SAVE ME, SAN FRANCISCO

Nick Fletcher. Doctor Fletcher if we're being formal, Nicholas if you're being smart.

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“After hours, gotta love them.”

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“Who doesn’t?”

[drsimonwraith-deactivated201608]

“Sorry, what?”

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“Enjoying that?”

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“You… recognize me? But how?” She frowned, or at least tried to. The memory of her flesh still lingered on her bones, and she could remember the feeling in her lips. “What’s happening to you?”

“I’m not supposed to? I don’t know...?” Nick frowned as well. He looked back up. “I-wha-? I thought I saw something again...” he said, lowering his voice a little.

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“So you’re telling me you see dead people?”

“To put it simply, yes. You probably think I’m crazy or high or something, right?”

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“It’s Halloween. At this point embrace the weird and roll with it. As long as no one dies then everything is good.”

“Tell me about it. Actually. I’m having my own strange visions myself.”

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Ella looked at him, wide-eyed. Or rather, she imagined since whatever allowed her to see wasn’t visible, he could only look at the empty sockets in her face. “You’re not afraid?” she asked incredulously.

“Of you, know. Of whatever else the heck is happening right now and in my head, maybe a little bit.” Nick said, nodding, before looking over his shoulder.

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“Yeah– I’m good. Just a little odd tonight, but hey it’s Halloween so everyone is a little odd.”

“Odd might be an understatement... I feel like I had too much to drink. And all I’ve had was a Mountain Dew for lunch.”

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Ella looked strangely up at the man. “Don’t you see?” Bones of her arms clicked over those of her legs as her fingers touched to her skull. “Why don’t you run, fool?”

Nick shook his head. “No...” He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “But why do I need to run?”

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“Like the kid who said I see ghosts?”

“I see dead people, but yes, him.”

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“Oh, god. No, no, don’t look at me.” Polyhymnia stopped, realizing that the man surely wouldn’t recognize her in this strange, new, and horrifying form. “Just carry on with your life.”

“What’s wrong? What happened?” This was getting all way too strange. Nick looked around and then at the panicking girl.

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“Now I know what that kid from The Sixth Sense was thinking.”

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“No… no. This isn’t happening…”

“You okay there?”

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“All kinds of crazy happens on this night.” Leaning her head forward she waited for him to scratch her head, when he started she purred. Out of animal instinct she rubbed her body against his still purring, until she realized what she was doing. “Shit– umm… that was… yeah. I don’t know what happened there.”

“Right...” Nick nodded slowly. He scratched her head gently, still unsure of what was happening. Maybe his own head was being affected by what was happening and Jennifer’s purring was making him think he had inhaled some laughing gas. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

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Kind of. I mean elf’s aren’t real, but I get what you mean. I just feel more like a dog or animalish? Will you actually itch behind my ear? It’s driving me crazy.

Hey, it’s Halloween. Go nuts. Scratch behind your ear? I... Okay... 

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“Afdsjkvbfh smdg kvjf bd vsncdl!”

[I think I could get used to this!]

“Pardon?”

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Nah, that’s not what I felt. I don’t know how to explain it just I feel warmer and like shorter. It’s so odd. 

Warmer and shorter? Like a fuzzy elf?

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Nick looked up from the paperwork he was filing and bit his lip. It was getting late, maybe he needed another cup of coffee, but something out of the corner of his eye made him blink. He rubbed his eyes and looked startled at the faded outline of a familiar figure he hadn’t seen since he was a pre-teen. He took a deep breath and shook his head. No, no, no... The doctor muttered to himself as he pushed his chair back. The more he stared, the clearer the image became. 

He looked around. Luckily no one was there... Maybe he was just thinking too hard, working too hard. Yeah, that was it. That had to be the answer. Nick got up and walked out of his office towards the copy room. He kept looking over his shoulder to see the figure’s trail closing in on him. C’mon, Nicky, let’s play ball!