Page 22 of Dark Visions

“Not exactly,” he said. “It’s more of a fracture in the psyche. When we look at people in dream states during scans in the lab, we often see a split that happens during violent dreams. We call it a fracture. It’s nearly invisible, but I would suspect that if this has been happening to you for a long time, the fracture would be highly visible.”

“I see,” she said quietly. “Well, I can tell you that I’ve had scans as early as just three years ago, and it was never seen.” Adam nodded, concern filling his face.

“I don’t really care about the nightmares right now, Adam,” said Kane. “I’m worried about the toll the headaches are taking on her body. It’s horrible to see, to feel.” He knew his friend was aware of his own ability and stared at his stern face.

“You felt it?” Kane nodded. “You two are definitely a pair.” He grinned at Kane and then at Aislinn, who looked pale and frail. “Are you experiencing anything right now, Aislinn?”

“No, I just, I’m worried that I will. We had to go back to the hospital today, and I worry that I touched something, someone that will make me have the vision again.”

“Hospital? Okay, explain.”

Kane proceeded to tell the whole story of how he and Aislinn had met. He left no detail out and even told him of their visit with Professor Brennan. Adam took copious notes, tapping away on his tablet. He asked Aislinn her date of birth and was surprised to learn that she was thirty-one. He would have guessed much younger. But the look in his friend’s eyes when she spoke told him all he needed to know.

Having spent eighteen months in rehab and more than twenty surgeries to get where he was today, Kane had endured enough pain. The joy that was filling the space between he and Aislinn was palpable, and Adam grinned to himself, knowing that his friend had fallen.

“So, this doctor killed the two people I heard about on the news? What were their names?”

“Wascom.”

“Yea, the Wascoms. Shit! You saw that?” Aislinn nodded. “Jesus, Aislinn, I’m so sorry. I read the reports, and the injuries were brutal.”

“I need to learn to control it, and for some reason, Kane seems to be able to help me. The headache subsided more quickly when he was near me. I was able to recover faster with him here.”

Adam nodded again, letting out a long slow breath.

“Well, I’m going to try and get all your medical records and tests, see what’s been done, and what I can use before we subject you to something else. You won’t have to go to a hospital. I have equipment at my practice. I’ll make sure it’s all sterilized and wiped down well before you come.”

Aislinn nodded again at him and graced him with a small, grateful smile.

“I guess, in all fairness, I should tell you that I’m different as well, Aislinn,” he said, grinning at his friend. Kane smiled back and nodded, sitting beside Aislinn, pulling her into his body.

“Different? Different how?”

“I wish I could explain it, but I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. I first noticed it as a child when a car hit my dog. I carried him all the way home but knew he was going to die. I saw the bleeding. I saw the trauma… on the inside.

“When someone is injured, when I’m working on a patient, surgery or no surgery, it’s as if I can see every function of their body. I know if their blood pressure is going to crash. I know if they’re going to bleed out. I know if the benign tumor they have will turn cancerous. I see everything in their body. I’m like my own fucking diagnosis machine.”

“Oh my, God! That’s awful!” Aislinn covered her mouth in horror and fear for Adam. She knew the burden it must be for him to carry the weight of his gift.

“Awful? Baby, he can diagnose people instantly,” said Kane.

“Yes, and tell them they’re going to die, know they’re going to die. He has to endure that pain without being able to scream it! I can’t imagine having that burden. I’m so sorry, Adam,” she said, reaching for his hand. It surprised both Kane and Adam that she allowed the physical connection to happen.

“Thank you, Aislinn. That’s exactly how I feel. I often have to step back from a patient and think about what’s best or not. I did it with this idiot,” he said, jerking a thumb toward Kane. “He was such a fucking mess when he got to the base hospital. I wasn’t sure what to attack first. I had to step away and then quickly step back.”

“Yea, but you saved my ass,” said Kane, grinning at him.

“I did, but not for your lack of trying.”

Kane laughed, and Aislinn could feel the camaraderie between the two men. It was good to see Kane laugh like this. She could imagine him with his hair shorter in that tight military cut. His uniform hugging his broad shoulders, joking with his men. She could see it so clearly.

“Okay, so you’ll take a look at her records and let us know what to do next?”

“Sure thing. Hey, also, I thought you should know I saw Flip the other day.”

“No shit! What the hell is he doing now?” asked Kane.

“I don’t know. I saw him on the street. He looked like death warmed over. His clothes were dirty, his hair greasy, looked like he’d lost a lot of weight. I couldn’t get him to respond to me. I called out to him like three times.”

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