Cory Fournier about 4400 words

36 Phyllis St.
Dracut, MA 01!6
Cory"ournier#yahoo.co$
%he Poet&s Pli'ht
by Cory Fournier
As he o(ened the door, he was "orced to s)uint. Across the
roo$, a translucent $ass "lic*ered be"ore the window. +a,es o"
colors, browns and 'olds, wea,ed throu'h it in a dance o"
turbulence.
-nside the corona, a "i'ure could be discerned, a 'irl,
(readolescent and na*ed.
.e $o,ed closer and saw that the ha/e was a collection o"
thin wis(s (rotrudin' "ro$ the 'irl&s s*in. %hey $o,ed and
"lic*ed around her, inde(endently, in har$ony.
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-t was late in the a"ternoon. %he sun was low in the s*y
and shone in throu'h the window. %he threads hun' li*e lon'
strands o" dust in its li'ht, di""ractin' it throu'hout the
roo$.
%he roo$ itsel" contained only a bed, a bare table, two
chairs, a ni'htstand. %he e$(ty, bei'e walls surroundin' these
were, a((ro1i$atin' the sin'ular source o" li'ht, di$ but ,i,id.
.e crossed the roo$ to $eet her.
2.ello Sa$antha. -&$ Doctor 3eary.4 he said. She didn&t
turn around, but he *new that she had understood hi$. %here was
so$ethin' in the way the e1tre$ities had stirred when he s(o*e.
2-&$ a (sycholo'ist, Sa$antha. -&$ here to try to $a*e sure
that you&re o*ay.4 %he 'ossa$er "loss 'athered in "ront o" hi$,
twitchin'. 2-" there&s anythin' that you need, "eel "ree to as*.4
.e waited "or a reaction and noticed nothin'. 2-&,e 5ust
arri,ed here, so -&$ 'oin' to settle in now. -&ll see you
to$orrow $ornin', alri'ht, Sa$antha64 .e detected a sli'ht
,ertical $o,e$ent, an ac*nowled'e$ent.
-n the hallway, he shut the door behind hi$ and turned to
the nurse who had escorted hi$ there. 2.er roo$ is (retty bare.
- $i'ht need her to ha,e a little $ore sti$ulation in there.4
27es, there isn&t $uch, but we&,e tried 'i,in' her toys,
and 'a$es. She 'ets bored o" e,erythin' ,ery )uic*lyyou&ll see.
+hy don&t - show you to your roo$64 the nurse said, and turned
and started down the hall.
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3eary *e(t u( with her, his ar$s sti"", wei'hed down by his
lu''a'e. 2-s she usually dressed64 he as*ed.
28h, no. She won&t wear clothes.4 she said. 2-" we try to
(ut any on her, she has an aw"ul "it. Cries, screa$s, *ic*s. -t
$ustn&t be ,ery co$"ortable with all thosein the way. .er roo$
is *e(t ,ery clean, thou'h.4
2So she&s in there a lot6 .ow acti,e is she64
28h, her health is e1cellent.4 %he nurse said. %hey turned
down another hallway, and the wa1ed "loor beca$e car(etin', the
walls wall(a(ered, the li'ht di$$er. 29sually, she 5ust wants to
be outside, in the yard behind the buildin'. She lo,es the
"lowers and trees es(ecially, but she e,en li*es it when the
weather&s bad. +e had a hard ti$e coa1in' her inside durin' the
stor$ last wee*. +e ha,e a radio, in the social roo$: she li*es
that. %he $usic stations, anyways. Doesn&t care $uch "or the
broadcasts.4
She sto((ed at a door and, (ullin' a *ey "ro$ her (oc*et,
unloc*ed it. 2Do you thin* you can hel( her, doctor6 -&$ the
nurse in char'e o" her care, and -&,e seen her "ace.4 She loo*ed
down and "u$bled with her white 'lo,es, a,oidin' the handso$e
doctor&s eyes. 2She really is ,ery (retty. -t&s a sha$e she
doesn&t tal*.4
;
3eary entered the o""ice to see a bald, 5owled 'entle$an
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sittin' behind a $a'isterial, brown des*. %he dull 'rey o" the
$an&s ,est ended at the blue o" his slee,es, and his 5ac*et hun'
on the coat rac*. .e rose and 'estured to a chair o((osite
hi$sel". 2Doctor 3eary, ha,e a seat. -&$ Doctor <asco$b, head
(hysician o" the clinic. .ow was the tri( "ro$ Princeton64
2Fine. Maine is )uite char$in', so "ar.4
27es, we&re *nown "or our autu$ns. %hey&re thou'ht to ha,e
a recu(erati,e e""ect.4 .is leather seat 'round beneath hi$.
