For Love and Friendship

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

As Mackland tried to gather his thoughts and questions for who these strangers were and why they were visiting him, Dr. Larson returned. "Well Dr. Ames, all of our test came back clear. You have a mild concussion and the lacerations on your arm don't appear to be infected. I am going to prescribe an antibiotic just to make sure. I'm also going to go ahead and start your release papers, do you have someone to can drive you back to where you're staying?" Dr. Larson glanced at the two other's in the room.

It was Jim who answered, "I'll take care of taking the Doctor where he needs to go."

Dr. Larson nodded, "Good, just make sure if he displays any additional symptoms to bring him back immediately. If that's settled I'll start the paperwork." With just a glance back at Mackland the doctor left the room.

Mackland sat up and attempted to move from the bed to get dressed. "I'm sorry, but why do you think I'll go anywhere with you. I just met you both and with everything that has happened, I'm not really sure what I'm doing except paying my respects to the Gunthners and catching the next flight home." Mackland was tired, he was upset and he wasn't sure what to think of all that had happened.

Upon standing Mackland wavered, Jim was at his side instantly, steadying him. "First off Dr. Ames, you will be unable to drive yourself anywhere. Second, I too am going to pay my respects to Steven's family, so I will be able to give you a ride. However, as far as taking the next flight home, I must insist that we make a detour to Lawrence for a couple of days."

"Why do I need to go to Lawrence? As I said, I've only just met you and now you expect me to travel with you?" Mackland stepped toward the small closet that he hoped contained his clothes. "I need to call my father. He's probably worried that I haven't called and he doesn't need to get another phone call from the police telling him I've been hurt." Mackland said quietly.

"We will leave you to dress, but please Doctor. I insist that you give us a couple of days and everything will be explained." Mackland turned to face Jim again. The reading he could pick up from the Pastor was one of sincerity, but there was something else that Mackland saw in the man's eyes that caused him to nod, he would give them a couple days, then he would put this place and these people behind him.

The Pastor indeed gave Mackland a ride back to the Gunthners. Solemnly he collected his items and offered his condolences to the family, not only for the loss of their son and brother, but for David as well, a loss he, himself, felt he was responsible for. Upon leaving the grieving family Jim and Mackland made the two hour drive to Lawrence, arriving at a smaller two-story house, with a plaque in the front yard; Missouri Mosley: Psychic and Palm Reader, your future is in your hands.

Mackland felt himself roll his eyes. He had dealt with people before who thought they were psychic, but were just in it for an easy dollar. That was one of the main reasons he wanted to remain anonymous when helping the police. He never asked for money, nor did he accept any for his services. He felt, at least until David's death, that his gift was just that, something that was given to him to use to help others.

Missouri opened her door as both men exited the car Jim had rented. The older woman addressed Mackland first, "I am not in this business for the money young man, so you better put that thought right out of your head. I help those who truly need it, the other's, it is a free country, and if they wish to pay for my services then that's their choice." the Doctor was again startled the woman could throw his thoughts back at him.

Jim's voice seemed to try and defuse the situation. "Missouri, please, he is going to need time to understand what is going on, but if you go getting all defensive with him, we will never get anything explained." Jim placed a calming hand on the woman's shoulder, "Besides, he's not the first to question your talents, so don't you think it would be best to go inside so we can explain things to him."

Missouri gave Mackland an annoyed look then smiled at Jim. "I suppose your right, come on in I have some tea and sandwiches made up, I'm sure you're both hungry from your drive." Turning Missouri went back inside.

Jim waited for Mackland to climb the porch, though he had taken the bandage from around his head, the Pastor could just make out the stitches near Mackland's hair line. There were also a couple stitches near the younger man's upper lip and by the way Mackland was walking, Jim knew the Doctor was still hurting from his ordeal in the woods, not only physically, but emotionally as well. "She means well Mackland, but like you, she has encountered resistance to her abilities and our dear Missouri doesn't take kindly to non-believers."

As they stepped into Missouri's parlor Mackland took a seat in the closest chair, his body wanting to rebel the movement. "And just what are her abilities?"

It was Missouri who answered as she entered the room carrying a tray of tea and sandwiches. Jim took it from her, sitting it on the coffee table. "For one I can read others thought, so you best be careful what you think around me." trying to look stern, Missouri's face soon softened. "I am also able to get a glimpse into certain peoples futures. I'm able to pick up on others with psychic abilities; such as yourself. And I'm also able to pick up on certain supernatural entities."

The Doctor accepted the cup of tea from Jim as the Pastor offered Missouri hers, then retrieved one for himself as he took a seat next to Missouri on the couch. "Is that how you knew about my Psychometry? I remember you making comment in the hospital about me being able to do more and you told those men you were talking to in the hall that I was important to 'the cause', exactly what did you mean?"

