Page 36 - DeepRestFlipFinal

NICHOLAS BOOTHMAN
"Dr. Hayes," he mumbled, barely making eye
contact. His voice flat, devoid of emotion.
She felt a pang of empathy, a familiar ache for the
suffering she saw daily. But now, it was different.
Now, she held a secret weapon.
"Liam," she said, her voice calm. "Thank you for
coming in. I know this is difficult."
She gestured to the armchair. He sank into it, a
sigh escaping his lips that sounded like air leaking
from a punctured tire.
"I… I don't know what else to do, Doctor," he
said. "The medications… they just make me numb.
The therapy… it's like talking to a wall. I just… I just
want it to stop."
Evelyn leaned forward. "Liam, I understand. And I
want you to know, I've been working on something.
Something… different."
She explained, carefully, cautiously, about the
ancient texts, the forgotten research of Dr. Finch, the
concept of Deep Rest. She left out the part about the
personal danger. She focused on the science, the
potential.
He listened, his eyes slowly lifting to meet hers.
"Deep… rest?" he repeated, the words sounding alien
on his tongue. "Like… a coma?"
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