The Hitting Zone
chapter-385

He checked it. "100.5 (Fahrenheit)" He frowned. "Still high, but at least it's coming down." He put it down on the desk, then took a good look at me. "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "Sick."

He cracked a smile. "I got that. Can you be more specific? Do you have a headache? A stomachache? Do you feel like you need to throw up? Is your throat itchy?"

I shrugged again. Everything hurt, but nothing stood out. "I do have a headache." A headache from thinking too much.

"That's probably due to lack of sleep." He told me. "You didn't sleep well." He leaned against the wall. "I know you might think I'm overreacting, but I'd like Dr. Moore to take a look at you."

I squinted. "He's not that kind of doctor though." He wouldn't make me feel better.

"Yes, I know." He ran a hand through his hair. "But, your night terror seemed really bad. You threw up a few times and I'm concerned if it's just being sick. Or something psychological that's making you feel sick. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Something psychologically that's making me sick? I think I have a hunch. A man appeared looking like my father, yet he's too young. That might make him my brother. He's coming to Oakland. He's coming to the Bay Area. Heck, he could already be here.

"I brought some soup." Mrs. Atkins walked in with a small table tray. She lifted it a little higher, slowing down. "Are you okay with this on your lap?"

I nodded.

She watched me closely as she came close, and set it over my lap carefully like I would break. Then she quickly gave me space.

"I made potato cheese soup." She told me. She then put a water bottle on the tray. "And here's some water. To keep you hydrated. You had a rough night."

I nodded. "Thanks." My voice was raspy and sore like it had been roughed up. I reached for the water first to clear my throat a little. Then I started to dig in. My stomach was growling at me for being empty.

Mr. and Mrs. Atkins both stood nearby, yet not too close. It felt weird being watched as I ate, but I was too hungry to care. I was tired too.

"So Jake, what do you think?" Mr. Atkins asked.

I looked up, not sure what he meant.

"About letting Dr. Moore come over? To take a look at you?"

I frowned and paused my eating. "He's going to make a house visit?"

"We can get him to do that." Mr. Atkins told me.

"I don't need him." More like, I don't want him. But, that would just translate into me needing him.

"Jake..." Mrs Atkins looked concerned. "I think, that maybe, you should talk to him. It doesn't have to be long. Just a few minutes."

Looking at her face, I felt slightly guilty. They were just trying to help me feel better and I sound like a bad guy for refusing. "Okay." I put my attention back on the soup.

"Great. I'll go give him a call." Mr. Atkins left the room.

Silence dominated the room with just me and Mrs. Atkins left. I ate the soup as fast as I could, and she just hovered between me and the door. It was like she was stuck in 'worry mode'.

After I finished eating, she was quick to lift the tray out of my way and set it on the desk. "Are you still hungry? Do you need something more?"

I shook my head no. Then I scratched my head and thought of something to fill the awkward silence. "Did Noah and them already go to school?"

She nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Yes, it's almost lunch time so they might be getting ready for the game soon." She clammed up, going back to looking worried.

I stared at her, confused. I've never seen Mrs. Atkins act so weird.

"Dr. Moore said he can come by shortly." Mr. Atkins walked back in the room, phone in hand. "Do you want to take a shower or some medicine? Anything in particular that will make you feel better?"

"A shower sounds good." I flipped off my sheets.

Mr. Atkins helped me out of bed since I still felt pretty weak and tired. I gathered some sweat pants and a T-shirt before going to the bathroom.

Sure enough, when I was done, I felt more refreshed and relaxed. I was still feeling a little muddle headed regarding the man I saw on tv, but there wasn't much I could do right now.

I dumped my dirty clothes in a basket before I started to look for Mr. and Mrs. Atkins. Neither of them were upstairs so that could only mean one thing, gotta check downstairs. I moved slowly down the hall then down the stairs. I could hear them both, taking turns speaking. Then a third voice replying. Dr. Moore must be here.

I shuffled my feet to the dining room, finding the trio already seated.

"Hey Jake." Dr. Moore smiled at me. "I heard you're a little under the weather today?"

I shrugged. "I suppose so." I sat down.

"Noah told Mary that you felt unwell going to bed last night?" He looked at me through his glasses, making it seem like he could see deeper within me.

I nodded slowly. "I felt sick so I went to bed."

"And then?"

"And then..." I repeated. Blinked. "And then I woke up feeling sick still..?"

"So you don't remember your dreams at all?" He asked. "Mr. Atkins was worried that you had a night terror and maybe that caused you to be sick. What do you think?"

I scratched the corner of my forehead. "Well..I don't know. I remember opening and closing my eyes a few times. Noah was being too loud." I shrugged.

"Let's backtrack, do you know when exactly you started to feel sick? Did you eat something? Smell something bad? Did you hear something? See something?" He was naming almost all five senses, trying to narrow down what had happened.

"It wasn't anything, really." I told him. "I was with everyone watching sports, and then I just got a headache with all the excitement." Not a lie. "So I went to bed."

"Hmmm." He hummed, writing a few thoughts down. "And you don't remember the night terror? Or what happened throughout the night?"

"What happened throughout the night?" I asked.

Dr. Moore pushed up his glasses, glancing at the two adults across from me. "Do you two want to talk to him about it?"

Mr. Atkins nodded, keeping his eyes on me. "You threw up. You were really jumpy and scared. Kind of like when you first came to us. Anytime Mary got close to you..."

I looked to Mrs. Atkins. So that's why she was keeping her distance from me. She didn't want me to get upset.

Mrs. Atkins gave me a tight smile. "We weren't scared of you. Just scared for you. Don't be afraid to tell us what you need, even if it's space."

"I'm okay now." I forced out. "I feel better after the soup and shower." I felt a yawn coming on and let it out freely. "Still sleepy though. Can I go back to bed?" I was eager to get away from Dr. Moore and this heart-to-heart.

I can't just come out and say I saw a man that looked like my dad, yet is too young to be him. That he might be my brother. A brother I never mentioned having.

"Do you mind if I stay over?" Dr. Moore asked me. "Just to see if you have a night terror again."

"You want to watch me sleep..?" I asked, not feeling comfortable with that idea.

He laughed. "No. Not exactly. I'm not specialized in sleep therapy. I'll just do some work off my laptop here in the kitchen. Then, if we hear the sounds of you having a scary dream, I can come up, wake you and we can talk about what you remember then."

"And if I don't have a nightmare?" I asked.

"Then nothing." He shrugged. "Honestly, I think the only reason you had a bad dream and experience, is because you were sick. When your body is ill, it's not uncommon for patients like you to have dreams about the past. That's all that I think happened here."

I let out a sigh of relief. As long as he's not suspicious, then that's good.

They excused me and allowed me to go back to bed. I snuggled in, getting comfortable. The more i thought about it, the more I think it was my imagination getting the best of me. I can just ask Noah a little more about this person and it can be settled. No need to panic.