Hi There,

Here is this week’s scene from Full Circle and Aeron is causing some problems with the electrics… I hope that you enjoy!

Big Smiles,

Jody

My thoughts: I really love seeing Aeron on the page and the way she interacts with others in her laid-back, gentle manner. In this chapter, you get a sense of why reading The Whistleblower and Susan’s story will come in handy. Of course, as a stand alone novel, I hope I fill in enough detail that you understand who she is and why she is important but for those who’ve followed her story, hopefully it makes you smile to see her.

That was one of the difficult parts about Susan’s own story being introduced into Black Ridge Falls. Although she’s mentioned in The Empath very briefly, readers who don’t look at my website don’t know anything about her but I did my best to include what was necessary for her story in Full Circle.

The mention of Cobalamin is actually the clinical name for B12 which is an essential vitamin that protects the nerve sheaths of the spine, is part of a B-vitamin team that brings down the levels of homocysteine in the brain (which causes brain shrinkage,) and many other very important functions. People lose their ability to absorb B12 from food as they get older or have certain medical conditions that cause them to either not be able to absorb it or they can’t change it into an actively useful fuel. The doctor also mentions oxygen which is known for assisting faster healing… and thankfully, Aeron is in his care.

Full Circle exclusive.

Copyright © 2018 Jody Klaire.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any means, electronic or mechanical without permission in writing from the author and publisher.

Please note: all scenes are the intellectual property of the author and that online exclusive scenes may differ from the published version.

Chapter 9

Crack.

I sat up, rolled off the bed, and took cover from the gunfire only to smell electrical smoke. My heart pounded through my vision, making it wobble, but I could see a nurse shaking as she stared at the charcoaled heart monitor.

“What happened?” The doctor hurried in then checked over the nurse. “Are you alright? Did you get a shock?” He looked to me. “Did you?”

I shook my head which took more energy than it should have and I wobbled my way back onto the bed.

“It just blew. It was working fine two minutes ago. I placed all the leads then switched it on and…” She flapped her arms around.

Ah. Guess they hadn’t figured me and anything electrical weren’t a good mix. I opened my mouth to say so but coughed and coughing turned to gasping so I slumped back onto the pillows.

The doctor placed his stethoscope to my back and listened. “The tube hurt your throat,” he told me in a soothing tone. “Your voice will come back. It just might take a week or so.”

I guessed that whoever shoved it in my mouth didn’t much care if I could speak. I could imagine Val or the guards requesting folks got tubes just for some peace and quiet.

He helped me sit back up. “You are looking much better today.” He smiled at me and listened to my chest. “Again, I’m very sorry about that intruder.”

I shrugged. It felt strange having anyone in Serenity say sorry. Val would probably have given the nurse her phone number. Although maybe that was more of a punishment than getting caught. I snorted, then coughed, then gasped again.

“I do wish we could X-ray those ribs. They were multi-colored when you first arrived.” He eyed my side. “It would be nice to know how you broke them.”

I shrugged again. Was it slamming into a cliff face, slamming into an overhang, getting crunched by a rock mid evasion roll or hey, being shot at or thrown down a river rapid at high speed? Then again, dropping I dunno how many feet into a pool might have played a part.

“Do you have pain?” He pressed and I yelped, then coughed, then gasped for air.

I tapped at his hands. I weren’t really in the mood to be prodded.

He frowned that doctor frown. “When you were shot, did you have some kind of protection on?”

I nodded.

The nurse raised her eyebrows. “I don’t like to think what you’d have looked like without it.”

Me neither. Sure, I wasn’t healing well but even after two months unconscious, I felt as sore as I did before I passed out. If I’d passed out. Maybe it had been the mean nurse who knocked me out?

“Let’s get another heart monitor and we’ll see if we can check your blood pressure.” The doctor tapped the board at the bottom of my bed with my notes. “Your blood tests were…”

Interesting? Crazy? Freaky like me?

“Inconclusive.” He sighed.

I nodded. Figured.

“Do you think you could write your name?” He held out my notes with a pen. “I’d like to see if we have a file on you.”

I smiled and took the plastic pen. I wrote, “my name is Aeron Lorelei. I used to be in the high security wing. I blow electrics.”

He took back my notes and cocked his head. “Ah, were you here when Doctor Gossett was?”

I nodded.

He pocketed his pen. “That explains your blood results… even if it doesn’t explain what she was doing.” He beamed at the nurse. “Let’s try a high-intensity course of cobalamin and place Aeron here on oxygen while she sleeps.”

I cocked my head.

“Do you want me to inform the wing, doctor?” the nurse studied him like she admired him. Most of the nurses looked at him that way.

“No. There are new staff in the medical ward and I doubt they will have read any of Doctor Gossett’s ideas.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Best we get you on your feet before we tell anyone else who you are… especially after that intruder got to you.”

I held up my glass of water in thanks and took a deep breath as the nurse wheeled over needles. Guess I was sprouting more holes.