"Dr. Furter? What's going on?"
Jade Pawns stood up from her desk. Frank sat Feral down in a chair as
he replied, "She's just a little shaken about a friend of hers. She'll be
fine."
"Why bring her here?"
Frank rolled his eyes at her simplicity, though she didn't notice,
"If her mother saw her like this she'd just give her more medication."
The secretary nodded, "Oh. But doesn't she have school today?"
Feral looked up, "Oh, God! I have to get to school!" She began to
stand.
Frank stopped her, "Hang on. You can't go like that. Why don't you
skip today. to make for some recovery. Ok?"
She sat back down reluctantly, "Ok."
Jade tried to be helpful, "Let me get you something. A soda? Some
eggs? Bacon?"
Feral smiled weakly, "Eggs would be wonderful."
After she left through a door behind her desk, Frank sat beside
Feral. There was a long silence, until he finally said, "I'm sorry you had
to see me hit him."
She shook her head, "I wanted you to. You really are pretty strong. I
didn't know that."
Frank shrugged, "Just a gift, I guess. Though I wish I wasn't so
strong. I don't mind telling you, I did what Mick did to you a long time
ago. To a lot of people."
She looked up, "So that's your secret?"
He frowned, "Not nearly all of it, dear. I'm just saying that Mick
isn't the only one. Neither are you. Of course, you have every right to be
upset."
She spoke lower, "I could kill Mick for calling you a pervert. and
suggesting those things. You're so nice. Yet, you say that you've been this
horrible person. Please tell me. What happened?"
Frank took a deep breath, "Well first of all, I'm not an American."
"I know that. You're English."
He smiled, "It just so happens that my planet has the same accent as
English people."
Her eyes widened, "Your planet?" He nodded. She couldn't speak. She
began to mumble.
Frank whispered, "Now, no one knows but you, an old friend, and
myself. I trust you to say nothing."
She nodded frantically, "Ok. Is that all? Is there more? Where are
you from?"
He hushed her, "Hang on, hang on. One question at a time. That's not
all. My planet is called Transylvania. I'm not just a civilian, either. I'm
actually the Prince."
She just stared, "You're a. a prince? Like a royal person?"
He smiled, despite himself, "It really is nothing. I've given up my
claim to the throne by living here, of course. They don't want to see me
back there, anyway. I'm kind of an outcast. Which leads me to the rest of
my secrets. I practically-"
Jade returned with a plate of eggs. "Here you go, Feral. Eat up."
Feral gave Frank a helpless look and began to eat, "Thanks very
much."
"Oh, you're welcome. Nice girl, you are." She hurried back to her
desk, saying, "We have a little kitchen in the back, it was no trouble."
Frank looked at the clock above her desk. It read nine-thirty. He
stood. "Feral, come into my office. We can have our session now, and you
can have the afternoon for yourself."
She got up, bringing the plate with herm "That's fine."
As soon as the door was shut, Frank continued, "I am not just a
psychologist. I'm also a scientist. I had been working on creating life in
a laboratory. It worked."
She nearly choked on a piece of egg, "Oh wow! You could be rich with
the knowledge you have!"
He nodded but frowned, "I could also be watched very closely ever
afterward. You think no one would notice if someone just showed up and
said, 'Oh hey, let me show you how to make a person'?"
She giggled, "You're right. Sorry, I'm just. really surprised."
He sat down at his desk, "Most people would be. Anyway, I created
this man. But I didn't create him for the sake of scientific advancement."
"Ok, what did you make him for?"
Frank hesitated, "I'm afraid that I'll lose some, if not all, of your
respect."
She shook her head, "You won't. I'll keep in mind that you've given
up your ways."
"Ok. I created him for sex."
This time, she did choke. After a few coughs, she managed to ask,
"You're a. No, you were a homosexual?"
He corrected, "A bisexual, actually. What do you think?"
She stared off into space for awhile before she answered, "I. I don't
know. Is that the way your planet did?"
"Yes. But I wasn't on Transylvania when I did this. I was in an old
castle on Earth. On that same night, I let in a couple that was soon to be
married. They're car had broken down, and they wanted to use the phone.
They're names were Brad Majors and Janet Weiss-"
"I heard about them! They were in the paper! It said that they were
found in lingerie in an abandoned lot!"
He sighed, "Oh, yes. The lot was where they took off."
"What?"
"The castle was used as a transport back to Transylvania. I'll
explain more later. Anyway, Janet fainted when she first saw me-"
"You? You're so unthreatening. Why did she faint?"
"Risking your respect again. Well-"
Jade stepped in, "Frank, Feral's mom is on the phone. She says the
school called wanting to know where she was. Her mom wants to know if she's
here. What do I say?"
Frank made up his mind quickly, "Tell her she just left for home.
Tell her I gave her a note for her school to excuse her for the taken day."
"Very good, Doctor."
Feral protested after she had left, "But I want to know-"
He stopped her, "Another day, Fay. Here's that excuse for the school
day."
She nodded, "Ok. Well. Bye."
She walked to the door, then turned, "I almost forgot. Thanks very
much. You're my best friend."
He looked taken aback, "Oh, don't say that."
"It's true. You're my only friend. Bye, Frank."
He smiled, "Bye, Fay."
She disappeared, and Frank leaned back in his chair. After a moment
of thought, he realized that it was just two days until the very day. He
refused to think too hard on it. His mind drifted. Poor Feral. She ended up
with a horrible guy. Jerk. But now I'm her best friend. That's scary. What
do I do now? Does this count in that whole 'doctor vs. patient
relationship' rule? Am I breaking more rules? What if she calls me? Why am
I always caught in a situation with a phone? How am I always the bad guy?
Bad guy. Will Fay tell anyone? No. she couldn't. She's trustworthy. My Fay
Wray.
