The Medical Opinion

The doctor sits across from us at the steel table, mouth pursed. My wife’s hand goes clammy in mine.

“Well,” says the doctor, “aside from the things he says he sees, your son does not show any signs of mental illness. None.”

“That’s a relief,” I say, smiling. “Isn’t it, honey?”

“You said aside from the things he sees, Doctor,” says my wife. “What do you mean?”

“Perhaps he has an overactive imagination.”

“So you’re proposing that it’s an overactive imagination that makes him wake up screaming every night?”

I do not mention that I have begun seeing them too.

 

Friday Fictioneers

36 comments

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  1. James

    My granddaughter periodically suffers night terrors. Her Dad (my Son) used to as a small child as well. My grandson won’t shower alone (I have to stand guard) because he says he sees ghosts in the mirror. You never know.

  2. trentpmcd

    Oh, don’t worry, your imagination is just taking suggestions from the boy… Yeah, that’s the ticket. Remind me not to visit at night.

    Nice twist to the ghost story.

  3. Lynn Love

    Ooh, cracking last line there! Bit of a Sixth Sense vibe going on, passed from one generation to the next. Nice tension, though I’d really like to read more!

  4. Joy Pixley

    Uh-oh. It’s one thing if the kid is seeing things. If a second person, especially an adult, is also seeing them…. time to run for the hills. I don’t even know what they’re seeing and it’s still great tension!

  5. handmadejewelryhaven

    Ok. So you start seeing the ghosts that your son is screaming nightly about.
    My first move would be to a Day’s Inn rather than a doctor ;)
    Did these people not see the movie ‘Poltergeist’??

    – Lisa

Don't just stand there.