Frozen inside
without your touch,
without your love, darling.
Only you are the life among the dead.
-Evanescence "Bring Me To Life"
The cold bike ride combined with Ephram's drinking and lack of food finally catches up to him in the hallway. He suddenly cannot see and loses his breath as he falters. Andy catches him before he hits the floor. Andy is startled by his son's hot skin, clearly feverish. Andy kneels and gently lowers Ephram to the floor. Ephram blinks away the spots in his vision and tries to catch his breath.
"You're burning up, Ephram," Andy announces, feeling his son's sluggish pulse and trying not to panic.
"I'm fine…I swear…I'm fine," Ephram mutters, pulling his wrist away from his father's grasp.
"No you're not…what is wrong with you?" Andy snaps, his panic taking over.
"Nothing is wrong with me. I'm fine. Leave me the hell alone," Ephram retorts, defensive. He tries to get to his feet but doesn't have the strength.
"I'm sorry, son…you're sick, let me help you," Andy pleads, grabbing Ephram's arm. He realizes that Ephram has lost weight and he can wrap his entire hand around his son's forearm.
"I'm not sick…stop it…" Ephram pleads, pulling away. He gets dizzy again and puts his hands over his face. "I can do this…I'm not sick…I'm not crazy…I'm not sick…" He mutters to himself, forgetting that his father is sitting beside him.
Andy realizes that something besides the fever is wrong with his son.
"She's not real…I'm not crazy…she's not real…" Ephram mutters as darkness overtakes him. He collapses into his father's arms.
Amy answers the phone, expecting Colin.
"Hello?"
"Amy?"
"Yeah, who's this?" She questions.
"It's Dr. Brown. Is your father home?"
"Sure. I'll get him," She replies, walking toward the den with the phone. "Is everything okay?"
"Has Ephram been acting strange lately, Amy?"
"Well…he has been a little more withdrawn than usual. He didn't want to talk about it and we didn't push him. I'm sure he'll come out of it," Amy replies. "Here's Dad."
"Hello?" Dr Abbott answers.
"Dr. Abbott. It's Dr. Brown. Can I ask you for a favor?"
"That depends…" Dr. Abbott begins.
"It's Ephram. Something's wrong with him…I don't trust myself to…" Dr. Brown interrupts.
Dr. Abbott realizes that it must be serious if Andy is calling him for help with his son. "Are you at home?"
"Yes…"
"I'll be right there."
"What's going on, Dad?" Amy asks, concerned after thinking about Dr. Brown's questions.
"Nothing to worry about, I need to go out. Tell your mother that I'll be back later." Dr. Abbott rushes to his car and soon is at Andy's house.
Andy opens the door and lets Dr. Abbott inside.
"What is it?"
"Ephram's running a fever…it's unbelievably high and he's…"
"Andy, slow down. Take me to him," Dr. Abbott says, recognizing the manic quality in Dr. Brown's voice.
Andy leads Dr. Brown into the living room where he has placed Ephram's unconscious form on the couch.
"Andy, he's…he's drunk. Did you smell the alcohol on him?" Dr. Abbott notices first, taking Ephram's pulse.
"I know, I think he's been drinking a lot…every day…I don't know how I missed it…he's lost at least thirty pounds…" Andy says, his voice hoarse from sobbing.
"Okay, Andy, calm down. You can't help him if you're panicked like this," Dr. Abbott says, his voice calm. He is concerned by the teenager's paleness and sluggish pulse. "Where's Delia?"
"She's sleeping over at Nina's…how could I not see this?" Andy sighs, anxious.
"Andy. Ephram's always been a very private boy. This is not your fault," Dr. Abbott replies.
"Should I take him to the hospital, Harold? I…he was so upset when I tried to help him before, I'm afraid if he wakes up in the hospital that he'll never trust me again…" Andy admits.
"Andy…do you think he's taking drugs? I can't think of anything else that would be slowing his heartbeat down so much…"
"I don't know…I don't know anything…" Andy replies, lost.
Ephram starts to wake up. "…Not real…you're not real…you can't hurt me…you're not real…"
Andy goes to his son's side as Dr. Abbott steps back. "Ephram, it's okay, you're safe…"
"Not safe…she's always here…not real…always watching me…stop…" Ephram mutters, struggling in his father's grasp. He gasps deeply and opens his eyes, conscious again.