2-t&s 'ood to ha,e you here, doctor: $aybe you can shed so$e
li'ht on our little (atient.4
3eary shoo* his head. 2- can&t say -&,e e,er seen anythin'
li*e it.4
2=o one has.4 Dr. <asco$b said. 2At least not in any
5ournals.4
2+hat would you li*e $e to do64
2+e&,e been "orced to 'o ,ery slowly with Sa$antha. %here&s
no in"or$ation on this, anywhere, and, as you *now, our little
(atient is no lon'er s(ea*in'> this $a*es our 5ob $ore
di""icult. -" we do so$ethin' wron', it could a""ect Sa$antha
irre(arably. -" we do nothin', we $i'ht $iss a chance to hel(
her.
27ou&re *nown as )uite the (sycholo'ist. 7our e1(eri$ents
are noteworthy and your theories unorthodo1.
2+hen you see how $uch whate,er it is that this little 'irl
su""ers "ro$ concerns the $ind, - thin* you&ll see why you could
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be the only one who can hel( us o""er her the (ro(er
(rescri(tion.4
3eary shi"ted in his seat. 2Alri'ht, then. %ell $e what,
e1actly, they are.4
2%hey&re ner,es, as "ar as we can tell. 8(tic ner,es,
(ri$arily.4
23i*e eyes64
27es, Doctor, and all "ully "unctional. @ach ti( (ossesses
one rod cell, which detects li'ht intensity, and three cone
cells, which detect color, under a clear (rotecti,e coatin', a
cornea. =o (u(il, no lens, no hu$ors.4 Dr. <asco$b said. 2She
sees with the$, but ob,iously not as we do. .ow could her brain
su(eri$(ose all those i$a'es to'ether6 %hese are the )uestions
that we need you to answer.
2<ut you ha,en&t heard it all. @ach 'an'lion is co,ered,
alon' its len'th, with a ty$(anic $e$brane.4
2An eardru$6 And she can hear with the$64
27es, sir, and they see$ to be ca(able o" detectin' sounds
o" only a "ew .ert/, "ar below what you or - could hear. %here
are also thousands o" 'ustatory and ol"actory ner,es, the sa$e
we taste and s$ell with, distributed alon' e,ery one. And they
all trans$it other ty(es o" in"or$ation, such as (ressure,
te$(erature, and (ain.4
2All the so$atic "aculties.4 3eary said.
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Dr. <asco$b leaned bac* in his chair. 27es. %here&s not
$uch other than that. %hey ha,e no $uscle $ass, so they aren&t
,ery stron', aren&t (rehensile.4
2So e,ery sense is (ercei,ed throu'h the$.4 3eary thou'ht a
$o$ent. 2.as she always been li*e this64
2=o. .er "a$ily brou'ht her in a $onth a'o. %he 'rowths had
already a((eared as s$all strands, and she had beco$e )uite ill.
She sle(t throu'h their de,elo($ent, a whole 4! hours, and when
she awo*e, they had reached their current len'th, 5ust under
"i,e "eet, and she had her current case o" du$bness.