Missouri sat her cup down and moved forward, taking Mackland's hand. "You fought a long hard road to come back from your accident, along with you came some new abilities, the one I was able to pick up on immediately was your ability to local others. But you have another one, one that isn't used nearly as much, but of which you have a very good control. Perhaps you should show Jim what that one is and trust me, there isn't too much that impresses the old man, but this one just might." Missouri winked at Mackland as the Doctor caught the questioning look from Jim.

Mackland knew Missouri was talking about his telekinesis. He had never used it outwardly, though he had practiced controlling it, just in case he found himself in a situation that required its use. However, now he was being asked to show this ability to strangers, he was a little nervous, and for Mackland to be nervous about anything was very unusual. "I'm very tired and with my mild concussion, I'm not sure if I'll be able to control it as well as usual."

Missouri patted his arm, "It doesn't have to be anything big, but he really needs to know before we proceed."

Mackland nodded, for some reason he was finding himself trusting these people more than people he had known for years. Only Elizabeth and his father had ever witnessed his telekinesis, but now Mackland found himself sitting in a house in Lawrence, Kansas with a Pastor and a self proclaimed psychic getting ready to reveal one of his secrets. The Doctor moved to the edge of his chair, placing his cup on the coffee table, he took the spoon off his saucer and placed on the table's surface. Glancing at Missouri who nodded, Mackland focused his attention back on the small metal object. Normally it wouldn't take much concentration, but he had never tried it while recovering from a concussion, Mackland felt a slight twinge of pain as the spoon moved across the table, falling to the floor.

Mackland glanced at Missouri and Jim as he brought his hand to his head. Jim, indeed, did look surprised as the older man looked at Missouri, "How long have you been aware of that?"

"You know better than to take a tone with me James Murphy, Guardian or not, and I just felt it in the hospital. It's not an ability he uses much, so the presence of it was buried deeper." Missouri watched as Jim's expression changed. He had not meant to sound like she was hiding something from him, he knew Missouri better than that.

"I sincerely apologize, but you do understand this is starting to clarify things for me don't you?" Jim spoke as he stood, walking toward the window.

Mackland had regathered his thoughts as his headache eased some. "Would someone please explain to me what you both are talking about and why it involves me?"

Jim turned, looking at Mackland. "Do you what it was that attacked you and your friend in the woods, what it was that killed those other men?"

Mackland watched the Pastor, trying to figure out if the man knew who had killed his friend and why he had not told Detective Rawlings. "I don't know what it was, David said it was bigger than any coyote he had ever seen. It seemed like a large dog or something, I never got a good look at it."

"It was a werewolf." Mackland laughed nervously, but the seriousness in the Pastor's eyes stopped him.

"There's no such thing as werewolves." This time Jim couldn't help a nervous chuckle, this wasn't the first time he had to try and convince someone of something that everyday people were unaware of existed.

Seriousness quickly overtook Jim's face again. "I know how this must sound. I was like you once, convinced that such things were fairytales, but I assure you they are very real. As are so many other things that others would only believe existed in our imaginations."

Mackland stood, looking toward the door, feeling the need to put some space between himself and these people. Maybe his first impressions weren't the best, maybe these people were dangerous. "Right, next you'll tell me ghost and Bigfoot exist, I need to be getting back to New York." Jim's quiet voice stopped Mackland's movement toward the door.

"There's no proof of Bigfoot that we have found, but yes ghost do exist." Mackland turned not believing he was having this conversation with a Pastor. The Doctor held his ground as Jim neared him. "Like I said, I know how this sounds. But think of all those who have given you questioning looks when made aware of your abilities. There is a natural human resistance to things we don't understand. You have dealt with it, Missouri has been ridiculed for her abilities and I, just as a Pastor, have dealt with people who want to argue the existence of God, just because they don't see proof. However, just because there is no proof, doesn't mean these things don't exist."

Something inside Mackland told him that this man before him was telling him the truth. "What does any of this have to do with me? I'm a neurosurgeon from New York, who survived what is normally a fatal automobile accident. I was in a coma for three months, which only my father ever believed I would wake from. It took me over a year to recover enough to get my life back. On top of that I discovered these abilities, which before my accident, I would have laughed at. Now this ability has gotten a good friend killed and you're trying to tell me it was a werewolf that was responsible. It was because of me we were in those woods. I shouldn't have told David what I saw until we could have gotten help. If it wasn't for those men who found me I would have died in those woods with my friend, perhaps I should have." Mackland was normally a man who controlled his emotions, but with what had happened, with his concussion and his aching body protesting every move he made, the Doctor had revealed more than he ever wanted to, he suddenly felt very tired as his headache made itself known in full force. He noticed a look of concern cross the Pastor's face, he saw the man's mouth move, but was unable to hear him as darkness encroached in his vision. Awareness left him, before he could see the older man rush forward.