Read Threshold Shift for Free Online

sheet.
    “I
don’t stock illegal drugs, Deputy.”
    “If
you did,” Jon said slowly. “It could save his life.”
    Forbes
grimaced for a moment, slamming the door behind him as he disappeared
into the room again. Jon waited, it was a law he didn’t mind
the Doctor breaking. A minute later the door reopened.
    “You
didn’t get this from me, Jon,” Forbes said, holding out a
small vial of purple liquid. “It’s only a very weak dose
I’m afraid, but it’s all I have.”
    Jon
took the proffered vial and placed it in his breast pocket.
“Thank-you, Doctor.”
    “I
was keeping it as an aid for difficult operations,” Forbes
said. “I would never get addicted to the stuff. I know too well
what it does.”
    “I’m
glad someone does,” Jon replied bitterly.
    “It
won’t keep him going long,” Forbes added. “A few
days maybe, if he avoids undue stress."
    “A
few days is a long time, Doc,” Jon said. “But avoiding
stress isn't an option.”
    Forbes
nodded, and picked up his bag, heading for the back door.
    Jon
made to follow, only for Forbes to suddenly turn around and brush
back past him towards the front exit. “I’m sorry, Jon,”
Forbes said.
    Jon
smiled as the Doctor hurried into Main Street where anyone could see
him.
    “You
have nothing to be sorry for.”

Chapter
Three

    Jacob
sat in his bathroom, his damaged hand stretched out over the sink as
Forbes cleaned the wound. He winced with each splash of antiseptic,
eyes watering with the pain. Forbes paused each time, waiting a few
seconds, before continuing, working quietly and meticulously by
Jacob’s side.
    “Thanks
for coming,” Jacob said weakly when the Doctor had finished.
His whole face ached from too much gritting of teeth,
    “No
problem, Jake,” Forbes said, reaching into his bag to produce a
round transparent box filled with grey liquid. “Put your hand
in this, please.”
    Jacob
pushed his hand through the gel into the re-grow pack and felt a
sticky warmth engulf the wound. He breathed a sigh of relief as the
throbbing pain was reduced to a sharp tingle.
    “Try
not to move it too much,” Forbes advised. “I’ll
take it off in two days, and you should start getting feeling back in
a week or two.”
    Jacob
nodded. “I may not have a week or two.”
    Forbes
clicked shut his bag. “Jon told me about your… problem,
but you seem to be handling the withdrawal very well, better than I
would have believed possible.”
    “I
can fight it off for a time,” Jacob said with a wary smile.
“But don’t make the mistake of believing I’m
winning. If I relax my grip it can catch up with me very fast.”
    “Then
this will help,” Forbes said, loading an injector with the pale
purple vial of liquid.
    “That
doesn’t look right,” Jacob said.
    “It’s
not particularly pure,” Forbes replied. “But it will give
you time.”
    The
Doctor injected the Jopo into Jacob’s arm. “I’m
sorry I can’t give you anything more potent. But it’s all
I have.”
    Jacob
nodded, and let Forbes lead him back into the adjoining bedroom. He
had no trouble at all collapsing into bed. The sheets were clean,
fragrant. He was pleased they no longer smelled of him. It made sleep
so much easier.
    “Come
and see me in two days,” Forbes said from somewhere near the
doorway.
    “Two
days,” Jacob muttered, vaguely aware of the bedroom door
closing in Forbes wake. Somewhere inside him he knew the drug, even
diluted, was beginning to feed his blood. As unconsciousness
beckoned, he smiled.
    When
he woke up, the strain required to keep hold of his senses was gone.
He no longer had to fight. But he also felt a profound
disappointment. There was no high. He could think normally again, but
that was all, the clarity and intensity Jopo normally gave him was
missing. With a sudden moment of intense regret, he realised he would
never experience that clarity or intensity again.
    Sitting
up from the bed, he listened, it was so quiet. The only sound he
could hear