2+e&,e ,eri"ied that their a((earance coincided with the
onset o" the 'irl&s (uberty. =ow, they co,er o,er ninety (ercent
o" her body.4
2A$a/in'. +hat about her re'ular senses6 .a,e they 'rown
stron'er, or wea*er64
2=o, they&re all nor$al.4 Dr.<asco$b said, 2<ut her ,ision
will (robably 'et wea*er since she doesn&t use it ,ery $uch.
Can&t see $uch beneath all that.4
2+hat about the brain6 Any da$a'e to <roca&s or +ernic*e&s
areas64
2%he @@A&s show that brain "unction is nor$al, e1ce(t "or
so$e e1tra acti,ity in the areas associated with (erce(tion.
<ut, there is de"initely no trau$a.4 Dr. <asco$b said.
2So it isn&t li*ely that she has a(hasia. .er silence $ust
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be (sycholo'ical. -" it&s stress or so$e other "actor, - should
be able to hel( her.4
2@1cellent. +e&,e (ro,ided you with a con"erence roo$
"itted as an o""ice and stoc*ed with e,ery (iece o"
(sycholo'ical testin' e)ui($ent there is. 7ou can $eet with her
as soon as
you li*e.4
2-$$ediately would be "ine.4 3eary said.
;
3eary was lead to his o""ice and or'ani/ed his des* as an
orderly rolled sheets o" wa1 (a(er onto the chair and couch
(ro,ided. Another orderly arri,ed with the 'irl and 3eary
e1cused the$ both, ta*in' a seat in the chair.
2Please sit down, Sa$antha.4 he said in as soothin' a ,oice
as (ossible.
She de$urred and started to circle the roo$, strollin'
alon' the shel,es that lined it. As she wal*ed, she stayed close
to the wall, closer than another (erson would ha,e. %he ner,es
darted
towards anythin' she neared and "ondled it, in,esti'atin' its
contours. So$e slid between boo*s, and others en'ul"ed
(articular ob5ects, "eelin', seein' and tastin' the$.
27ou li*e studyin' thin's, don&t you, Sa$antha64 .e twisted
in his chair to see her, to inter(ret her body lan'ua'e. She
wal*ed sti""ly, a slow, roc*in' 'ooseste(.
2.a,e you "ound anythin' interestin', Sa$antha6 +e can (lay
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any o" those 'a$es, or - can show you how those $achines wor*.4
he said. She was about hal"way around the roo$ now, 'oin' behind
his des*. .er ar$s ne,er li"ted "ro$ her sides, but 3eary was
certain that the "ibers were thin enou'h to snea* inside e,en
his drawers and ins(ect their contents.
She rounded the "ar side o" the des* and, "ro$ behind, drew
near to the doctor. %he cilia o,erwhel$ed hi$ as they had
e,erythin' else in the roo$, sli((in' under his clothes,
nu//lin'
hi$, bindin' hi$ to his chair. .e "linched, and they recoiled:
he 'ri((ed his ar$rests and held still. -n a "ew $o$ents she
withdrew and too* the (osition she see$ed to (re"er, standin' in
"ront o" the window, loo*in' out.
2- *now you can hear $e,4 he said, 2and - thin* that you
can understand $e. +hat - don&t thin* you understand,4 he
(aused, 2is what&s ha((ened to you.
2+e&re tryin' to "i'ure it out, but we need you to
co$$unicate with us. Can you write64 .e re$o,ed a (en "ro$ his
breast (oc*et, but Sa$antha showed no e""ort to ta*e it.
.e sli((ed it bac* in. 2-t&s all ri'ht. - want to $a*e sure
that you&re co$"ortable. 7ou don&t ha,e to, but i" there&s
anythin' you can do, you should let $e hel( you.4
%he shoots droo(ed and rested dia'onally by her sides li*e
a "ir, no lon'er wa,in', but 'ently swayin'.
2- see you&re thin*in' about it. %a*e your ti$e, and -&ll

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see you to$orrow.4 he said. Sa$antha turned and shuddered.
