@@@@@By the time we got back–after nearly
@@@@@By the time we got
back–after nearly running the whole way–Walter's screams no longer sounded humanDoc's
face was hollow with echoed agonyWalter quieted after I spoke to him for a moment, letting
him think his wife was nearIt was an easy lie, a kind oneBrandt made little noises of irritation,
but I knew that he was wrong to be upsetNothing mattered beside Walter's pain
The whimpers and the writhing continued, though, and Brandt paced back and forth at the
other end of the room, trying to be as far from the sound as possible
Jamie came looking for me, bringing food enough for four, when the light was growing orangey
overheadI wouldn't let him stay; I made Ian take him back to the kitchen to eat, made Ian
promise to watch him all night so he wouldn't sneak back hereWalter couldn't help shrieking
when his twisting moved his broken leg, and the sound of it was nearly unbearableJamie
shouldn't have this night burned into his memory the way it would surely be burned into Doc's
and minePerhaps Brandt's as well, though he did what he could to ignore Walter, plugging his
ears and humming a dissonant tune
Doc did not try to distance himself from Walter's hideous suffering; instead, he suffered with
himWalter's cries carved deep lines in Doc's face, like claws raking his skin
It was strange to see such depths of compassion in a human, particularly DocI couldn't look at
him the same way after watching him live Walter's painSo great was his compassion, he
seemed to bleed internally with itAs I watched, it became impossible to believe that Doc was a
cruel person; the man simply could not be a torturerI tried to remember what had been said to
found my conjectures–had anyone made the accusation outright? I didn't think soI must have
jumped to false conclusions in my terror
I doubted I could ever mistrust Doc again after this nightmarish dayHowever, I would always
find his hospital a horrible place
When the last of the daylight disappeared, so did the helicopterWe sat in the darkness, not
daring to turn on even the dim blue lightIt took a few hours before any of us would believe the
hunt was ove