“Well, Dr. Mann,”
Stephen Gills adjusted in his seat, thought a minute. He and his wife
Lila had come to the psychiatrist for help before the law became
involved. “Leonard is not behaving correctly.”
Dr. Mann was sitting
at his desk, leaning in with his face propped up on his hand. He was
wearing tinted glasses, which made it hard for anyone to see his
eyes. He liked it no one could read his expressions, of course with a
stone face, it was not easy.
They waited for him
to say something. He said nothing, just staring at them.
“He bit me!”
Lila shouted holding up a bandaged hand.
Stephen put a hand
on Lila's leg. She said no more, looked away. “Our son has
behavioral problems. Please...can you help us? You were recommended
to us by Dr. Colby, before his unfortunate murder....my wife still
has nightmares the same could happen in our home. We are at the ends
of ropes, Dr. Mann.”
Dr. Mann sniffed,
tapped his pencil on his desk. “Where is he? Your son?” A fly
buzzed around Dr. Mann. He waited for it to land on his desk. He
caught it in his hand, chucked it in his parted lips, chewed the fly
impetuously.
“Leonard is locked
in a room at our house, Doctor,” Lila whispered, almost breaking
off in tears. “We adopted Leonard,” She bit her lower lip. He was
always a strange child. We took him in when he was seven. He was
horribly abused by his father, which turned out to be his kidnapper.”
“But everything
was turned upside down last year. He hit puberty,” Stephen
continued for his wife, who by now had tears streaming down her
cheeks. “Leonard attacked a woman at the playground last year. He
tore into her throat, had drank a lot of her blood when a stranger
pulled him off of her. He attacked the man, scarring him for life,I'm
afraid. Using just his fingernails.”
“Before all of
that,” Lila interjected. “He killed our German Shepard. Tore out
her throat...drank her blood....” Lila wept harshly. “We had
that dog for ten years!” Lila shook her fist at the air. Stephen
leaned in, whispered to her. Lila calmed down, spoke no more.
“We heard you have
dealt with this sort of psychosis before, Dr. Mann,” Stephen said.
“Those exhibiting vampire like abilities?”
Dr. Mann stood
quickly. He put his jacket on. “Take me to your son,” He said.
They arrived at the
couples house in less than an hour weaving in and out of traffic in
break neck speed. Stephen and Lila took Dr. Mann upstairs, past the
bedrooms, to the attic. A small hatch barred by chains. Stephen
unlocked the chains, opened the hatch for Dr. Mann. A whiff of body
odor and bodily fluids quickly overtook their senses.
“I need to see
Leonard alone,” Dr. Mann said. Stephen and Lila nodded their heads
in unison.
Dr. Mann entered the
dark attic by squeezing through the hole . Landing on his face,
knocking over junk that Stephen and Lila had obviously collected over
the years.
He picked himself
up, heard movement by a boarded up window. “Leonard?” He called
out. “Leonard? No one is going to hurt you. Come out. I only wish
to talk to you.”
There was more
movement by the window. Out of the darkness a pair of red glowing
eyes appeared. There was a low growl from those glowing eyes.
Dr. Mann knelt, hung
his head. “Master,” He said. “I heard you were here to bring
eternity to everyone. I am at your disposal.....”
No comments:
Post a Comment