3eary rose "ro$ his chair and crossed the o""ice to the
door. .e o(ened it, and an orderly who had been outside entered
and wa,ed "or Sa$antha. She allowed hersel" to be led bac* to
her
roo$, and once she was out o" the o""ice, 3eary returned to see
Dr. <asco$b.
Dr. <asco$b was still in his chair, and nodded 3eary into
his seat. 2.ow did your "irst session 'o6 Any results64
2+ell, - assu$e you&,e seen how she e1a$ines thin's64
28h, yes, the disturbin' way she runs the$ o,er e,erythin'.
<ut - su((ose that&s her way o" 'lancin' around a new roo$.4
2@1actly. =ow thin* about how $uch she&s (rocessin' e,ery
$o$ent she&s doin' this. -n ter$s o" bits o" data, the a$ount
$ust be astrono$ical.4 3eary said.
2%hat&s true, - su((ose. -t&s certainly $ore in"or$ation
than you or - ta*e in.4
2So, her neuro(hysiolo'y $ust ha,e chan'ed, as well. .er
body couldn&t ha,e chan'ed alone, or her brain wouldn&t be able
to acco$$odate it. %he way she thin*s, the way her $ind wor*s
now, $ust be o" a sort we can&t co$(rehend. And this, - thin*,
is the *ey to her silence: words aren&t enou'h.4
2Sorry64 Dr. <asco$b said.
2-$a'ine you or $e tryin' to e1(lain to a dea" (erson, by
writin' down words, the $eanin' o" a sy$(hony, or e,en what it
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sounded li*e. +ithout hearin' it, they would ne,er ha,e a
co$(lete understandin' o" either its "or$ or content.
28r i$a'ine an ani$al that li,es dee( under'round, without
li'ht. -t would be blind and wouldn&t ha,e a ,isual center in
its brain, li*e we do, because it wouldn&t need it. Si$ilarly,
she $ust ha,e brain "unctions that we lac*, to (rocess that
e1tra in"or$ation.4
2- su((ose you&re ri'ht, but how does this hel( us64
2+ell,4 3eary said, 2*nowin' this, we $i'ht be able to
"i'ure out so$e way to co$$unicate in her lan'ua'e, so to s(ea*.
2Also, - doubt that this (rocess is re,ersible. +e can
hardly chan'e the (hysiolo'y o" her brain oursel,es. .er
condition, in other words, is incurable.4
;
3eary had a session with Sa$antha each day "ro$ then on.
A"ter lunch, she would be allowed to 'o outside until she was
ready while he waited in his o""ice. %hen she would co$e in and
loun'e on the lar'e, cushioned couch, until he 'a,e her
intelli'ence tests, e1ercises, or (u//les to sol,e.
8n their si1th session, she entered the o""ice unattended
and slu$(ed onto the couch. %he "la1 was rela1ed, yet
enthusiastic: it was 'ettin' easier "or 3eary to tell what sort
o" $ood she was in. .e sat down in the chair be"ore her.
2Sa$antha, the nurse told $e that you didn&t want to 'o

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outside a"ter lunch today. -t&s a beauti"ul day out. why did you
want to co$e strai'ht here64 he as*ed.
Sa$antha sat u(. A "ew tendrils e$er'ed "ro$ her aura o"
"la'ella and reached towards hi$, 'rowin' taut. -n unison, they
"ell away, lea,in' only two. %hese tre$bled and undulated in
wa,e"or$ to o((osite rhyth$s.
.e understood that she intended hi$ to co$e within their
ran'e and leaned "orward.
%he a((enda'es cre(t across his "ace, tracin' his $outh
(ast his chee*s, wor*in' their way bac* to his ears. .e crin'ed
and closed his eyes as he "elt the$ in,ade his auditory canal,
then his saccules. %hey 'ra/ed the hairs inside, di//yin' hi$.
