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Dec. 11th, 2004 05:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lastgunslingerRoland has been awake for some time.
His coughing has yet to stop.
His eyes are bright and glassy.
He's really tired of looking at the ceiling.
Welcome to hell, he thinks. You deserve it.
His coughing has yet to stop.
His eyes are bright and glassy.
He's really tired of looking at the ceiling.
Welcome to hell, he thinks. You deserve it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2004-12-12 06:35 pm (UTC)Common medical practice. I went through it many times when I was younger.
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Date: 2004-12-12 06:38 pm (UTC)He turns his face to the wall.
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Date: 2004-12-12 06:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 06:48 pm (UTC)The words are flat. He's still looking at the wall.
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Date: 2004-12-12 06:52 pm (UTC)"I appreciate everything that you've done, Peter. Is there anything I should know in case he gets worse?"
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Date: 2004-12-12 07:09 pm (UTC)He turns to Jake. "Keep him warm and fed, make sure he takes the Keflex at four-hour intravals and make him rest. If his breathing gets worse and his lungs don't clear, I'll set up an oxygen tent to help him breathe. And I'll be round to see how he's doing; there might be things I'd notice that you wouldn't."
He glances back at Roland. "I'll knock first, sai.
"In the meantime, however, I think you're set. Good night, sai Roland. Good night, Jake."
And with that, Peter exits the room.
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Date: 2004-12-12 07:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 07:55 pm (UTC)He so badly wants Jake to stay with him, wants someone who knew Eddie there with him -- and yet. Yet.
Kill 'em all and let ka sort it out, says Joe in his head, scornfully. Roland is a killer. More: he is Jake's teacher. But Jake is the only one here who knew Eddie -- surely --
No. He cannot think that way. Such is weakness. All right: so Roland is once more a lone sojourner in a foreign land. There's no call for megrims. No need. He's done this before. He can do it again.
He turns his head back to Jake, now that the interloper has left. There is still hesitation in his eyes. They were ka-tet. Are ka-tet, he tells himself fiercely. And when the tet breaks, it is not a bad thing to share khef with those of the tet who are still here.
As you will, and his tone is perhaps less impassive than the words alone would seem.
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Date: 2004-12-12 08:16 pm (UTC)The he leans forward and presses a swift kiss to his forehead as a son would do to his father.
Perhaps it is absolution. Perhaps it is comfort. Jake thinks that it is somewhere in between the two.
I will stay for awhile, and he sits and pulls a tattered paperback out of his pocket.
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Date: 2004-12-12 08:22 pm (UTC)But he breathes easier.
After five minutes or so: "What -- " He stops. No use talking that way. What are you reading?
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Date: 2004-12-12 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 08:29 pm (UTC)Then, almost cautiously: Say sorry you saw me and Joe outside.
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Date: 2004-12-12 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 09:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 09:08 pm (UTC)He stands and closes the book. You need to rest, however, and conversation like this can wind its way through miles of road.
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Date: 2004-12-12 09:13 pm (UTC)And then, quietly: Say thankya, Jake.
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Date: 2004-12-12 09:16 pm (UTC)Sleep well.