Read Online Come Out Tonight by Bonnie Rozanski - Free Book Online Page A

Zombies?”   I laughed; I couldn’t help it.
    She gave me a weak smile.   “Yeah.   You could put it that way.”
    “Wow.   Somnolux turning people into zombies?”   This was hysterical.
    “A few cases.   Ryan says it’s a drop in the bucket.   He says that in a hundred million prescriptions, a few cases like this have got to show up, if only randomly.   Nobody can prove that Somnolux caused them.”
    “But you think you can.”
    “I think we should try.”
    I got it, finally.   Sherry wanted to study it - prove the side-effects one way or the other, but that would just call attention to the whole issue.   Then, whether they proved the drug innocent or guilty, Somnolux would be toast.   “And the Institute says no?” I asked.  
    Sherry sighed.   “Yeah, the Institute says no.”
     
*     *      *
     
    Over the next month, Sherry was getting moodier and moodier.   Either she didn’t come over, or she came over late.   I couldn’t get her on her cell, because she stopped carrying it.   She said she didn’t want to talk to anyone.    When she was here, she wouldn’t talk or she’d pick fights with me.   I asked her what was wrong, but she wouldn’t say.   I figured it was this whole business about her job, so I just didn’t go there, letting her work it out in her own way.
    Then one day she stomped upstairs and demanded that I stop taking Somnolux.
    I don’t know.   It just seemed unreasonable.   Here I was, sleeping like a baby for the first time in years.   “Why?” I said. “Just because you’re not getting any profit out of it?”
    That did it.   I thought she was going to throw a punch at me.   “Is that what you think?” she cried.
    I backtracked right away.   “No, but, hey, it’s a good drug.   You’re the one who got me started on it.”
    “I know,” she said, sadly.   “But I’m worried about you.”
    “You know, I hate to say this, but I’m beginning to side with Ryan on this one, Sherry.   A couple of cases of automatism, or whatever you call it, in a hundred million people?   Ya gotta be overreacting.”
    “You don’t think you’ve been flying off the handle a lot lately?”
    “You talking about me or you?” I asked, amazed.
    “You.   You mean you forgot?”
    “Forgot what?” I said.  
    “That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Sherry cried.   “You don’t even remember that you forgot something.”
    “Whoa, Sherry.   Now you’re not even making sense.”
    We stood glaring at each other.   “So you won’t stop taking it?” she said, hands on hips.
    I thought about it for two seconds.   “No. Don’t think I will.”
    “Fine.   I’m going home.”
    “Aw, Sherry.   That’s just dumb.   You’re leaving because you can’t have your way.”
    “Hey, I’m tired.   I had a hard day at work.”  
    She opened the door.   There, standing in front of her, was Ryan, bent over double and panting from running the three flights up.   “Sherry,” was all he could get out.
    “What are you doing here?” she said.
    “I tried...to get you on your cell, but... it rang and rang.   Then...I tried to call your land line, but... your voice mail picked up.   I ...figured you were home but not answering, so I went over to your place.... Knocked and knocked.... All I could figure...was that you were here.”   He panted a few times, leaning against the wall.
      “How do you know where I live?” I asked.
    Ryan put his hand out as if to say, “Wait.   Let me breathe.”
    I wanted to tell him to go breathe somewhere else, but I didn’t. “Well?” I demanded finally.
    “I gave Ryan your address months ago,” Sherry said.   “In case he couldn’t reach me at home.”
    Ryan straightened up.   “I’ve got to talk to you.”
    “Here?” I asked, but he was already pushing his way in.
    “Could you...go in the bedroom or something?” Ryan asked me.   “I’d like some privacy.”
    “In my