"Ephram?" Andy asks, quietly.
"What happened?" Ephram asks, starting to sit up. He acknowledges Dr. Abbott silently with a glance.
"You collapsed…" Andy starts.
"Sorry. Can I go now?" Ephram interrupts.
"No…You're sick. You have a fever and you've been drinking…" Andy starts
"You've been in my room?"
"No, I can smell it. I should take you to the hospital…"
"No!" Ephram retorts, sitting up. His trembling is evident as he sits upright. Andy pales with concern.
Ephram glances away as his mother's voice grows louder in his head. Dr Abbott silently urges Andy from the room.
"Ephram…" Dr. Abbott starts.
"I won't talk to him so why do you think I'll talk to you?" Ephram interrupts, his eyes glazing.
"Because I won't tell him anything you don't want me to. Doctor-patient confidentiality. He's worried about you and I can tell that you know that something's wrong. What's happening to you?"
Ephram has involuntarily zoned out. He has locked eyes with his mother.
"What do you want from me?" Ephram asks suddenly, startling Dr. Abbott. Tears of frustration start to run down his face. "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it…stop yelling and tell me how to fix it…"
"Ephram…who are you talking to?" Dr. Abbott asks, calmly, gently shaking the young man.
Ephram's eyes are still glazed. Dr. Abbott can tell that he is not fully in reality. "She didn't used to be like this…she never talked to me like this, like she hates me. She always loved me, but not she hates me…"
"Your mother? Is she here?" Dr. Abbott asks, keeping his voice calm.
"She's always here…telling me how useless I am, how disappointed she is…how much she hates me…" Ephram replies, shaking more violently. "I can't make her stop…I know she's not real but she's always here…when I'm awake or sleep…"
"Ephram? How long? How long have you been seeing her?" He asks.
"Nothing I do makes her go away…" Ephram mutters. "Nothing…" He meets Dr. Abbott's eyes suddenly but there is nothing recognizable in the youth's eyes. "She told me that if I were dead that everything would be okay…but my dad would be devastated…she says that he hates me, too, that he would be happy I was gone but…she's not real…" Ephram's voice fades.
"Ephram. She's not real, you hear me? Don't listen to her, no matter what she says," Dr. Abbott says, pale from the boy's last words.
"I just…I don't know what to do anymore…" Ephram murmurs, his eyelids drooping.
Andy returns with a glass of orange juice. "Ephram, can I get you to try and drink this?"
Ephram shakes his head. "I can't keep anything down…"
"Just try, okay?" Andy urges.
Ephram nods and accepts the glass. He finishes half of it.
"Okay, Ephram. We have to try and get your fever to go down. We'll worry about everything else later, okay?" Dr. Brown soothes.
Ephram swings his legs off the couch, suddenly. "I'm going to be sick…" He starts unsteadily toward the bathroom. After staggering and nearly falling, he accepts his father's assistance. He vomits uncontrollably for several minutes and finally settles into dry heaves.
"Andy. I think he's had some sort of breakdown…he needs some help that I'm not sure we can give him," Dr. Abbott says, speaking quietly to Andy outside the bathroom.
"Breakdown? What are you talking about?" Andy asks, confused.
"He's seeing his mother. She's telling him things. The only reason I'm telling you is because he's underage. I promised I wouldn't tell, but…" Dr. Abbot says quietly, torn.
"It's okay. I appreciate it, Harold. So…he's losing his mind?" Andy whispers, devastated.
"Something must have triggered it, Andy, but…maybe the fever is what's causing it…"
"But you don't think so," Andy finishes Dr. Abbott's thought.
"Dad?" Ephram leans against the door unsteadily. "What do you want me to do?" He looks defeated.
"I want you to get some rest. I'm going to start an I.V. to try and hydrate you and get your fever down. Can you tell me how much you've had to drink today? I need to know so I can treat you," Andy explains.
"I don't know…a lot…" Ephram mutters, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry, Dad…"
"Don't apologize, Ephram. Come on. I'm going to put you in my bed. I want you to try and sleep, okay?" Andy gently steadies his son up the stairs into his bedroom. Ephram doesn't protest, he lies down and turns his body away from his father, shivering violently.