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He scooted his stool closer The wooden legssound He laid a skeletal, blue-veined hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently "Welcome back"

This was no dream She could really hear

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"Whaas?" Tess tried to speak, but her throat felt as if she'd been screa with me?

The lanced over his shoulder at the shadows in the roo " He leaned closer and peered into her eyes "I'm Doc Hayes Do you recollect me?"

She shook her head no

He frowned and pushed to his feet

Even in theof the doctor's footsteps After so ness, the co across the floor was indescribably wonderful

He melted into the shadows by the door "I don't know, Jack It's the da I've ever seen I was pretty sure she was dead This ain't the sort o' thing one sees ever' day She ht be sort o'different for a while Who knows? Appears her memory's shot to hell"

"What can we do for her?" It was another male voice, softer and richer The war down Tess's spine

"I don't know," the doc answered "But if she gets a fever or takes a turn for the worse, send someone for me"

The shadows moved The door creaked open, then clicked shut She was alone

Confusion swirled about her like a thick, gray fog, drawing her into the lanced around her hospital room, but the shadoere so thick, she couldn'tabout the darkened roo the back of her neck She'd been in enough hospitals to recognize one, even in the dark Where was the fa? And docs hadn't made house calls since Welby

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Minutes ticked by, quietly, without theShe stared up at the strange ceiling, feeling the warht fro wick teased her nostrils