldn’t bridge the gap between question and answer

Aden

His name had been more insistent that time Maybe…Elijah?

Aden!

Yes, yes That was Elijah What was Elijah doing here? How had Elijah joined hi, and this time he heard himself His voice rattled inside his skull, and it was like being thu him

Aden, you have to wake up I think he hypnotized you

"What!" His eyelids popped open, practically ripping at the seaaze roved, wild Dr Hennessy sat on the end of the recliner, one hand braced beside Aden’s knees, the other clutching a voice recorder He was leaning forward, that recorder outstretched, …off about him just then Underneath his plain, hulittery Soer, thicker hair Pale, like snowflakes As if he had eyes of sparkling brown rather than dull and lifeless ones, and full, pouty lips