%he roo$ (o((ed into in his head as a threeDdi$ensional
(ro5ection, alien, and inconstant, a "ri'htenin' "usion o" all
sensation, e$bodied by a co$(lete and sel"Dcontained continuu$,
it&s dis(arate (arts interactin' in a causal chaos.
@,ery li,in' or rottin' (art o" his en,iron$ent could be
s$elled and tasted. @,ery $o,e$ent o" e,ery $ite and iota echoed
throu'hout the roo$. And his body, all it&s "unctions, it&s
electrical "irin's, $uscle tensions, it&s heartbeat and heat,
ran sea$lessly into the en,iron$ent.
<ut the li'ht, the li'ht shone "ro$ e,ery sur"ace in a
thousand da//lin' colors. .e e,en saw behind thin's.
.e saw e,erythin'. And "elt it.
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And "ear.
=ot his own "ear, but Sa$antha&s, dulled "ro$ (rotraction.
=ot only what she "elt, but also how.
%hen he saw Sa$antha a'ain.
She had re$o,ed the cords "ro$ his ears, and they $eandered
bac* into the (ac*.
3eary 'a(ed, then dro((ed his head.
2-&$ sorry. %han* you.4 he said. 2-understand. My dear, -
(ro$ise that - will do $y best.4 3eary noticed her s$ile, then
wondered how: her "ace was too obscured "or hi$ to ha,e seen it.
2-" you li*e, you can 'o outside now.4 he said. She s(run'
"ro$ the couch and swun' out o" the roo$. 3eary laid down where
she had been and closed his eyes.
2So that&s what it loo*s li*eE4 he said to the e$(ty roo$.
;
-t too* 3eary only a "ew days to (ersuade Sa$antha to
de$onstrate her ability to other $e$bers o" the "aculty. %hey
'athered with se,eral nurses and a "ew orderlies one a"ternoon
in the social roo$.
-t was cool and cris( in the hall. %he "all bree/e entered
throu'h the o(en windows and blew down the rows o" tables. %he
re"lection o" the bri'ht red and yellow lea,es o" the trees
danced on the wa1ed "loor as they rustled alon' with the whi/ o"
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the wind.
Sa$antha sat in a $etal chair between two o" the tables as
the sta"" stood around her or crouched on the tableto(s and
benches. 3eary and Dr. <asco$b stood, sideDbyDside, in the
doubleDdoorway connectin' the roo$ to the hallway, their ar$s
"olded, watchin'.
An older nurse a((roached Sa$antha and tensed u( as the
"ila$ents "irst surrounded her, then receded to allow the (air
to (er"or$. .ers eyes shut and she swayed "or a $o$ent. +hen
Sa$antha released her, she o(ened her eyes, teared, and threw
her ar$s around the 'irl.
2%his is alri'ht, "or the$64 Dr. <asco$b as*ed.
27es. -t&s cathartic, and it isn&t dan'erous, to the$ or to
her. %he $ore co$"ortable she 'ets with her condition, the
easier it will be to study it.4
2+hat e1actly is she doin'64
2She&s a re,erse e$(ath. She can $a*e anyone "eel what she
"eels, (robably by trans$ittin' the sensory in"or$ation to the$
throu'h so$e undisco,ered sense or'an in the inner ear and
tri''erin' their brain to release the sa$e che$icals as hers.4
2.$$(h,4 Dr. <asco$b said, 2-t&s li*e she&s so$e sort o"
artist.4
3eary lau'hed. 2- su((ose so. 7&*now, at $y al$a $ater,
there was a story about a "ew o" the old (ro"essors. About thirty
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years a'o, near the turn o" the century, so$e o" the$ $ade a
bet.
%wo were con,inced that all (ersonality ca$e "ro$ conditionin',
and one belie,ed that it was endowed to us at birth, or be"ore
it. All were youn', recentlyD$arried $en, and they decided to
ha,e children and to answer the )uestion usin' their own
o""s(rin'.
