Читать книгу Our Collective Life - JD Kennedy - Страница 24

David sat in silence with Linda. The sadness he felt at hearing Jo tried to attempt suicide again and what had happened with her since was evident. Linda tried to explain it the best she could, but in truth, she was having a hard time with it herself. How could she explain? How could she explain that someone in the Collective was responsible for beating someone to within an inch of their life? What’s more, how could she explain that all that happened within? She knew to an outsider that didn’t make sense. She knew how that must sound to a non-multiple, albeit one as understanding as David.

“Do you know how Jo is?” he finally asked.

“I have no idea. I don’t even know where she is.”

David laced his fingers and absently tapped them together. He took a deep breath and, after letting it go slowly, he looked at Linda and said “I know you tend to minimalise things for my benefit. You try to protect me from things, from the truth.”

“It isn’t intentional, for the most part.” Linda said, although she knew what he said was true.

“Intentional or not, I would like you to be honest with me. What happened to Jo?”

“I told you. She tried to kill herself again, and Demise and Trudi managed to stop her.”

“Yes, but what happened in between them stopping her, and her being locked within?”

“I’m not sure what you’re asking.” Linda said, although she dreaded that she did, indeed, know.

David sighed, looking at Linda, saying “I think you do. I think you know what I am asking”. He knew he could push Linda further than he pushed many of the others. So leaning forward, he asked “Did Demise punish her?”

Linda looked down, unable to meet the doctor’s gaze.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he murmured. “How bad?”

How did Linda answer that? As good as David was, how could he ever understand what this was like? How could he fathom how a member can be physically attacked, all from within?

“Linda?” he prodded.

Linda felt herself being pulled back. Normally she could fight it, and being a stronger member, she probably would have been able to stay. But today she welcomed the fact she was fading and was being replaced by another member. Although she knew the violence happened, she didn’t like it and it left a bad feeling in her mouth. Whilst she was struggling to come to grips with it, she just didn’t feel she could cope with the conversation.