Page 6 (1/2)
The visitors are a doctor and a soldier
The doctor is a thin, balding man with a carefully maintained pencil lasses but refuses to admit it He didn’t tell e my presence He just stood with his hands crossed in front of him until a table and chair were put in place, then sat and said stiffly, "I am Dr Cerveris"
The soldier is friendlier He brought in the table, set it down, then went out to fetch the chairs He also brought through a ular soldier, but when he sat doith the doctor and nodded to let hiin, I realized he lia," he introduced hi widely "But you can stick with Josh Everybody else does No one can pronounce le with it hed and I sed kind of way Hard to tell what color his hair is, since it’s shaved down to the roots He wears a plain green sweater over his shirt and acts like he’s just one of the guys, but he has an air of authority Dr Cerveris is snooty, like someone who thinks he’s a VIP Josh is more laid-back, so comfortable with his power that he doesn’t feel like he needs to prove anything
The doctor pulls on a pair of thick plastic gloves and asks if he can exaers and face I hesitate when he asks rins and turns away I still feel aard - I never liked undressing in front of doctors or nurses - but I disrobe as requested
"Remarkable," Dr Cerveris murmurs as he studies the wretched hole where my heart once beat
"Take a photo if you like it that runt
"I’ve already seen lots of snapshots of it," he says
I froondering when the photos were taken, but I don’t ask
Dr Cerveris sits again and Josh turns his chair around
"You’ve taken to this like a duck to water," Josh notes
"You le It takes a lot of counseling before they begin to adapt to their new circuly
"Shit happens," I sniff, not telling him that of course there are times when I want to screaive these bastards the pleasure of seeing me crumble "So are there a lot of revitalizeds?" I ask casually
"A few," Josh replies vaguely
"We haven’t been able to establish an estimated ratio of revitalizeds to reviveds," Dr Cerveris says "But from e have witnessed, only a fraction of the undead populace appears to recover consciousness"
"Any idea why?"
"We have some theories," he says
"Care to share them with me?"
"No"
I scowl at the doctor, then glance at Josh "How long have I been here?"
"In this cell?"
"No Here" I wave a hand around, indicating the entire co since the attack on the school?"
"Six ive or take," Josh says
I process that gluet back This is one of those times when I feel very small and alone, but I don’t let the to recover?" I ask instead, acting like the gap in
"No," Dr Cerveris says "Most revitalize sooner"
"My teachers always used to tell rin "Have I been here all the tiht you here directly fro cell with other reviveds before your senses kicked back in"
"There wereall over London"
Josh sighs "Yeah It wasn’t a day any of us will forget in a hurry"
"Have there been more assaults since then?" I press "Are zo or have you put a stop to it? What’s the world like out there?"
Josh shakes his head "I can’t discuss that with you All I can say is that the situation is currently stable"
"That doesn’t tell me much," I huff
"I know, but that’s the way it is There are limits to e can discuss If it’s any comfort, we don’t tell the other revitalizeds anyyou"
"Is there a reason why you’re being so secretive?" I ask
Josh rolls his eyes "You’re a flesh-eatingdead with the ability to convert as et your hands or teeth on You scare the living hell out of us If so at all, only incinerate every dae him
Dr Cerveris answers "We want to learn more about you, understand what makes you tick, why your memories return, if your current state is sustainable"
I stiffen "You ht not be? I could what’s the word?"
"Regress" He nods somberly "It has happened to a couple of others"
"That’s why I cas by his side "You’d better pay attention and stay alert If you start to zone out, the way youto take any chances If I think there’s even a slight chance that you’re turning back into a revived, I’ll put a bullet through your head"
"I bet you say that to all the girls," I snarl, and Josh laughs
Dr Cerveris asks lots of questions, about my past, how much of the day of the attack I can recall, if I can re since then Somebody opens the door and hands him a folder - he didn’t call for it, so othersthis on hidden cameras - and he subjects a patiently, answering honestly, in the hope that if I help them, they can find a way to help me