Foreshadowing.
Sarah walked the streets of her city with an extra spring to her step. She missed her daemon, but walking around with a talking lion really put a crimp in her routine. It was nice to run some errands and visit former co-workers, even if the weather was a little muggy.
Her last stop wasn't quite so enjoyable. She entered the Department of Veterans Affairs, a somber building decorated inside only with memorials to lives lost. She recognized the older, grumpy-looking woman who sat behind the Administration desk. The older woman recognized her in turn and smiled, just looking tired instead of grumpy. "Sarah. What brings you by here? You working at the clinic again?"
Sarah shook her head and returned the smile. "No, Bernice. I'm not here about one of my patients. It's about one of Dr. Schreber's."
"Your gentlemen friend?" Bernice peered at Sarah over her reading glasses, but it was a look of amusement rather than contempt. "Or have I missed some important news?"
"No, you haven't," Sarah replied politely, trying not to grit her teeth. "Anyway, he was treating a veteran, a young man by the name of Dale McKinley. He's disappeared, and we're awfully worried. I was wondering if you had a current address on file for him."
The older woman sighed, as much from having to get up as being denied any juicy details from Sarah. "I'll look him up. Wait right here, hon." She walked into the file room, and for a few minutes Sarah frowned at the dusty dreariness around her. There weren't any cobwebs, but only because the city lacked spiders.
"Hey." Bernice's voice caught her attention. She had returned with a folder, but she didn't look pleased. "You sure his patient's name is Dale McKinley?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Sarah replied, a bit taken aback.
Bernice handed over the folder. "Then your sweetheart's a medium as well as a shrink, because that's the only Dale McKinley we have on file."
Sarah opened the folder, confused. The first page explained everything. Dale McKinley had died during his second tour of duty in the war.
***
Sarah returned home a short while later. Along with her groceries and dry cleaning, she had a folder with her. The look on her face suggested it wasn't good news.
Her last stop wasn't quite so enjoyable. She entered the Department of Veterans Affairs, a somber building decorated inside only with memorials to lives lost. She recognized the older, grumpy-looking woman who sat behind the Administration desk. The older woman recognized her in turn and smiled, just looking tired instead of grumpy. "Sarah. What brings you by here? You working at the clinic again?"
Sarah shook her head and returned the smile. "No, Bernice. I'm not here about one of my patients. It's about one of Dr. Schreber's."
"Your gentlemen friend?" Bernice peered at Sarah over her reading glasses, but it was a look of amusement rather than contempt. "Or have I missed some important news?"
"No, you haven't," Sarah replied politely, trying not to grit her teeth. "Anyway, he was treating a veteran, a young man by the name of Dale McKinley. He's disappeared, and we're awfully worried. I was wondering if you had a current address on file for him."
The older woman sighed, as much from having to get up as being denied any juicy details from Sarah. "I'll look him up. Wait right here, hon." She walked into the file room, and for a few minutes Sarah frowned at the dusty dreariness around her. There weren't any cobwebs, but only because the city lacked spiders.
"Hey." Bernice's voice caught her attention. She had returned with a folder, but she didn't look pleased. "You sure his patient's name is Dale McKinley?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Sarah replied, a bit taken aback.
Bernice handed over the folder. "Then your sweetheart's a medium as well as a shrink, because that's the only Dale McKinley we have on file."
Sarah opened the folder, confused. The first page explained everything. Dale McKinley had died during his second tour of duty in the war.
***
Sarah returned home a short while later. Along with her groceries and dry cleaning, she had a folder with her. The look on her face suggested it wasn't good news.