the
throbbing agony in her head.
"It’s completely understandable if you don’t quite
trust us yet," Graves said, turning his focus on her and drifting closer. "We
are quite the unusual bunch."
"It’s not that I don’t trust you per se . . . damn it
this hurts," she moaned, and stumbled slightly to one side, sitting down
on the end of the bed.
"She called you all a freak show," Danny said with
contempt.
Julia started to deny it, but gave up, the pain inside her
skull taking away her strength to defend herself. She grimaced. "If you
can believe it, I meant it in the nicest way possible."
Her eyes were closed, but she felt Graves approach, the
temperature in the air dropping dramatically as he drew nearer to her.
"No offense taken," the ghost replied. "You
have another headache, Mrs. Ferrick?"
She slitted her eyes open and saw that he was leaning
forward to study her. Though a ghost, Leonard Graves was still quite handsome. He
was a man out of time, a man of another age, but he had rugged, determined features
that reminded her of Denzel Washington . . . only transparent. Julia couldn’t
believe she was thinking such things about a dead man and chalked it up to
insanity caused by the pain inside her head.
"It’s Julia, Doctor, and yes, I’ve got a hell of a headache."
Danny stood, holding a piece of the dresser top in his
hands, and looked at her with concern. "She gets them when she’s stressed
out. Mom, do you want us to pull the curtains and let you lie down for awhile?"
"No, I’ll be fine. Maybe a couple of Aleve from my
purse will . . ."
"Squire often gets tension headaches," Graves
stated. "And I’ve developed a slightly unusual, yet effective technique
that helps to diminish his pain."
She began to feel herself growing nauseous. "Does it
involve sacrificing a virgin or cutting the head off a chicken?" She
ventured a tremulous smile.
The ghost chuckled. "Surprisingly, it doesn’t."
"Would I be a candidate for this treatment, or does it
only work on trolls?"
"Squire is a hobgoblin," Graves said. "Quite
different from trolls actually, far better hygiene, and, yes, if you’re
willing, you would be a candidate."
"I’m willing," she croaked, the acid in her
stomach churning from the intensity of the ache in her skull.
"All right," the ghost said. "If you’d be so
kind as to remain seated and lean forward."
Julia did as she was told. The headache was coming on hard
and fast now, and the pain was such that if Graves had said that a very sharp
axe would now be needed, she would have helped him search for it.
"Now don’t be alarmed, you’re going to feel something a
little strange."
The icy sensation at the back of her neck was almost
pleasant, at first numbing, but then it grew intensely warm. Five points of
heat pressed on the cluster of pain inside her skull. Though her eyes were
closed, Julia suddenly understood what Dr. Graves was doing to her; she could
see it in her mind. He had put his hand — his ghostly fingers — inside
her head and was taking her headache away.
"That should do it," the doctor said, as she
slowly straightened.
Julia opened her eyes and ran a cautious hand along the back
of her neck. "It’s gone," she said, not without a little surprise. "That’s
incredible." She smiled. "I feel great."
Danny stood beside the apparition of the former adventurer. "Not
bad for a freak, huh, Ma?"
"Most headaches are caused by constriction of blood
vessels inside the skull," Graves explained. "A little hot and cold
therapy applied directly to the clusters is usually enough to alleviate the
symptoms."
"I feel as though I should write you a check or
something," Julia said, relishing the relief from her agony.
"The only payment I ask is that you extend the trust
you gave to me to the others of this household."
What he was asking her to do was likely to pain her far more
than any headache ever could, but deep down she knew that it was indeed best
for Danny. Besides, how could she be
Dorothy Calimeris, Sondi Bruner