As Frieda and Benton enter the ward Amanda was on they could both hear the shrill screams of an angry woman.
“I told you I wanted lightly poached eggs with toast and bacon!”
“And told you,” the nurse in a stern voice; “I am not your maid! I am a nurse and you are the patient!”
“Don’t sass me,” Amanda snaps back; “Or I’ll have your job.”
The nurse just smiles; “Good luck, I’m union.” She walks out of the room as both Benton and Frieda enter.
“Oh Benton you’re here. Be a dear and get whoever runs this place to fetch me a proper breakfast?” Amanda pleads
“Sorry my darling wife,” Benton looking crestfallen; “I don’t have that pull here. Besides I doubt the doctor is going to let you eat solid food just yet. Not after you had a chance to recover from the injuries you sustained from your car wreck.”
Before Frieda or Amanda could speak up, Dr.Tora Tachibana appears. “Your husband is quite correct. Plus you are still being treated for the cause of your accident.”
“Cause?” Amanda finally calming down; “Benton what is he on about?”
“You passed out while behind the wheel mom,” Frieda interrupts; “I and uncle Lance saw you being wheeled in by the paramedics last night. Everyone thought you were drunk as they smelled alcohol on you.”
“Ridiculous,” Amanda huffs; “I don’t drink unless it’s a social function. And even then it’s a single glass of champagne.”
“We all know that mom,” Frieda answers; It’s what the doctors discovered after they found out your blood alcohol was zero.”
Dr. Tora chooses to interject at this moment; “We discovered you were running a fever and were clearly suffering from some illness. After talking to your husband we suspected you may have been infected by an exotic parasite.”
“What?” Amanda sounding shocked.
“The doctor here ask what we had recently honey,” Benton responds; “the only exotic item we both had was your civet coffee. I brought your bag over and they ran tests on it.”
“That is when we discovered hookworm eggs in the grounds,” Dr. Tora answers; “It’s a common parasite where civet coffee is harvested. Since you drink at least a cup a day…”
“Please, spare me the details,” Amanda feeling sick to her stomach; “How long must I be here.”
“Well your fever is down so we knocked back your infection,” Dr. Tora comments; “You just need to stay here awhile. You did suffer serious injuries in your car wreck.”
“How long doctor,” Amanda answers.
“Since you are a were, at least until next Friday;” Doctor Tora comments; “Try and not piss off the nurses as they do their rounds okay. I’ll check on you later."
Dr.Tora walks out and Benton chases after him. Frieda closes the door and sit next to her mother.
“Can I talk to you about some things?” Frieda asks
“Sure sweety,” Amanda clearly calmer; “Ask me anything.”
“Okay,” Frieda responds feeling nervous; “First, please don’t make the extent of our morning greeting by just handing me my were-birth control pills. I’m not a baby. I don’t need to be spoon fed all the time.”
Amanda looking at her daughter seriously; “Did you take your pill this morning?”
“Yes,” Frieda answers; “And I’m keeping the rest. They are in my name after all.” Frieda continues preventing her mother from responding; “Also before dad attacked Eric as he got out of Mr. Lawson’s car, I had a get together with the household staff.” Frieda takes out the note book from the party and places it in Amanda’s hand; “While some would be willing to return, they will not unless there are some serious changes in yours and fathers attitude towards the help. The book I just gave you details every grievance as well as every false accusation you made to the staff. Staff you never apologized to after realizing you were in the wrong.”
“Anything else Frieda?” Amanda asks.
“Yes. John our chauffer and Ethel our cook are getting married today in Seattle; while I know it’s extremely short noticed to attend the wedding. The least you and father could do was offer them some form of congratulations.”
“I’ll talk to your father about that,” Amanda assures her daughter.
“There is one other thing mother,” Frieda looking serious; “while father was getting your civet coffee, Myself Uncle Lance and Ms. Tachibana had a discussion regarding father’s bizarre mood changes.”
“You all think he might be Bi-polar,” Amanda answering.
“You heard the conversation?” Frieda looking shocked.
“No,” Amanda answers; “While I do not remember much as to what happened while driving; I do recall having a strange dream involving a strange person telling me to get Benton checked out. I was all for putting it off as a hallucination; but with what you said in terms of your father's mood swings, I’m not so certain now.”
“I pleaded with father to be willing to get tested,” Frieda holding back tears; “he said he’ll discuss it once you are better.”
“We’ll be talking about it when he returns from what he is doing with my doctor;” Amanda looking serious.
****
“Doctor Wait,” Benton nearly shouts.
“Mr. Knight,” Dr. Tora sounding exasperated from Benton’s constant badgering; “while I am well aware of your prejudices towards my family and were-foxes as a whole, I assure you I am the best physician you wife could get.”
“It’s not that,” Benton sounding sullen; “While I know you were being professional and all; I also know you overheard what my daughter mention last night.”
“That you could be Bi-polar,” Dr. Tora answers.
“Yes,” Benton respond; “What you said when answering her questions, is it true? Can a were go feral if there is no treatment?”
“Perhaps you should follow me, Benton. And brace yourself this will not be a pretty sight;” Dr. Tora sighs.
Benton is led to a secure wing in the hospital’s sub-basement. Heading through a pair of double doors that could only be accessed by keycard; he is immediately hit by an overwhelming smell of feces and his ears assailed with the sounds of snarling, barking and yowling. Dr. Tora leads Benton through the large ward sectioned off with iron cells and extra strength plexi-glass cages. Each cell has a were; all lunge and snap at the two as they walk by. While Doctor Tora doesn’t flinch at the aggressive action, Benton is clearly un-nerved at the scene. As the head to the end of the ward Dr. Tora stops and point to the two cells in front of him.
“What you see here Benton is two were’s that are as old as my grandmother,” Doctor Tora responds; “their names are Abigail Jolson and Frederick VonHouten. Abigail is a werewolf and Frederick is a were badger. Although by the state of their fursona and age; one would be hard pressed to tell. They turned feral around nineteen thirty three. At that time there was no knowledge of of a were going feral as a result of bi-polar disorder. No research no nothing. These two are the oldest feral’s the hospital has been responsible for. The rest you saw as we passed by are were’s that either became feral due to lack of proper diagnosis or due to maintaining their medication. We can also go feral due to dementia or Alzheimer.”
Dr. Tora looks at Benton, who is clearly shocked by what he sees; “I’m surprised you are not knowledgeable with this; you were after all once on the elder council.”
“What does the elder council have to do with this,” Benton clearly disturbed by what he sees.
“These former members of our community are the ones that came close to exposing our secret to the world. They once acted erratic and rash as you have of late before loosing their minds. This is the elder council’s solution to securing those that did not get put down during capture and containment protocols. It is there hope that they could be one day cured; for some yes.” Looking at Abigail and Frederick; “sadly these two are too far gone and there is no hope that they will ever be anything but savage beasts.”
Benton breathing hard despite the smell; his eyes wide in pure terror; “are you saying I will end like them;” Benton pointing at the ferals in front of him.
“We won’t know unless you are willing to undergo tests;” Dr. Tora escorting Benton from the area. Benton remaining silent as both exit the wing and head back to the floor Amanda’s room is on. Doctor Tora once again speaks up; “While I can’t force you, I hope what you saw will convince you to listen to your family who care about you and agree to their request. If the tests come back false, then you can rest easy. But if they come back positive, with proper medication you can lead a full and healthy life for a were.” Dr.Tora walks away leaving Benton Knight to ponder the seriousness of what he saw, heard and possibly might become.