A World of New (A Shade of Vampire, #26)

“I honestly don’t think he was paralyzed before,” I said. “He acts as though his brain, his subconscious, has not accepted that he can’t walk.” I told her about his exercise earlier. “And he loathes being helped. I guess it’s possible that memory was wiped from him too, but… I don’t know. It’s just a feeling, I guess. It seems instinctive to him to be independent.”


“You’re probably right,” Shayla replied. “In any case, I was going to say that I haven’t given up yet. Corrine, Mona and Ibrahim are people we could consult about this. They may see something that we don’t. But in the meantime, I was going to suggest that you take him to visit the jinn. They pretty easily cured your uncle of autism, so going to see them should be much faster. I’ve done all I can for now insofar as a diagnosis.”

“Okay,” I said. “Sure. He’s sleeping now again, so I guess we’ll go as soon as he wakes up.”

“Good luck,” Shayla murmured.

I left the apothecary and returned to Josh’s room. He was still dozing, as I had expected. I sat by his side and reached for my notebook and pen. I wrote down some more notes on his character profile page, then turned to the next page and started brainstorming places I might be able to take him to see on the island—some of the most beautiful spots—as well as things we could do together. Though if the jinn managed to cure him, I would be out of a job soon. Still I made a list, not having much else to do as I waited for him to wake up…

Only he didn’t wake up. He slept for the rest of the day and then into the evening. By the time seven o’clock came around, I seriously considered waking him up. But I just couldn’t bring myself to. Shayla suggested that I might as well wait until tomorrow, when he would wake up naturally.

I felt disappointed, but optimistic as I headed back to my apartment with my backpack. By the end of the day tomorrow, he could very well be back on his feet and recalling all of his lost memories. Because if the jinn had managed to fix Uncle Jamil, why on earth wouldn’t they be able to cure Josh?





Grace





Since he had slept so much the day before, I expected that he would be awake early. And I was right. When I arrived in his room at 6 AM, he was already sitting up in bed.

“Good morning,” I said. “Did you sleep well?”

He cast me a glance. “Not particularly.”

“Oh, well, let me get you some breakfast.” I hurried out of the room and headed to the kitchens. I found a pot of soup already cooked up. I filled up a thermos flask with the soup, grabbed two bowls and spoons, and placed them on a tray before heading back upstairs. I put the tray on his bedside table and proceeded to pour out some of the soup into a bowl and handed it to him. I had deliberately not eaten breakfast in my own home because I’d wanted to share it with him. I filled my own bowl and started eating. It was actually quite delicious.

“I would like to take you outside today, Josh, to see some other people on this island whom I really believe can help you—even better than Shayla.”

He raised a brow and stopped chewing. “Who?” he asked.

“Jinn,” I replied.

“What are jinn?”

I proceeded to explain what they were, but concluded by saying, “It’s best you just see one. My family has first-hand experience of being helped by their powers.” I told him about Jamil, and the cure they had given him. I couldn’t miss the spark of hope that lit up in his eyes.

“Yes,” he said, setting down his spoon. “I must see them.”

I called for Tom, who arrived a few minutes later. He took Josh into the bathroom, where, from the sounds of it, he helped him brush his teeth and shower.

“Would you like assistance shaving?” Tom asked.

“Thanks, but no.” Josh’s answer came as a grunt.

When he emerged in the room again, he was still unshaven, but wearing clothes more suitable for the outdoors than his pajamas: a thick, thermal sweater and pants, even though it wasn’t cold outside. I gave him a smile.

“Shall we go then?” I asked.

He nodded, though when I moved to take his chair’s handles, he shook his head.

“I’ll push myself,” he muttered. I opened the door for him, and out he rolled down the corridor. I wondered if we were going to have a repeat of yesterday, where he would roll for a bit and then collapse from exhaustion. But although he covered the same distance this time, by the end he did not appear as exhausted. Perhaps he was gradually gaining strength in his arms.

He allowed me to push him into the elevator. We descended to the ground floor and exited the hospital, emerging in the sunflower meadow. As I breathed in the fragrant morning air, I couldn’t help but steal a glance at him. His eyes were wide, bright and alert.

I pushed him until the end of the meadow and then along the path through the woods. Soon we spotted a group of human fourth-graders on their way to school.

“Those are pupils of The Shade’s school,” I explained as I caught him looking at them.

“Did you go to school here?” he asked.

“I still do,” I replied. “But I’ve been given some time off…” So I can look after you.