2%hey identi"ied three interests that (eo(le $i'ht ha,e and
each was 'i,en one to i$(lant in his child. 8ne was to beco$e a
scientist, one an artist, in any $ediu$, and one an athlete.
%hey couldn&t, howe,er, si$(ly "orce their children to (ursue
these interests: the children had to, ulti$ately, choose the$
the$sel,es.
2%hey treated this li*e a twentyDyear laboratory
e1(eri$ent, obser,in' each other&s children, *ee(in' trac* o"
(ro'ress, chec*in' each other&s results accordin' to ri'orous
criteria that they had established. %he scientist wor*ed the
best. She&s a,era'ed, o,er her li"eti$e, an -.F. hi'h abo,e
nor$al, and has $ade i$(ortant disco,eries in biolo'y. %he
athlete beca$e a runner and won se,eral $edals.
2<ut the artist, well, "or the artist, it 5ust didn&t ta*e.
.e ended u( studyin' "inance and, last we heard, was wor*in' in
a ban*.
2%hese were intelli'ent, wellDo"" $en, able to a""ord 5ust
about anythin' and e$(loy any tric* that they would ha,e needed
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to (ersuade their children. <ut it see$s that you 5ust can&t
$a*e so$eone interested in art. -n the end, they considered the
idea o" tabula rasa, blan* slate, dis(ro,en.4
Dr. <asco$b was )uiet. %he two $en watched a new, youn'
nurse $o,e reluctantly towards Sa$antha. Sa$antha sei/ed her,
and lin'ered with her lon'er than the others. +hen she released
her, the 'irl had a serene loo* on her "ace, a sli'ht s$ile, but
still a hint o" worry. %hen she 'i''led.
2So why didn&t it wor* "or the artist64 Dr. <asco$b as*ed.
2+ell, that was the bi' ar'u$ent a$on' us 'radDstudents.
So$e thou'ht that it was because you had to 5ust be born with a
certain so$ethin' to $a*e you an artist. <ut -&ll ne,er "or'et
what one 'irl said. She su''ested that the reason you couldn&t
$a*e your child an artist $i'ht be because the only thin' that
can do that is su""erin'. %hat&s the one thin' a (arent cannot
'i,e their child, no $atter how $uch they lo,e the$. 8r should -
say i" they lo,ed the$. -" bein' an artist in,ol,es seein' the
world in a way anythin' li*e Sarah does,4 he turned towards Dr.
<asco$b. 2then that $i'ht be a 5usti"ication "or that *ind o"
su""erin'.
2Fro$ what&s ha((enin', - would ha,e to say that this is a
latent ability o" the hu$an $ind. -" our brains can handle this
(heno$enon, then it $ust be within the ran'e o" the a,era'e
(erson&s (erce(tions.4
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%he sta"" lau'hed. As the last orderly was restored, he
'u""awed, and the other e$(loyees 5oined hi$.
3eary s$iled at Dr. <asco$b. 2See6 -t&s 5ust as -&d ho(ed.
-t&s conta'ious.2
;
3eary ste((ed onto the (lush car(et o" Dr. <asco$b&s
o""ice. 27ou wanted to s(ea* to $e, Doctor64 he as*ed. 2An
orderly told $e to co$e by your o""ice.4
27es, (lease, sit down.4 Dr. <asco$b said. 3eary settled
into the so"a chair be"ore Dr. <asco$b&s des*. 2- wanted to as*
you about an idea -&,e had.4
2+ell, i" it is an e1(eri$ent you ha,e in $ind, - assure
you that -&,e carried out $any and intend to carry out $any $ore4
Dr. <asco$b be'an. 2=o, it isn&t an e1(eri$ent. -t&s a
sur'ery. A s$all one.4
3eary hesitated. 2-&$ not sure that you should be
(er"or$in' any sur'eries on Sa$antha until we are absolutely
certain o" her disorder and $ental state. Any drastic actions
$i'ht a""ect her ne'ati,ely.4
Dr. <asco$b wa,ed his hand, 2- *new you were 'oin' to say
so$ethin' li*e that. 7ou (sycholo'ists always o,erDanaly/e
e,eryone. =ow 5ust listen. -" this a(titude could be utili/ed by
anyone, 'i,en the4 he thou'ht a $o$ent "or the (ro(er word,
2ade)uate instru$ents, then we can hardly deny the world it.

