The Void Hunters (Realmwalker Book 2)
Page 28
“Hello?” He answered quietly. He glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was just before three in the morning.
“Is this Geoffrey Summers?”
“Yes.”
“I'm terribly sorry to be calling so late,” the woman on the phone said. “I'm Doctor Singh at Condell Hospital. I'm afraid I have some bad news.”
Geoff slumped against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor, naked. He listened to everything Doctor Singh had to tell him and, no, he didn't have any questions for her. He dropped the phone and let it dangle by the cord. He looked at Gabby sleeping on the sofa. Now he had to tell her that Violet was dead.
-
Two weeks later, the day before Thanksgiving, Geoff sat next to Gabby. The orderly had wheeled her out onto the porch, where they sat together outside for a while. He talked to her about work and about the wedding and about not really wanting to meet Laura's parents for dinner again. He talked about how the Saab needed a service and how good the experience at the dealership was. He talked about what was going to happen when Bush took office. He talked about what had happened in the most recent episode of The Wonder Years.
He held her hand while he talked to her. As usual, she didn't answer. She didn't acknowledge that he was there. She simply sat in the wheelchair, staring blankly into space. It was getting chilly out, so he pulled her blanket up to her neck and tucked it tightly around her. The sun was going down and he knew visiting hours were almost over.
He stood up and pushed her wheelchair back into the common room. He kissed her goodbye and went to her doctor's office. The doctor explained to him that there was no change in her behavior. She was still catatonic. They were still trying to find a good combination of medications to try to bring her out of her catatonia, but she strongly recommended ECT - electroconvulsive therapy.
She explained to Geoff that there was still a stigma around “electro-shock therapy” but it was effective treatment for trauma-induced catatonia in patients with bipolar disorder II. Geoff did his best to listen carefully and focus on her words and her recommendations, but a lot of what the doctor told him washed over him and he couldn't process it all. He signed the consent forms and the doctor said she'd keep him posted on the results of the medications and, if she determined it was necessary, the ECT.
He thanked her and went home, alone, to his empty house.
-
Jeegan crouched on a planter overlooking the porch. He watched as Geoff talked to Gabby and then pushed her wheelchair back inside. He smiled as he wondered how this might be affecting Slynn. Then he turned to his two bodyguards and nodded, then all three pixies flew back to their base camp. Everything was going according to plan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jonathan spends most of his time as a software developer and compulsively obsessing over too big a fleet of cars and motorcycles. He is an enthusiast of video, board, card, and role-playing games. He lives in Chicago and has fathered two delightful children (and, thankfully, no non-delightful ones).
Realmwalker is Jonathan’s first novel. Now that he’s finally finished a book, one of Jonathan’s next goal is to complete a Saddlesore 1000 (riding 1,000 miles in 24 hours on a motorcycle). He is not a vegan and he does not CrossFit.
The Void Hunters is Jonathan’s second novel and the sequel to Realmwalker.
Book three of the Realmwalker series should be available in 2016.