Page 108 of Private Exhibit
Not yet, Dr. Crawford said.Devon? I need you to listen carefully. I know there's a lot flooding your awareness right now, but I need you to try to stay calm, alright? Try to focus on Andy, if you can. He's sitting right beside you, holding your hand.
He is?Devon whispered. He could easily picture it, but it wasn't enough. Devon wanted tofeelit. To have concrete proof that it was really true.
I am, baby, Andy cut back in.I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere.
I'm scared, Devon whispered.
I know, sweet boy, Andy murmured back.I know. I'm scared, too. But I'm not letting you go. Not yet. I need you to fight for me, sweetheart. I need you to hold on just a little while longer.
Devon trembled. He winced against the assault of strange pressures and voices that seemed to swirl all around him, and his very soul felt drained, exhausted almost to the point of collapse.
With every passing second, and now with the whole world feeling so loud, it was tempting to just give up altogether. But he didn't want to die. Not really. Not if there was a chance.
Alright, he quietly agreed.
That's my good boy.
Devon?Dr. Crawford cut in.I need to borrow Andy for a few minutes so we can study your nervous system.He paused.You're going to be tempted to follow us, but I'd advise against it.
Why?
For some people, seeing your own anatomy that close up can be disturbing. You know Brendan? He almost gave up halfway through the treatment to regenerate his fingers because he couldn't stomach the sight of his own tendons and muscles.
What about Hayden?
Dr. Crawford laughed.Oh, he wanted his hand back so desperately, he didn't care.
Devon mentally nodded.I want to live, he whispered, not daring to raise his voice in case it couldn't come true. But he didn't want to just live. He wanted to live free.
But he couldn't dare hope that might actually happen.
I know, Dr. Crawford murmured.But we need to do some assessments first. So while we do that, I want you to think about this: Pretend you're at home, lying in bed. Or pick a placeyou love. A place that makes you happy. I want you to live in that place for right now. Pretend Andy is there with you, if you want. Just focus on that, and try to stay calm.
Think about the jacaranda tree, Andy cut in, his voice low and gentle.Or the willow by the fishpond in Divinity Square. There's nobody else around. It's just us, sweetheart. Just us and all your favorite plants.
Despite the panic and the chaos, Devon found himself smiling.Alright, he whispered.
That's my good boy.
Ready?Dr. Crawford asked, and Devon knew the man wasn't talking to him.
Ready, Andy replied.
Devon braced himself, trying to think of that happy place, and felt their voices fade away. Darkness flooded back in.
He was all alone with an endless sea of ghosts.
ANDY FOLLOWED Crawford as the man's presence seemed to take a step back, drifting away from Devon's consciousness.
What do I do?Andy asked.
We're in a sort of in-between place right now, Crawford quietly explained.It's an overlap between the physical world and the telepathic plane. We're going to drift more into the physical while keeping one foot in the other, so to speak. We'll be able to dive down from Devon's mind to his actual, tangible brain. From there, we'll be able to travel anywhere in his body and get an up-close look at exactly what's going on.
Andy trembled.Gods. Really?
I won't lie to you: It could be disturbing. Nothing in medical school or surgical experience can truly prepare you for something like this. Honestly, I shouldn't even be allowing you to participate. It is technically surgery, for all intents and purposes, and it's invasive as hells.
Then why let me?Andy asked, thinking of their blow-up in the E.R., discussing Lydia's case.