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Maybe we should re$o,e so$e o" those "ibers, see i" we can&t
re(roduce the$. Do a little re,erse en'ineerin' on our re,erse
e$(ath.4 .e lau'hed at his own 5o*e. 2%hen $aybe we can create
the technolo'y to (roduce so$e arti"icial $eans o" this "or the
co$$on $an.4
2So you want to cut o"" a (art o" her body "or yoursel"64
3eary as*ed.
2=ot "or $ysel", Doctor. For science. And only two. Gust in
case so$ethin' ha((ens to the "irst one.4
3eary "rowned and shoo* his head. 2+ell, $aybe that is a
(ossibility, but not "or awhile. +e&re 'oin' to ha,e to $a*e
sure that it wouldn&t hurt her or da$a'e her (syche. %rau$as at
her a'e can cause (er$anent (sycholo'ical disorders.4
<asco$b 'lared at hi$ "or a second, then loo*ed at his des*
and rearran'ed so$e (a(ers. 29n"ortunately, -&,e already
scheduled the sur'ery "or to$orrow. -&ll be doin' it $ysel".4
3eary 'rew ri'id. 47ou as*ed $e to co$e here, to hel( her.4
he said.
2Sto( $oanin', Doctor.4 <asco$b said. 2- needed you to "ind
out the details "or $e. 7ou&,e done that, and a "ine 5ob o" it.
7ou aren&t needed any$ore. 7ou can ha,e your "inal session with
her today and 'i,e her a (ostDsur'ery assess$ent to$orrow, and
then you will no lon'er be on the hos(ital&s (ayroll. -n two
days, you&ll be on your way bac* to =ew Gersey.4
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<asco$b rounded his des* and sat on it, "acin' Dr. 3eary.
2Don&t worry about Sa$antha. She&ll be "ine. 7ou&re "a$iliar
with the sta"" here. %hey adore her, and they&ll ta*e 'ood care
o" her. As "or the 5ob,4 .e reached at the (ile o" (a(ers and
withdrew an en,elo(e and a docu$ent. 2this should be a "ine
co$(ensation.4 he said, handin' the "irst to Dr. 3eary. Dr.
3eary o(ened it, saw the su$ written on the chec* inside, and
whistled.
2All - need "ro$ you, doctor, is your si'nature on this
consent "or$.4 Dr. 3eary too* it slowly. 2%here are $any ca(able
local social wor*ers "or Sa$antha i" she needs the$. 7ou weren&t
$eant to be her (ersonal (sychiatrist, 5ust to dia'nose her.
7ou&re welco$e to attend the sur'ery to$orrow i" you&d li*e. -&$
sure you were wor*in' on i$(ortant thin's when we su$$oned you.
7ou 5ust 'et bac* to =ew Gersey and out o" this chilly Maine
weather, h$64
;
2-s she ready yet64 Dr. 3eary as*ed the nurse and closed
the o(eratin' roo$ door behind hi$. She "iddled with a tray o"
needles while <asco$b washed his hands at the sin*. Sa$antha was
on her bac* on the o(eratin' table: it&s le's (rotruded "ro$
below the $ass o" )ui,erin' "ibrils.
2So$ethin'&s wron', doctor.4 %he nurse said, 2%he
anesthesia isn&t wor*in'. She can&t be desensiti/ed enou'h to
o(erate on. @,en i" we can 'et her aslee(, she&ll wa*e u( as
soon as we
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disturb her.4
2Any idea why that $i'ht be the case, doctor64 <asco$b
said, (ullin' on his 'lo,es.
