Realm Wraith Read Online Free PDF

opened them again.
    “Very good. Don’t try to move too much. I want you to take it slow, all right? I’d say about ten more minutes for your guests, and then they’ll have to leave so we can run some tests. Need to make certain there’s no lasting damage to the brain.”
    “But I want to stay with Daddy,” Levi protested.
    “I’m sorry, but those are the rules. I’ll leave you alone to catch up, and be back in a little bit.”
    “Thank you, doctor.” Rayne heard another male voice that he also recognized.
    “Oh, it’s no trouble at all. Since you’re his friend, I know he’ll be in good hands. Will you be on call tonight?”
    “No, I’m still on holiday, but you have my number if you need me.”
    “Very good, I’ll let you know if there’s an emergency. Take care now.”
    There were footsteps, and one grey form vanished from Rayne’s view, leaving three shapes standing near him.
    “Rayne, can you hear me?” the male voice spoke to him.
    Rayne opened his mouth and forced his voice to work again. “David?” his voice creaked with the strain. “But you…on holiday?”
    “I caught the first flight home after the hospital contacted me.”
    “Levi…was supposed to…from school.”
    “Levi’s right here. I picked him up from Tommy’s place, and we’ve been coming here every day, waiting for you to wake up.”
    “Good.” Rayne paused for a second, taking everything in. The shapes were becoming clearer, but still lacked definition. “—accident?”
    “You were hit by a car. You broke your arm, and several ribs, and—” David paused for a moment, then spoke to the child beside him. “Levi, would you mind stepping outside a bit? I need to talk to your father. Grown-up stuff.”
    “But I want to speak with him too!”
    “You can later. Right now, I need you to be a good boy and wait outside.”
    “Fine!” Levi’s voice brimmed with disappointment. Rayne heard him patter out of the room, and only saw two shapes beside his bed now.
    “What’s going on?” Rayne whispered.
    David held a hand to his mouth, choosing his words. “Rayne, the car damaged your spine. You’re paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors say it’s very likely you won’t ever walk again.”
    “My spine? What about…meeting? I have to…my client.”
    “Rayne, did you hear me? You’re paralyzed. You’ll be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. Don’t you think that’s a little more important than a meeting?”
    Rayne’s eyes narrowed.
    “Fine. I called your firm, and informed them of the situation. You’ve been given sick leave, of course. They gave your case files to a colleague, and he took care of the meeting. Apparently he handled it miserably. The case is going to court. But they said you already arranged everything, so there is nothing for you to worry about, all right?”
    “Fuck,” Rayne rasped.
    David’s eyes creased, and his voice shook. “Rayne, forget work. You—you were almost dead at the scene, but they brought you in and—” He seemed to have trouble collecting his thoughts. “We almost lost you. You were totally brain dead for almost a minute; your heart stopped and you weren’t breathing at all! But, the doctors managed to revive you. I can’t even begin to describe how terrifying that phone call was, to hear how close you came to death. The driver wasn’t so lucky.”
    Rayne wanted to respond, but his voice didn’t want to work again. Yet even if it had, he wasn’t sure what to say. The reality of his situation sank in. His body ached, but he couldn’t feel his legs. A heavy cast burdened his left arm. As David spoke he started to remember the crash, the terrifying nightmare that followed. To hear that he had actually died, even for a moment, only made that nightmare seem more real.
    “The doctors were certain you’d wake up, but they weren’t sure when, so I’ve been bringing Levi by every day so he could be here when you came back to us. He’s been crying