Read Online The Dark: A Collection (Point Horror) by Linda Cargill - Free Book Online
Authors: Linda Cargill
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on your own too soon. It's my fault, not
yours, of course. I misjudged how far along you were in your
recovery. Going out with one of the Fellini boys. . . Frankly, I
don't think it shows good judgment."
Bianca tottered on
her feet. She didn't know how she was going to live with that
condemnation. She never felt good unless Doc approved of her choices.
It had been that way for two years.
"You'd better
come with me." Doc took Bianca's arm and started to guide her out
of the room. "The police can deal with these low-life scum. I just
summoned them on my cell phone."
Bianca had never
resisted Doc before. She stopped and gaped at him with a silent plea.
"Bianca, what's
wrong?" Doc caressed her cheek. "You don't look well, my dear.
You're so pale and—"
"I'm — I'm
sorry you don't approve of Harry. But — but he was so nice to me.
You told me I should find friends. He's had problems like me. I
think you'd like him if — if you'd give him a chance."
It was hard to
express herself in Doc's presence. He was so intimidating. She
never, but NEVER, dared to argue with him.
"Bianca." Doc
shook his head. "You don't have the presence of mind to make such
important decisions all by yourself. You're in a nervous state, too
easily deceived by cons like the Fellini brothers. You've got to
trust me. Harry's not right for you. He's not right at all."
Doc patted her on the shoulder.
Harry had gotten in
trouble because of her. Bianca would never forgive herself if she
deserted him now.
"I'm — I'm
sorry." She looked down at the floor. She couldn't meet Doc's
eyes. "I have to stay a little while longer. Please!"
Harry grabbed her.
"Who are you, anyway? Leave Bianca alone. She's been picked on
enough tonight."
Harry and Doc glared
at each other, each taking the other's measure.
"I'll have you
know that I'm an intern at the Brunswick Memorial Hospital and
Bianca's official outpatient medical adviser." Doc impaled Harry
with his frosty stare.
"Yeah, well we're
doing fine, thank you. We don't need you sticking your nose in our
business. Shove off!" Harry stood up to Doc.
Bianca's mouth fell
open. No one ever told Doc to shove off! She wanted to drop through
the floor.
"Bianca, are you
coming?" Doc turned his steely gaze on her. "I can't stand here
all night." He got out his gold pocket watch and glanced at it. He
was always so busy.
Bianca couldn't
meet his eyes.
"Very well, Bianca.
This is more serious than I thought. I'll have to call your other
doctors. I'll be in touch as soon as we arrive at a diagnosis. In
the meantime, you can deal with the police by yourself. It won't be
very pleasant, I promise you. But if you insist!"
Doc started to walk
off with that firm, rapid step, but then he stopped in his tracks. He
turned. He spoke in a different tone, his words going through her
like a knife. "I wouldn't have thought that you'd forget so
easily, Bianca, that I want the best for you."
Bianca burst into
tears. She tried to rush after Doc. Harry grabbed her around the
waist. For a while she tried to fight him off. Then he let her cry on
his shoulder while he stroked her hair.
Doc was angry. She
could feel it in the pit of her stomach. She could sense it in the
way her hands shook. How was she going to live with herself?
Rick lunged at Harry
with his knife while he was still comforting Bianca. Bianca fell back
with a scream. Harry kicked the blade out of Rick's hands.
Marianna cheered Rick
on. "Slug the bastard!" Marianna called. "Show him what for!"
She was turning red in the face as she shouted. She would do anything
to get back at Bianca.
Rick didn't take
time to look for his knife. He knocked Harry to the ground and leaped
on top of him. He started punching Harry around the face.
Harry pushed Rick
off. Rick scrambled to his feet as Harry gave him another shove. Rick
went hurtling back against the wall with a crash. The impact knocked
some pictures down and shattered their glass.
Marianna let out a
bloodcurdling shriek.
yours, of course. I misjudged how far along you were in your
recovery. Going out with one of the Fellini boys. . . Frankly, I
don't think it shows good judgment."
Bianca tottered on
her feet. She didn't know how she was going to live with that
condemnation. She never felt good unless Doc approved of her choices.
It had been that way for two years.
"You'd better
come with me." Doc took Bianca's arm and started to guide her out
of the room. "The police can deal with these low-life scum. I just
summoned them on my cell phone."
Bianca had never
resisted Doc before. She stopped and gaped at him with a silent plea.
"Bianca, what's
wrong?" Doc caressed her cheek. "You don't look well, my dear.
You're so pale and—"
"I'm — I'm
sorry you don't approve of Harry. But — but he was so nice to me.
You told me I should find friends. He's had problems like me. I
think you'd like him if — if you'd give him a chance."
It was hard to
express herself in Doc's presence. He was so intimidating. She
never, but NEVER, dared to argue with him.
"Bianca." Doc
shook his head. "You don't have the presence of mind to make such
important decisions all by yourself. You're in a nervous state, too
easily deceived by cons like the Fellini brothers. You've got to
trust me. Harry's not right for you. He's not right at all."
Doc patted her on the shoulder.
Harry had gotten in
trouble because of her. Bianca would never forgive herself if she
deserted him now.
"I'm — I'm
sorry." She looked down at the floor. She couldn't meet Doc's
eyes. "I have to stay a little while longer. Please!"
Harry grabbed her.
"Who are you, anyway? Leave Bianca alone. She's been picked on
enough tonight."
Harry and Doc glared
at each other, each taking the other's measure.
"I'll have you
know that I'm an intern at the Brunswick Memorial Hospital and
Bianca's official outpatient medical adviser." Doc impaled Harry
with his frosty stare.
"Yeah, well we're
doing fine, thank you. We don't need you sticking your nose in our
business. Shove off!" Harry stood up to Doc.
Bianca's mouth fell
open. No one ever told Doc to shove off! She wanted to drop through
the floor.
"Bianca, are you
coming?" Doc turned his steely gaze on her. "I can't stand here
all night." He got out his gold pocket watch and glanced at it. He
was always so busy.
Bianca couldn't
meet his eyes.
"Very well, Bianca.
This is more serious than I thought. I'll have to call your other
doctors. I'll be in touch as soon as we arrive at a diagnosis. In
the meantime, you can deal with the police by yourself. It won't be
very pleasant, I promise you. But if you insist!"
Doc started to walk
off with that firm, rapid step, but then he stopped in his tracks. He
turned. He spoke in a different tone, his words going through her
like a knife. "I wouldn't have thought that you'd forget so
easily, Bianca, that I want the best for you."
Bianca burst into
tears. She tried to rush after Doc. Harry grabbed her around the
waist. For a while she tried to fight him off. Then he let her cry on
his shoulder while he stroked her hair.
Doc was angry. She
could feel it in the pit of her stomach. She could sense it in the
way her hands shook. How was she going to live with herself?
Rick lunged at Harry
with his knife while he was still comforting Bianca. Bianca fell back
with a scream. Harry kicked the blade out of Rick's hands.
Marianna cheered Rick
on. "Slug the bastard!" Marianna called. "Show him what for!"
She was turning red in the face as she shouted. She would do anything
to get back at Bianca.
Rick didn't take
time to look for his knife. He knocked Harry to the ground and leaped
on top of him. He started punching Harry around the face.
Harry pushed Rick
off. Rick scrambled to his feet as Harry gave him another shove. Rick
went hurtling back against the wall with a crash. The impact knocked
some pictures down and shattered their glass.
Marianna let out a
bloodcurdling shriek.
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