Dr. 3eary circled the table to 'et closer to Sa$antha. 2-t
$ust ha,e so$ethin' to do with her hy(ersensiti,ity. Fro$ the
results that -&,e 'otten, her subconsciousness and slee( states
ha,en&t chan'ed. - *now so$e techni)ues that should still wor*
on her.4
.e reached "or her hand and the ner,es $o,ed aside, "or$in'
a tunnel to direct his wrist. %hey caressed and tic*led his
"orear$ as he wra((ed his "in'ers around her (al$. .e noticed
that it was s$ooth.
23isten to $e, Sa$antha.4 Dr. 3eary said in a so"t, low
,oice. 2- want you to rela1. -&$ 'oin' to count to ten, and
e,ery ti$e - say a nu$ber, - want you to thin* o" how cal$ and
co$"ortable you are. Feel yoursel" "allin' dee(er into the table
with e,ery nu$ber, so war$, so sa"e. +hen - 'et to ten you will
"all aslee( and will not wa*e u( until - say so. 8ne"eel
yoursel" sin*in'twothree4 As he said the "inal di'it her 'ri(
released and he lowered her hand. %he ner,es 'rew "laccid and
dra(ed "ro$ the table.
2Alri'ht, she should be "ine. 7ou can be'in.4 .e said.
<asco$b selected a s(rout and slid his "in'ers alon' it
until he held its ti( between his thu$b and "ore"in'er. .e
(ulled
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it taut and 'uided it into a cla$( secured to the ed'e o" the
table. %he nurse handed hi$ an alcoholDsoa*ed cotton ball and he
dabbed it around the strin's base.
2%here won&t be any bleedin', will there64 Dr. 3eary as*ed.
<asco$b shoo* his head. 2=o, these are only ner,es that
ha,e 'rown. %hey don&t contain any blood ,essels. All we ha,e to
do is cut the$ and *ee( the$ clean.4 .e reached and too* the
(air o" sterili/ed scissors "ro$ the nurse.
27ou only need two64 Dr. 3eary as*ed.
27es, that should be enou'h4 <asco$b said, and sni((ed the
"irst one.
Sa$antha screa$ed and sat u(. She 'ri((ed the sides o" the
o(eratin' table and bawled, 'as(in' "or breaths throu'h her
cries and thrashin' her torso. %he lan'uid "ibers and her ra''ed
tresses beca$e da$( "ro$ tears and li$( a'ainst her "ace, 'i,in'
the $en, "or the "irst ti$e, a decent ,iew o" it.
2+hat&s ha((ened64 Dr. 3eary yelled.
2- don&t *now, - can&t i$a'ine what could be wron'.4
<asco$b said, stru''lin' to "orce Sa$antha bac* down onto the
table.
%he ner,es had beco$e dar* and brittle. As he wrestled with
her, bundles o" the$ sna((ed under the (ressure, lea,in' hard,
hal"Dinch stubs 5uttin' "ro$ her e(ider$is.
<asco$b cried out in (ain and drew bac* "ro$ the 'irl,
holdin' his wrist. <lood "lowed "ro$ (unctures on his hand and

Fournier0!3
ran throu'h the "in'ers o" the other.
2My Aod,4 said Dr. 3eary, then threw his ar$s around
Sa$antha and e$braced her a'ainst his chest. %he re$ainin'
needles crac*ed, and "ell away as well. %he slender (ins stabbed
his ar$s, his "ace, his torso, and (ushed dee(er into Sa$antha&s
s*in.
She s)uir$ed to esca(e his 'ras(, and only $ade it worse.
2-&$ sorry, -&$ sorry4 he sobbed, but the ti'hter he held
her, the $ore she screa$ed.
dia(honous
%he Poet&s Pli'ht
by Cory Fournier
Cory Fournier about 4400 words
36 Phyllis St.
Dracut, MA 01!6
Cory"ournier#yahoo.co$